Encouragement

ROSE'S P.O.V.

Goddess, what am I doing? I stared at the test paper before me. The entire page was filled with nothing but math questions. When I flipped through the other pages, it just kept going. Even though it was a packet, the work seemed endless. People around me were just writing nonstop. The only thing that could be heard was the clash of pencil scribbling away on paper. Is there something wrong with me? Why am I the only one not moving? Oh yeah, because I'm stuck on a math problem and math is my worst subject! I let out a soft sigh. What was I thinking about signing up for this? I knew better, but still I…

My mind thought back to Liam. His words. 

'You're a smart girl' 

Well, I'm not feeling so smart right now! Still…I felt like at that moment I was smart. Maybe it was on impulse that I got here, or maybe Liam gave me a bit of confidence in myself. If Liam thought I should sign up then that meant...he believed in me right? I picked up my pencil and concentrated. I can't give up. Even if I don't make it, it's better to try and fail than to not try at all. 

-

I packed the last of my clothes and zipped my suitcase shut. I had already checked, double-checked, and triple-checked to make sure I had everything I needed. The day was here already. After the practice test, I had managed to be the last person to get high enough to participate. I thought back to the results of my test. 

80 B.

I cringed. One point less and I would have made a C. That one point made me surpass one guy. So much for being smart. It couldn't be helped I was a nervous wreck the entire time. Most of the questions I missed were simple errors or things I already knew but just forgot at that moment. I sighed. No point in feeling bad over it now. But now a part of me wished that I hadn't taken the test. All I can say is that I did it because of Liam. But, why?

I gave mom and dad goodbye kisses and they wished me luck as I left the house. I took my usual route and made it to school. The school buses remained on the sidewalk along with groups of people waiting. Two faces in the crowd noticed me, and they belonged to Zach and Cody. Strangely enough, I had gotten used to the boys and I began to get along with them. Something I never expected to happen.

"Rosie you made it!" Cody smiled as he ran up to me, "What took you so long?" 

Confused, I asked, "What do you mean? We leave at 6:30 right?" 

"Well, we were supposed to, but we were waiting for the last arrival" Zach took the time to grab my suitcase and put it in the back of the bus. My stomach dropped. Don't tell me I was the last one to arrive? I had been so exhausted yesterday that I forgot to charge my phone, and I couldn't tell the time. It was by the grace of mom waking me up that I even remembered that I was going on a trip. I had a feeling that I was late to show up when I saw all the people, but hope only gets you so far.

"Oh no. I'm the last one? I'm so sorry!" 

Cody tried to keep a straight face but ended up letting out a laugh. "We're just messing around Rosie. No need to panic. Besides you're not the last one. We just wanted to tease you a bit, that's all," Cody looked to Zach who began to chuckle a little himself. 

My face began to turn red after he said that. Geez, how embarrassing! Wait, if I'm not the last one who is?

"Who are we waiting on then?" 

"The one and only. The possible future King to the throne. The man of everyone's dreams. Your future husband. Liam."  Cody grinned. 

"Future what?! I thought I already told you guys that I'm not-!" 

"Not what?" 

We all turned around to see Liam walking in our direction with a servant carrying his bags. 

"Oh, we were just talking about how you and Rosie here are-" Liam interrupted with a glare. The glare shocked me. I had no clue that he could make a face towards his friend. Was it something Cody said? Whatever it was, he seemed displeased. 

"Rosie? Why are you calling her that?" 

"It's my nickname for her. Pretty cute huh?" 

"Don't call her that. You don't address her as Rosie" Cody crossed his arms and pouted playfully. "Then what do I call her?" Liam kept his stern look, "You call her by her birth name. It's Rosalia." 

"Fine, then boss man," Cody stuck his tongue out which Liam rolled his eyes to. He turned and looked at me to speak before the teacher caught our attention. 

"Alright, everyone! On the bus! We have a long journey ahead of us!" Everyone piled up on the buses. The most shocking thing I saw was Brittany sitting on the bus. It had been a while since I last saw her, but there she was sitting beside Liam. She snatched the seat from another girl who thought she hit lucky. It didn't seem like Liam cared that much since he was busy looking through some papers. I'm not sure how I felt about that, but I said it myself. 

I'm not Liam's mate. 

That's what I said to myself, to the boys, and strangely not Liam. We haven't really talked about us, have we? What would I say to Liam? Would he accept it? I mean, he probably would, but I fear being scolded or ridiculed for even believing we were. I mean, that's how it was in my last life. But what about this life?

I walked to the very front and sat at a vacant seat. I guess people like sitting in the back of the bus. When I took my seat, the bus driver, a middle-aged woman, looked at me then gave me a warm smile. I smiled back. I felt my phone buzz in my pocket and took it out.

'Good luck baby!' -Mom

'You're gonna do great, straight-A student' -Dad

A smile crept up on my face from the heartwarming texts. I didn't feel nervous or afraid anymore. I'm determined to make this second life different from the last. I'm not gonna waste it! Throughout the entire trip, Alan, Cody, Zach, and Sora would sometimes come up to the front to see how I was doing. I appreciate their kindness and got to know them a bit more. We had conversations here and there, and the trip wasn't as quiet as I expected it to be.