The Private School

Chapter 1

Driving down a country road to my new school, well my dad is, I can't drive yet, I'm not old enough to yet.

"Addison, we're about 10 minutes away sweetheart" Dad says as he looks at the road signs and continues driving.

"Is it too late to turn and go back home?" I ask. I'm really nervous, I've never really socialised with people before, I have always been home-schooled, since I was about 7 years old. I used to go to school but I don't remember what happened and my mum decided to home-school me, that was until disaster stuck our family.

A few months ago my mum died, right in front of me, we were having a breaking from learning and teaching, she went to make something to eat and I heard her collapse, I did all that I could to help her, sometimes I feel that maybe I could have done something more, reacted quicker, she might still be here. I called my dad and an ambulance and after nearly an hour of trying to get her back, they announced her death. She wasn't ill or anything, they said it was SADs, better known as Sudden Adult Death syndrome.

So now, Christmas has passed, it's the new year, it's been a few months since mum died and I'm going to school, my dad is a full-time lawyer so he can't work and keep me at home, plus I've gotta learn and get my grades. It's a private school where I'll stay during the week and dad will pick me up and we spend the weekend together. It's a big step for me seeing as I've never slept away from home, or been to school since I was little.

"I am not driving an hour and 15 minutes to turn the car around and take you home, you'll be fine, you'll make loads of friends, and be happy" He says.

"I wouldn't even be going to this school if mum didn't die" I say without thinking.

"Well I'm sorry she died, I wish I could bring her back but I can't ok! I know it's hard, heck I miss her so much, just like you do, but we're going to have to move on, she would want that" He says.

"I'm sorry, I said that without thinking, it's just I've never felt so nervous, I've never been away from home, my whole life I've seen you everyday, I saw mum everyday" I say.

"I'm going to miss you too, but each weekend we will do something special together, to make up for the week" He says.

"Ok" I say and we go into silence.

So my name is Addison, my mum used to call my Addi, I'm 16 years old, and an only child, although I think I would have liked to have a sibling, mum and dad said they wanted to provide the best life for one child, give me their full attention instead of me sharing their attention with a sibling.

Dad and I are grieving for mum in our own ways, he works a lot and doesn't talk much about her, and I sometimes say stupid things and I always think about her, she wasn't just my mum, she was my best friend, I could tell her anything, ask her anything.

"We're here now" Dad says. I look over at the building, it's a big place, obviously, it's a school and rooms to stay in. The building doesn't look all old, what I mean is some looks new and some looks old, like they had it a little rebuilt or something.

"Well, here goes nothing" I say as he pulls up into a space. I see a few people walking around. Dad and I get out of the car, at least it's not raining, but it's freezing as it's still winter, and dad had the heating on in the car. Dad opens the boot and I grab my coat from the top and quickly put it on before I get any colder.

"I'm wondering if we should leave your bags and see your principle first" Dad says as he looks around.

"I think there's a teacher over there you could ask" I say spotting a middle aged lady dressed quite smart wearing a coat, standing by a door not far from where we are.