New School

I don't want to go to a new school

Crystal Chase

Hey there! It's me, Crystal Chase. I was 17, and I'd just gotten this super weird letter from a school called Silverstone Castle Academy. I couldn't remember applying there at all. What was the deal with that?

I ran downstairs to ask my mom about it, but she was on the phone with someone. I was pretty sure it was Aunt Matilda. Ugh, I couldn't stand her! She was constantly telling my parents how to raise me like she was some expert on teenagers just because she used to be a teacher. But get this - she didn't even have her own kids. She wasn't even married, but she still had the nerve to give my parents advice on raising me and even on their marriage! But my parents still listened to her sometimes, which was so annoying.

Oh, and don't even get me started on my parents. They were always fighting over the dumbest things. It was like, seriously, couldn't they chill for once? Anyway, back to this mysterious letter. I decided to wait until Mom got off the phone, and then I'd ask her what was up with this? It seemed pretty cool but also a little sketchy, if you know what I mean. Like, why would they send me a letter out of nowhere? I supposed I'd find out soon enough!

"Mom, what is this? I didn't apply for this," I asked her, showing the letter.

Mom finished her call with a smile and looked at me.

"I applied for that. It's a perfect school for you," she said.

"What? How did you even know it was perfect for me? I didn't need to go to a new school," I said, feeling super annoyed. I hated the idea of trying to fit in at a new place and meeting new people. It was like a serious problem for me, and my parents were always worrying about it.

"Listen, Crystal. You need to learn to be independent. If you stayed at home like this, you'd never learn that. You didn't even have friends, and you couldn't do your own stuff alone, like washing your clothes and cleaning your room. You didn't even bother about your studies 'cause we gave you everything. You need to step out of your comfort zone and prepare to grow up. That's why we decided to send you to this school, for your own good," Mom said.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Like, seriously? They thought shipping me off to some random school was gonna magically fix everything? I mean, I got that I wasn't the most independent person, but that was just who I was. And yeah, maybe I didn't have a ton of friends, but that didn't mean I needed to be sent away. This was so unfair!

"Who decided?" I asked, feeling my anger rising.

"Dad and I," she said. "Listen, this is for your own good. And this is the perfect school for you. The school only has students around 16, 17, and 18 years old. You can make new friends too," Mom said.

I narrowed my eyes. "Did the school have boys too?" I asked suspiciously. The thought of going to a school with both girls and boys made me uncomfortable. I was at an all-girls school currently, and the idea of being around boys made me nervous since I wasn't used to it.

"Your aunt said it only has girls," Mom replied.

"So it was Aunt Matilda's idea?" I said, my voice getting louder. "Why are you always doing what she wants? She's manipulating you guys against me 'cause she doesn't have kids of her own. She's not even married," I practically shouted at this point.

Mom looked at me, confusion written all over her face. "That is quite insulting, Crystal. Your father and I have already made this decision. You are too spoiled with everything. It is time for you to get ready for your own future," Mom said, her tone angry and firm.

I couldn't believe it. My parents were really going through with this? I felt like screaming. But I knew it wouldn't do any good. It was clear that my parents had decided, and nothing I could say would change their minds. I stormed off to my room, slamming the door behind me. How could they do this to me? Sending me away to some stupid school just because Aunt Matilda said so? It wasn't fair. I flopped down on my bed, burying my face in my pillow. I had no idea what this new school would be like, but one thing was for sure - I wasn't looking forward to it.

For the next few days, Mom and I spent our time shopping to buy all the stuff I needed for boarding school. They said they would give me my uniform and books after I arrived there. Mom bought me so many things, some to cheer me up.

"Don't be upset, Crystal. This was a good chance for you to make a new start," Mom said for the millionth time.

It wasn't that I didn't like the idea of a fresh start in theory. It's just that I got super anxious about actually doing it - leaving my old life behind to start over at a new boarding school. My current school wasn't that great either. The teachers only cared about the smart kids. If you were an introvert who didn't communicate much and was a bit shy and antisocial, they assumed you were a loser and a lost cause, so they stopped paying attention to you or trying to motivate you, leaving you with zero motivation. Even if you did everything as perfectly as possible, they never noticed you because, in their minds, you were already labeled useless just because you were quiet.

Maybe I really did need to start again. I honestly hated my current school. I tried to be a new person at my new school and do better.

Finally, the day to head off to school rolled around. I was pumped that Silverstone Castle Academy was an all-girls place. Maybe I'd actually be able to make some friends for once. I'd heard we had to take a train rented just for the school. Kinda weird they didn't have any website or anything like that. I wondered what was up with that. But my parents ate up whatever my aunt said, so I guess they didn't think it was that big a deal.

As I packed my bags, I felt a mix of being nervous as hell but also totally dreading it. What would this new school even be like? Would I finally be able to come out of my lame loner shell and actually make some real friends? Or would it just be the same loser situation as always? No clue, but I knew I didn't have a choice either way. I took a deep breath and zipped up my suitcase. Time to leave my whole life behind, ready or not, for whatever crazy shit this place had in store.