Elaine
"I can't feel my butt" Nathan groaned laying his head gingerly upon the steering wheel.
"Tell me about it" I said wiggling my behind across the seat slightly as an attempt to cure it's numbness. They felt lifeless, like a delicate cushion under the rough scraping fabric of my jeans.
"That's quite common when you drive eight hours straight, almost choking the life out of them by cutting their blood flow" he slowly tilted to open the door and tenderly hoisted his ass up, with precaution as he got out.
I followed the same pattern sluggishly.
We stood by the bonnet of his car helping our protesting muscles with much needed stretching before we walked back to the trunk, unloading it of my contents.
It was a day before new year, when Diana brought the posts in. squeezed in between her families and friends cards and greetings was an envelope that had a thick golden emblem with a black S in cursive. I waited impatiently for Diana to notice it, my legs tapping ferociously on the ground as I ate my breakfast. Or pretended to.
When she opened the seal from it, it was then my heart felt as if it could jump out of my chest and would start doing somersaults. The way it did when I had received the email last night, prior to the letter which possibly bored the same contents.
Office of administration.
Ms Elaine Winters
907 green cross drive
Summersville, NC 99144
Based on your extraordinary academic and personal qualifications, I am delighted to inform you that the admission committee has selected you as a founder's scholar.
Your achievements indicate that you have the talents and capabilities necessary to make most of the many academic and extracurricular opportunities characteristics of a Stuartian education. As a student offered admission to the academy in middle of the term, you are among the only individual selected from the remarkable applications we received, whose academic and personal qualities are particularly impressive. We extend our warmest welcome to the our academy.
Stuart academy is stronger than ever and offers unprecedented opportunities in high level education based on individuals subject excellence. The student body and faculty are among the very best in the world,resulting in a learning environment characterized by intellectual rigor. On behalf of our management I invite you to join the Stuart family.
I encourage you to visit the admission website to read students blogs and faculty profiles, take a virtual tour and long into live online chats.
I look forward to seeing you on campus soon.
Sincerely,
Giselle Reilgh
Vice president
Admission management.
Her expression was that of confusion as she read, I saw it flip from shock to surprise and then
"What on the earth?" she breathed.
"I can explain-" I said getting up from my seat, chewing the contents of my mouth.
"You applied for scholarship?" her disbelief was evident as she scanned the paper in her clutch once again. I admit it was sad to see her like this.
"Yes, but i-"
"And you got selected" randomly she exclaimed, I frowned my lips parted for next words that didn't made its way out as I saw her grin.
"You got selected" she walked over my side and hugged me so tight that I had to remind her about my diaphragm compressing which she waved off.
"You are not mad?" I asked as I hugged her back, she retreated as I saw the tears brimming in her eyes. But proud features dotting her face as she smiled.
"Why would I be mad? In fact I am so proud of you. This is something that your parents had always wanted for you since the day they realized how special you are" she left the embrace to read the letter once again as if she can't get enough of it.
I thought back to the times when they struggled to provide me with normal life yet made sure I had my priorities quenched with best of proffessor's who home schooled me. Surviving a normal education hub made me the sour thumb when some teachers would ask random questions and blurt out math problems for me to solve with a calculator by their side, probably an experiment to see who does it faster.
This kind of attention didn't went well with the students who blamed me for their sufferings, which mostly involved all the teachers buzzing around me or about me.
Being different had never been so easy for me, I remembered spending days trying to find some sort of fun in playing home and dressing up a Barbie with other girls of my age. But my mind always diverted to the mysteries involving amount of heat required to mold a doll or why does she has two mountains for a chest. The latter I had always wondered when I watched any woman ever across my vicinity.
And as you can guess, finding friends was harder than the probability of nemo's dad finding him. which he did eventually and so did i. and with life I learned to act around like normal people would, just like I learned every other thing.
