Chapter 2

''Welcome to Veramount Preparatory Academy.''

I stared at the monstrosity before me. It looked like it belonged in a halloween-themed haunted house movie. Everything about it screamed 'haunted' including the lady standing before us who'd introduced herself as Mrs Lovemoor, the principal of this ''prestigious academy''. Prestigious my foot. I internally snorted at my snarky inner voice even though humour was far from what I was feeling at that moment. After being dragged halfway across the country, away from everything I'd ever known, who could blame me? But I wasn't going to be bitter about it so I quickly drew myself away from my thoughts to listen to my dad as he asked a question. My mum hadn't even accompanied me as she was too busy with her ''precious'' research. Yup, clearly not bitter at all. Sometimes I really hated my inner voice.

'' So this seems to be one big building, if you don't mind me asking, where are the areas of residence?''

'' The West and East wings are where all students stay and lessons are conducted in the South wing.''

'' How many students are there?''

'' A grand total of one hundred and fifty, including your daughter.''

I looked at the huge house, no scratch that. I looked at the giant mansion and wondered why they would need two wings for just one hundred and fifty students. Apparently I had spoken out loud because next thing I knew, Mrs Lovemoor was addressing me.

'' Girls are in the east wing and boys are in the west wing.''

My mind aptly stumbled over that nugget of information. Great, my parents are sending me to a school that barely exists on the net and is co-ed and they didn't even bother to tell me. I'm surprised the school even had 150 students. What parent in their right mind would send their child here. None, if they are truly in their right mind. I had to agree. My mother is definitely not in her right mind and dad just followed whatever mum said. Like a lost lamb. I silently laughed at the apt description.

''Wait, there are boys here?''

I looked at my dad's stunned face. I would've laughed but the situation really isn't all that funny.

''Seriously Dad? You didn't even bother to check if you were sending your fifteen year old daughter to a school full of boys or not? In fact, what do you even know about this school because when I looked it up I came up with nada, nothing, zilch, finito-''

''That's enough Sidney. I get your point, but your mother is the one who dealt with all the arrangements and I trust her judgement on this. Since you know about as much as I do about this academy, I'd suggest you pay attention to what Mrs Lovemoor tells you. That being said, Mrs Loovemoor, I'll leave my daughter in your capable hands. It's a long drive back and I need to get going.''

''That is completely fine Mr Rosette. Have a safe journey. Oh and please great Helen for me, tell her I admire her dedication to science and research and contributions to the field.''

I looked at Mrs Lovemoor in shock. She knows my mother? I certainly didn't see that one coming considering she looks thirty years older than my mom, but then again, it would explain why my mum would send me to a seemingly non-existent, godforsaken academy in the middle of nowhere.

''Will do Mrs Lovemoor. Bye Sid honey, call me when you've settled in. I'll miss you.''

And just like that, I didn't want my dad to leave. I wanted to cry in his arms and beg him to take me back home, and by home I don't mean our new home in Columbia, but our old one. Where my friends and life were. Even as I experienced these emotions, my inner voice was urging me not to crack, to stay strong. Don't let them see you cry. Imagine what dear old mom would say if dad told her you cried like a baby. Imagine what Mrs L would think of you. That sobered me up pretty quickly. I can already hear mom's voice, '' For godsake Sid, you're no longer a baby you're a teenager. Act like it. This is why sending you to Veramount Academy is a good idea, we baby you too much. Boarding will do you a whole world of good.''

These were her words to me when I threw a semi-tantrum after she told me she'd be sending me here. And I'd imagine that if they were as close friends as they seemed, Mrs L -as my inner voice called Mrs Lovemoor- would more or less have the same opinion. So I sucked it up and watched my dad leave in silence.

''Now that your father is gone, I'll take you to class. You should have time for one lesson before lunch.''

I stared at Mrs L, mouth agape. What happened to settling in, my schedule and my tour, I wondered. Try asking her that. As if I'd actually do that. I just followed Mrs L as she ascended the few steps leading to the huge oak door, which I assumed was the front door.

''This is the foyer. To your right, is the entrance to the west wing, to your left, the entrance to the east wing, and right ahead is the south wing.''

I looked around. There were gleaming wood paneled walls and the floor was covered by a thick plush black carpet. A staircase was just beside the entrance to the west wing.

'' Where does the staircase lead?''

''Upstairs to the teacher's quarters. Now follow me.''

I followed her through a number of twists, turns and corridors till we ended up infront of a door labelled C2. Without knocking, she opened the door and strode in like she owned the room -which she probably did being the principal and all that- nodding at the boy standing behind the desk at the front of what I assumed to be the classroom she turned to address the students. Before she even uttered a single word they all rose simultaneously and bowed their heads.

'' Good afternoon Principal Lovemoor.''

She greeted them in kind before telling them to sit.

''I've come with a transfer student. She'll be joining your class, I expect you to teach her what is expected of Veramount Prepatory Academy students. With that, I'll her to introduce herself. Get her settled in.''

Then without a word to me, she left. Great, now I had to face a bunch of snobby looking students. Was I never going to get a break, I thought to myself as I entered the classroom and shut the door behind me. Taking a deep breath, I put on the brightest smile I could muster -which wasn't that bright at all considering how I was feeling- and turned to face my doom, oops, I mean the class.

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