Being Imperfect

Chapter-5

"We are going to miss you, Jordan.", Neil hugs me as I stand in the doorway.

"You mean you're going to miss her."

I loosen my grip on Neil and let out a laugh.

"Oh, f**k off, Kyle."

Kyle chortles at his words and walks towards us. He plants a kiss on the side of my head and wraps his arms around both of us.

The tears that I had been holding back spilled, cascading down my cheeks.

"God, I'm going to miss you guys so much.", I sob.

Both of them let out a deep breath and place a kiss on two sides of my head. I feel something wet falling on my shoulder, making my grip on them tighten.

"Jordan, I have loaded your luggage in the car.", my dad yells from outside, causing me to separate from my brothers.

I step out of the house to find my parents waiting for me near the car.

"Call me when you land, okay?" my dad gives a quick kiss on my forehead.

I take a hesitant step towards my mom. The moment I'm within her reach, she pulls me into a hug. Even though she doesn't support me or believe in me, I know how much she loves me.

After a few minutes, when she still doesn't let me go, I chuckle and gently pull apart.

"I will call you when I land, okay?" I assure her and enter the car.

As the car begins to move, I let out a deep breath, lean back into the comfortable seat, and relax for the first time in weeks.

It has been three weeks since I received the acceptance letter. As expected, my parents were raging for the first few days. But eventually, they realized that there was nothing they could do to stop me. The academy had offered me a 75% scholarship and I could cover the rest with the money I saved from different jobs I had done over the years.

After I emailed them back, I took a virtual tour of the academy and the hostel. The hostel has a common room, a dining area, and a gym of its own. Also, every dorm is shared by 3 girls.

And there are two dance groups in the 2021 class. Both these groups are going to be each other's competitors. So, their teachers are going to be different as well.

Basically, they have planned a dance war. I hope I can survive through it.

After a 10 hour exhausting flight, I arrive at The City Of Light.

It's stunning.

I pull the heavy jacket closer to my body as a wave of chilly air hits me. Taking my phone out of my back pocket, I pull up the number of the car driver that I booked through Uber and text him my exact location.

A black car with the same number plate arrives in front of me within a few minutes. The driver rushes out of the car and helps me to carry my luggage. I thank him and get inside.

"Would you like me to turn on the heater?" he asks.

Damn! French accent is even sexier in real life.

"Yeah, sure."

The warm blast of air from the heater stops my shivering at once. My eyes gape at the view in front of me as I look out the window.

The lights from the buildings illuminating the night sky are so glamorous yet therapeutic at the same time.

"Is this your first time in Paris?"

"Yes."

He chuckles, "Thought so."

I smile at his words and rest my head back on the headrest.

I didn't realize when I fell asleep. The driver woke me up when we reached the hostel and helped me unload the suitcases. I thank him and walk towards the well-lit building.

The woman sitting behind the desk whips her head around in my direction as I enter. She asks me my name, verifies it on her computer, tells me to go to the 4th floor and slides me a key.

Taking the key, I head over to the elevator and press the 4th-floor button. I turn the rusty key around to see something scribbled on it.

4B.

Music blasts through the floor and into my ears as the elevator doors open. I step into the hallway and search for my room.

4A is right here. That means 4B must be somewhere here.

A girl with her blonde hair tied up into a bun comes into my vision with a smile on her face.

"Puis-Je Vous aider?"

I look at her with bewildered eyes because I couldn't understand a word she said. How did she speak so fast?

She chuckles, shaking her head as she realizes what just happened.

"I'm sorry. International student?"

"Yes.", I smile at her.

"Britain?"

"America.",

"Ah.", she says as if it was just the answer she was hoping for.

"I'm Charlotte."

That's when I notice that she was breathing heavily and she had a water bottle in her hand.

Was she dancing?

"Jordan."

"Jordan, how can I help you?"

"I'm looking for room 4B."

"Oh, it's not here. You'd think as 4A is here, B would be here too, right? It's down that hall in the corner.", she points in the direction of my room.

"Thank you so much."

She waves her hand dismissively, "I'll see you around."

And with that, she walked back to the epicenter of the music in this place.

Does everyone dance in the common room?

Pushing all of my questions about this place to the back of my head, I insert the key and open the door.

I enter the room and within a second my butt lands on the harsh floor with a loud thud.

A sharp pain runs through my lower back.

"Fuck.", I cry out.

What the f**k is up with my luck? Like wha---

That's when I realize that another person was in the room and she was looking at me with an alarmed look on her face.

I probably should have knocked.

"What's going on here?", a voice comes behind me.

I get up and turn around to find the source of the voice.

"I'm sorry. I should have knocked first.", I apologized meekly.

"Who are you?", the girl standing on the bed asks.

"Jordan. Jordan Rhees."

"Elle est l'autre colocataire", the girl in the doorway says to the one on the bed.

She smiles at me and gets down while the red-haired one closes the door behind her.

These two are the roommates, I'm guessing.

"I"m Louise Monet."

Louise hugs me and says something in french which I yet again didn't understand. But I think it meant welcome, at least I hope it did.

"Which country are you from?, she asks me.

I can tell already that she is rusty in English. It took her almost 30 seconds to get this one question out whereas Charlotte was pretty fluent with her English.

"America.", I smile at her.

"What's your name?", I ask the redhead still standing by the closed door.

"Nicole Miller."

Her accent sounds---

"I'm British.", she says as a matter of fact.

Saying that she turns around and disappears from the room.

Nicole clears her throat and speaks up, "You must be tired. Come on, I'll show you your part of the room."

The room is average-sized with three single beds and three cupboards. There is an attached bathroom to it as well.

Changing my clothes, I jump in on my bed and lie down closing my eyes. The closed-door opens and shuts and I can hear some distinct muttering from the other side of the bedroom.

And I can't help but wonder why Nicole was so cold to me.