Making Bonds

*Chp 4*

Between us we managed it. I don't know how and the process seems a bit if a blur in my mind but now I'm exhausted. I had invited Liza into my new home but she had declined saying she had to get back to work giving me time to appraise my apartment. And yes, I feel the need to call it an apartment.

The first room was a large open plan space. There was a 'kitchenette' to the right as you walk in which really looked as big as most kitchens decorated in neutral tones with new shiny metallic appliances like a kettle and a little fridge-freezer. There was a small breakfast bar with two bar stools that separated the kitchen area from the living space which was again decorated in neutral shades with a fairly large comfy looking sofa and a 40inch plasma TV mounted on the wall. The ceilings was really tall and above the living space there was a mezzanine level covering half the width of the room which you could reach with a spiral staircase and it held a snug area with a few large floor cushions, a large empty bookcase and a desk. The ceilings had detailing on them like in stately homes and the bare neutral walls were broken up in the top corner of the room opposite the platform with large glass panes like you could see on more modern parts of the campus which allows light to flood the room and a person on the platform to have an amazing view of the grounds and the woods but allowed them privacy as you could not see the main open plan living area from outside the glass.

Following a corridor that leads on from the open plan area you'll see three doors. The first leads to an elegant white porcelain bathroom with white tules, a white stand alone bath and a large shower. The second two lead to bedrooms that were large but equally neutral and I had picked the one with the large pane of glass making up a window the took up most if the wall but both bedrooms were fairly similar. The space was huge and they had given me a blank canvas basically to decorate as all the colours were neutral. Quite a substantial sum had been set aside from the huge amount dad paid for me to attend this mind blowing school to allow me to decorate the rooms as I wished and I was guaranteed this apartment again if I returned to the school next year and it would be left exactly as I kept it. Overall it was pretty cool. I already had plans for the place and I knew that I would have to keep my easel in the platform so I could paint with those amazing views in the background.

You may be thinking this was all a bit luxurious or one person and usually a room is shared with 2 people but due to my late arrival they had just opened a new room as there was no existing girl that needed a roommate. Also I'd you're wondering how they could let the younger children have so much space and freedom I have been assured that anyone under the age of 13 could not live in these apartments by themselves but lived in smaller shared rooms with a supervisor nearby at all times. Molly is going to be so jealous when she sees this place, maybe I'll go visit her now.

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Finding my way around campus was impossible. I ended up going back to see Liza because I had no clue where the junior girls dorms were. After getting lost finding the main office again and some helpful directions from Liza when I finally got there I approached a building on the far side of campus with the exterior the more traditional architecture for the campus and not a mix like my building. I felt quite bad actually knowing I got better accommodation than Molly despite the fact she had been here longer but I'm sure she wouldn't hold it against me, she is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet.

By the time I get there it's about 8pm, I hadn't arrived until about 5pm today so had avoided classes and would have to to start them tomorrow but right now I wanted to concentrate on finding Molly, I hadn't seen her in months. In the entrance hall of the dorms I met a stern faced dorm supervisor who directed me down the hall to the dorm Molly stayed in. I walked in the door to see an elegant room with the same tall and ornate ceilings as in my room but this room held 3 sets of bunk beds, so big enough to hold 6 people, and a small snug area in the corner with some big comfy looking chairs. It definitely wasn't in the same league as where I was staying but I knew there was also a huge common room in the building somewhere where they were all expected to hang out most of the time. In the chair by the bookcase I saw Molly sitting reading. She looked up and threw me a hundred-volt smile when she realise who it was which I immediately returned as I opened my arms for her. She came running into them a few seconds later.

Molly was 7 years old with cute ginger ringlets for hair like her mother had and an energy that could brighten up a room in milliseconds. We didn't share a lot if features but we both shared our eyes. To be fair, they looked a bit strange with her appearance too but she pulled them off really well with their constant sparkle of joy.

"Hey Molly, you miss me?"

She didn't even shift in her tight hug of me but nodded her head against my torso before I lifted her up and held her on my hip.

"So what has my favourite sister been up to?"

She giggles at me and smiles brightly,"I'm your only sister, silly!"

"Oh... Well you would definitely be my favourite anyway."

"It's been fine but I missed you Alless. Is it true you're here to stay?"

"Yep!" I smile back at her elatedly.

"Is if true your mummy is getting married?"

"Of course it's true, her and Willis are engaged. Did you ever meet Willis? It doesn't matter anyway, he's a nice enough guy but guess what?"

"What? What? What?"

"You and I get to be bridesmaids!"

When she heard this news Molly jumped from my arms and started jumping ecstatically. Although they weren't related by blood and her mother had been who dad had left her for my mum really loved Molly. She had made me promise to tell Molly about being bridesmaid as soon as I saw her and I'm glad I did. The revelation seemed to make her week and she wouldn't stop asking me questions about the wedding all the way through our time together. Eventually Molly's roommates came in and I had to put her in bed at 10pm as her eyes kept drifting shut. I leave Molly's room happy to have seen her again. The only thing that bothered me was that none of Molly's roommates had greeted her when they came back but I'm sure that was just because they were tired and nervous over me being there.

I head back to my dorm then to my bed after unpacking just what I would need for tomorrow morning. Tomorrow was an early start and I needed to be prepared for anything that could happen tomorrow. My last thought as I fell asleep, as it had been since the supermarket incident, was a pair of sparkling and ensnaring green eyes.