Ravenna

Chapter 3

   The roses have wilted,
The violets are dead,
   The demons run circles,
Round and round in my head.
   

      This was blatantly ridiculous.

    
      My dad had managed to get me to come to this awful school he had chosen out. Everything about it made me want to rip myself from inside out and I hadn't started attending classes yet. The whole aesthetic gave a fancy aura, like that wasn't bad enough. I actually had to wear a uniform. And follow a set of rules. No rebelling. No pranks. No accessories. No drugs.

     I was pretty sure that last one wasn't originally implemented in the book of rules but since I was walking out of East High. They probably feared I'd come contact their beautifully intelligent students with my ability to get addicted to drugs. Irrational assholes.

      
        "Ravenna, aren't you?" The slim headmistress inquires, sitting up straight in her chair. Her full and curly blonde hair bounces as she moves to check the folder placed on her table, her gray eyes assessing it.

        "Raven." I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose.

        "Here at West High, we expect our students to respond to their full names." She formally responds.

       "Raven." I repeat, making eye contact with her. She glares back at me and in a few seconds, the corners of her mouth quirks up. She almost appeared impressed.

        "You should be starting the school year with us tomorrow, meet my secretary on your way out for the set of clothing appropriately required for the school." She says, her eyes returning to the file on her desk.

     "Does that mean I can leave now?" I ask, silently hoping she would say yes and I'd just escape from the walls, slowly closing in on me.

      "I suppose." She nods and I eagerly get up. "Tell your father to give me a call. We really need to discuss."

        "Sure. Whatever." I shrug, making it towards the door.

       Just get the uniform and bolt.

                               ×××

    The uniform was awful!

     The skirt was short and plaid gray and I feared if I bent over, the entirety of my behind would be seen. It had a lot of options for the shirts. There was a polo, a short sleeved white shirt, a long sleeved white shirt, a blazer, a hoodie even!

       I thought I was going to lose it. How did he even afford to pay for all these? I figured his alcohol meant so much more to him. I was obviously wrong.

       I hold up the uniform's skirt one more time and wrinkle my nose. Was I really going to wear this tomorrow?

                             ×××

      I roll my eyes one more time as my dad pulls into the school's parking lot. I repeatedly take in deep breaths before getting out the door. The uniform happened to look even smaller on me, hence probing me to wear my  leather jacket over it with shoes I felt fitting to the uniform to feel more comfortable in the clothing.

       I hope I didn't scream trouble too much.

         "Play nice." My dad smiles at me, while I adjust the strap of my bag, squinting my eyes at the gradual arrival of the morning sun.

       "Always do." I smirk at him, giving him a wave as he pulls out of the lot. I watch him completely leave before I face the gigantic school in front of me again. I couldn't believe I was here.

          The hallway was crowded when I got in and just like some cliché teen movie, I began hearing some murmurs and snickers. "Ugh. Why does she have that jacket on?" "Principal Ellie would have her head for it." "And those boots?" "She looks like some unwanting––"

                     Asses.

        I grab one of the papers which had been assigned to me the day before, tracing the location of my locker on it. It wasn't all too difficult to find and I found myself inputting the lock code in seconds. Just as I pulled my locker open. A hand viciously slams it shut in that second and everyone's attention, including mine lands on a tall looking girl with flowing golden hair and stunning grey eyes. Her lips were doubled up on lip gloss and her skin seemed to shimmer with the adequate lighting of the school. She was admittedly pretty. Her skirt appeared to ride higher than others own and she had the long sleeved shirt on with high wedges.

                  Cute.

       The words that came out of her mouth next made me rethink the word I just subconsciously called her. "Take off that vile jacket at once."

         I raise a brow staring at her in disbelief. "Excuse me?"

         "Your jacket is not a part of the school uniform. You're required to take it off at once." She repeats.

       I narrow my eyes at her, crossing my arms against my chest. "And why the hell do I have to listen to you?"

        "Obviously because you've got no other choice but to." She smirks.

     I was starting to think the students here were dumb.

          I smile to myself, opening my locker once again, consciously ignoring her presence. I grab the required textbooks for the classes today and then go ahead to shut my locker. The girl stands there, with a dropped jaw as I retain my smile.

          "This," I hold up one of the textbooks which I had left in hand. "Is my other choice."

        I pivot and walk away, deciding to take the first turning I see. My smile not leaving my face. I heard more whispers as I walked past but I just brushed them off.

      I don't listen to anyone's order.