Where The Liars Sleep

Chapter One

"The town of Courtdale has been shocked by- "

I reached over to turn off the car radio, wordlessly leaning against the window after I did and ignoring the puzzled look from Ma.

"Are you sure about this Nadine? There are so many other places you could go-"

"You know this school is the best there is, this will help me achieve all that you wanted me to do, you know it's unmatched," I only spoke half the truth, but I had become so used to lying it didn't phase me anymore. I wasn't going to Rutherford Academy because of its stellar reviews and academic prowess.

"If you say so Nadine, just safe, you're the only new student they are letting in, I guess that must mean something," I nodded mutely closing my eyes as I rested my head against the cool glass.

I tried to steady my breathing, to not let it hitch and reveal just how unprepared I was for what was about to come.

I'm sure Ma thought I had fallen asleep, as I felt a gentle hand rest on my shoulder and shake me lightly, "Honey, we're here,"

I pretended to stir; it would be far easier to make my mum believe that I had been asleep than that I was plagued by a million thoughts. When my eyes fluttered open, Ma had already made her way around to the car door on my side and was pulling it open.

I swung my legs out feeling the crunch of gravel beneath my boots as I stood in the cold morning air as it whipped through my hair.

I had seen pictures of Rutherford Academy before but none of them compared to what I saw now, the buildings were towering above me, the pinnacle of architectural history, with washout brown hues on each elongated tower, a bell ringing softly in the distance to signal the beginning of a new day.

The building had rendered Ma speechless, as well, her mouth slightly agape, as she took in the sight.

That left me to pull open the boot and grab my luggage, I only had one suitcase, and a backpack so it wasn't much to carry, I didn't think I needed much here as on the prospectus they had boasted access to a large shopping centre just down by the coast of the town, I was sure I could get anything I needed from there.

We made our way towards the iron-clad gates, there was a modern intercom hidden to the left, I pressed down on the shining silver button and waited for the hiss of the speaker to reveal a voice.

"Hello, how may I help you?" the voice was curt and perfectly professional.

"I'm Nadine Flint, the new student," I replied trying not to add that it should be pretty obvious who I was since I was the only new student being enrolled.

"Ah, Ms Flint, please make your way towards main reception to be admitted to your room," I turned to Ma who had a sheen of tears in her eyes.

"Aw look at my baby all grown up, going off into the big wide world," she pulled me into a tight hug wrapping her arms around me and squeezing me so hard that I was unsure whether she ever wanted to let go.

"Well, this is where I leave you, you be good Nadine, I don't want any stern phone calls home," she warned but smoothed out the statement with a loving smile. With one last hug, she bid me goodbye and the gates before me hissed and cracked as they creaked open on their own.

With my suitcase rolling behind me noisily along the gravel, the winding path led me to the main building sitting in the middle of the school grounds.

To match the ancient look of the buildings the door was a large set of oak pieces, shined to perfection with brass and gold detailing on the knocker and doorknobs.

I clasped a shivering hand atop the cool metal and pulled, freeing the door, and revealing a well-lit main reception, with benches lined up at the side all carved out of various types of wood.