9

Illiana

ZERA University / JUNG Agency

My alarm went off. It was still early, I got some trouble putting my brother to bed last night. Although he was old enough to go by himself, I forgive him this time, cause mom was not here and he would probably miss her a lot.
It took me more than half an hour to get out my bed, or should I say fall out of my own bed. I went to my brother's room and pushed the door open.
 

“Lucas, first day of school, get up.”
 

“mmmmm” Still in dreamland I assumed. No problem, I got a solution for that. I went to the left side of his bed and started shaking him so much until he got annoyed and got up.
 

“Sis, stop it, I’m up. I’m up!” He was still sleepy though.
 

“Come let’s wash up and eat some breakfast.”
 

“You don’t eat breakfast, you just watch me eating breakfast.” True, I never was a breakfast person.
 

I went to the bathroom, washed up, did everything necessary and went downstairs. I’d got a feeling that I forgot something, but it had to wait until tonight I didn’t have much time. I stayed to long in my bed.
Lucas was already packing a backpack with his lunch, he even made mine. He was the best. I went to door, took the car keys from the hanger.
 

“Lucas, you ready?, we need to go.”
 

Lucas came to the hallway. He looked at me very suspiciously.
 

“Siiisss??”
 

“Yes, yes, what’s wrong we’re late.”
 

“Sii-is, did you forget something?”
 

“What?”
 

“You’re still in your pajama’s.”
 

​I looked down. , that was what I forgot ! clothes !. I ran upstairs and put on something comfortable like jeans, top no sleeves and a jacket, took some accessories with me and ran downstairs again. I took my converse low cut pink shoes. I looked in the mirror in the hallway for the last time and ran out. Lucas was already in the car.

First stop, ZERA middle school. I took my brother inside. Filled in some papers in the administration office, spoke to the headmaster and went to the University of the school complex, luckily it wasn't far away.
Suzy was already waiting for me, it was such a big school she pointed me to the headmaster and administration office, cause I needed my schedule, uniform and now I was searching for the graphic design class. Yes, I wanted to be a designer.
​I was roaming around the hallways. Where was this stupid class. I was already a half hour late, I hated being late for things.

I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around and find myself looking in this beautiful eyes, not as beautiful as Kyuhyun but still. OOw Kyuhyun is in my head again.
 

“What is your name and do you have a hallpass?”
 

“Do I still need those in Uni?”
 

“Nope, you don’t, but tell me your name, and what you are doing here.”
 

“Well, I am Illiana, and I am searching for the graphic design class. I’m new” I gave him a faint smile.
 

“Than welcome Illiana, and the GD class is 3 halls away, I’ll bring you there.”
 

“your name?”
 

“Right, I am Ethan, follow me.”
 

“Okay” I was kind of suspicious of this guy. Good looking and all, but still. “So you know the reason why I’m in the hallway, the question now is. Why are you?”
 

“I don’t have a period right now, I came to school early so I could do some research in the school library.”
 

“Ow, Okay” I heard voices not far from us. All guy-voices.
 

“Hey Ethan, oooo whose that? She’s pretty, never seen her before. Your girlfriend?”
So childish, still not out of their high school character.

“She’s new, trying to find the GD-class.” Ethan said to the group. “Meet up with you later.” Lots of High Fives and fist bums going on right now. Popular guy that Ethan.
 

One of the guys kept looking at me though. “She looks familiar” he whispered to the others.

Then another looked at me “She does.”
 

“Yoo Ethan, you sure she’s new?” they turned around and started to follow us. “She looks familiar”
 

“To me she doesn’t”
Ethan suddenly stopped and turned, I didn’t see it (off course) so I bumped into him. Again.
 

“Sorry” I said while the others surrounded us. I felt like I was being attacked in a little alley or something. I stepped away from Ethan. Why would they know me? I just came back from Africa.
 

Ethan turned around and looked at me. “Indeed she looks familiar. Where did you say you were from?”
 

“I didn’t say it.” I will never get to the GD class, will I? I just wanted to have a quiet day at school.
 

“So tell us.”  Why was it so important that I told them? I was hesitating to long.
 

“euhm” I felt really pressured in the meantime I saw another guy with glasses researching something on his iPad.
 

“Hey guys, I think I found something” Ooh god please no, nothing from before Africa. I was under a lot of influences back then and did things I now regret doing. “No way, the new iPhone is out let’s go and buy it.” What did he say?, new iPhone so nothing about me. I smiled. I was so relieved.
The guys grouped together again and they seemed to have forgotten about me. They walked away. Ethan still looked at me. Staring his eyes out, I felt a bit uneasy.
 

