Flightless Bird

Chapter 1

I stepped out of my parents car, slamming the heavy black door behind me as I stood on the gravel drive of my new school.

"Really Kerri, there's no need to be so grumpy! This is your first day, at least give the place a chance!" my mother scolded, moving over to the back of the car to help my father get my bags out of the boot.

"I don't want to," I replied gruffly, crossing my arms over my chest. I didn't want to be here, the only reason I was is because my parents are moving to New Zealand, and I didn't want to go. So instead of letting me live alone, they made me come to this boarding school to attend sixth form.

"Kerri, please. Just give it a chance, you might make some good friends here," my father said, huffing as he pulled my biggest suitcase from the back of the car.

"But Dad, you know I can't make friends!" I whined, scuffing my shoe on the ground. He sighed, placing my bag on the gravel and walking over to me. He put his hands on my shoulders.

"Just be yourself," he said. I sighed, accepting the bad advice wordlessly and grabbing the handle of one of my three bags. My parents and I began to walk down the drive towards the large manor that housed the school.

When we reached the front door, my father pressed the intercom button to call for the door to be opened. We heard a short buzzing before a woman picked up,

"Hello?" she said, "Ash House, Marian speaking. How may I help?"

"I'm here to drop off my daughter, Kerri," he said.

"Okay, I'll send someone for orientation," the woman said before buzzing us in.

I followed my parents into the huge entrance hall, gazing around me at the decadent decor. There was a huge chandelier hanging above us, and the floor was covered in a thick red carpet. I knew this place was posh, but to me it felt like a palace!

I was still staring around when my mother tapped me, alerting me to the presence of a girl standing in front of us.

"Hello," she said, "my name is Alexia, but please call me Lexi. I'll be your guide for orientation," she said, smiling at me.

"Hi, I'm Kerri," I told her, returning her warm smile. My mother coughed, and I turned to see my parents standing side by side near the door.

"We'll be going now, love. The movers come over at 7 and we need to get going," my father said. I ran over to them, pulling them both into a big hug.

"I'll miss you both!" I cried, "please don't forget to write at least once a month!"

"Of course honey! We'll miss you too," my mother said, kissing my cheek, then pulling away from me.

"Be good honey. Call if you need to talk or anything, and you can always go to your Aunt Mary if you need anything." I nodded, not trusting myself not to cry. My parents looked equally choked up, and left quickly after each having another hug. Once they were gone, Lexi showed me where to leave my bags before the tour so they would be taken up to my new room. She told me that we would be in the same year, since she had just finished year 11.

"How long have you been at Ash House?" I asked her after she had shown me the library and the dining hall.

"Since I was 11. I started here in year 7," she told me, "it's home now."

I hoped that soon it would feel like home to me too.