Star by Eliza Witte - HTML preview

26

‘I had some business,’ was the reply as serious as it could sound and that made Jessie laugh. It is so funny, she thought, no matter what this small bottomed girl with fire-golden locks and freckles all over her smiling little face did, she never managed to disturb, annoy or upset Jessie and to such an extent that Jessie couldn’t be angry ever again – not even in the case of Chris O’Neal left alone by the College entrance.

‘This sounded so serious,’ Jessie giggled.

‘It does. Where are we going now?’

‘Well, that’s the point – wherever we want. We are free till 1.30 pm. Then – History of the Costumes. Let’s take a walk.’

They walked through the beautiful park in the college area. Annie had the opportunity to examine it better now. The playground, the other dorms, she discovered even that there was some sort of a students’ pub that closed every night at 10 p.m. She felt for the first time like a tourist here, a tourist who could enjoy herself, rather than be occupied with nothing but troubleshooting ever since the arrival. And she acted like a tourist. She wanted to see everything, she wanted to touch everything and she asked her funny questions all the time. In the end Jessie couldn’t handle it anymore.

‘Annie, I’m worried about you,’ she said, ‘These few days you are not yourself.’

‘No, I’m not,’ typically Annie, Jessie thought.

‘Well, then you know what I mean. You are so absentminded. You’re acting weird, as if you’ve come from someplace very far. And it’s not just this. You’re spending too much energy over nothing. True, you’re still the best in class but…’

Annie interrupted her, ‘Am I?’

‘See? That’s what I mean. As if you’d been dwelling on another planet till yesterday.

You aren’t going out, you aren’t meeting anyone! That guy, Aaron - he likes you!’

‘Yes, that’s what the girl from the Information desk told me too.’

‘Of course, she would tell you. The entire college knows it.’

‘How come?’ Annie caught herself on time again. ‘I mean, how come he likes me? I mean… Jessie, you are so beautiful – with this hair and… I am not like you. I don’t know how this happened. I should have had another face, really!’ Jessie looked at her and laughed, ‘If this is what bothers you – the way you look – well, we can fix it.’

‘Fix it?’

‘Sure we can!’

‘I can look like you?’

‘Sure! You, silly! If that’s IT? I promise you’ll look great! Come, let’s go now or we’ll be late,’ and Jessie started running ahead inviting Annie to follow her. Annie lagged behind a bit but just enough to be able to make an appraisal of the situation.