Natural Attractions

Chapter 1

I lied there in my dorm room, listening to the ceiling fan click as my roommates slept.
Click. Click. Click.
Usually I would be asleep at twelve a.m, but for some reason, that night, I couldn't get my eyes to stay closed.
I loved the soothing sound of the fan's click in the middle of the silence. Every night I insisted on leaving it on just for that reason, even though my roommates hated it.
But even the clicking couldn't get me to sleep.
You are probably wondering why tonight is different than any other night, and that is a question I have been thinking to myself a lot lately. Because my whole week has been like this.
But hopefully that will be over tomorrow, after the event, (that has been rendering me sleepless), passes.
My name is Serena Grace Logan. My whole school thinks that I am just a normal fifteen year old Sophomore, but to tell you that would be a lie. But I can't say that I am extraordinary either. My parents, you see, are in Washington DC. They can't tell me what they do, so I don't get to see them too often, that's why I'm in boarding school. I've tried very hard to figure it out, but they hide it like their life depends on it. And maybe it does. Their work is very secretive, so no one knows what they do. The headmistress doesn't even know. And neither do I...
But the reason that tomorrow is so special is because we are combining with the boys school across the street, Johnstons, for an exchange program. Four boys, (or a dorm), and four girls, will be trading places for a week. We do it every year. Last year I was the same way, I barely slept just like tonight. I don't know if it's because I'm excited or nervous. I have no explanation whatsoever for how I feel, and that is why I cannot sleep. I barely know anything about the exchange. Well, of course I know that they have a spare dorm made just for girls, just for this occasion, because we have one made just for boys.
I've only met around four boys from the other school, and that is only because of the exchange, and dances, last year. And I don't even remember their names.
Well, I can't say that I have forgotten every one of the boys' names.
My bunk is right by a window. And if you look out the window, you get a clear shot of the boys school. And there is a dorm across from mine there, that someone has figured out their window, too, can look out to our school.
And that boy's name is Ashton.
I don't know why or how he is the only one I remember, but I do. Maybe it's because I got to show him around on the first day, but I'm a Student Ambassador, so I showed all of the boy's around. Or maybe it's just because of some natural attraction we have to eachother.
Ashton does what I do every night. In the morning I open the curtain, and I see him. And at night I go look through it across the street again. And I see him. So I smile. Then I close the curtain.
I know just that if my dorm gets picked for the exchanged, we would be spending a whole week in an all boys school.
And I'm not quite sure how to feel about that. I'm not sure how ready I am to have a whole school of boys staring at me twenty-four-seven.

Last year when I started at Clarions, I met my three best friends, who are still my roommates today. They try to keep the same dorm organization throughout the years.
First there is Robin and her cousin Briella. They look like sisters because their moms are twins. Briella is outgoing and always trying new things, and Robin is rebellious and her style is kinda edgy. They are both extremely dramatic and, (around this time of year especially), are a little boy crazy. They're also both brunettes and very, very pretty.
My other roommate is Everleigh. She has black hair with bright blue eyes. She is the creative one in our dorm. She loves DIYs and always knows exactly what to wear. She gets straight A's without even studying, and she is obsessed with books.
Then there is me. Serena Grace Logan. I'm the blonde one in my dorm. I have greenish blue eyes and black thick rimmed glasses, but to tell you the truth, they aren't real glasses. I like to try and create my own character, so I wear fake glasses sometimes. Afterall, I am an actress.
I would love to tell you all about myself, describing every little detail, but I'm going to leave the rest of that for you to figure out along the way. After all, I think it's best to have a little bit of mystery every now and then.
Our schools aren't really that special, after all. Clarions and Johnstons are just boarding schools that not every kid can get into. Yes we wear uniforms. Yeah, we are an all girls private/prep boarding school, but we are pretty much just an ordinary school for smart teenagers.

* * *

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of Everleigh's alarm. I had only gotten five and a half hours of sleep, but it didn't really matter. It was a Saturday morning and we had to wake up at Seven o'clock so that we would make it to the assembly at Eight. Briella and Everleigh jumped up as soon as the alarm went off and started to get ready. I stayed in bed for a few minutes, mentally going over what shoes to wear with my uniform. I got up and put on my uniform and my flats. It was one of those mornings that I was having a good hair day, so I curled my hair and put my fake glasses on to complete my look.
As my roommates and I walked to the auditorium, I checked my phone and found that social media had blown up my phone with messages overnight. I told Robin not to add me into anymore huge chats on Instagram, but she didn't listen.
They were serving breakfast in the cafeteria like usual, but me and my roommates weren't really hungry. So we just skipped breakfast.
When I got to the huge room, we all sat down and waited for the assembly to start. I was on the ridge of freaking out and I couldn't keep still. I had just started to text Ariel, a girl who lives two dorms down, when our headmistress came up to the podium.
"Ladies, we are now about to have our choosing assembly, please be seated."
Everyone sat down and got quiet as they put away their phones.
"Remember, if your dorm is picked, you will go pack your suitcase and take it to the main entrance and we will escort Johnstons across the street and pick you up next Saturday. You will have the privilege to experience their way of school for a whole week. And without further ado, let's choose our dorm."
She picked up her tablet that was connected to the huge screen in the room, and she went on an app that picks people at random. We all watched as our dorms were raffled until one was picked.
"Robin Adams, Briella Farren, Everleigh Jankins, and Serena Logan!"
I almost jumped out of my seat. Was this a good thing? Maybe it was.
"Girls, change into casual wear, then pack your stuff and meet us down by the main entrance in one hour. See you then!"
Then she walked off of the stage and I turned to look at my roommates. They looked... Excited? I thought they would be worried. Or scared. Or maybe even angry. But excited? I guess we just all react to the same things differently.
After everyone else left the assembly, my roommates and I stood up to leave, also. Robin turned to her cousin.
"Briella! A full week at an all boys school! We can meet so many cute guys!'
"Oh my goodness! I can't wait!"
Even Everleigh looked excited. And I tried my best to look excited too, so they didn't realize how nervous I was.
Then I realized something. I can actually talk to Ashton now.
"We better go pack." Everleigh said, slightly pulling my hand.
And we walked to our dorm together.