You're Still the One

I

Hollow can describe things here at Welton more accurately than any other word. The room's of this building, though filled with people, are hollow in spirit. The faces of people walking past me are hollow, with nothing but what seems like anger or exhaustion behind their eyes. Even the four pillars that reportedly hold this school together: Tradition, Honor, Discipline, Excellence, are hollow and meaningless in retrospect. Nonetheless, I'll follow.

The welcoming ceremony for the new students lasts for what feels like ages, Mr.Nolan, our headmaster gives his, i'm assuming, annual speech on how great this school is and on and on. By the end, all the families are flooding out of the halls giving their greetings to Nolan one by one. As we approach, my father takes Nolans hand and shakes it, exchanging greetings.

"This is our youngest." My mother says, puting Mr.Nolan's focus onto me.

"You have some big shoes to fill, young man." he says, shaking my hand." Your brother was one of our finest." Of course, I was waiting for my brother, Jefferey's spotlight to shine. I'm surprised it didn't light up faster. I've never had to worry about being anything special because of him, he seems to always come up in conversation and was my parents obvious favorite but it never worried me. When I was young I never thought anyone could be better than him, I suppose I still do. I briefly give thanks before scurrying out of the line with my parents.

"I hope you'll learn to hold better conversation here son, your brother had that down early on." My father explains, patting his hand on my shoulder.

"Yes sir, i'll work on it." I say, wanting nothing more than to push this conversation away and move on. A bell tolls somewhere in the distance, signaling for all the parents to retreat to their homes, leaving us in this hellhole of institutionalism. I give a brief goodbye to my father and kiss my mother on the cheek before walking back through the sea of crying grade schoolers latching onto their mothers, desperately begging to be brought back home. I'd do that too if I could, I want nothing more then to go back to my old school.

Passing through a large gate, I head down a path towards a large three story brick building just off of the main school. Inside, the walls are barren and brown, and a staircase sits in front of the entrance, winding up each floor. As I make my way up to the second floor, I blindly walk around for a minute, lost in the expanse of the building trying to find my way, when I lock eyes with another boy around my age, carrying two suitcases in his hands. He's around average height, like me, with a thin face. His harsh features and dark hair stick out and I see him eyeing me, his thick eyebrows locked in a furrowed gaze. He quickly releases them as though he's figured out everything he needs to know, and lights up.

"Hey, I hear we're gonna be roommates," He says, as he passes one of the bags into his other hand and grabs my hand to shake on the greeting.

"I'm Neil Perry."

"Todd Anderson." I respond. His grasp was firm, sure and oddly comforting.

"Why'd you leave Balincrest?" He asks. How'd he know so much? I've never even heard of this kid before, his father must know my family. I think, confusion flustered confusion passing over my face.

"My brother went here." I answer, per usual, time to talk about Jeffrey.

"Oh, so you're that Anderson." He says bluntly, his tone uninterested but easy. I nod and surprisingly he walks away before saying anything about Jefferey, leaving me with a wave and a smile.

I shake my head slightly to rid myself of nervousness and continue to walk around, heading in the general direction Neil went, assuming he was heading to our dorm. Walking through a hallway crammed with people I pass by a father talking feverishly to the school nurse about his sons medical problems, going over a long check list of everything there is to know and I let out a laugh as I see the nurse completely turn away from him mid sentence and walk away, surely annoyed by the strange man. Up ahead I see Neil walk into a room and make my way towards it, bumping into people in an ungraceful way. A short redhead is blocking the doorway talking to Neil,