𝓦𝓸𝓻𝓵𝓭𝓼 𝓒𝓸𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓭𝓮

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 4

CWs: None

AN: Since most of the characters are British, I'll be using British slang and the metric system in their dialogue. Crisps are the same thing as chips. :)

I arrived at the park at 2:15 exactly. All my friends were waiting for me. Even Matilda was there with Willow.

"Hey, guys!" I said as I hopped off my bike.

"She's okay! And lives!" Luke exclaimed when he saw me.

Everyone rushed around me and bombarded me with questions. After assuring them I was okay, I eyed the swings. They were empty.

I smirked. "Anyone up for racing me for a spot on the swings?"

"Racing, you say? I'm down," replied Matilda. She had a competitive streak and did track and field at her school.

"'Kay. Let's start at that tree over there. I'll count down, and then we can go."

She gave me a thumbs up. "Sounds good!"

Once I yelled, "GO!", the two of us sprinted as fast as our legs would take us. It was a close race. Matilda ended up winning by a nose.

"Good race," Matilda congratulated me. "And you said you're not a runner?"

"Uh, I can do short sprints. That's all my running capabilities." I laughed nervously.

"Got it. Come on! Let's claim those swings before any little kids get to them first."

We did so, and in a couple of minutes, we were soaring high in the air. I shut my eyes tightly. I felt like I was flying. I pushed myself higher and higher.

I wish I could just fly away from all my worries. I never thought anything like yesterday would happen when we moved to England.

I conjured up memories of my last theater show before moving here, Once Upon a Mattress. Oh, that show had been amazing. I missed theater. I'd just moved up to high school theater at the time and had loved every minute of it. It was a refreshing upgrade from Broadway JR. shows. The worst part was that the next musical my school was putting on was Matilda—one of my all-time favorite shows. I had never gotten the pleasure of seeing it live, but I'd watched bootlegs and school performances on YouTube and listened to the soundtrack, like, a million times.

But that life was over. I hoped that my new school would have a solid theater program. I wasn't good enough for a lead, mind you, but I could still sing and dance. I'd even considered auditioning for a community theater production of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Then Dad landed this job at The Dorchester. We managed to sell our old home, buy a new house in London, and purchase plane tickets all in the matter of a couple of months. At least I got to spend my birthday with my old friends.

Well, Lexi, there's no use dwelling in the past. You've got friends—three, to be exact. And the Sarratt girls are close acquaintances. You'll be attending the same school as them in the fall. Maybe we can end up being friends!

I brought my swing to a halt. Jumping off, I rushed to the equipment. A certain giddiness filled me. The others were preparing for a game of Above-the-Ground Freeze Tag. Despite my soreness from yesterday, I eagerly joined. I hoped everything would be normal again. And it was—at least for a couple of weeks.

Once Luke said the word "twenty,"  the game was on. I leaped from springboard to springboard until I was within stepping distance of the ladder to access the jungle gym. Stepping onto it, I clambered up the metal rungs and pulled myself up right on time. Luke followed in pursuit. I raced toward the monkey bars and froze.