Welcome, Ivy!

Dia duit! Welcome to my blog! Sorry for the lack of posting lately. The Southern MTTB School for Higher Learning has been MUCH harder than my old school! I've had project after project after project! Good thing it's almost summer!

Remember last post when I said I was hearing whispers about a new student? Well I waited and waited and WAITED, but still heard nothing more! I was about ready to give up, but this week she finally arrived!

I was, unfortunately, walking to school. I had recently roller skated right into a mud puddle, and Mam insisted on washing them.

Just outside the Southern MTTB stood Julie and a girl I'd never seen before. To my surprise, Julie called my name and enthusiastically waved me over. It was almost as if she actually wanted to see me!

"I'm coming!" I called back as I cut through the grass to meet them.

"Saoirse! It took you long enough to get here!" Julie scolded. "Ivy and I have been waiting here for, like, half an hour!"

I brushed off her comments and stared at her with a dumbfounded expression. "Ivy?" I stupidly muttered as Julie rolled her eyes and motioned to the girl beside her.

"Yes, Ivy!" Julie sighed impatiently. "She's my best friend from back home. I haven't seen her since I got here back in, like, December!" Julie exclaimed, much more cheerily than her usual self.

As if on cue, Ivy stepped forward. "It's nice to meet you, Saoirse! And those are some groovy pink scrunchies!" She squealed, motioning to my hairbands. 

"Umm...thanks." I mumbled rudely. To try and cover up my awe-inspired dullness, I attempted to start a conversation. "Will you be boarding here with Julie?" I asked with genuine interest.

"Yeppers!" Ivy responded. "It's kinda a funny story, actually. You see, even before I learned about the time traveling aspect of this school, I had been, like, begging my parents to let me come here with Julie. They were all for the 'better education' part of the whole thing, but there was one problem: I wouldn't be able to take gymnastics here."

"So then, I told the man in charge of the School for Higher Learning that I 'accidentally' told Ivy about time travel." Julie cut in, putting air quotes around the word "accidentally."

Ivy began to giggle. "And, like, Julie told him that I was threatening to tell everyone I knew about time travel if he didn't allow me to come to this school!"

"I also told him that she wouldn't attend if they didn't offer her gymnastics." Julie added. "So they hired an Olympic gymnast trainer to give Ivy lessons every day after school!"

"And, like, now here I am!" Ivy concluded, beaming. It all seemed rather manipulative to me, but I didn't say anything.

"Wow!" I responded when I was sure they were done gushing over their story. "I bet Kaya, Josefina, and Caroline will all be surprised to see you in class today!"

Suddenly, Ivy threw her hands up in the air. "That reminds me! I almost forgot about the surprise!" She then bolted inside, leaving me just as confused as ever.

Julie and I followed her inside, where she ran into Julie's room and closed the door abruptly. Julie and I waited in the hall awkwardly until we saw the door crack open a moment later. Ivy poked her head out and scanned the hallway. When she was sure that Julie and I were the only people present, she revealed her surprise.

In Ivy's hands was wiggly little bunny! 

"Nutmeg!" Julie shrieked, her voice laced with tenderness I had never heard from her before. She immediately scooped the bunny out of the basket and nuzzled it up to her face. The rabbit obviously recognized her, because it made throaty noises of affection in response.

After the heartwarming reunion, the bunny started to twist around in Julie arms, so she carefully set it on the floor beside her. There, it nestled next to her feet as I squealed over its fluffiness.

"I can't believe you brought him!" Julie exclaimed to Ivy.

"I can't either!" Ivy giggled, but then hesitated. "Just...keep it on the down low for now. I haven't exactly okayed it with the MTTB yet. But Saoirse, you can keep a secret, can't you?" Ivy smiled sweetly. I was getting a little fed up with all the secrets that surrounded these two, but I nodded nonetheless. A bunny couldn't harm anyone, could it?

As Julie and Ivy rambled on, I bent down to try and get Nutmeg's attention. He hopped over and stuck his neck out, just an inch away from my hand...

...but soon lost interest and bounded away.

Slightly offended, I asked Julie, "Is he yours?"

She smiled down at the bunny at her feet. "Yeah. Ivy and my dad have been taking care of him while I've been boarding here. I've missed him so much!"

She then scooped Nutmeg back into her arms and turned to Ivy, making me feel a bit like a third-wheel. In a way, I guess it was worth it, though. I had never seen Julie so happy since, well...I had NEVER seen Julie so happy! Have you ever seen a friend change for the better?

Slán!

~ Saoirse