Evergreen

Chapter 1

"April!" I heard my mother shout, "April, come here right now!" 

I'm not quite sure what I've done wrong, to be honest. She is always screeching at me for some reason, the madwoman. 

"What?" I call, frowning. What could she want now? I dropped my pencil, abandoning my attempt at an apology letter to my pen pal, Daisy, who my mother forbid me from writing to. The reasoning behind it was that she was a 'bad influence', in my mothers words. My cat, Tufty, gave a surprised mrow? noise at me, which then made me giggle and I stroked his soft tabby fur.

"April! Come down! We got a letter!" From who, Professor Dumbledore? I thought sarcastically as I plodded my way down the stairs. I hesitated halfway down, briefly wondering if I could get away with ignoring her. After a fraction of a second, I continued down the stairs.

"April, your father and I have received a letter," My mother began, and I couldn't help but feel irritated at how often she said my name, "it's from Pineview Boarding School."

"What?" I squeaked, then blushed at how childish I sounded, "Have I been...?" Accepted? I finished the question in my head. "Let me read it!" I snatched the quality paper from mothers' grasp, hunching over it subconsciously.

Dear Mr and Mrs Fox,

We are pleased to say your daughter has been accepted into Pineview Boarding School for All, and we are looking forward to welcoming her as a new pupil. Below are the requirements for uniform she will need. She will not need any equipment, as we have a tuck shop that supplies stationary.

Uniform:

Pineview Blazer

Blouse

Kilt

Tie

Optional:

Black tights

Pineview jumper

Your daughter may bring books, however we do have a library she where she can take out any books she needs.

The school term begins on the 8th of September.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs Amelia Hart, Head Teacher of Pineview Boarding School 

I blinked, breaking my gaze at the letter. Does this mean I can escape? I thought to myself. A bubbling excitement rose in my chest as I traced my finger over Mrs Harts spidery writing, I couldn't believe I was in. 

"We aren't sure if..... if we should let you go-" Father began but I cut him off.

"I have to go." I say, loudly and firmly, "You can't stop me from going." 

"But-"

"When are we going to get the stuff?" I ask, making sure my controlling parents can't get a word in edgeways, "Tomorrow?"

"April, we don't-"

"I AM GOING!" I roared, so suddenly it made me jump at the ferocity and volume of my own words. Going was my top priority. There is no way I could stand being homeschooled for much longer. The joy in my chest had morphed into a boiling anger in my stomach, I don't understand why they won't let me go. Pineview could be great, I would be far away from my parents and I had a chance at making friends. That may be a very small chance, but it's a chance nonetheless.

"April Fox! How dare you speak to us like that!" Mother snarled, her voice getting dangerously low.

I glared at her, my hands curling into tight fists. Then I closed my eyes and took a breath in, and tried to think reasonably.

"Why can't I go?" I asked, "What is there stopping you from putting me in this school?"

"April, you're just... young. We don't want you to go so suddenly from homeschooling to being in a boarding school." Father replied, glancing at Mother, supposedly for support.

"I will be fine." The anger had quietened down to frustration, "I promise you, I will be fine. I won't break rules, I will actually talk to people, and I will learn from qualified teachers. Not you two. I am not young, Father, I am 17 if you haven't noticed."

My parents looked just as annoyed as I felt, and they kept on looking at each other silently. Every now and again Mother would toss her wavy strawberry blonde hair over her shoulder, a habit she had when she was thinking. Father had a similar thinking habit, less original than Mothers hair swish, a scratch of his greying brown beard.

"You can go." They answered finally.

AN: Was that okay? This is my first time actually getting somewhere with a book! I hope it wasn't too horrible...