Noah's reaction was quiet pessimistic one compared to Diana. But jumped over to embrace my bed to hug it with as much as his sprawled arms could manage when I told him he could use my room as a spare one when he finds his atmosphere at home coerced, which is really often.
Oh the love I received from him.
The day of leaving arrived today, we left at inhumane hour of four a.m after Diana bawled her eyes out. I was glad she took my decision in a positive way even when it was evident how much it effected her. Noah on the other hand had locked himself in my room already. But I know better, he didn't wanted too see me leave.
Nathan on the other hand had been a gentleman, taking me for shopping which was mandatory according to him
I had a new backpack, a set of expensive P.E attire, and a few pair of new tight jeans and t shirt that looked really uncomfortable for my skin. But he insisted that if I leave my dorm, I should not stand out like an awkward nail, if I wanted to survive there without being the target of every student who ranks the student based on the label that their clothes posses. When I pointed out that there were no labels in my clothes still, and I already managed to punch a big hole in my bank savings. He blankly looked at me.
The similar way he did when I optioned to pack the belongings of my wardrobe. He told me to do so if I had a death wish. I said not until I find out what actually happened that night.
And the next thing I know is we were running around the mall, him rummaging over the clothes angrily muttering something about what a stupid idea this was.
He had been like this the whole journey this morning, until at twelve at the after noon we had arrived. The air of the city felt so much different, I saw busy people fighting time as we passed by. Everyone had something to do and even the large sky scrapers seem come alive with the buzz of monumental responsibilities.
Nostalgia hits me like a ton of brick as memories of Seattle flashed across my mind. It has been five years since I left such life once, trading it for peace in a small part of southern town.
It felt like standing in front of an ancient roman prison, the walls up high and with higher the essence of being caged.
The only difference was the decrepit slammer of an old prison would've never looked like the modern smooth iron gateway like the one stood proudly in front of me. With glass fence on each side, the middle of the crack halfly divided the stuarts symbol. Similar to the one in letter, golden and red. They could legally add a stripe making the S Appear as a dollar.With the amount of money they had spend over the smooth paved way of parking lot I bet is enough to renovate the whole town I live in.
Luxury cars raging from Ferraris to Range Rovers dotted the area. It felt like freaking luminous car show here rather than a high school parking lot. I swear I even saw a limousine.
"I don't feel good about this" Nathan un slung my backpack from his shoulders that he had been carrying. While I balanced the wheels of my travel bag and a large cherry red tote that I borrowed from Diana.
"Was is that bad?" I questioned scanning the length of the gate, squinting over the blazing assault of sun upon my eyes.
"No, it was not bad" I eased a little.
"It was terrible" I gulped, nodding. As I grabbed my bag from his hold and pulling it to my back. He helped me get into it.
"I think I can handle some rich snobby kids, it's just till he's back right?" Nathan patted my backpack nodding probably as a gesture of certitude.
After we found out some basic details about Ian Blakewall, which was not much difficult since he had his own wikipedia page we got to know that he was the most sought after lawyer the country has, he dealt with issues involving national crisis and anything related to patriotism and United nations. Which had me in a state of daze for a few minutes. He was in short male version of Amal Clooney and he was right now moving around the world attending some powerful conferences. And he won't be back until a month from now. The latter information was something our very own filtered wikipedia page gave us. Thanks to Nathan.
So I had no other option other than to wait for him, still no clue of how I am going to talk with him. Or why would he even consider an appointment with seventeen year old girl in the first place.
"That's like a month from now. But I have faith in you" he pulled me into a side hug.
"Thank you so much for doing this, I don't think I can ever be able to repay you for what you've done for me. This means so much" I relaxed in his hug, he muttered something about it being nothing and all hes doing is throwing me into a luxurious dungeon.
I rolled my eyes picking up my things.
"This is it" I said after he blurted some ground rules about how I should never let them get to me, or to call him the first thing if I found out something happend or is about to happen.
