Exchange Student- Louis Partridge

Chapter 2: The Notebook

I was woken abruptly by Dory and Mina hovering above my face, breathing down on me.

"What the fuck guys? What's going on? It's too early, let me sleep." I spoke, my voice still raspy, before tugging on the covers and placing them just below my chin.

"No you have to get up, we don't have that much time before you leave for London and we have some stuff planned." Dory then yanked the covers off of me and crossed her arms. I groaned in protest, it was so cold in just the beginning of September. I got up and got ready, I changed into a nice dress I had picked up at a thrift store just days earlier. It was dark green, with a V-neckline and white flowers all over. Mina had made pancakes for me, chocolate chip ones, my favorite. She knew me too well, I gobbled them up in a rush and was practically stuffed into an Uber waiting outside my house. Before I knew it, we had arrived at the mall, thankfully I had brought my wallet. I wasn't planning on buying anything because I mainly shopped at second-hand stores because they were much cheaper, but I planned on enjoying my day with the girls nonetheless.

After what seemed like days of shopping, we finally got home. I plopped down on the couch and groaned at the immense pain forming in my legs. I don't know how Dory and Mina weren't sore at all, in fact they didn't even look tired, it's like they did this for a living. They both had other plans but I begged them to let me come home because I was so goddamn tired. It was only 6 pm so we ordered pizza and spent the rest of the night watching The Notebook, and when I say I sobbed, I SOBBED like I HAVE NEVER SOBBED BEFORE.

We fell asleep just like that, mascara drooping down the sides of our faces, our hair as messy as a bird's nest. But I was content and cozy snuggled up next to them, I felt warm inside.

...

I woke up the next day and Dory and Mina were gone, they had left a note for me on the kitchen counter saying they had gone to Trader Joes to pick up food. And my mom had gone to work for an early shift, I was quite used to that so I didn't think anything of it. I sighed and opened up my laptop, after I won the raffle I told them what school I wanted to go to immediately. I mean I had been planning this for so long, I still couldn't believe it was real. I'd be going to London for my entire senior year, and only coming home for breaks, almost like college. I was supposed to leave in three days, and I was far from prepared. Though I had done an extensive amount of research on the city and school itself, I wasn't truly ready to leave my friends, or my mom. I knew I was gonna feel quite homesick, but it'd all be worth it in the end. My mom had already agreed to let me go because she had known how much I wanted to, and even she understood that it would be a life changing experience, plus it was free and she couldn't say no to that.

I spent the next two days by Dora and Mina's side, we went shopping, sight-seeing, we took hundreds of pictures, we did things we had never done before, and we lived like we never had before. They were the best two days of my life, I even spent quality time with my mom. We caught up, and baked brownies. I said bye to my teachers, my friends, and basically everyone I knew. And now it was my last day..

I had already packed all my belongings into three different suitcases, it was quite a lot but I didn't want to go unprepared considering I would be living in a stranger's home in a different continent, for months before I came home. I was starting to get scared and stress about it all, so I did my best to keep my mind farthest from those thoughts as possible by distracting myself. My room looked like a shell of the place it used to be, it was stripped of my most treasured belongings. Even my bedsheets were gone. Dory and Mina had understood I was upset, so they offered to take me to the skate park to clear my mind, and the skate park never failed me. We skated until the sunset, we laughed, we talked, and I was happy.

It was 3:00 am on the morning of my flight. My flight left at 5:00 am, and I had really wished that I wouldn't get a red-eye, but they were cheaper. I grabbed one of my suitcases while my mother and her new boyfriend grabbed the other, they had met on some dating website and he seemed nice enough but something felt off about him, I couldn't quite put my finger on it just yet. I said goodbye to my room and to the house. The three of us stepped outside of the house, Steve- my mom's boyfriend- standing in the doorway. The Uber driver helped us put the bags in his car, and I walked back to where my mom was standing. She was teary-eyed and wearing a pink sweater I had gotten her for her birthday, she wrapped me in a tight hug. We whispered our I love you's and other words to each other sweetly, before I stepped into the car and was on my way.

zee speaks !

Hi guys! I know this chapter was kind of short, but it's a bit longer than my other ones. I wanted to end the chapter when she leaves for the airport so yeah. But I hope you enjoyed it! please leave me suggestions/criticisms in the comments ! she will meet louis soon dw, i have to build up to that, it'll probably happen in the next two chapters which will be up today or tomorrow! anyways i hope u guys r liking it so far and pls vote uwu