days,
the residents of the little community came to meet her. They all fawned over her, telling her how
pretty she was, which was crazy. Amelia
had never seen so many flawless looking people in one place and she couldn’t
help but wonder if they all used the same plastic surgeon, because no one could
look as perfect as they did. It just
wasn’t natural.
While on display, Amelia had also found out
that all of the people in the little gated complex worked for Mr. Lang in one
way or another, since he really did own most of the establishments in
town. It was mind-boggling; she wondered
how old he was. She had assumed that he
was the same age as her roommates, but that would make him too young to be as
important as he was. Maybe it was family
money? Whatever it was, she was getting
more and more nervous about meeting him.
When Monday morning finally rolled around,
Amelia jumped for joy because she couldn’t take much more of the meet and greet
that had been happening all weekend. She
just couldn’t understand why any of them cared about her. Was it normal for neighbors to make such a
big deal about a poor scholarship kid moving in?
If she had hoped that the buzz would die
down, she was mistaken. As soon as
Amelia hopped out of the car at the University, people flocked to her as if she
was some kind of rock star. She soon
found out that the majority of them had grown up in Willowberg or had been
around long enough to know who Mr. Lang was, but their excitement was rubbing
off on the other students and before long, everyone wanted a chance to meet
her.
When her first lecture started, Amelia had
never been so happy to listen to the monotone drone of her professor, who
clearly wanted to be anywhere but teaching. Professor Patterson started right into the what-you-can-expect
speech. He went through the lectures,
the labs, the assignments, and the grading system he used. He told when everything would be due, and
explained his no make-up policy. Basically, no make-ups unless you are dead and then you don’t need
to make anything up anyways.
People stared at her throughout the
class. Amelia had thought she would be
used to it by now. People always stared
at her. But this was different. They weren’t staring at her because she was
new; it was because of whom she lived with.
The three-hour lecture ended too soon. Amelia didn’t rush out because she really
wasn’t ready to smile and meet more people. She stayed put, finishing up her notes, and tried not to notice the line
of people who were waiting for her.
“What are you guys staring at?” snapped a
female voice. “Have you never seen
someone writing notes before? Shoo. You vultures need to find somewhere else to
be. Nothing to see
here.”
Amelia’s eyes snapped up to see the girl
she had met shopping. The
one who had given her the rose. She searched her brain, trying to remember her name. Erin? Yes, she was pretty sure it was Erin who was expertly dismissing the
gawkers.
Once Erin had herded the last of them out
the door, she plopped down next to Amelia. “It’s worse than I thought,” Erin said, grinning.
“Yeah, you really weren’t kidding about the
celebrity thing,” Amelia sighed. “I just
don’t get it. I’m just a scholarship
student. I’m not important.”
Erin’s grin faded and she looked Amelia
over as if she was crazy. Had she said
something wrong? If she had, Amelia
didn’t know what. After a long moment,
Erin’s grin returned and she shrugged. “It just goes with the territory. You live with the rich kids and well, most of
us don’t get to see them. They’re all
pretty secretive and keep to themselves so you’re like the shiny toy and
everyone wants to see what’s behind the gate.”
“Well it sucks,” Amelia groaned. “I don’t think I like this popularity thing
very much.”
Erin laughed and rolled her eyes.
the residents of the little community came to meet her. They all fawned over her, telling her how
pretty she was, which was crazy. Amelia
had never seen so many flawless looking people in one place and she couldn’t
help but wonder if they all used the same plastic surgeon, because no one could
look as perfect as they did. It just
wasn’t natural.
While on display, Amelia had also found out
that all of the people in the little gated complex worked for Mr. Lang in one
way or another, since he really did own most of the establishments in
town. It was mind-boggling; she wondered
how old he was. She had assumed that he
was the same age as her roommates, but that would make him too young to be as
important as he was. Maybe it was family
money? Whatever it was, she was getting
more and more nervous about meeting him.
When Monday morning finally rolled around,
Amelia jumped for joy because she couldn’t take much more of the meet and greet
that had been happening all weekend. She
just couldn’t understand why any of them cared about her. Was it normal for neighbors to make such a
big deal about a poor scholarship kid moving in?
If she had hoped that the buzz would die
down, she was mistaken. As soon as
Amelia hopped out of the car at the University, people flocked to her as if she
was some kind of rock star. She soon
found out that the majority of them had grown up in Willowberg or had been
around long enough to know who Mr. Lang was, but their excitement was rubbing
off on the other students and before long, everyone wanted a chance to meet
her.
When her first lecture started, Amelia had
never been so happy to listen to the monotone drone of her professor, who
clearly wanted to be anywhere but teaching. Professor Patterson started right into the what-you-can-expect
speech. He went through the lectures,
the labs, the assignments, and the grading system he used. He told when everything would be due, and
explained his no make-up policy. Basically, no make-ups unless you are dead and then you don’t need
to make anything up anyways.
People stared at her throughout the
class. Amelia had thought she would be
used to it by now. People always stared
at her. But this was different. They weren’t staring at her because she was
new; it was because of whom she lived with.
The three-hour lecture ended too soon. Amelia didn’t rush out because she really
wasn’t ready to smile and meet more people. She stayed put, finishing up her notes, and tried not to notice the line
of people who were waiting for her.
“What are you guys staring at?” snapped a
female voice. “Have you never seen
someone writing notes before? Shoo. You vultures need to find somewhere else to
be. Nothing to see
here.”
Amelia’s eyes snapped up to see the girl
she had met shopping. The
one who had given her the rose. She searched her brain, trying to remember her name. Erin? Yes, she was pretty sure it was Erin who was expertly dismissing the
gawkers.
Once Erin had herded the last of them out
the door, she plopped down next to Amelia. “It’s worse than I thought,” Erin said, grinning.
“Yeah, you really weren’t kidding about the
celebrity thing,” Amelia sighed. “I just
don’t get it. I’m just a scholarship
student. I’m not important.”
Erin’s grin faded and she looked Amelia
over as if she was crazy. Had she said
something wrong? If she had, Amelia
didn’t know what. After a long moment,
Erin’s grin returned and she shrugged. “It just goes with the territory. You live with the rich kids and well, most of
us don’t get to see them. They’re all
pretty secretive and keep to themselves so you’re like the shiny toy and
everyone wants to see what’s behind the gate.”
“Well it sucks,” Amelia groaned. “I don’t think I like this popularity thing
very much.”
Erin laughed and rolled her eyes.
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