God he was like the over protective big brother that everyone asks for but regrets who ever has it. What could possibly be so lethal about an academy which excels in high degree classes?
The security asked me for my id which I haven't received yet. So I handed him the letter. He frowned when he read.
"Strange. No one was ever accepted in the middle of school year for a scholarship before" the balding man with neatly trimmed beard gave me a once over, before using the small mic on his collar and muttering something.
Uneasily I cast a side glace to Nathan who stood ten feet away with his hands folded across his chest, recording and analyzing every move I made.
His presence gave me the comfort till the man said "clear, you can go in miss_"
"Winters" I offered him a friendly smile, as much as genuine it could get without making it look like my lips were being pulled by an invisible puppet strings.
I step inside and immediately the small crack on the gate which had groaned open to let me in closes, taking with it the last speck of visage that I could see of Nathan.
And then, the anxiety hits me hard.
Stretching from the ground I stood upon was the grey consolidated concrete with wide lawns Spanning across either side. At The end of the way hauntingly with raised walls stood a glass encased six story building accompanied by similar two buildings on either side making a semicircle. And that was just the intro of this place.
There were some students in uniforms passing by. In and out of them. I started walking, noting down the peculiar nature of the way they walk. Elegant yet stiff. It reminded me of the way his composure was, and the fact that he could be under the same roof as mine. But something told me he is not here anymore. Like a hunch or the less coldness in air. It was an inner relief to think that he quit this place for a reason. He traded them for a public school and I don't think he would have fallen into the same abyss that he once escaped from.
It was a theory and a strong one.
I start classes from tomorrow, that's what I had been told to when I called the management yesterday. I would be provided with my very own dorm and Nathan forcibly shoved his card on my wallet saying I would need it if I don't want to survive on air and water.
I protested but gave up when he said I could repay him once I start some job of my own when all this ends.
I navigated my way with the help of academy's app, I felt more alien with each passing second as I walked on the marble texture. I don't belong here, I thought. But at the same time the prospect of being a student here excited me as well.
I decided to keep my bags at the dorm reception when I couldn't find any body. No one would bother to steal it, this place has security and so does the the quality lens of cameras.Not to forget that even the staffs here are rich enough to own their own pent house.
Aimlessly I strolled around.
Unlike the soccer field in my old school You could hold a concert here with still have enough space to conduct a national parade. So far I took my leisure time travelling around colossal swimming arena with safe distance from water, the drama club had many students practicing costumes and plays on the rich and fancy indoor auditorium like one of those mention in Victorian British novel it felt like being too snoopy so I left when nobody was looking. I haven't seen much students around as everyone must've been in their classes and the one who were out gave me no segment of importance, And it felt good. Being invisible was something that I've grown to enjoy my best.
Basketball court was another story, though it was throughly empty and void of anyone. I detected someone at the bleachers, a lean but tall figure with his uniform shirt sleeved rolled to his elbows sat at the lowest seat to the ground, his legs sprawled in front of him and the flat end of a pen scratching his forehead. Books were messily piled upon his lap as he scribbled something on it, but crumbled it into a ball and aimlessly threw it across the sparkling ground which still smelled of cleaning liquid, it joined with the group of similar looking distress papers loitering around.
Was that even allowed here?
As if my feet had their thoughts of their own I walked towards the nearest one, picking up I slowly stretched.
It was a math problem, and it was poorly done.
"What are you doing?" Startled I look at him, my voice caught in my throat as I gawk at the perfection in front of me. His bangs reminded me of my own hair, but his glistened much more with inhumane softness and rich coloring. The Asian boy irritatedly glanced towards the paper in my hand.
I was caught and as much as I hate it, I know the face. But no peek at a phone screen prepared me to see this Asian lad from up front.
"I_i was reading" I mentally face palmed for graciously stuttering. I wasn't committing a crime of killing a cat, but his expression made me feel the equivalent diligence.
