New School

Looks like a good school for me, right?

"Are you sure the school is a safe place? They didn't even have a website," I said, still feeling a bit uneasy about the whole thing.

"Of course it is. When Aunt Matilda was young, she used to teach there," Mom said, smiling.

I rolled my eyes. "Ugh, I hope they don't have teachers like her," I said.

"Don't say that. Matilda is a nice woman. Can't you see how much help she is giving us? You should be grateful for her," Mom said.

"Oh, please," I said, bringing my suitcases downstairs with Dad's help.

Mom and Dad took me to the train station today because my new school, Silverstone Castle Academy, had its own train cars for students who couldn't drive all the way there. It was pretty cool, I guessed.

After I saw the girls in my new school I felt like going back home. Most of the girls were wearing expensive looking fancy dresses. They all were in uniform - white blouses and black and white checkered skirts. Some skirts were really short and some blouses were really tight. Some girls were wearing fancy looking coats that looked like they were made with fur. Everyone had fancy looking school bags and most of the girls were wearing makeup and I was pretty sure some were wearing wigs too. All of them looked more mature than their age because of the way they dressed and the way they behaved. And I could smell different perfumes. I felt like a fool among them.

I looked at Dad and Mom and their faces looked like someone had punched them.

"Looks like a good school for me, right?" I asked sarcastically.

"It's...pretty sure it's a good one honey," My mom said looking at Dad uncomfortably. I saw Dad's jaw tighten.

Good for them for taking advice from Aunt Matilda always.

I'm pretty sure they spent a ton of money on this school already. So they weren't gonna take me home with them.

"Well, let's see how the first term goes," Dad was able to say some words. He didn't even look at Mom. He was angry. And I knew he paid for more than one term. Because they trusted Aunt Matilda that much.

I felt a little bit better seeing a few other girls who weren't in the uniforms. I guessed they were new like me. They were also looking at the fancy girls with confused looks, and the looks on their parents' faces were kinda funny to watch. I wondered who bamboozled them too.

I couldn't help but feel a little annoyed that my parents weren't coming with me to the school, even though it was the first day. They just trusted Aunt Matilda's opinion so much, and since she used to teach there, they believed everything she said about the place. I don't know, I guess I just didn't always see eye to eye with Aunt Matilda.

Mom squeezed my hand and said, "Don't worry, honey. You'll do great here. Aunt Matilda has always spoken so highly of Silverstone Castle Academy."

Dad put his arm around my shoulders and said, "We'll be there for the first-semester parents' meeting day." But I could feel he was still upset.

"Okay," I said as I had nothing else to say.

As I looked at the train cars, all shiny and impressive with the school's emblem on them, everything looked fancy. I wondered if I was even gonna fit in at this school. Would I get bullied or just neglected? I hoped I wouldn't get bullied and that no one would notice me. Maybe I had to try blending in with them. I felt so lost.