"The tragedy of life is not death ... but what we let die inside of us while we still live."
Adalynn Stanton is accepted into one of the highest competitive schools in her state, the Greenhouse Academy. At first, all she thinks she will have to do...
"Welcome to my twisted mind. Ready for the dark side? I got demons I can't hide, No matter how hard I try. If you're only gonna try and change me, Don't need someone else to try and save me."
~ Something I Don't Know by MIRAS
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It had been only a hour since she had arrived, but Adalynn was already starting to feel exhausted and overwhelmed.
Adalynn had a million questions buzzing through her head. Should I be doing anything specific besides lying here and gazing up at the ceiling? Where's the toilets? Do boys and girls sleep together in the same dorms or are they separated? Whose Leo Cruz? Will I need to meet him sometime soon? Where's the lunchroom and the different classrooms? Do I need a meeting with the principal. Should I try and make friends with Jackie?
Jackie, though, was no help. After silently unpacking her things, she'd curled up in a corner with a book and hadn't spoken a single word since. Adalynn hadn't seen Max around anywhere, nor had she heard from him. I hope he's doing okay ... poor kid.
Suddenly, the loud, piercing sound of a bell echoed through the air.
Adalynn groaned and pressed her fingers to her ears, waiting for the infuriating noise to die down.
"All Greenhouse Academy students, please report to the assembly room, all Greenhouse Academy students, please report to the assembly room," a male voice ordered from over the P.A.
"You better get used to that darn bell, sister," Jackie spoke up as she slammed her book shut and propped it up on the windowsill near her head. "It rings at least three times a day."
"Well, there goes all that peace and quiet I was hoping for," Adalynn groaned as she rolled off her bed and struggled to her feet.
Jackie rolled her eyes.
"Where's the assembly room?" Adalynn inquired curiously as she followed Jackie out of the room.
"I'll show you," she replied. "But you'll get a proper school tour with a staff member later on."
"That's comforting to know," Adalynn tried to lighten the mood. "Although, I'm not sure how helpful that'll be, seeing as I'll probably just forget it all in a blink of an eye anyway."
Jackie swiveled her head around to gaze at her. "Seriously?"
"Of course! Number One Most-Forgettable Student on this campus!" Adalynn gave a short laugh and pointed at herself.
"You can't be Number One," Jackie frowned. "I'm Number One."
"No you're not. I am!"
"Haven't you heard how terribly forgetful I am? Oh, that's right, you haven't, because everyone forgot to inform you," Jackie scoffed sarcastically. "Asides from that everyday mishap, I literally leave a trail of trash behind me wherever I go. No one needs to search too hard to find me. They just follow the mess."
"That's not as bad as what I do!" Adalynn protested. "I show up for music lessons without my music books, I go the skatepark without my skateboard, I go to the beach without my surf-board, I go to the dinner table without my knife and fork ... do you wish for me to continue?"
"Nope," Jackie raised a hand. "I've heard quite enough! Fine. You win. You're Number One."
Adalynn smirked in satisfaction. "Cool. Thanks."
"So, I didn't know you could surf," Jackie abruptly changed the subject.
Adalynn nodded. "I love surfing! I've surfed ever since I've been able to walk! My family would spend the rest of their lives on the seashore if they could."
Jackie cracked a small smile - the first Adalynn had seen. "I - I'm sorry ... if I was a bit - you know - weird back there ... It's just - well - I thought you were gonna be like all those other girls; silly, flirty, shallow. I hate those types of people and stay away from them as much as I can. They seriously have no idea what's real and what's not, they're just so full of themselves."
"Yeah. I getcha," Adalynn sighed. "I had to deal with girls like that all the time back in my old school."
"Huh!" Jackie guffawed. "Trust me, it'll be no different here."
"So ... are you a Semester 2 student as well, or have you been here all year?" Adalynn ventured.
"Huh, I wish I was," Jackie huffed. "Unfortunately I've been stuck here all year. I hate this place."
"Then, why do you come if you hate it so much? Won't your attendance here look great on your resume?"
Jackie pursed her lips as she answered, "My parents, mainly. They wanted me to come here for - er - various reasons. I don't wanna let them down. And a resume? Pfffttt. Who can be stuffed getting a job anyway if you're always moving?"
She mumbled the last sentence under her breath but Adalynn still heard it and glanced over at her, concerned.
As the two girls descended the last of the large winding staircase that led them back to the foyer, Adalynn stopped mid-stride, stuck out her hand and asked, "Friends?"
Jackie paused and turned to look at her, eyebrows raised. "What?"
"Do - do you want to be friends?" Adalynn faltered. Her hand faltered slightly and a deep blush started to crawl up her cheeks.
For a moment, Jackie stared intently at her. Then, her gaze dropped to Adalynn's hand and she chuckled. "Friends," she confirmed.
Adalynn heaved a sigh of relief as she shook Jackie's hand on the pledge. Then they both joined the stream of students making their way into the assembly room.
