Glade Academy

Chapter 1 - Welcome to the glade

My first day at Glade Academy started out like this.

Me dragging my suitcase across campus, trying to navigate the large school.

Getting lost trying to find my dorm room.

Bumping into people, trying to get through the crowded corridors.

Nearly tripping over my untied laces.

Finally I found it. My dorm room.

I stuck the key in, desperate to get in and rest, still jet lagged. I had come all the way from Manchester to Chicago to get to this school.

I understand why mum sent me to boarding school, I was never what you would call a golden student. Why she sent me all the way to a different country was what I was confused about. Then again, it was probably because she was sick of dealing with me, and so decided to send me as far away as possible.

The lock clicked and I made my way into the dorm. I didn't bother to place my suitcase out of the way of the doorway. And the duffle bag I carried.... it was launched onto the floor immediately. I spun in a circle in the centre of my room, observing my surroundings. I was surprised at how big it was. There was a little kitchen and living room, then two bedrooms. I spotted what looks to be my room and I ran up to it immediately. I opened the door to see a bunk bed, and two desks, and there was a bathroom two.

I eagerly climbed up to the ladder to the top bunk. But it was unmade and had someone else's stuff on it. Damn, I really wanted that top bunk. I sigh while I crawl down the ladder, and flop onto my bed exhaustedly.

I let out a sigh of relief, my bed was so comfy. I noticed I was alone in the dorm, my roommates were probably out somewhere, I could see their gear in here.

My phone buzzed, disrupting me from my relaxed state. I let out a groan and grabbed my phone to read the text.

Fat pig (aka mum): call me when you get there

I scoffed, at her text. It was funny when she pretended she cared. And her contact name? Oh yeah, I made that up the day I found out she was sending me to boarding school. And I'm never changing it. It's too damn funny!

I wasn't going to bother texting back. I would eventually, maybe.

I decided to call my brother instead. Unlike my mum, he was the only one in my family I was close to. I didn't have a dad. Pretty sure he's dead, I don't know, haven't seen him since I was 5.

I dialled his number and pressed the phone to my ear.

"Hey y/n!"

"Hey Siggy" his real name was Sigmund, but everyone called him Siggy. He was 18, 1 year older than me. And unlike me he didn't have the British accent, he grew up in Boston and I grew up in Manchester. He lived with our uncle, has since he was 8, but he always came over to visit me over summer.

"How's it going in... CHICAGO woop woop!" he screamed through the phone.

"Calm down bruh! Your bursting my ear drums!" I laughed.

"Aghhh! I just can't believe my little sis is so grown up, living her life independently in the big city!"

"I'm not that much younger than you twat" I rolled my eyes.

He chuckled.

"Hey I know you'll have lots of fun over there, finally free of the mum freak of nature"

I giggled at that.

"you'll be partying, hanging with friends, messin' round with boys" he continued.

"ok, ignoring the last one" I said in an unamused tone

"Hey if any of those Chicago boys cause you trouble, let me know, I can assure you I'll make them sorry"

I rolled my eyes.

"I can handle them, you don't gotta worry about that"

"So tell me, what's it like there, what's campus look like"

"Well... I would tell you but all I've seen so far are the hallways and ceilings, oh! and the floors"

He laughed.

"You never change do you. Well, when you get the chance why don't you take yourself on a little tour, look around and stuff. It'll be fun, and you can meet some people"

I yawned.

"Yeah, maybe after a quick nap, I'm so jet lagged right now" I laid backwards, unable to even sit myself up.

"Whatever you need to do, just don't sleep long, they got that welcome party that night, remember?"

I scoffed. I thought he'd know me better than to think I'd actually want to go to that.

"Yeah, no... I have absolutely no intention of going to that"

"Why not? It'll be fun!"

"Please, I went to a school party once. All you can do is sip punch and dance to kids bop. It's not even a real party, it's boring as"

"Fine, do what you want"

I yawned again.

"I'm going to go to bed now, take a quick nap. Talk tomorrow"

"Ok, bye sis"

I said goodbye and hung up the phone. As soon as a stopped talking to him I went back to missing him. But Boston isn't that far away from Chicago. I mean it is, but not nearly as far as Manchester. I hope I get to visit him, and see his friends, and where he works at that restaurant as a chef. Sometimes, me mum and uncle Phil call him frypan because of his cooking. He'd serve a dish and we'd say 'Thanks frypan!'. I'd love him to cook his famous pork chops, minus the veggies. I hate veggies.

When my thinking became too exhausting, I found myself drifting to sleep.

Drifting, drifting, drifting, until finally I was fast asleep.