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  It was always strange to wake up in an unfamiliar place, especially when your brain is to foggy to remember. That was how the figure lying in the large white bed felt at the moment. Her heart was racing, scared for an instant. It took a few moments for her to move at all. She sat up, glancing around, hand pressed to her forehead. After another glance around, the memories of the previous day began to sink in. She had been traveling since six in the morning yesterday till eight in the evening. The cart ride to the nearest large town took an hour. From the town to an airport, another hour. She had easily spent over six hours in the airport due to delayed and canceled flights, being re-routed, and losing her luggage. When she landed in England, she had to wait an extra hour or more to receive her luggage. Thinking about it all again made her head pound. Pursing her lips, the brunette pushed off the covers and sat up, dragging herself across the room to her suitcase. She pulled out the painkiller she packed, popping two pills and swallowing them dry. Her fingers ran through her long curly hair as she took another look at her new room in her new home.
Annabelle couldn't argue that the place was nice. Very nice in fact. The room was quite larger than the one at her home, but that was only because the house she had lived in since birth was built over one hundred years ago. It was spacious, but the bedrooms were smaller. She didn't mind. To her, it was going to be odd having so much extra space. She wouldn't know what to do with it. More than likely, it would be filled with books before the end of the week. She wandered around the room a bit, flipping on a light. For the first time that morning, Annabelle took a look at herself in a mirror on the wall. Her hair was sticking out everywhere, and she still had on her clothes from yesterday. That made her feel very dirty, and she automatically decided to take a shower. Waltzing into the bathroom, she stripped off her clothes, just dropping them on the ground. It took her but a moment to figure out how to turn on the water in the shower. That was her least favorite part about going somewhere new. Figuring out how to turn on the water in the showers could be quite a challenge. She was sure anyone would agree. Testing the water, she smiled to herself, stepping into the hot stream. For a moment, she just stood there, letting the water run over her body. She shivered a bit, the cold air of the room hitting her like a bullet as soon as she stepped even slightly out of the stream of water.
The water ran for about ten minutes before turning off. Annabelle stepped out into the steamy bathroom, wrapping a towel tightly around herself. She made her way to the sink, wiping off the condensation from the mirror. Her deep chestnut eyes stared at the image of herself, her head cocking to the side. The long chestnut locks were curling, even when they were still drenched. Her skin was perfectly clear, meaning there was no need to wear makeup. She could afford it easily, but she didn't want it. Why hide what made her stand out from the others, allowed her to have an identity? Annabelle reached down to the skirt she had wore yesterday, pulling out her cell phone from the pocket. The digits on the front told her it was eight o'clock in the morning. Drying off quickly, Annabelle walked back out to the room in her towel, pulling out undergarments and a simple white summer dress from her suitcase. She put them on, examining herself in the mirror again. The dress fit nicely, something her father had bought for her before she left. She hadn't even the time to try it on. But her father knew her better than anyone and always got something perfect. Checking the time again, Annabelle put on some white flip-flops, a red cardigan sweater, grabbed a book and journal, and she walked out the door.
It was a big school. Very big. The hallways were ornate, figurines and statues around, lovely paintings on the walls. It was a lot to take in and very hard to believe she'd be spending a school year here. She had never even gone to a school with other people before. There had only been a private tutor that came to her house every day except for Saturday and Sunday. The countless hours she had spent doing work allowed her to skip a grade. But considering she'd started a year later than others, it wasn't that big of deal. It would surely be different, being in classes with other students, one of them being her fiance. That was especially odd. She wondered when she'd meet him, the boy she would be wedded to. Her father said they'd plan the wedding towards the end of the school year. All too soon, she'd have to settle down. She'd be sure to live out the rest of her days before the wedding as free as possible, no one to hold her down. Her father would be okay with that. After all, he understood her distress about this situation, but he also knew that it had to be done. Annabelle sighed allowed as she walked, glancing through the entrances to classrooms and recreational rooms. Everything was lovely. But she hadn't seen anyone yet, making her feel rather alone. It was okay with her though. She was used to being alone, but not having her father around made her heart ache.
Having nothing better to do, Annabelle walked to the side of the hall and sat down. She smoothed out her dress and crossed her ankles, opening up her book. It was her favorite book, Pride and Prejudice. A classic tale it was, and in some sense, it had a twist on her own life right now. So there, in the silence of the hallway, the young woman sat, back against the wall, eyes focused on the book. After a while, she set the book in her lap and opened her notebook, scribbling a few words on the page. She soon went back to reading, to lost in the story to worry about her own situation. It seemed to be the only thing that could now bring relief.
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