St Jude's College

Chapter One

"Here we are Miss." The driver turned to face the little brunette perched in the back of his BMW. Her head, drooped against her own shoulder, in what seemed to be a very uncomfortable position, didn't show any signs of hearing him. He cleared his throat and was about to speak again when she suddenly shook herself awake.

"What, are we here? Oh wow," she monotonously remarked staring out the window, "it looks just... Just, just wonderful." She finished with little conviction. Rolling up the mile long driveway to the drop off ring of St Jude's College has become somewhat a routine over the past five years. Five years of catching the train from London, five years of being greeted by the same cheesy driver at the station and five years of staring up at the the grand sandstone building that stood before her. A shiver ran down her spine as she realised she was about to start her sixth. What fun.

"Miss Ryle, your bags." While she had been reminiscing about her little journey to becoming a 6th former, her driver had collected her pair of Louis Vuitton cases, not in the tacky monogram print but rather in sleek black leather, out of the boot of the car.

"Oh, thank you Freddie." She gushed as she glided out of the car just as she had been taught to in etiquette lessons. Giving Freddie a quick kiss on the cheek and thanking him again she started to roll her bags along the gravel drive, which proved to be quite difficult. Turning back for one last glance she saw Freddie's wrinkled face covered in his trademark grin as he waved her goodbye.

"Good luck Matilda!" He called over the crowds of sobbing parents dressed in head to toe Dolce and Gabbana and awkward first years with blazers three sizes too big. She smiled in return and held back the tears forming in her eyes, quickly sweeping round to face the Old Building she strutted through the hoards of students and millionaires. "Shoulders back, head high, stride after stride." She whispered to herself as she entered the world of St Jude's once again.

***

"Oh Gav stop fussing she's going to be fine!" Shouted a squat woman with a mountain of blonde curls gathered on her head as she pushed her husband to the side to get a proper look at her youngest daughter. "Oh, Aggie you have no idea how proud of you we are." She muttered as she straightened Aggie's collar and tightened her tie.

"A Chapman had never really bothered with 6th form let alone get a scholarship to a place like this." Aggie's father responded staring up at the rather intimidatingly large building. Aggie could see the twinkle in his eye that only appeared when he was looking at some good mason work. Her father, a stone mason, was incredibly proud of his profession and although it didn't pay well Aggie wouldn't change it for the world. To see her Dad smiling morning as he leaves for work and still smiling every evening when he comes home makes up for the lack of holidays or extravagant birthday presents.

"Dad I'm going to be fine," Aggie said squeezing her father so tight his chubby face turned red, "and Mum of course I know how proud you are, you never shut up about it!" She giggled as she hugged her mother for one last time. Slinging her duffle bag over one shoulder she trotted in the direction of the hall.

"6th formers put your bags over here! Boys on the left girls on the right!" Aggie heard over the crowds as she maneuvered through the mass of students in the hall foyer. Making her way over to the mound of luggage she realised she was the only one who hadn't brought a suitcase or trunk. She placed her Nike sports bag on top of a black leather Louis Vuitton case and chuckled at the comparison, thinking to herself "Oh god Ags, you really don't belong here."

***

Tap, tap, tap. The dark, burnt red mahogany wood floors creaked under her footsteps. With each stride of her black leather Chanel pumps more people turned and stared. The boys were looking at the large gap in between her little, grey, pleated skirt and her knee high, white monogrammed socks which read "IP", while the girls inspected her flawless pale skin, big blue eyes and her unnaturally tame and sleek ebony hair kept off her face with a simple navy Alice-band. Everyone in the foyer made room for her, no one dared make eye contact as she strutted through the ancient building.

"KITTY!" She screeched as she spotted one of her closest friends over the crowds. She swiftly made her way to the strawberry blonde on the other side of the room and quickly pecked her on both cheeks before putting her hands on Kitty's shoulders and standing back at arms length to get a good look at her.

"Isobel you look absolutely gorge!" Kitty gushed, "Oh my wow, are those the Cartier earrings you were talking about?" She asked focusing on the white gold, diamond encrusted flowers sitting in Isobel's ears.

"Yes! I finally persuaded Daddy that they were an essential if I was to be spending my summer Paris, you never know who you're going to bump into at the Ritz." Isobel explained "How was your mother's wedding? I'm sure Valencia is lovely this time of year." She asked as they linked arms and made their way into the great hall.

"Isobel it was stunning! Antonio was so sweet, you know what they say 5th time lucky." Kitty laughed as the girls wandered into the great hall. It was a vast space with exceedingly high ceilings decorated with intricately carved trusses and arches. At the front of the room the school crest was sculpted into the wall over looking the students as they found seats in the many rows of wooden benches. Etched into the crest carving read the school motto "In Scientia Opportunitas" meaning In knowledge there is opportunity. The girls took their seats in the back section of the hall along with the rest of the sixth form.

"Hey sluts." Grunted an olive skinned, model like girl as she sat down next to the pair.

"Frida, so glad you could make it." Isobel sarcastically remarked. "Did Spain treat you well? I can see you certainly made the most of the sun." She asked staring at her skin which had gone from tanned to pretty much black since she last saw her friend.

"Yeah it was fine, much better than this hell hole that's for sure." Frida replied sliding down in her seat, pulling out her phone and scrolling through her Instagram feed. Isobel, Frida and Kitty had been best friends since they arrived at St Jude's and shared a dorm as innocent 11 year olds. They have been inseparable from that first day, a classic clique running the school for as long as they can remember. As they grew older and became young ladies rather than children they made their way to the top of the social hierarchy. Kitty (Kate) had grown from the overly shy girl obsessed with horses to the slightly less shy girl obsessed with horses, Frida has transformed from the most well mannered student to walk the school grounds to the most rebelling and uncontrollable 16 year old on the brink of becoming an avid alcoholic, and Isobel with her innocence and charm that could fall anyone boosted her to the position of classic school bitch, she was the queen and the sixth form were her subjects.

Isobel looked around watching the rest of her year group filling up the rows, she recognised a few, saw a few new hair cuts, maybe even nose jobs as she peered through the crowd. One girl caught her eye a tall blonde with and obviously new uniform, she was pretty a bit too pretty for Isobel's liking. Turning to the front as the headmaster walked on to the stage she crossed her legs and plastered her signature smile on her perfect face knowing what an interesting year it was going to be.