The Unknown Road

1 - Tessa

"TESSA!" I HEAR A shout from down the stairs and I recognise my dad's voice.

I open one of my eyes and see my room is starting to fill with light.

Groaning, I roll over to the other side of my double bed, bringing my pillow with me to put over my face, blocking out the unwelcome beams of sunlight coming through my window.

"Tessa, are you awake?" The shout comes again, this time from outside my door.

"Yeah, I'm awake Dad!" I call out, the pillow muffling my voice slightly. "I'm awake!" I repeat, yelling with impatience as I hear him tapping on the door.

"Just checking. There's coffee," he says, his footsteps trailing away.

Removing the pillow, I rub my eyes to adjust them to the brightness, sitting up on my elbows as I mentally prepare myself for returning to school. After two and a half months off, we were finally heading back.

We received our GCSE results about two weeks ago and I'd actually done better than I'd expected. It allows me to do the four subjects I really love: English, Classics, History and Art. It's a varied bunch, but it kept options open for choosing universities, and for wanting to become a teacher. Our year was already looking at universities, and we had to have make an official decision on our top five by the end of this year.

Stretching with a yawn, I reluctantly slide out of bed to have a look in my wardrobe, trying to decide what to wear.

Now that we're sixth-formers, we're allowed to wear suits. I'm extremely thankful our days of wearing the same delightfully unattractive maroon uniforms are over. And I expect every girl in our year is glad to see the back of them.

I pick out a knee-length grey skirt-suit combo I'd bought in a sale, along with a pink shirt, and I place them on my bed and grab my towel to quickly jump into the shower.

Letting it run before stepping in, I let the warm water cascade over me, and close my eyes as the water washes the tiredness from my body, leaving me more revitalised and ready for the day.

"Two more years," I whisper to myself after I step out, wiping the steam from the mirror. "Two more years," I repeat with a sigh of resignation.

The holidays had almost been too long this year. I'd finished my exams in early June, which was earlier than most people. I'd managed to get quite a few lifeguard shifts booked in to pass the time, but by the end of this last week I was seriously bored and ready to go back.

I used the time we had off well though, earning extra pocket money for travelling after A-Levels. I'd done tennis lessons, as well as the lifeguarding shifts, which meant I wouldn't have to rely on the Bank of Dad. This was especially when my brother was already doing chores around the house for pocket money. Every penny for travelling counted.

Drying myself off, I slip into the outfit I'd chosen and inspect myself in the mirror. I'd only seen it on in the changing room when I'd been shopping with Mum last week, but it seemed to look alright now. Accompanying the suit with a pair of comfy black flats, I smiled as I complete my outfit with a twirl.

My blonde hair was now down past my shoulder blades, so I decided to put it up in a messy bun today. Seeing as it was our first day back, I decide I should make an effort today. I put a little eyeliner and mascara on, and put my rose lip balm in my bag for later.

Nodding, finally ready, I sling my jacket over my shoulder, straighten up. I then grab my school bag from the chair at my desk and head out the door towards the sound of clinking bowls.

"Hey guys," I call to Dad and Matt, who are both sitting at the table eating breakfast.

I put my bag on the chair next to Matt's and go to grab a bowl from the cupboard. Pouring the milk in first, before the cornflakes, I join them at the table.