Worst Impressions

Chapter Two

Despite all the evidence to the contrary, I loved my father. He was the only parent I knew properly. Not because my mother had died, or anything nearly so tragic. In fact, she was doing very well for herself. She was doing well in the south of France, on her third husband's vineyard. It was the guilt she felt at being so absent that had afforded me a place in the prestigious school I attended.

Because, of course, all problems could be resolved by throwing money at them.

Especially if it wasn't her money.

I'd always felt out of place at Netherfield Academy. When I'd first arrived, I had envisioned mobs of well-spoken young women, all with seven ponies each, having me beaten senseless by their menservants for the audacity of attending their academy. For I was a mere commoner, and they were the future wives of top-ranking footballers. Although the nicer girls outnumbered the horrid, it didn't stop those miserable few from reminding me I wasn't one of them.

Luckily, I didn't share a room with those girls.

'Hey, Mr Bennett,' Jenny greeted as we struggled into the room. Her sleek blonde hair was tied into a neat braid. It dangled over her shoulder as she leaned down to force her suitcase beneath her bed. She'd already unpacked and, I suspected, had probably arrived before everyone else so she wouldn't be in their way later.

'Hello, sweetheart. Elly, why can't you be that organised?'

'Because Jen's perfect, and I'm not.'

'You're telling me,' Dad joked. 'Jenny, do you think your mother would be up for a trade?'

'Yeah, I'd much rather live at your house.' I elbowed my father in the ribs. He grunted in pain and tried to ruffle my dark brown hair. I dodged out of the way and threw my things onto my usual bed. Obviously, it was beside Jenny's. I hugged her tightly and said, 'I missed you.'

'I missed you too!'

'You saw each other for most of the summer,' Dad said. 'That reminds me. Jenny, thank your mother for me. I was happy to have her taken off my hands for a couple of weeks.'

'Well, if you're so happy to get rid of me, then you'll want to get out of here quickly.'

Dad opened his arms and beckoned me to him. I dragged my feet on the carpet and made a show of groaning in displeasure when he crushed me in a bear hug. Jenny giggled behind me, but I didn't mind it. Her mother doted on her, too. We understood the agonies of affectionate parents better than most.

'Okay, I'm going. Try not to cry.'

'I'll do my best,' I vowed. 'I'll be strong, for your sake.'

Dad gasped dramatically and clutched a hand over his chest. 'You poor, brave soul! No, say nothing more! I will away at once!'

'Good.'

'Ouch! So mean! Bye, Jenny. Try not to kill her.'

'Goodbye, Mr Bennett. Drive safe!'

If we'd been at home, I'd have slammed the door after him. But we were waiting for three others to join us, and I didn't want to risk breaking one of their noses if I timed the gesture poorly. I would miss him, just like I always did, but Jenny and I would have too much fun to have time for it. I rolled my eyes at the bags and asked, 'Do I really have to sort this out now?'

'No, but you'll just be delaying the inevitable.'

'True. Have you seen Lisa yet?' I asked as I returned to the veritable mountain of luggage, hardly sure of where I should attack it first.

'Yeah. She told me about the boys. I think she's already picked out her future husband.'

'Poor git,' I laughed. 'He won't know what's hit him.'

'Don't be like that. We might make a few new friends before we leave.'

'What's the point?' I asked. 'It's not like we're going to keep in touch with them afterwards. When we get out of here, you're one of the only people I'm going to cling onto and never let go of.'

'Likewise,' she said. 'You're stuck with me.'

'Who's stuck with you?' Lisa asked as she crashed through the door. 'Wait, did I miss your Dad?'

'He just left.'

'Aww, I should have waited for him to finish on the phone outside. Your Dad is so fit.'

I gagged. 'I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.'

'You just don't see it because you're his daughter.'

'I don't see it because it's not true,' I corrected. 'And - and the daughter thing. You're seventeen and he's—ew! Anyway, where's Meg and Chrissy? They're coming back today, right?'

'I'm here!' Chrissy announced.

She was every bit as silly as Lisa, but I got the feeling that if the two weren't joined at the hip, she might have been bearable company. Regrettably, the two saw one another and shrieked their excitement in shrill voices. They held hands, jumped up and down, and fulfilled just about every stereotype of a teenage girl within the space of two minutes.

'At least it's out of the way early,' I muttered to Jenny. She shushed me but was stifling a laugh of her own.

I couldn't believe we were all around the same age.

I looked to the door in time to see a girl wander past in a daze. I called out after her, 'Meg! We're in here!'

She wandered back, missing us again.

I swore softly under my breath and jogged out after the girl. I pulled one of her earbuds free and suggested, 'Try looking where you're going this year.'

'Sorry,' she said in a sheepish voice, tucking some of her wiry curls behind her ear. They didn't stay put and sprang back to their original position. Meg didn't notice and explained, 'I just had to finish this chapter, and then I forgot where I was, and –'

'You know, most people download music,' I said as I scrolled through her phone's audio files. 'Who listens to The Complete Works of William Shakespeare when they're trying to relax?'

'It's good!'

'I know, but I'd rather read it on paper than hear some stiff reciting it into a microphone.'

Meg smiled. 'I guess paper has a little more charm. Also, hi, Beth.'

'Hi. Think you can find your way through the door this time?'

'Yeah.'

'Wait,' I put a hand on her shoulder, 'where are your bags?'

'Um...'

'Jen',' I called into the room, 'we're having a scavenger hunt! Meg's lost her luggage, again.'