Houslow, England Goswami Apartment Aug 2000

Kanti has a love and hate relationship with summer. She loves summer, but yet she hates it. Since she's albino, the sun can easily burn her skin than people who are not albino. So, she spents her time of dancing in the apartment. Kanti does go out and do things like teenagers would do. If she does, her mother, Sunti, will make her have A LOT OF SUNSCREEN and made her wear sunglasses and hat. Since school is coming up, Sunti decide to take her only daughter shopping.

"Kanti, I know its hot, but please wear long sleeve shirt and jeans. Remember last time you had a horrible sunburn?" Sunti says to her.

"I remembered." Kanti answer.

Sunti is in her short sleeve dark maroon shirt, ankle length maroon skirt, and sandals. She kept her raven black hair as a low bun. Kanti is wearing her usual long sleeve shirt and jeans. Kanti is braided into a long ponytail.

"Anyway, I will be in the kitchen. Add more sunscreen on your face and hands." Sunti says to her.

"Yes mum...." Kanti answer once more.

Sunti exit her daughter's bedroom and heads to the kitchen. Kanti puts some sunscreen on her hands before putting some of it on face and hands. She then puts on her tennis shoes, eye glasses, gloves and hat. Kanti doesn't need sunglasses since her lenses turn into shades whenever she goes outside. She grabs her shoulder bag and exit her bedroom. Soon enough, Sunti and Kanti exit their apartment and the apartment building. Sunti is taking Kanti to Westfield London. As they heads to the underground train, Kanti spoke up.

"Mum, I really don't want to go shopping. I will be wearing the school uniform." Kanti says to her.

"Except in your ballet and tap classes. Besides, are you going wear your uniform over the weekend?" Sunti ask.

"No....."

Kanti will be attending a school name Tring Park School for the Performing Arts. Since it is locate in Hertfordshire and the school is a boarding school, Kanti need to pack her bags. Even though she gets along with her classmates, she does get tease sometimes. They went to different clothing stores and brought some clothes. Sunti even brought about 9 to 10 sunscreen lotions. Once they finish shopping, they return to their apartment.

"Kanti, please put away your clothes in your bags. I will make a quick dinner before I go to work." Sunti says to her as they enter their apartment.

"Yes, mum." Kanti answer as she enter her bedroom.

Sunti is a social worker. She specialize in Child, Family, and Mental health and substance abuse. Since Sunti works for almost everyday, Kanti have to make herself breakfast and dinner. As for lunch, she goes out and eat. Once dinner is over, Sunti change into her work clothes. She then says her goodbyes to her daughter before grabbing her purse and left the apartment. Once Kanti puts away her clothes, she heads to the kitchen. Since her mom is unable cook traditional Bangladeshi or Muslim food, Sunti today made some shrimp, rice, and veggies. Kanti serve herself dinner before returning to her bedroom. As she enter her peach colored walls, she dim the lights before sitting at her desk.

"I better practice my ballet. I can't sing or tap because of the neighbors." Kanti says to herself.

Her neighbors know that she does tap, ballet, and sings, but since the apartment building is slightly old, she only does tap and sing during lunch times and afternoons. She does go to the park and tap there, but not much because of her skin. Once Kanti is finish eating dinner, she change out her regular clothes and change into black leotard and ballet shoes. Soon enough, Kanti began practice for an hour and a half. After practice, she heads to the bathroom and took a shower. After her shower, she heads to the living room and watch some tv.

The next day, Kanti's three friends, Linsey Parker, Erika Williams and Pamela Sanderson, came over to her apartment. They are also will be attending at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts. Linsey is taking some Drama, Musical Theater, and Theater Arts. Pamela is taking some music classes. Pamela is taking some dance classes.

"Hey guys. I am glad you guys came over." Kanti says to them as she lets them inside.

"Its not a problem." Linsey reply.

"Your mum doesn't mind that we came over right?" Erika ask.

"Do you got the stuff ready for school, Kanti?" Pamela also ask.

"Don't worry, Erika. She doesn't mind that you guys came over. Yes, I get most of my stuff for school, Pam." Kanti reply. "Anyway, I made some food guys. Are you hungry."

Three of them says yes before they heads to the kitchen. They ate a quick lunch before heading to the living room and watch some tv. When 4:30pm came around, Kanti decide to get out the house and do some shopping with her friends.

"Hey guys. Wanna go out and do some shopping?" Kanti ask.

"Are you sure?" Pamela ask.

"I am sure." Kanti answer.

"Well....if she wants to go shopping, lets go then." Linsey says to everyone.

Before they can go, Kanti has to change into long sleeve and slacks. She then puts on some sunscreen and a hat before. Soon enough, Kanti, Linsey, Erika, and Pamela exit the apartment and head to the nearest shopping center. They spent a couple of hours together before heading back to their home. As Kanti enter the apartment around 7:30pm, her mother is finish cooking dinner.

"I am home, mum." Kanti says as she close the door behind her.

"Where have you been?" Sunti ask.

"Shopping with my friends...."

"You should at least call me...."

"Sorry."

"Well, dinner will ready in 30 minutes or so."

"Got it."

Kanti heads to her bedroom and close the door behind her. Two more weeks until school starts and Kanti feels like she didn't get all stuff she might need. She then look though her duffle bag and took out her ballet shoes, ballet leotard, and tap shoes.

"I need to get another pair or two of ballet and tap shoes. I probadly need to buy a couple of ballet leotards." Kanti says to herself.

Kanti puts away her stuff in the duffle bag and puts in her closet. She the calls her mom since her mom is currently working. After a few rings, Sunti answer her cell.

