Flower > Greenhouse Academy > Discontinued

The Academy

'You give love a bad name' blasted loudly round my room,
"Stop it with the banging already!", I hear Haley shout from her bedroom across the hall.
"Unbelievable" I mutter, turning the music louder getting ready to block out the argument I know will soon take place.

It's seems to be all they do these day.
Since mom.

The dull pounding of Alex's basketball stops short and I'm unsurprised to hear shouting commence. It's not long before I hear moms name which forces me to turn up the music even more, trying desperately to keep all thoughts of mom out of my head.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Has anyone seen my No.2 pencil?" Alex shouts while hurriedly moving things about looking for it.
"Anybody?" He repeats.
"Hayley, Bea, have you seen my No.2 pencil?" He asks for the third time now frantic.
"Dad, we should leave now!" Alex shouts up the stairs.
"It's not gonna happen, Alex.He's still in bed." Haley replies looking at her phone, while I scoff.
"Of course he is" I mutter in disappointment.

We're lucky if we can get a conversation to last longer than a minute with dad since the accident.

"What do you mean? We're supposed to leave now! Get him some Red Bull from the fridge."Alex responds frantically as he brings dad into the kitchen.
"Dad, do you know where the car keys are?" Alex questions.
"Huh?" Dad replies looking lost.
"Oh, come on!" Alex replies frustratedly.
"Alex, enough! He can't get into a car like this." I snap frustrated with Alex. I understand this means a lot to him but dads obviously incapable of driving, Alex needs to start thinking of others rather than himself.

"It's a two-hour drive from here. I'm not gonna make it if I don't leave now." He replies with finality.
"Dad, come on." He says again this time with sadness seeping into his voice.
"It was my last year to qualify." Alex says dejectedly.
Hayley and I share a look before I reply while rolling my eyes "I'll drive you there." as Hayley passes him his No.2 pencil. Alex looks at it before scoffing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Walking into the school Alex is quick to point out "That's the chemistry lab where Mom worked, I can't wait to see the new gymnasium."
"Responsibility is the price of greatness!" Hayley mocks.
"Shh! Everyone can hear you." Alex replays worriedly.
"Oh, what are they gonna do? Arrest her for disrespecting the regime?" I reply with sarcasm.
"Yeah, very funny."
"Yeah I know" I grin,
"Oh, yeah! Yeah, good joke, bro. Eagles! Eagles!" Two eagles chant at ravens while looking over a board.
"This school takes competition a little bit too seriously." Hayley states.
"That's Daniel Hayward!" My brother says with enthusiasm.
"Who?" Hayley asks, "That's the captain of the Eagles." He says heading over there, I follow along not wanting to stand with Haley, knowing all I'll hear is her disapproval and complaints about the school.
"Hey! Hi, Daniel. Um, I just wanted to let you know, I'm a big, big fan. I'm trying out for the Eagles, too. I'm a shooting guard.
I've learned everything by watching you play. I'm Alex." My brother says hurriedly. I mentally facepalm, way to keep composure Alex.

"Yeah, cool." Daniel dismisses him with disinterest instead turning his attention to me.
"And you are?" He questions
I give him a small smirk "I'm Bea".
He smiles at me, "Well Bea I hope your trying out for the eagles", I let out a small laugh as I reply
"Oh I'm not trying out, I'm just here for my brother" I say while gesturing towards Alex. Daniel looks between us confusedly before I fill in the gaps,
"I'm adopted" he goes to say something before he is interrupted by the PA "Students in group D, please go to room 102 for your exam."
"You okay? The kid looks a little pale." Daniel says.
His friend scoffs before adding "Yeah, he's shaking like a leaf."
"Mmm."
"Sign of weakness."
"Definitely."
"Yeah, they'll pick right up on that, too."
"You know they will."
"He's more Raven material."
They go back and forth as I open my mouth to tear them new ones but Hayley arrives and jumps at the chance before I can.
"Yo, stop psyching out my brother!" She confronts angrily. "There's a hundred applicants and one spot on the Eagles. Just sayin'." Daniel replies.
"It's okay. She didn't mean it. Come on." Alex quickly tries to fix the conversation.