~ {|} The Royal Charm Academy {|} ~ A Novel ~ {|} On Going

❦ Chapter Fourteen ❦

The last class of the day had finally come to an end. 

Since Sidney didn't have her friends in her last class, she departed from her classmates and walked towards the courtyard. She was relieved the second day was over and she was dreading the next.

She pushed open the entrance door and closed it behind her. She walked down the steps, crossing her arms over her chest. She looked up at the late afternoon warm sun shining down on her from the cloudless blue sky.

She walked down the cobblestone path and up to a massive shaded oak tree.

She had seen many oak trees back in her part of town, massive ones that were centuries old. The buildings had been built around them, however, the oak trees at The Royal Charm Academy had been there since the academy began.

She leaned against the tree and slid down, resting her legs off to her side. She closed her eyes and felt the warm sunbeams peeking through the foliage above with the gentle cool breeze rolling through.

'It's only the second day and I'm mentally exhausted. I've got to go over the books I checked out at the library for my classes. I have to study the worksheets the teachers gave me and have them turned in tomorrow morning at each class. I've got to pick up the laptop from Headmistress Devona and start my online classes.' She thought to herself, letting a sigh escape her lips.

'And I thought the first day of school was the worst.' She turned her attention to the leaves rustling on the branches. 'I don't know how scholarship winners can do this. How can we catch up? We're so far behind everyone else, especially since they've grown up in this environment, we haven't. How do they expect us to catch up in a short amount of time? It's like we were destined to fail.' She frowned as those thoughts crossed her mind.

'I know My boss, my coworkers, Molly, Missy, Mama, and Papa are rooting for me and I miss them dearly. At the end of the week maybe I can call them and talk with them for a bit. If I do any sooner it'll make me look pathetic for not being able to be away from my family. I'm homesick, it's not funny and I've never been away from my family for this long.' She thought as she chewed her lip.

'I'm just worried about Mama's progress with her medicine. Hopefully, the leftover money we get from Headmistress Devona can accumulate quickly so we can pay for her treatment. I'm worried she won't make it until we can. She's getting worse no matter how much of a front she puts on. Being away from her while she's sick is the hardest thing ever.' Tears well in her eyes and she blinked a few times, getting them away.

She shook her head, casting those thoughts from her mind and she zippered open her backpack and pulled out one of the thick books she had borrowed from the library. "Rules of Etiquette," She read off the title on the cover.

She hummed as she opened the door and glanced at the table of contents. Her eyes went wide as she flipped to the next page and back. 'Three whole chapters on conversation starters and how to keep a conversation going. Two chapters on how to use dinnerware properly? Four chapters on formal greetings and two on the door and not informal greetings? And there is so much more.' She slammed the book shut and shoved it back into her backpack. "This is hopeless!"

Mia, who had been looking under the bushes calling out for Pearl, turned her attention to Sidney. "Huh?" She tilted her head to the side as she made her way over. "What's hopeless?" She deadpanned, stopping a few feet from her.