Imperial High

ZACH

"Oh dear, it looks a bit wrinkled. Does it look wrinkled to you, Noah?"

My dad gave me a glance and shrugged.

"I don't know, looks okay to me."

I sighed. We had been at this for the past hour. The school bus was due to arrive in less than three minutes and my mom was determined to make sure I looked like a perfect gentleman. She licked her finger and rubbed at my nose.

I groaned. "Ew mom, that's so gross. Why do you keep doing that? What's wrong with a simple cleansing tissue?"

My dad laughed. "Leave the boy be, Emily. Anymore cleaning and he's going to start looking like the bathroom floor after one of your spring-cleaning episodes."

My mom sighed and moved back. "If you insist then. I suppose he looks okay. Just make sure whatever you do Zach, keep your blazer clean."

My mom had been appalled when she found out that the school blazer was white. "What kind of school supplies white blazers to a bunch of teenagers?"

My dad had laughed. "A school with a lot of money and belief in the maturity of their students, I suppose."

In the end, after my dad had gotten himself involved, we ended up packing only one suitcase. My mom had been beyond herself, saying that I needed reminders of home.

My dad had looked at her in amazement. "He's not a kid anymore, Millie. In fact, I'm pretty sure he's happy with this excuse to finally leave home. He might decide he doesn't even want us to visit him."

That had shut her up pretty quickly.

My dad looked at his watch. "The bus will be here any minute, Zach. Go make sure you didn't forget anything in your room and don't forget to close your windows."

I groaned. "Geez dad, you're almost as bad as Mom."

I went upstairs and shut the door. Once it was shut, I collapsed unto my bed. There were so many thoughts racing in my head, I didn't know which one to focus on first. Should I tell Mom and Dad that I hadn't applied? Would that even matter now? I was soon going to be leaving. In the end, I decided to go. If there was anything wrong, I would call Dad and then bolt.

I looked at myself in the mirror. I wasn't normally vain, but I did care about making a good impression with the others. I looked okay except for the tie my mom had insisted on tightening till I nearly choked. I sighed and loosened it. Once again, the woman on the logo caught my eye. I glanced away from it and shook my head. For a second, it had looked like she blinked.

Just then, a bus horn sounded from outside. Right on cue, my mom shouted from downstairs.

"OhmigodsitsactuallyhereImgoingtomisshimsomuchwowthebuslooksreallyneatandtidy!"

I heard my dad laugh and tell her to breathe before she fainted.

"Zach, the bus is here!"

I looked at myself in the mirror one more time then hung my bag on my shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm coming!"

My mom enveloped me in a hug so tight I could hardly breathe.

"Mom" I gasped. "I can't breathe."

She let me go then allowed my dad to ruffle my hair.

I groaned. "Dad, I just combed that!"

He laughed then looked me in the eye. "Remember who you are and where you come from Zach."

I smiled then hugged them once more. The bus driver honked again, albeit impatiently this time.

I laughed and rolled my suitcase out of the house. The driver took it from me and went inside. I stood and looked at the house once more. My parents were waving at me from inside. I smiled and waved back. Then I turned towards the door.

With a sigh, I stepped onto the bus and into a new stage of my life.

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