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“Let’s get Donna right to her room first, and then I’ll take you all on a tour of our facilities. How’s that?”
“Very good,” my father said. “Thank you. When do I—”
“We’ll handle all the details later. This way,” she said.
We walked up a stairway with a mahogany banister. Then she turned right and led us through one hallway to another. We stopped at a room on the right. The room was a bit of a shock, especially to my mother. It was Spartan. There was a double bed with a small side table, a dresser, a desk, and a mirror on the closet door. The closet was half the size of mine at home. Now I saw why they said not to bring much.
“Sorry I’m late,” we heard, and turned to see an African-American girl with a slim figure and hair cut very short. She had beautiful almond-shaped eyes.
“Ah. This is Corliss Simon, Donna. She’s volunteered to be your big sister during your orientation and was supposed to greet you with me.”
“Big sister is a stupid term,” she said sharply, not liking the subtle reprimand.
“Well, come up with something better. It’s the term they used when I first entered college,” Dr. Marlowe said.
“We’re a long way from then,” Corliss said.
I smiled. She was relentless, just like I could be.
“You want me to wait until you unpack or what?” she asked.
I glanced at my mother, whose eyes looked explosive. Then I laughed. “No. Let’s do the ‘or what,’?” I said.
Corliss smiled.
“I’ll show your family around,” Dr. Marlowe said. “Corliss will take you on her personal tour, I’m sure.”
“Is she a wizard, too?” Mickey asked.
“You’ll have to wait for your sister to decide and tell you,” Dr. Marlowe replied. “C’mon. I’ll show you some great things,” she added, and took his hand.
My parents looked at me. I nodded, and they started out. Then I stepped out to join Corliss.
“Welcome to your new life,” she said.
“Thanks. What brought you here?” I asked.
“Survival. You?”
“Survival,” I said.
She laughed. “You’re in the right place.”
“My brother thought it was a hospital.”
“Out of the mouths of babes,” she said.
I liked her instantly. We headed down the corridor in an opposite direction.
And for the first time in my life, I welcomed the mystery.
Welcome to Spindrift, the excl
usive academy for genius girls.
Corliss may be the smartest girl in school, but that doesn't mean she knows how to fit in.
Corliss
