Book 1: Olympus Academy

Chapter 1: Off to Boarding School!

Chapter 1:

"What do you mean you're sending me off to boarding school?" My mouth hung open at the horrible news that my parents just delivered. It had been one week since the fire that nearly destroyed my school and that I was being blamed for. Sure, I'm not the most model student and my grades could be better. But what's a girl supposed to do, when your older brother is the star of the football team and president of the student council and your younger sister is a certified genius? I mean Melissa, is taking harder classes then me! And I'm a sophomore in high school. She's barely out of middle school and she's taking calculus. Yup, being the middle child sucks big time.

"It's for the best." This was my mother's failed attempted at smoothing things over. As the youngest of seven, she can kind of understand what I'm going through. But that doesn't make up for her agreeing to ship me off.

I leaned back into my chair and crossed my arms over my chest. "Let me guess, it was Birdface's idea?" My mother looked away from my intense stare, something she does when she knows something and doesn't want to tell us. "Figures it'd be old bird face." Birdface was the middle aged principal of the local middle school and high school. For the past four years, he's tried and almost succeeded in making my life a living hell. What does he have against me? Well, he could be still upset about the prank with the firecrackers. I was just a kid at the time, how was I supposed to know not to stick seven into the muffler of his car? I swear, some people cannot take a joke.

"You will not speak about Principal McKallen in a disrespectful manner, young lady." This came from my stern father. The oldest of four brothers, he was raised in a military home and took no nonsense or back talk. With him, it was best to just stay quiet until he was done yelling or as he calls it 'stern lecturing'. You did not want to get on my father's bad side.

Which is why I mumbled a, 'Yes, sir.'

"Good." He nodded, in approval and stood behind my mother, resting his hands on the back of her chair.

His blue eyes stared at me for a moment, silence passing as he collected his thoughts. "Yes, Principal McKallen was the one who suggested this. We've already looked into the school, talked to the dean and several other teachers." He walked over to the counter and returned with a thick plain brown envelope. Tossing it across the table he said, "Everything's settled."

My eyes widened in horror at the realization of what father was about to say. "All your school records have been transferred, uniform brought, dorm decided along with classes. All that's left is for you to arrive." Seeing my mix of shock, confusion, and outrage, he held his hand up to cut me off. "Valeire, its settled. Your going to Olympus Academy."

"So you're just shipping me off, just like that?" I can't believe this. They must've been thinking about this for a while. When else would they have time to actually take the time to do something that involves me. If it's not taking Melissa to tutoring or father dear help coaching Ryan's football practice, their busy with work. Mom's a RN and daddy's a lawyer. Which leaves poor little me to fin do myself. With as much as I actually see them, I might as well be living on my own.

The only time they pay me any real attention is either when they want something or I screw up. It's more the latter most time. Like the fire that nearly destroyed the school. For the record, it wasn't my fault. Sure, I was the last person in the library right before the fire. And earlier that week, I may have said I wish the school would burn down. But other than that, they have no proof that it was (or wasn't). But old birdface has the police and my parents fooled. It doesn't help that my past 'incidents' are about a mile long. As Melissa says. Speaking of the genus, little turp also doesn't believe me, only Ryan does.

"Honey,' mom held both of my hands, "I know this is sudden, but it's really for the best."

"Yes, because shipping your fifteen year old daughter off to an unknown place is always a great idea." My voice dripped with sarcasm I rolled my eyes.