Shadows of Ash and Gold

Chapter one

         New York City is filled with over eight million people. It is a city full of lights and music, dancing and food (so I've heard on the internet) It's also one of the most diverse cities in the world. A cultural melting pot. Amazing food. People who mostly mind their own business.

Some people chase their dreams there and some people lose them. It is a beautiful concrete jungle. The way the lights reflect off of the buildings at night is breathtaking and makes you question everything.

Of course, I wouldn't know, considering I was in an Uber in the middle of nowhere on my way to a school that I didn't even want to attend.

I watched the autumn leaves fall from the Oregon trees, so gracefully it seemed as if they were in slow motion. The scent of pine and grass drifted through the open window. Even though I hated this situation I had to admit Oregon was a beautiful state. Just like mom said. God, I hated it when she was right.

I still couldn't believe that I was here while mom and Finn were on a plane to New York freaking city. It wasn't fair.

"We're here," The man driving snapped, making me jump out of my thoughts.

I glanced up at him. Had we been here long? I cleared my throat. "Thank you."

I got out of the small black car making sure to grab my suitcase. And just like that, the safety of the stuffy ugly Uber was gone. I was on my own. I could do this. No biggie. It's not like my whole future depended on my time here. But I guess that applies to all high schools as well.

This one was different, this one was Crestwood academy. An Elite school for the rich and insanely smart.

I let out a sharp breath and focused my eyes on the building standing tall in front of me. For some reason, I had the urge to shiver and not because I was cold. This school. It was . . . it was like a castle.

It looked like Hogwarts and Buckingham palace had an ugly child.

It was ginormous. I'd seen pictures online but they didn't even come close to what it was like in person. It took my breath away but not in a good way.

There was something . . . eerie about this place. I couldn't explain it but I suddenly had a strange pit in my stomach.

I sucked in a deep breath. Stop being so dramatic Ryn, you're fine.

I shake out my hands. It's cool. It's fine. This place was totally not haunted by ghosts or something. I placed my hands on the cold metal of the wide door handles. It's not like I would be alone here. I was only one day early. Everyone would arrive tomorrow and it would be fine. Plus it's not like I'm alone, alone there would still be staff here and stuff. Oh God, is my hand trembling?

I opened the doors not focusing on the panic brewing in the pit of my stomach. I walked through the threshold swallowing at the sight. This place was... prestigious to say the least. I spun around the foyer, taking it all in.
Was this really my new life?

The checkered floors were marble, real from what I could tell, there was an iron black chandelier hanging from at least twenty feet in the air. I'd never seen anything like this place. The walls were dark wood, with cracks running through them, looking like they were built at least some time in the eighteen hundreds. Which I guess they were. This school was founded in eighteen seventy-two.