Hell & Bravery

Chapter Two

Once we had settled in, Hannah started to do the rounds, checking that everyone had managed to at least make their beds. Hearing her ask the girls next door if they needed anything, it wasn't too long before she stood at our door, adjusting her plait to the other side of her face.

"You girl's okay? Everything unpacked?" She chirped, her floral dress swaying from her brief movements.

"You're sure about that room change?" Nia asked, earning a scoff from Britney.

"Yes Shania, sorry about that," Hannah looked downward, almost making me feel guilty for embarrassing her earlier. "I don't think there's an obnoxious smell in your room."

Debatable.

"Don't stress Hannah," Britney exclaimed. "I'm sure we'll be getting along fine before the end of the week."

I rolled my eyes, and began pulling my clothes from my suitcase into my drawers, making sure that the other half of my suitcase stayed unopened in front of unsuspecting eyes. I moved from my drawers to the closet, stifling a giggle at Britney's choice of wardrobe this year. It's like she let a cat shred any piece of modesty she had left.

"Oh, and Sophia?" Hannah called to me, still standing at our door.

"Yeah?"

"Try not to burn down your building this year," she replied before slipping out of the room.

Nia cackled, and Britney had to slap a hand over her mouth, before an unladylike chortle allowed itself to slip past her lips. I, however, was speechless. Mostly.

"That little flower-painted princess, son of a-" I started.

"She got you good Soph," Nia managed to get out between her struggles to breathe.

"She just came in here and-"

"And nailed your little butt to the wall," Nia finished.

"You're a traitor," was all I could think to reply with.

Britney rolled her eyes at our exchange and proceeded to walk out of the room. But not before she called back, "Do your chemistry homework in the labs Dearay!"

If she wakes up without eyebrows, I am not to blame.

It took another 15 minutes for Shania to finish putting all of her things away, and for me to hide my suitcase until we finally got to head out and collect our timetables. This week was a time for the freshman to 'break the ice', and for the rest of us to relax before school well and truly begins.

As we were strolling through campus grounds, I took in the cleanliness of the school. The centre fountain was overflowing with pristine water, glittering in the cloudless patches of sunlight that shone through. The cobblestone pathways lined the corridors, weeds and moss-like greenery intertwining itself through the gaps in the stone.

St Oscar's College was an old, traditional school, with traditional school values. It was only recently that the school had adopted a 'BYOD' attitude to technology. Bring your own device to school, if you desired to use one. They had computer rooms, and printers dotting across campus, but it was rare that anyone would step foot into one.

A commotion to the side of the Office building caught our attention, and judging by the circle of students around it, we weren't the only ones. Pushing to the front, Nia and I watched as two boys scuffled on the ground, each trying to land a punch on the other. Only succeeding to plaster themselves in dirt, and tear a hole in one boy's shirt, the two just looked like they were children play fighting in a playground.

"Hey! Hey! Enough!" A teacher yelled through the crowd. Fighting to get to the centre of the fight, Mr Nicholson continued to shout until he reached the boys. "Boys! I said that is enough!"