The stress of the day had clearly taken its toll on me. I slept off in the cab, only waking when we reached home. Mom gently nudged me. "Ivy, let's go in."
We stepped out, burdened with books, files, and my new school uniform. "A uniform?" I thought, but quickly realized it wasn't every day we had to wear it. Monday and Tuesday required it, but Wednesday, like today, and Thursday were casual. Friday was sporty.
"I'm always a rule breaker," I mused, but Mom caught my thought with a knowing look.
"Don't even think about it," she said, eyeing me sternly. "I guess it's not the boy you saw across from Principal Blaunt's office today because I see your hand making creases on the uniform already. You better wear it, and I don't want to get called to your school over pranks anymore, Ivy. At least be a good girl for a few months, okay?"
Looking at her, I had no choice but to agree. "You know you're my favorite chipmunk," she said, trying to lighten the mood.
"Mom, you don't have a choice," I laughed. "I'm the only child, so you don't even get to have a favorite."
Jokingly, she pretended to realize, "Hmm, that's true. Now let me go and feed this grumpy chipmunk."
Too tired to do anything else, we made cereals and ate quickly. Afterward, I headed to my new room, eager for some sleep so I could wake up early to prepare for my first day at school. As my head hit the pillow, I drifted off, only to be woken by my phone ringing. Glancing at the screen, I saw it was Amanda, my friend from my old town.
"Hey... runaway baby," she said cheerfully.
"Hi, girl," I replied, my voice still groggy.
"Oh, you were sleeping, girl?"
"Yeah, I'm tired. And girl, I'm starting school tomorrow."
She teased, "No sleep for the wicked."
I laughed, "But I'm looking forward to it, though. I saw a fine ass guy today."
"Oh, another prey, girl? Who is that unlucky guy?" she replied, laughing.
"He'll be lucky to know me soon," I said with a smirk.
"So, how are you holding up? Like your new home over there?" Amy asked.
"Well, Mother made it as sweet as possible," I replied.
"Ivy, don't stress that sweet soul of a woman, okay, girl?"
"I don't, girl. I love her more than anything."
"I know, girl. Gotta go, my boyfriend number eight just pulled up to my drive," Amy said playfully.
"Amy, really? Really? Don't do what I wouldn't do."
"Yes, Mom. Bye, girl."
As the call ended, I realized how much we had talked. It was time to arrange my room a little. I dragged my suitcase and began organizing my clothes and shoes. I pulled out the uniform and tried it on to see if it fit.
"Well, well, it does," I said, examining myself in the mirror. "Just a little big at the waist, but it's a shirt." Since tomorrow wasn't Monday, I had nothing to stress about.
After settling my clothes, I decided to explore the house a bit more. Heading downstairs, I found Mom in the living room, flipping through a magazine. "Hey, Mom," I said, plopping down beside her. "I was thinking, maybe we could explore the neighborhood a bit tomorrow after school?"
"Sounds like a plan, Ivy," she said, smiling. "It'll be good to get to know our new surroundings."
Just then, the doorbell rang. "Who could that be?" I wondered aloud. Mom got up to answer it, and I followed her.
Opening the door, we were greeted by a woman who looked to be in her early forties, with a warm smile and a welcoming demeanor. "Hi, I'm Mrs. Anderson. I live next door. Just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood," she said, handing over a plate of cookies.
"Thank you so much," Mom replied, taking the cookies. "I'm Hilen, and this is my daughter, Ivana."
"Please, call me Ivy," I said, smiling at Mrs. Anderson.
"Nice to meet you, Ivy," she said warmly. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."
"Actually," I said, remembering my earlier thoughts, "could you tell us a bit about the neighborhood? Any good places we should check out?"
"Oh, absolutely," Mrs. Anderson said, stepping inside. "There's a lovely park just a few blocks away, and a fantastic little café where all the locals hang out. And if you're into books, there's a quaint bookstore on the main street. My son, Matthew, spends a lot of time there."
My ears perked up at the mention of Matthew. "Matthew Anderson?" I asked, trying to keep my curiosity in check.
"Yes, that's right. Do you know him?"
"I've heard about him," I said nonchalantly, exchanging a glance with Mom, who was clearly amused.
After chatting for a while, Mrs. Anderson left, and Mom and I decided to call it a night. I headed back to my room, feeling more at ease in our new home. As I climbed into bed, my mind drifted to thoughts of school and, more specifically, Matthew. "Tomorrow is going to be interesting," I thought, drifting off to sleep once more.
The next morning, I woke up early, feeling surprisingly refreshed. I put on my casual clothes for the day and headed downstairs for breakfast. Mom had already made pancakes, and the smell was heavenly.
"Good morning, chipmunk," she said, placing a plate in front of me.
"Morning, Mom," I replied, digging in. "These are delicious."
"Thanks, sweetie. Are you ready for your first day?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," I said with a grin. "Let's hope it goes smoothly."
After breakfast, Mom dropped me off at school. The building looked imposing yet welcoming, with students milling about the entrance. Taking a deep breath, I walked in, ready to face whatever the day had in store for me.
As I navigated the hallways, I spotted Matthew in the library, once again engrossed in a book. I couldn't help but smile, thinking about how interesting this year was going to be.