"Hello?" Sunti says

"Hi mum." Kanti reply.

"What is it, Kanti?"

"I need to get pairs of ballet and tap shoes. I also need to get some ballet leotards."

"Well....fine then. We will go shopping this Sunday okay?"

"Thanks mum."

They says their goodbyes and hang up their cell phones. Kanti heads to the living room and began channel surfing on the tv. Soon enough, Kanti stop at the certain channel and watch a bollywood movie. Because of bollywood movies and Kanti being half indian, her dream is become a dancer and perhaps a singer. When Sunday come around, after breakfast, Sunti and Kanti left their apartment and head to the shopping mall.

Once Sunti brought two pairs of ballet and tap shoes, and 4 leotards, they head back home. Sunti made a quick dinner before heading to work. Kanti head to her bedroom and close the door behind her. She took out her old leotards and tap and ballet shoes and place them in the plastic back. She then put her new leotards and shoes in the duffle bag before putting in the closet. Its one more week before schools starts and Kanti has already pack most of her stuff.

"Kanti, are you ready?" Sunti ask as she enter Kanti's bedroom.

"Almost, mum." Kanti answer.

"Please hurry, you know that its a long drive from here to your school."

"I know....."

Sunti exit the bedroom as Kanti continue to put notebooks in her backpack and sunscreen lotion in her makeup bag. Once she's finish, she look at herself at the mirror. She kept her as a low messy bun. She's wearing her usual long sleeve shirt, jeans, and black socks. Kanti puts in her glasses before grabbing her backpack and makeup bag and exit her bedroom. Kanti and Sunti put the luggages in the car. Soon enough, they're heading to Hertfordshire.

Its a few hours drive, but once they're at the school, Kanti became happy. Sunti park the car before they get out the car. Once they got Kanti's luggage, they heads to the front office and see which bedroom that Kanti is staying until Winter break. Soon enough, they head to Kanti's new bedroom.

"Remember I have been telling since you been coming to this school?" Sunti ask.

"Yes, mum." Kanti answer.

"Good. Please be real careful Kanti."

"I will be. Don't worry."

Once they enter Kanti's new bedroom, they quickly notice that there are two beds and two desks. Kanti assume that one of her friends will be with her. So, they place the luggages on one of the bed. Sunti gave Kanti a hug before exit the bedroom and the school. Kanti soon began unpacking her clothes and place them in the closet. As Kanti enter to the bathroom and put away her toothbrush and paste, other girl enter the bedroom with her stuff. As the girl place her stuff on the bed, Kanti exit the bathroom.

"Oh. You must be my roommate." Kanti says to her.

"Yea and you must be the ghost...." the girl reply.

"The ghost?"

"Yea since you're Indian and African mix and you look like a white person."

"Whatever. Anyway, my name is Kanti Goswami. What is your name?"

"My name is Gina Watson."

Gina has shoulder length wavy light brown hair and brown eyes. She's wearing short sleeve shirt, knee length khakis, and worn out tennis shoes.

"So Gina......what are you majoring in?"

"Dance and Music."

"Really? I am majoring in Dance and Music too."

"I guess that is why the teachers puts us in the same room."

"Yea. Do you want to explore around campus with me?"

"No thanks."

"Oh...ok then."

Kanti excuse herself and exit the bedroom. She wak through hallways and the main cafeteria. Soon enough, she came across the dance studios. She is about to enter one of them when someone stop her. It turn out to be her dance teacher, Rachel Morrison.

"Hey, Mrs. Morrison." Kanti says to her.

"Hey Kanti. Did you came in today?" Rachel ask.

"Yes."

"Did your mum left already?"

"Yes, but you need to talk to her or something?"

"Kinda, but I call her later. Anyway, dinner will be ready in 2 hours or so."

"Alright Mrs. Morrison."

Kanti says her goodbye to her teacher heading to the other classrooms. After exploring around the school or 20 minutes, she return to her bedroom. Gina is not the bedroom anymore. Kanti just assume that Gina probadly went to see her friends.

"I should call my friends and see if they came already." Kanti mutter to herself.

Kanti took out her cell and began calling her friends. each told Kanti they won't be at school until Friday. So, Kanti lay on her bed and took a quick nap. After an hour or so, she is awaken by Gina.

"What Gina?" Kanti ask.

"Dinner is ready." Gina reply.

"Oh."

"We better hurry or the food might be gone."

"Alright."

Kanti gets off her bed and head to te cafeteria with Gina. As soon as they enter, Gina quickly heads to the table where her friends are at. Since Kanti's friends won't be coming for another few more days, she heads to the lunch lady and gets her dinner. Shortly after getting her dinner, few other students began harassing her.

"Look...the ghost is here." Jaimie Cooper says to her friends. Her three friends, Allycia Monroe, HilaryAnderson, and Maureen Powell, began laughing.

"What do you want now, idiot?" Kanti ask.

"Don't talk back to Jaimie." Maureen says to her.

"Can you just leave the school or something?" Allycia add.

"I can't. My dream is to become a dancer and singer." Kanti answer before heading to the empty table.

"Out of the all schools in England, she has to come here." Hilary says to Jaimie.

"Don't worry, she'll the school.' she reply.

Kanti sat down at the empty table and began eating her dinner. The new students and the younger students often stare at Kanti. Some of them talk to her, but sometimes would never hang out with her. Anyway, once Kanti finish eating her dinner, she took her dish to the washer before heading to her bedroom. Kanti assume that Gina is still with her friends when she enter the bedroom. So, she grabs her towel and heads to the bathroom. After her shower, she dry herself, putting her nightgown, and went to bed.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Please read and review if you're not busy.