Duke Kingsley is the reigning President of Goldwater Academy. He made sure everything was done in perfect order and only the highest standards were allowed to be portrayed by students.
He was Immaculate.
And I, Norah Saunders, am about to turn his...
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The auditorium was filled by nine a.m. and so the orientation ceremony started exactly on time.
Impressive.
I obeyed Thayer's suggestion and sat at the back along with a few other students, which surprisingly didn't prevent me from seeing the entirety of the stage. Goldwater Academy had quite a diversity. I couldn't think of a race that wasn't represented by at least one student, based on what I've seen so far.
At the inception of the ceremony, the gold curtains pulled apart and a group of students dressed in gold and black costumes broke out in dancing. They moved skilfully across the platform, combining contemporary dance with hip hop and afro-beats. I smiled.
As someone who had Caribbean relatives, I appreciated the inclusion.
A group of adults sat in the first row, the section I figured was for VIPs. Across from them was a set of students and I glimpsed the redhead female from earlier seated among them. They seemed somewhat important, and I wondered if maybe they were the executive body. I made a mental note to try and find out who exactly she was before I left today, just so I wouldn't feel so... threatened.
When the dance finally came to an end, the students roared in praises and the ceremony continued with remarks from teachers, shareholders, and other entertainment pieces to keep our attention.
I could see Thayer by the centre aisle, taking photos of the speakers and performers. Was he the school's main photographer?
I glanced at the program and recognized it was time for the Student Body President's welcoming remarks and I shuffled a little uncomfortably in my seat.
"Dressed like that, those seats are the perfect spot to hide from The Duke."
I shouldn't be worried then, right?
The blonde girl sitting beside me giggled suddenly and I glanced at her quickly. She covered her mouth after recognizing she was a bit loud, and turned her phone over, and dropped it into her bag, hiding whatever made her laugh. "Sorry."
I sighed and looked away from her when I noticed that persons dressed in full black were placing microphones at different sections in the aisles. Was this a question-and-answer section of the program?
"That piece was choreographed by our very own dance group. I must say, Mr. Randel has certainly taught them well," it was the principal of the academy, David Kingsley.
His voice boomed with power across the auditorium, and he looked across the room in confidence. A small smile was gracing his thin lips, but oddly enough, it seemed forced. "Now, usually being the principal, I often am the one welcoming you all to our prestigious institution, however for this year, I found it more effective to allow your Student Body President to take over. So, with that acknowledged, please help me welcome, Duke Kingsley!"
