𝑅𝐸𝐹𝐿𝐸𝐶𝑇𝐼𝑂𝑁𝑆 || mileven au

|| ONE ||

CHAPTER ONE:
the whirlwind.

eleanor wasn't looking forward to many things. in fact, she most likely wasn't looking forward to anything, but especially the utterly malicious decision her adopted father had made for her. she had no other choice, no other path to flee, but to accept his demand.

that particular night was dreading, the endless chain of arguing and convincing which ended to a conclusion of el finally attending school. a real school, full of students and classes, and a new chapter of life.

a short summary about eleanor, she was adopted by the headmaster of gritwaltz academy after he found her suffering from her overly abusive past. yes, eleanor jane hopper was an orphan since her very childhood, and was passed down to several caretakers and foster homes like a broken toy until a woman decided to fully adopt the girl. but the situation ended up otherwise whereas el had to take care of her drunken mother that has left multiple bruises and scars on the hopeless orphan, putting her life in danger.

but the daunting terms were finally over when she turned twelve. she thought it was over then, to refer at least. the headmaster jim hopper had found the lost girl and decided to raise her as his very own child, putting an end to her trauma. she moved into his large academy with hundreds of students boarded in. it was in fact considered one of the greatest schools of their time. the dark faraway castle with swarming students in their uniforms was beyond her imaginations, but a piece of herself was still haunting el in the inside.

the immense libraries were always welcoming as she spent most of the hours of her passing days flipping the dusty pages of her favorite romance novels, and finished her night with poetry. the grand halls were captivating as the tall, emerald ceiling felt incessant. her adoptive father who felt like a real one, provided her with nothing else but pure love and care as his daughter was in fact his biggest priority. yes, she was able to call the gritwaltz academy her safe place, her home.

although, reasoned by the series of unfortunate events she went through, hopper thought it was expected for el to feel appalled by the sudden change, which is why she was taught separately from the rest of the students. he offered el her own room whereas she hasn't felt welcomed in the girls dorm rooms and agreed on the terms of his daughter living separately from others. due to these boundaries, el had felt a deep sense of comfort which seemed to feel never ending.

but comfort was meant to end at one point.

hopper thought it wasn't the best perception of his daughter living in discreet for the rest of her life. despite the shivering memories, he still wanted his el to find her own path, which wasn't possible until she decided to finally put herself out there. in fact, she hid away for four years and was already sixteen. it was the first day of her junior year and he expected to see her thrive, to live her moment to the fullest and reach for the impossible.

how outrageously idiotic he was to think she would come to an agreement.

even if eleanor felt comfortable referring this place as her home, it was just another pathway to hell, but more tolerant. despite the resplendent castle and the charms it radiated within, the people of gritwaltz academy were in fact unwelcoming. almost every single student from year one to the graduates turned her experience into a real life nightmare.

even if she wasn't attending any classes with her grade and always ate separately with the school headmaster, she was constantly brought to this repeating cycle of agony. eleanor never got a break from the bickering people in the library, sharing intense gossips about the school's number one 'loser'. she's been called that every since her first day, slowly getting used to all the monstrous nicknames created by the fellow attendants of the academy. an ugly duckling, orphan goose, reptile-eyed nerd, and so many others she swore it could have been pages worth of nicknames.