Academic Affairs (IN EDITING)

Chapter 2

I ride back helplessly to our estate. When I get back in, Stephen is making out with a hot, blonde teenager on the sofa. It pains me to see him betray my Ma like this when she thinks he still loves her.

"I thought you were supposed to be working." He breaks apart, glaring at me. "Sold the place. I'm going to find a new job." I say, going up the stairs to my bedroom. I pull out my second-hand laptop which is half broken and find a website with part-time jobs.

"Mumma? Why is Aunt Sarah here? You said she wasn't coming until tomorrow." he asks, swinging on the door. "What? But she isn't supposed to be here." I look out my window just to see her fancy BMW Parked in front of our house.

Suddenly, the front door opens and Our Aunt struts through the door with a wrinkled face as she looks around. "Please, Maddison. When can you afford a proper place? Maybe it's good the kids is living with me after all." she smugly brags. I never liked my Aunt Sarah. She never liked me either. She only had a soft spot for Jamie because he's So young.

"Why can't I stay with Vince Mumma?" Vince was my boyfriend. Although he's a carbon copy of John, he always gets through to me. He makes me look so naive. He manipulates me. But I still love him. And he loves me. I hope.

"Vince can't take care of you right now buddy. Just go with Aunt Sarah." I lie, giving him a little push over to her. She grabs his scrawny little wrist and pulls him into her. "Come on now, Jamie. Go into Aunt Sarah's car." She pushes him outside and he sulks the walk down our garden path.

"His inhaler is in his bag, and his sleeping pills, too. Only give him half each night or else he'll be knocked out all day." I point out to her, and she nods along, probably not even listening. "Bye now." pettily, she waves at me as she closes the door.

"Glad the little shits gone. Always nagging for things." He murmurs against the girl. She giggles like a blind fool as he starts kissing his way down to her breasts. I can't watch this filth anymore.

I decided to go visit my Ma. Yes, I only saw her yesterday but I have nothing better to do. So I remount my bike and ride the five miles to the hospital.

"Imogen St. Johns?" I told the name to the receptionist and she pointed me down a hallway. Of course, I already knew the way. "Maddie? I wasn't expecting a visit from you today," she says, surprised. I hugged her tightly and we sat there for a moment. "Aunt Sarah came early. Jamie is away now." I shrug. She looks at me fondly. "I know how heartbroken are about the kid. You really love Jamie, don't you?" She rubs my hand as she thinks I'll be upset that he's been taken away from me for now.

"So do you think you will leave early then? Since nothing is holding you back," she asks, and I shrug. I mean I could, but I don't have any reason to. I'm not moving into the dormitories because Stephen would kill me. "You should move into the school, Honey. It's a better environment for you to work in." For a second I thought she was talking about Stephen not being in a good environment, but then realised she was talking about the neighbourhood. Of course, she was. You can never blame Stephen for anything.

"If Jamie comes back-"
"Jamie isn't coming back for a while, Maddie. I made sure of it."
"You what?"
This devastated me. I love Jamie so much. "He's a distraction, and I know you want to get a good job and get into law school." She lectures. I can't believe she would put me before Jamie. He's four years old and still has so much of his life to make up for the shit he has put him through.

"He wasn't that much of a distraction Ma. Stephen Just-" I cut myself off before I could bad-mouth the person she loves right in front of her. "Nevermind. Stephen is great." That's all she wants to hear- Stephen is great. Those three words make her day. "You should move into the dorms, Maddie. Please." Contemplating, I hesitantly agree. She's smiling so big, I can tell it made her happy. It's infectious. "Go home and start packing." Ma squeals. I get off her bed exit, the place again and get on my bike, again. Riding through the city,  it just looks as boring as ever.

"Back- Oh, shit. Close the door." I squeeze my eyes shut. It's not the first time Stephen has fucked a girl on our living room sofa. It's also not the first time he hasn't been careful. And it's not every day your stepdad displays his dick without shutting the door. It's revolting.

I get into my room and start packing immediately. The very few clothes I got from charity shops for a bargain, the 'nearly ran out' makeup products I have left, and I almost cleared out my room because I have very few things. Before I go downstairs, I glance into Jamie's room.

I grab the two bags I have and make my way downstairs, where again, I catch a glimpse of Stephen and his blonde as she takes him in her mouth.

"Bye," I mutter after I have called a taxi. They drove me over to Cambridge. The school was Victorian and massive, wrapping around the courtyard like a U-shape. Lucious, green vines snake up the walls in big clumps. The bushes are neatly trimmed, and a stray leaf is nowhere to be seen. A massive fountain lies in the middle of it all, spewing water graciously in all directions. It almost looks unreal.

"Hi! I'm Thea, and I'm your tour guide! I'm the student body president and A senior, So it's my job to take care of you newbies. Have you signed up for a dormitory?" She asks, all smiley. "Uhm, Yeah. 34B?" I read out the number on the key they gave me. "Oh, that's a mistake. That room is in the boy's wing. Girls aren't allowed in there unless granted permission by me." She says, clearly annoyed. "So, what's your name?" She asks. Too many questions for my liking. "Maddison."

"Oh my god! You're the scholarship girl! I've always loved the name Maddison. It's so- thrifty." She scrunches up her nose in a smile, and I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or an insult. "Now, we should get to the office and sort out your room. Miss Agatha will rectify that for you." She grabs my wrist and tugs me along with a smile on her face, and it's creeping me out. Maybe people are just smiley around here.

"So this is the main campus. When you walk in, the throne room is to your right and the bell tower is to your left. Under those stairs is the door to the main office, where the junior Volunteer will give you your student ID card and give you a map of the school. But, between you and me. The map is no help. It will just get you even more lost." she whispers, and I nod. The floors are marble and the walls are navy blue with white and gold pillars.

"The counsellor's office is to your right, and at the end of that hallway is the head mistress's office- that's where we are heading," she says, making a sharp turn. Knocking on the door, she turns the handle and enters. "Ah, Miss. Rochel, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Ms Agatha puts down her pen and ascends from her chair. "There seemed to be a mix-up with Maddisons dorm key."

"Oh, that's no mistake, dear. We have unfortunately run out of room in the girl's wing. Mr. Augustine's dorm is the only double with one person." Thea looks as if her blood is boiling. "Well, I'm happy to swap with her. It might be a little unsettling to share with a boy, right, Maddison?" She looks at me like she's begging me to agree with her. "No, it'll be no distraction, ma'am." I nod.

First enemy of the year.