Aeger's Plan

☞2. Ari witnesses a war☜

Ari looked out the window as they finally stopped in front of a large red brick building with a big, curved dark oak door. She followed Dave out of the limo, grabbing her suitcase and walking after her mother up the few steps towards the door. Dave grabbed the bronze giraffe-head door knocker and rapped sharply against the door. Ari bit her lip as they waited to the door to be opened, anxiety bubbling up in her stomach. A few seconds later, the door opened, and they were greeted by a bony, severe-looking woman. 

"Welcome to Mrs. Pickerin's." she said in a nasal voice. "Once you have said your goodbye's, you will leave, and I will have a child take your child on a tour."

"Goodbye, Artemis." Dave said dissuasively as he turned and walked down the stairs back to the limo. 

"Well, he really puts the good in goodbye." Ari muttered as Mrs. Pickerin raised a pencil-thin eyebrow. 

"Bye, Ari. Take care." Miranda said, pulling Ari into a hug. "Remember, this may only be temporary. Maybe you'll even make friends."

Ari snorted. "Fat chance."

"Just stay positive, and call me every once in a while. I'll miss you." 

"I'll miss you too." Ari said lamely as she thought of all the times her mother had let Dave do what he wanted and hadn't stood up for her. 

Miranda let go of her daughter and stepped back. "Bye."

"Bye." Ari gave her mother a sad smile as she turned and followed Mrs. Pickerin into the hall. Mrs. Pickerin handed her a bundle of clothes and told her,

"Another child, Ms. Abernathy, will give you a tour. She will take you to the dormitories first, where you will leave your suitcase and uniform for now. Your dorm number is number 7. As it is a Saturday, you may wear whatever you like as long as it is appropriate. Your class schedule will be given to you Monday morning, when classes will begin. Ms. Abernathy should be here in a moment."

Ari nodded. "Thanks, I guess." She stood in an awkward silence until a girl with wavy blonde hair approached them. She was dressed in a simple grey T-shirt and jeans and held her hands folded in front of her. 

"Hi," she waved at Ari uncertainly. 

"Well, I'll leave you children to it, then." Mrs. Pickerin clapped her slim hands and turned and click-clacked down the hall. 

"Hi," Ari replied. "I'm Ari."

"My name is Celine. I'm supposed to show you you're dorm. And the rest of the school." the girl, Celine, told her. 

"How long have you been here?" Ari asked as Celine led her down the hall.

"Three years." Celine replied with a sigh. Ari nodded.

"Ah." 

They walked up a set of wooden stairs at the end of the hall and found themselves in yet another hall lined with doors. The sound of pounding footsteps reached their ears as a boy with reddish brown hair thundered past them, chasing after a green tennis ball. He was soon followed by a walking boy who looked seriously concerned for his friends' mental health. 

"'Scuse me," he muttered as he moved around them to follow his weird friend. 

"Well, here's your dorm." Celine said, pointing at a door inscribed with the words 'Dormitory Number 7'. "You can go drop off your things inside and I'll keep showing you around."

"Okay, thank you." Ari told Celine as she turned the brass doorknob and stepped into the dorm. The walls of the room were covered with posters and pictures, and the floor was littered the occasional sock or shirt, but other than that it was pretty organized. It wouldn't stay that way for long, now that Ari was here. There were four beds, two on each side of the room, three of which had rumpled bedsheets, and one of which had a huge stuffed orca balanced on the pillow. On the bed next to the window sat a girl with long brown hair, which was dyed bright yellow at the tips. She looked up at Ari with narrow green eyes as she entered.