The beautiful autumn trees surrounded the winding country road. I was seated in the back seat of my mom's old red minivan. My pencil swiftly moved across a white sheet of paper, sketching my interpretation of the beautiful landscape. The Cab softly played from my earbuds as I drew. My window was half open, the cool breeze hitting my face as I breathed in the smell of the outdoors. "How much longer?" I questioned, pulling one of my earbuds out and looking at my mother. "Almost there. Look, there's a sign. I turned just as it passed us. "It said two miles. Are you excited?" I shrugged, turning away. "Yeah." I blankly stated, putting my earbud back in. I was traveling to Beacon Wood's Boarding School, where I would be attending for the new year on a scholarship I earned from my record GPA after an application with my name on it was submitted, unknown to me. Of course, packing up and leaving everything I've ever known for a new place that was not only my school but my home, was not my idea. It was my mother's, to put me in a place where I "can't be distracted by boys, or going out with friends, alcohol, drugs, or partying." It made sense to her, although the school was Co-Ed. Nonetheless, I had never had problems with boys. I never had a boyfriend or had ever even kissed a boy. In my mother's eyes, all men were horrible people. It was my father; a no good beatdown shit of a man who got my mom pregnant only to leave when I was born. He left, and she broke. I was too young to understand, but when I got older, It became obvious. She would always say he didn't break her. She didn't need him or care. I knew better, but I wasn't one to argue with her. My mother was a small but strong and extremely indimidating woman. A businesswoman, she prided on intimidating people; clients, co-workers, Hell, even her bosses were afraid. She always wanted me on the straight and narrow path. In school, I was always at the top of my class. A straight-A, no nonsense, serious person. Of course when you go to a public school, a straight-A, no nonsense student isn't exactly the desired social rank. I didn't have any friends and kept to myself. I didn't talk much, and the only place I really felt safe in was in my black notebook. My life was spread across the white pages of my worn-down notebook. Drawings, lyrics, and stories filled up the pages. The notebook was my barrier between my thoughts and real life. The wall of protection. Nothing could break my barrier. Well, nothing yet.
BEACON WOODS BOARDING SCHOOL: EST. 1836 read the grey, deteriorating sign in front of a bright brick mansion. My stomach turned and I immediately felt very sick as I read it. My mother glanced back at me through her rear-view mirror smiling lightly. "We're here!" She excitedly said. I put on my most realistic smile and beamed. "Yeah." She pulled into an open parking space in the lot outside of the front doors. As she switched the ignition off and moved to grab her purse, I could see her eyes watering. I rolled my own, praying she wouldn't have an episode when we part ways. I open my own door and slip out of the car in my grey shirt, black jacket and dark blue jeans. I looked up at the building, then I closed my eyes tightly. I clutched my black notebook, breathed in heavily, and began to walk to the new chapter in my life.