"So you usually go around picking up paper's from floor and analyzing it?" He tilted his face on side eyebrow raised delicately while I remained silent shifting from one leg to another my face cast down.
"You look new" he stated, while I opened my mouth to answer he continued arrogantly "well, I don't care for now. I have test in an hour and I am clueless, so stop distracting me" he blurts resuming back to his previous task.
For some reason the inner nerd in me decided to say something that rational me would've scowled against.
"You are using the wrong formula" I bit my lips to stop but it was to late, my voice echoed the walls of humongous hall as he slowly looks at me from the hair falling over his forehead.
His hairs. Why was it so touch worthy?
"What did you say?"he drawls out each word with a pause.
"I said, you need to find the end of the triangle. Its a pythagoras theorem you are working on. You can't get an apt answer the only thing you could do is prove it. The decimals you u_" I stopped when I saw his eyes, they lit up. Literally like two glowing orbs of puppy when petted. His lips curved into the cutest smile ever. I was caught off guard.
"You know how to do this?" He exclaimed.
I nodded still lost in the world of comparing him and brave. The cuteness was too much to handle. Now I know why girls fan girl and literally fan themselves over Bst or is it Bts?
"Come here"
"Huh?"
He rolled his eyes patting the seat beside him, I slowly walked and sat over it unsure. He grabbed something from his jacket pocket which was jet black schools blazer which he had hung over the head of nearby seat neatly . I remembered how he had made a funny face behind the other friend of his wearing the same outfit. I internally sighed at how I ended up in this situation. Whole school worth population of four hundred students and I, I had to clash with someone closer to him.
A gurgling sound of paper rings over my ears. He unfolded it and brought it towards my face. It was a test paper with an angry F in large red marker at top.
"I am retaking this test, and if I fail." He pauses grimly "I am setting fire to this whole damn school"
My eyes widened at such commitment by a boy with appearance like him. It was like Dwayn Johnson singing a nursery rhyme. You get my point right?
"It's easier if you have an open mind" I say again and now he diverts his complete attention to me.
"That's right. You have one hour to help me. No scratch that_"pausing he checks his fortune worthy watch "forty eight minutes to teach me" he shoves the pile from his lap to mine as I try to grab them.
As shocked as I was to be ordered and asked for a favor without making an effort to make it look like a request, I wanted to get over this as soon as possible. So I helped him.
At first it was kind of awkward to find out a method that he would grasp on. I had no idea how far he was in terms with the subject. But once we got hold of it. It went with flow.
He was a good listener and fast learner too, may be if he wasn't so hell bent on not getting help from a professional tutor as I proposed him in between, he could do so much better.
With five minutes to spare before the test he fished a black and white stripped tie from his pocket and effortlessly wore it. Straightning his collars he rolled down his sleeves buttoning it up and wearing the blazer he got up. All while I sat there shamelessly watching him do it.
He turned , acknowledging me with a smile "your help will be remembered, I owe you miss_"
It was then I realized we hadn't introduced ourselves. Though I know his name, all thanks to the creepy memory of mine that won't let go even of someones last name.
"Elaine winters"
"Elaine" he nods. "I am Shaun Lee, but I prefer Lee to my first name" with that he grabs his back pack in a hurry, checking the watch as the time sped away as he runs out.
I watched his form get smaller and smaller until he opened the glass door and stepped out.
I sighed, roaming around the empty corridors of dorm section till I found the office at the end. Mahogany desk comprised of a bored looking lady with dirty blonde hair sleekly did into a high bun. She pauses from checking her nails when I cleared my throat to grab her attention.
"Yes, how may I help you?" She parted her burgundy filled thick lips to ask me.
"I am Elaine Winters and_"
"Ah finally found you" I looked to the direction of the voice, she was a student by the look of her uniform, panting as she leaned in for air, her hands on her knees. She looked like she ran a marathon.
"Found who?" I question.
