Changed

Chapter One

One, two, three, four, five... five. We've passed five Dunkin Donuts in the time span of fifteen minutes. What you could need with five donut shops is beyond me. I turn my attention back to the car window, and watch as another Dunkin fades into oblivion behind us. "Six." I mumble.

"What was that?" My mother asks me from the front seat. In the rearview mirror I can see her panicked expression, she's just as nervous as I am, if not more. It's only been a week since we've moved here, to sunny Long Island, and it's only taken me a week to learn that I fucking hate it. Her eyes meet mine and I give her a weak smile. It's the best I can muster at the moment. She gives me a tight smile back, she knows I hate her for this. For moving us halfway across the country, for me to be thrown into some shithole boarding school while she travels the world. She told me I would be a day student that it would just be me and her in a big house paid for by her new husband that rarely is around, Jim. Jim, my "step dad." I chuckle, more like Jim the chump. My mom has him wrapped around her pinky and he doesn't even know it. I steal another glance at her, my mother. As much as I hate her right now I can't say she isn't gorgeous. She's thin and pale with wide deep brown eyes. Those eyes you can get lost in for hours and hours wondering of all the things they've seen, all the faces they've met. I've spent much of my childhood staring up to those eyes, those honest beautiful eyes. The eyes that are now tainted with deception. She promised me day school, yet here I am with a suitcase and a duffel. She said I could come home anytime I want as long as she's in town, which will be never. She doesn't know I saw her tickets for England. She leaves tomorrow, and yet her returning ticket says she'll be back in three months. Three months without my mom, without anyone. Everything's changing all at once and I've never been one to easily accept change. Again, I turn my attention back to the window though this time instead of seeing another crummy breakfast bakery, I see a huge black gate coated with a thick layer of ivy. Beyond the gates I can make out a large brick building surrounded by green foliage and fountains on either side. My mom rolls down the window of our car and speaks into some sort of security speaker, "I'm here to drop off a resident." Slowly the gates descend and we drive to the entrance parking in the space farthest from what looks to be the main building.

I groan, "If you would've parked any further we would have been in Texas." My mother chuckles and shakes her head. I grip my duffel, slowly sliding out of the comfort of our car's leather seats. Breathe Harrison, it's gonna' be fine. Look at me, I'm going absolutely insane... talking to myself. The closer we get to the door, the further I want to run. Maybe if I played sick, I could start tomorrow instead of today... no, I can't. As much as I want to, I know delaying what is inevitable will just make everything a million times harder. At the front desk is an older woman talking to two girls, a brunette and a blonde. The brunette is tall and lanky though the short blonde is just as skinny. Is the food that bad here? They turn to look at me, but thankfully I look away before they can catch me staring.

"Pay attention." the older women snaps regaining the girls' concentration. I'm thankful, I don't how much long I could take of them eyeing me up and down. "You are here because the two of you can't seem to keep yourselves out of trouble." The tall one giggles, earning a scowl from the woman behind the desk. "Since you two are so fond of each other, I'm sure you'll have no problem keeping each other company in detention." The girls walk away groaning, taking turns stealing glances at me. I squirm under their gaze. "You must be Harrison." Coos the women behind the desk.

"Harry." I say, trailing behind my mom

"Nice to meet you, erm Harry," The woman pulls out a sheet of paper, scanning through it before turning to face me again. "Since you're running a bit late you can leave your things here and collect them after school." I thought I would at least have some time to say goodbye to my mom. Okay, maybe I'm lying... I really wanted to try to get her to change her mind, but I guess there's no chance of that now.

My mom gives me a brief hug and smile before sauntering through the great doors we entered through. I guess that's okay seeing as I'll see her tomorrow for opening convocation.  The woman at the desk hands me two white sheets of what look to be a schedule and a map. I thank her, stuffing both into my pocket as she explains to me how to get to my first class.

               I enter the room, gaining everyone's attention. In the back I spot the two girls I saw before in the office. They're giggling, just as they were earlier. Though this time, I have the funny feeling it's about me. "You must be Harrison." I turn to a middle-aged man dressed in a suite. Must be the teacher.

"Harry." I correct.

"Harry." He repeats, smiling and offering out his hand. "Nice of you to join the class. Welcome to Home Ec." Somehow through my embarrassment, I conjure up a smile. I scan the rows of desks for an empty seat finally settling for one near the back. Before I can sit down, someone stops me.

"This seat is taken." I hear from a low, husky voice. My eyes trail to its origin, meeting the piercing black eyes of my persecutor. I watch as he fills the vacant seat with a brown satchel bag, and returns his gaze to me, now bearing an unctuous smirk. If I wasn't so mortified I would muster up a response, but instead I remain frozen in place wishing I could be anywhere but here.

Finally, I stammer out the words, "S-s-sorry." And walk away. What an asshole. I find another empty seat three or four desks from the boy, sinking into the chair as if it will somehow make me disappear. I can hear the girls laughing even harder now, this time accompanied by a chuckle which I assume is the boy. I groan, balling my fist in an attempt to control my rage. The rest of the day goes on in a blur and to my dismay I learn that I have the boy in nearly every one of my classes, with the exception of calc.

A mousy girl that I learn is named Lucy, leads me up to the residence department showing me to my room. According to Lucy, the girls live in the north wing of the 3 story building while the boys live on the south. Both sides are connected by a bridge, though it is constantly under the hawk-like watch of Ms. McDerm and Mr. Heden, the deans of residence. While helping me unpack she tells me about the common areas of the last floor shared between the guys and girls, and the many secret rooms hidden among campus.  Somewhere between this and the dining schedule, I stop listening to Lucy. Peering through the window I lay eyes on the boy from earlier with two people who look to be his parents. I squint, getting a clearer vision of the family, now I can see  his possible dad shouting. At who? The boy. The woman, who I think is his mother, pulls his dad back gaining a shove from her husband. I watch as the boy shouts something to his father, and flinch when his dad slaps him across his face. I cover my mouth hoping that I didn't make a sound. Thankfully, Lucy looks undisturbed still rambling about who-knows-what while laying on my bed. I turn back to the window, but the two adults are gone. I freeze, from the corner of my eye I can see the boy, and he is staring straight up at me. Oh shit. Before I can turn away from his gaze, I watch in horror as he lunges his fist at a window. Tears coat my eyes as red seeps through the boy's white, long sleeved oxford shirt. I want to scream, but instead I continue to watch in silence as he runs away. What did I just see?