Stuck Between Safe and Beautiful

A New Start

First day back. I've gotten too used to the summer and the new start of the year made me nervous. I was starting at a brand new preparatory school, Winslow High Prep. My parents decided to move both me into this new school because our public school didn't quite reach their standards, but they just entered me into this new school sophomore year to have me spend more time with Bexley Lennox. My parents always did enjoy the confirmation of the Lennox's as family friends. I looked out the window of our red Ford Fusion and saw the billions of trees that surrounded the Pacific Northwest. Beautiful it was, and quite concealing for any secrets the forest may contain. They were so dark and the rain made it look like a scene from an apocalypse movie or something. I could only hope I was never found to be lost among those woods myself.

"Ethen," my mother looked at me through her peripheral, "Ethen, honey, tuck in your shirt. You looked like you just rolled out of bed."

"Sorry mother," I mumbled. I tucked my red Winslow High button down shirt into my black slacks and readjusted my tie around my neck. It made me feel as if I was on the verge of being hung all day. I wasn't in the slightest mood right now. I would have gladly ridden with Bexley, but my mother insisted on driving me instead and arriving an hour earlier than anyone else.

"Now, I know you are feeling a little nervous," I rolled my eyes. Like I'd really have any trouble at this school. I'm great with studies, I have art class to look forward to, and I'll see Bexley, my best friend, everyday. I'd be fine, but mother always had to remind me to be nervous. "You need to understand that since this is a boarding school, you can't go rouge on me okay?" She took a break from staring down the road and tightened her grip on the steering wheel, "I need you to call me at least every other day and no drugs, or drinking for that matter."

"Mother--" I began to tell her she was acting ridiculous. I could take care of myself. But she interrupted before I could finish my thought.

"No don't try to reason with me here. The only way your dad was even able to think about this change was if you promised to be responsible. Remember, I went to this school, I know the temptations you can run into."

"Okay Mother."

"Ethen, I'm serious. You don't want to be getting in trouble around here okay? I know what its like. I understand." She took a deep breath keeping her eyes straight on the road. The rain started hitting our car ferociously and I could barely make out the tree line now. "And whatever you do," my mom continued, "do not go into the woods."

"Why not?"

"Just," she touched her forehead as if she had a splitting headache. She often did this when I babbled for too long or asked too many questions as she put it. She never was great with children. "Trust me. Do not go into the woods. Bad things happen there and I don't want you getting caught in the middle. Hear me?" I nodded. Not matter how intriguing they may look from the outside, I could safely say I had no interest in stepping foot into those woods, well now at least. I wasn't exactly the most adventurous guy. We sat in the car in silencer a little while longer, and then we finally broke through the maze of trees to reveal a dark, brick building. The building looked as if it could be an old boarding school from London; it had two wings that both lead to the main lobby area, which was adorned with a giant ivory clock above the opening of the double doors that lead to the boarding school. 

We pulled up to the curb and my mother took out my large suitcase from the back seat. I grabbed my book bag from the floor of the car and slung it over my shoulder. As I looked up at the large four story building, I felt a cold drop on my cheek and heard a pitter pattering that could only be caused by a shower of rain. The clouds were dark and I could see my mother glancing at her watch.

"Come on Ethen. I can't wait around forever." She pulled her rain coat over her black dress and popped the hood over her hair to keep her intricate braid in place and dry. Picking up my suitcase, I ventured into my soon to be called home. The inside looked just as gothic and dramatic as the outside. The walls were all decorated in all kinds of art or pictures and there were the most beautiful stained glass windows I had ever seen. To the left and to the right, there were grand staircases that led to the second floor of the dormitory. 

My mother found an older lady who looked about fifty or sixty and was sitting in the parlor enjoying a book, War and Peace it looked like, and quietly asked her where the boys rooms were. She raised a slight hand to the left staircase and my mother whispered a 'thank you' while practically dragging me up the stairs. I still couldn't believe how utterly beautiful this place was. The walls were all gray stone and the banisters had been carved with intricate detailing. 

"Which way is your room?" My mother asked. She gestured to the right and the left and I had to rack my brain to remember what exactly the letter containing my room number had said. 

"Well," I started, "my room number is two sixteen." I tried to find some clue as to which way that would be, but my mother just turned an immediate left and waved me over. Sure enough, my mother was standing right in front of my room. I pulled out the key from my pocket and unlocked the door. Pushing the door open, I could tell this would be a hard place to live in. At least I only had one room mate. I had heard some would be having two. Since my mother had insisted on getting to school at an ungodly hour, I had the room to myself for the moment. That's if I could get my mother to get out of here already.

"It looks like you have a good set up here," my mother broke the silence, "you've even got a shower over here." She opened a door and turned on the bathroom light. "Nice." I found my get out of jail free card and I did not wait to bank it in. 

"Yeah," I said to my mother, "I think I'll hop in there. I'm feeling a little bogged down from the trip."

"Alright," she said, "I love you, and remember to be safe. Oh and don't forget to talk to Bexley." With that, she left my room and I was happy she was gone. At least for a while. After that, I decided I really should take a shower and I hopped in letting the hot water wash out my floppy brown hair. I stepped out of the shower and realized I had forgotten my towel in my bag and that it was not in the bathroom. So I stepped out completely naked, but I wouldn't have if I had known Bexley was waiting for me at my desk.