She runs her hands over the black cropped shoulder length bob, raising her button nose on air. Composing herself she walks over were I stood.
"You"
"Me?"
"You are the new student right? I am here to assist you to your dorm and help you around the school" she claps her hands eagerly smiling.
Before I could say anything she knocks the desk to grab the lazy woman's attention who has now resumed back to mending her nails.
"Card for room six o eight" she demands, not bothering to hide her mutual dislike towards her, contrasting to her smiling face a while back.
When she hands her over the card she asks me to follow her. I grab my stuffs from where I had exactly left it before and started moving. To my surprise we surpass the girls dorms block to corner over other similar building as such, probably boys dorm. We even cross that building coming to a halt at a smaller structure than the other but more luxurious looking than those ones I had seen.
We fall into the steps quietly but I could feel her getting nervous and excited as she bounced literally over the granite tiles.
We pass through the doors of few rooms that were closed, even the texture of the wood in this domicile looked oddly more rich and different than the others.
Finally she stopped at the brownish black door which was little smaller than the others, swiping the access card she punches a pin. I mentally note it.
When inside she switches on the light and I start having hard time to keep the surprise in my eyes hidden.
"You like it?"
It was twice the size of my bedroom, furnished with a computer, a desk, a wardrobe and a large bed in between. It even had a dark grey two person recliner on corner with plush purple rug to adorn the wooden floor. why is it even called a dorm room again?
"Yeah" dropping my luggage i say breathily walking to my bed and sitting on it. Closing my eyes I arch my stiff back. Moaning when I feel my muscles loosening. Try being cramped up in car for eight hours and then the joy of feeling the mattress.
She giggles at my action. I open my eyes smiling.
"This room is beside the schools head boy, you don't have to share room with anyone because you are late for the year. And since all the dorms were already full, this room was used by the student body president to his use when he needed more people to help him with events so that he could've easy access. But now it's all yours." I nod taking it all in, but also wishing she could leave sooner so I could sleep the day, night and anything in between off. I was that beat up. But she had more to say, or more like a responsibility to inform.
"Your uniform and books will be handed to you by tomorrow morning, be ready at eight and I will be here to escort you to the classes. You are provided with a room refrigerator and a microwavable oven so you can enjoy some self made meals. The water is warm twenty four into seven. And yeah the food is provided at cafeteria. Dinner at seven thirty. No roaming around corridors after nine o clock" she gasped when she completed. For some reason she looked constipated.
"Are you okay?" I ask diligently.
"No, I am not okay. This is my first responsibility and I am going to mess this up." She grumbles, nervous.
"You are doing good"
"You think?"
I nod, my lips curling into a tired but friendly smile.
"Edmund Sargent, student body president is one sole block of stone in the campus who is really hard to please and this is the first time he had asked for an assistant. And guess who the council decided on? Me. Of all eligible people me." It was evident the way she idolizes this president guy and though the name sounded familiar my mind was too tired to attach a face to it. But I give her an encouraging nod, because a shake of my head is the only thing I was capable of doing right now.
"Don't worry, you'll get hold of it" a small shameless yawn escapes my lips. She relaxes at my words but as if some realization dawned upon her, her eyes widens.
"God! where are my manners. I am Riley Rivers" I shake her extended hands.
"Elaine Winters" she smiles nodding, aware of it in prior as she was the one who recognized me.
"You look exhausted. Take rest. I will escort you in the morning. It's going to be a long day tomorrow" she smiles as she turns to walk out, Immediately my body falls to the bed, but when she pokes her head back into the room I use my elbows to prop myself up so that I could look at her from an awkward position.
"I forgot to inform you of the password, it's 2_"
"291106 I know" she raises an impressed eyebrow.
"No wonder you are here in the mid sem" with that she shuts the door close, leaving me alone.
I fall back, my consciousness blurring with fading segment of her last utterance on repeat.
Tomorrow is going to be a long day
***
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