Banished To Ipswich

Chapter 3

The summer heat is taking its final breath, and a chilling wind blows over the lawn at campus. They're sitting on a bench, both's feet on the seat and backs against the armrests.

"How cold does it get here?" Bailey looks at Chase, and then out over the first fallen leaves.

He shrugs.

"Enough for it to snow." Then he grins. "And to force drinking youths indoors." He adds with an elderly posh pronunciation. She laughs and shoves his leg playfully.

"It's nice here though." She leans back and looks at the few students walking outside, pulling their blazers tighter. "I see why you like it."

They sit quiet for a while, looking at the surrounding trees and the gravel road leading away from here, enjoying the moment.

"We should go inside. It might start to rain." Chase says finally, looking up at the light gray clouds blocking out the sun.

She nods, getting up from her seat. Together they walk to the school building, slipping into the moving mass of students going between classes.

"See ya." Bailey speaks lowly before leaving his side, pushing through the crowd of blue jackets.

When the final class is up she walks back to the dorm. The huge house is actually becoming a sight for sore eyes as she walks up the stone stairs. The corridor is quiet, but occasionally shuffles can be heard from the rooms. The light falls in through the frosted glass at the top of the wooden walls to brighten the hallway. She reaches the staircase and starts walking up, running her hand over the railing as she turns at the halfway platform.

Her room is the third on the right coming from the staircase down right from the entrance. The two has fallen off, or been plucked away, leaving a reversed shadow to replace it. The door opens without much effort to her empty room. The other girl graduated last spring, and left with the others.

Two beds, a bureau and warderobe for clothes, a window with a place to sit, a mirror, and a small white bathroom with a toilet and sink. The whole suite for herself.

She drops her bag by the door, closing it behind her, and pulls out a drawer of the bureau. Picking out a few clothes she takes her shower things and towel from the bathroom. The showers shouldn't be occupied at this time. There is a party somewhere, she knows that, so people are most likely heading there.

The showers are illuminated in a creepy turquoise light, filtering in from the darkening outside. The little warm light comes from the wall lights, spreading yellow circles of light by the sinks.

She removes her school uniform, and slips in behind the frosted glass to the showers, hooking her towel on the wall. The metal is cold in her hands as she turns the shower on, confirming that no one has used it recently. The only noise in the room is the water falling against her skin and the floor. She closes her eyes and leans forward into the shower, running her hands through her hair to thoroughly wet it. Bending down she picks up her shampoo, pouring it in her hand and massaging it into her hair. The foam runs down her neck and shoulder, continuing down her body to pool at her feet before going down the drain. She swipes the water from her face with her hands and breathes. Then she turns back towards the wall to pick up her body wash. She rinses herself off, her hands sliding swiftly over her body.

She pulls her hands through her hair one more time before shutting off the shower. She grabs her towel and presses the water from her hair, then wraps it around her body. Her clothes lay in a pile on a bench, and she dries herself off, before pulling them on.

She folds the uniform and towel, and pulls the door open. Her hair drips a trail through the hall as she goes back to her room.

The knock on the door isn't loud, but enough to grab her attention. Bailey puts her book down on her bed, frowning, and gets up to open. Outside her room stands Chase, now changed into a black shirt, a zipped open sweatshirt, and a beige trench coat to cover it, instead of his uniform.