The Academy // Harry Styles AU

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Nicole’s POV

“Just be yourself,” my mother said to me, as if it were that easy, which it isn’t.

She tells me the same thing every year before she dropped me off at Westwood Academy the boarding school I attended. I wasn’t exactly a very popular student at the school, but I had my group of friends so it was all good.

“You give her that advice every year and you wonder why she has no friends. Telling her to be herself is the worst advice you could give,” my younger brother Luke, advised from his spot in the back seat.

“Shut it asshole,” I said to him from the front seat.

Getting rid of him for the school year was one of the big things I looked forward to about the summer ending. Thankfully Westwood was an all girls school so my ass of a brother couldn’t go even if he did already meet the age requirements.

After my mom scolded both of us, me in particular for my language, she got back telling me what she always told me before I could finally get out of the car. She continuously insisted that she park and had on campus with me for registration, but of course Luke and I were quick to tell her no.

It’s bad enough that hardly anyone on campus knows who I am, I didn’t want to be that girl who still has her mom come with her to registration, then people would know who I was for all the reason I did not want. I gave my mum a heartfelt good bye before she could continue any longer with the same rambling she always did when dropping me off and I waved to my brother.

I got out of the car and breathed in the familiar scent of pine that could only belong to the campus of Westwood Academy.

My mom had popped the trunk for me and I pulled out my suitcase, which was the biggest one that I had found to buy online and it was stuffed to the very top with my clothes. Along with that I took out a duffle bag and another smaller bag filled with other stuff I needed. I struggled to wave to my mom since my hands were full with my luggage as she finally drove away and I walked towards the entrance of the academy along with all the other girls who’s parents had just dropped them off.

It wasn’t very easy to carry all of this stuff with me, but it beat having my mom out here with me. It’s not just being a senior with your mom walking you to registration that was embarrassing, it was also the fact that I knew my mom would have to make a scene about how much she would miss me even though I’ve been coming to this school for years, she does the same thing each time when we’re in the car.

I walked through the big black gate that was open today for everyone arriving, and I was finally on the campus, what I’ve been looking forward to since I stepped off campus last year for the summer. I was one of the few people that actually enjoyed school.

Most girls were just here because their parents made them or they wanted to get away from their parents. And while the last one may be partially true for me, I also loved the academics here. I had a huge smile plastered on my face as I walked up to the many registration tables.

I went to the one that was marked with an M for it being the first initial of my last name, Matthews. The line went quickly since everyone was eager to get through this part and get their dorms and go meet up with their friends.

When I was finally at the front of the line, I handed the lady my registration packet, and she gave me my ID badge and my schedule for the year.

“Don’t lose these,” she told me.

Of course I knew not to lose it but she was instructed to say that for the sake of all the new freshman joining this year. I’d look at my schedule later, right now, like almost everyone else; I was focused on getting my dorm room. I quickly walked to the next row of table to get my assigned dorm. The line here was longer because this was always the most exciting part about the first day here.