“Ethan?” I waved in front of his eyes. “yoohoo, I think I can find it on my own now, maybe you should go and join your friends over there?”
 

“Are you sure?"
 

“yeah” Cause you creep me out a bit, although you are very sweet.
 

“Okay, but if you need anymore help, or if you just want to hang out call me ok?” He gave me his card.
 

“uhu” I have Suzy to help me out, I thought. Ok, I still got like 5 minutes to find this stupid classroom.
 

He said: third hallway, right? We’ve passed two, so one to go, how hard could this be?
There were nine classrooms in the hall, one photography, one business, one journalism, one said aula, one filmstudio, one set building, one calligraphy, one said office, and the very last one said Graphic Design. I made it, I was dancing through the hall, cause I finally found it. Now the embarrassing scene of the new student coming very late. I knocked on the door. It was so quiet behind the door. I opened it. But what I walked into was an empty classroom. I heard noises in the hallway and I looked behind me. I saw a sea of students coming my way. They were talking, they were like overexcited about something. I didn’t see the professor yet. I’ll have to wait then.
I went to the front of the class. Then I saw the professor entering.
 

“I must apologize for my lateness, I’m new and didn’t know where to find the classroom. I’m Illiana.”
 

“Yes, off course, they informed me about this. Well you missed an important announcement. Tomorrow there will be no GD. They agreed to let them film some kind of advertisement here.”
 

“Okay, Do I have an assignement or something for next week?”
 

“Well, first I need to know what your potential is. You can bring your portfolio tomorrow, I will be here, keeping an eye on the crew. Ooh and take the assignment with you maybe you’ll have questions.”
 

“Thank you sir, see you tomorrow.” Period one was over. Time to go look for Suzy.
 

Suzy already came looking for me. I was so happy to see her. She had a map with her of the school. She already crossed the classrooms where I had a course (I’d sent her my schedule earlier).
 

“Here you go, my lost little puppy” She smiled brightly.
 

“Lost little puppy?”
 

“yeah, I ran into Ethan, he was very impressed. I think he got a think for you”
 

“I just met the guy once, I don’t think he got the hots for me”
 

“mmm, oo btw, you missed a great announcement.”
 

“What was it about ? The whole Uni seems shaking up about it.”
 

​“Not gonna tell ya, but you will love it.” 

The next hours of the day went slowly. I ran in Ethan a couple of times, he was a journalism major and would be coming in the morning to see if there was anything he could pick up. I told him I had to give in my portfolio of my work, so we arranged a meeting place, so we could go together.  

Little that I knew at the time was that Ethan only wanted to get some gossip, for the ZERA’s gossip blog. This blog was so popular around the school that some information already gone around, even in the area’s around the school. 

After school hours I fetched my brother and we went to the Jung Agency. 

“Illiana, you’re here !, oo and little Lucas is here to.” Mrs. Jung smiled at us.
 

“I’m not little” Lucas said bit annoyed.

“Hey mrs. Jung, can my brother come with me? He can sit here and make his homework, if that isn’t a problem?”
 

“No problem, Illiana, you know I love Lucas. He can even sit there, there is a desk available and free, I had to fire someone today.”
,

“Ok, Lu go over there and make your homework ok” Lucas obeyed and went to the empty desk, I kinda felt sorry for the boy, because he couldn’t do it at home. But a babysitter was to expensive right now.

I turned back to Mrs. Jung.
“So what can I do for you?”
 

“Well, it’s not a lot today. You just have to get the customs at the dry cleaners and get us some dinner, ok?”
 

“Ok, I’m on my way.” I did the chores she asked me to. There were six customs. I was curious but didn’t dare to look, cause if I messed up, it would probably ruin the schedule. This was easy. I went back.
 

“Illiana, do you have a first period tomorrow?”
 

“No it was cancelled for some kind of thing.”
 

“I think you missed the announcement than, I will tell you, the agency will be shooting a CF in your school, In the design, photo department.”
 

“So that’s why I don’t have GD, tomorrow.”
 

“Ow so you’re studying GD, that can come in handy. So I need you there for just one period. I’m short on a few hands.”
 

“I have to give in an assignment tomorrow so I will be there.”
 

​“Excellent. See you tomorrow” Mrs. Jung smiled.