New Forest Academy (Jelsa)

New Forest Academy

Elsa straightened her skirt. She fidgeted with her braid and wrung her hands. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath.

"You're acting like it's your wedding day," a voice said from the other side of the train compartment. Elsa started and opened her eyes.

The guy sitting across from her hadn't even lifted his eyes from his magazine when he spoke. He and Elsa hadn't exchanged any words when she entered the compartment. He had simply ignored her, reading his magazine instead. The same magazine he had been reading for the last hour. How much could someone get out of one magazine?

"I guess I'm just nervous," Elsa admitted. He closed his magazine for the first time and glanced up. Elsa took the chance to finally get a good look at him. He had white hair and glacier blue eyes. He wasn't wearing the standard blue uniform jacket. Instead he was wearing a silvery gray and black one.

"You're a transfer student, right?" he asked. Elsa nodded sheepishly. She had completed her first two years of Highschool in her hometown a few miles south. Since her and her family was poor, she had only been able to afford to go to public school. Through some odd miracle, Elsa had won a scholarship which allowed her to attend New Forest Academy, a Highschool that was known for its brilliant and talented students. It had been difficult, but Elsa had finally managed to buy two uniforms and a train ticket.

"Is it that obvious?" Elsa asked, realizing that the uncomfortable silence was growing.

"Not to most," the guy said. "I'm pretty familiar with most of the students at New Forest. I couldn't remember your face from anywhere."

"I came from a public Highschool, a few miles south," Elsa said helpfully.

"We don't get many transfer students, especially this late in the year. Do you have your papers?"

Elsa fished around in her bag until her hand closed on the precious pages. She handed them over and the guy looked through them.

"Looks like you're in Primrose," he said.

"Is that the name of the dorms?" Elsa asked.

"One of them," he answered, turning over the page. "There are eight. Four boy's, four girl's. The girl ones are Poppy, Tulip, Waterlily, and Primrose. The boy ones are Pine, Cedar, Oak, and Redwood."

Elsa decided not to ask why he knew the names of all the girl dorms. The train slowed to a halt, and Elsa felt her chance at conversation slipping away.

"Which one are you?" she asked.

"Pine," he replied, handing her back the papers. "I know things can be hard on transfer students. If you need anything, let me know."

He stood up, stuffed the magazine in his bag, and opened the door of the compartment.

"See you around, Elsa."

With those final words he was gone. Elsa realized he had her name because of the papers, but she had never gotten his. She sighed and grabbed her bag before exiting the train. She had bigger problems to worry about.

Old friends were greeting each other as they got off the train and walked past the school gates. Elsa looked around nervously, unsure of where she was going. She knew that the freshman received tours, but she didn't know what time they were or where they would start. There was a map pasted to the wall of the office, just past the towering gate. Elsa scanned it, hoping one glance would be enough for her to remember.

The school was laid out like a large box. At the bottom right corner was a green rectangle marked Field. To the left of that was a building labeled Main Office and You Are Here. Farther to the left was a building labeled Auditorium. Above that was a smaller building called School Library and to the right of that was Cafeteria. Above those, directly in the center of the map and stretching all the way to the far fence, was a T-shaped building labeled Classrooms. To the right of the T were four buildings labeled Oak, Pine, Cedar, and Redwood. To the left of the T were four buildings labeled Waterlily, Poppy, Tulip, and Primrose.

With only a moment's hesitation, Elsa turned and began working her way towards the girl's dorms.