𝙼𝙾𝙾𝙽 𝚂𝚃𝚁𝚄𝙲𝙺 (𝙳𝙿𝚂 - 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚎 𝙳𝚊𝚕𝚝𝚘𝚗)

𝙾𝙽𝙴

✍︎

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓭 𝓼𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭 of bagpipes filled the church and ricocheted off the walls when the two back doors opened. Here we go

The beams across the roof looked to be in pristine condition and had it not been for the wooden pews that creaked and groaned with every slight movement, you would hardly believe that it had been standing for over 100 years.

The chapel was filled with family's and new faces, the first 3 rows consumed by first years eagerly awaiting for the moment they would finally be accepted as Welton students.

My heart ached for them knowing within a week their little smiles would be turned into permanent frowns and their bright eyes would be darkened by the bags that would lie beneath.

Sitting beside my father, who had a stern look on his face, I watched my brother walk up the middle isle with the banner held high. My Mother, who was sat on my fathers other side, was wearing a proud smile with little glistens in her eyes as the boys reached Mr. Nolan, head of Welton, at the top.

   The banner that my brother held read the word excellence and I couldn't help but chuckle to myself as I read it. Had it not been for the fact that my father was sitting beside me the whole time I would have assumed he marched right back and shoved that particular banner in Neil's hand.

   At the top of the opposite row stood Richard Cameron, one of Weltons finest students, and judging by the proud but slightly stern looks on his parents faces it was clear why.

   I kept my eyes trained on him waiting for his to catch mine. Once they did, His face brightened a bit and in response to the straight face he held, I slightly stuck out my tongue at him.

   The corners of his mouth quirked up before he subtly shook himself looking forward again, his stoic expression now returning. I smiled to myself and faced back to the front. Haha gotcha.

Mr. Nolan made his way into the middle beside a man who was holding the candle for the new boys.

"Ladies and gentlemen. Boys and girl" he said, his eyes meeting mine as I put my head down "the light of knowledge" The four boys who had been stood like statues, moved to put the banners into the holders before taking their seats beside their families.

A round of applause rang out in response to one of the young boys candle being lit. Great. After being to three of these ceremonies you would think that I'd have remembered how boring they were. I put my hand up to my mouth to cover a yawn that was coming on. From beside me, my father looked down at me, allowing his stern look to slip into a smile before looking forward once again serious.

"One hundred years ago, in 1859, 41 boys sat in this room and were asked the same question that greets you at the start of each semester. Gentlemen, what are the four pillars" like soldiers preparing to go to war, all the students in the church, apart from me, stood to attention. A boy, about my age, a few rows ahead of me, caught my eye when he hesitated to stand but was pushed up by his father.

"Tradition, honour, discipline, excellence" In unison the boys took a seat. I looked up to my brother, a grin on my face as he elbowed me slightly smiling aswell.

"In her first year, Welton academy graduated five students. Last year we graduated fifty one-" I zoned out after that. I already had a headache coming on at the mere thought of having to listen to mr Nolan speak about how amazing Walton was and why it was such a privilege to be here.

I looked around trying to see if I could catch a glimpse of any of my other boys. Out of the six id already seen three, one being my brother. I subtly tried to crane my neck to look for the remaining three and after scanning back and forth, a flash of curly ginger hair caught my eye. Meeks is here.