Reunited

First Day Jitters

(Alexa's POV)

It was three months later. Summer was over and the new school year was about to begin. For someone who'd never been to a real high school before I was pretty fucking nervous. I spoke to Ethan the morning of my first, expressing my fears about schedules and teachers and social cliques and all the other things we watched in movies. Anna knew how I was feeling.

"Don't worry about it, okay?" she'd said the night before. "It's so straightforward you could do it with your eyes closed. I'll take you into registration, get your schedule and we'll go from there. As for the people, a girl like you will have no trouble finding friends." She gave me a one-armed hug before pushing a plate of pizza into my hands.

The five minute car trip to Hollywood High seemed to take even shorter and before I knew it, Anna pulled up in a park in front of the school. I remained in the passenger seat for a few minutes. Anna cut the engine.

"The registration is just there," she pointed to the front of the big building. "I can come in with you if you want." I shook my head.

"I'll be fine. Um," I swallowed and gripped onto my bag strap. "You'll be here at three, right?"

"Not a second later." She leant over to wrap me in a hug and give a quick kiss on the cheek. "Good luck, Alexa. I love you." I nodded. "Now, go on. Don't wanna be late on your first day."

I smiled and stepped onto the footpath. There were students everywhere. Most looked older than me – which isn't saying much - and then others who looked as if they weren't any older than ten. As I made my way over to the front entrance of the building I remembered a conversation I had with Rebel Wilson about high schools in Australia. For my fifteenth birthday over the summer, Anna invited pretty much the whole cast of the Pitch Perfect franchise. I literally could not have thought of a better way to spend my birthday. They were pretty impressed with my knowledge of every song. It was pretty surreal at first to be in the same room as the 'Barden Bella's' but after a while it just seemed natural. After having a few months for the initial star-struck-ness with Anna to die down, meeting these people wasn't as crazy anymore. They were all so nice and down to earth, it was really easy to talk to them.

Anna had sent them all a message inviting them to come over the next night. She didn't say why, just that she had something important to tell them. I remember the look of shock and awe written across each face – bar Brittany's – which then turned to wonder and excitement. Especially on Anna Camp's part.

Somehow, towards the end of the party, I found myself alone with Rebel Wilson. She asked me how old I was (something Anna had already clarified three times). She then asked me about school; what classes I was taking, extra-curricular activities and such. I told her how I liked the arts and how Ethan and I used to put on plays for the other orphanage residents. "Mostly musicals," I said remembering a very amateur recreation of the whole Grease movie we attempted – songs and all. A comment in which Rebel responded with a grin: "You must take after your mother."

"Thank God you don't have to wear uniforms," she'd said suddenly, before I could answer. "Jesus, private schools in Australia produce some of the worst uniforms you could possibly imagine. For five years I was stuck in a potato sack that nearly reached my ankles." She shuddered at the memory.

And now, walking into the school with what felt like thousands of eyes plastered all over me, I was glad I wasn't wearing a potato sack.