Ivy Cordelia Boarding School

Chapter Two

n.

"I'm so tempted to skip this stupid assembly, but I know Dean Blackwell will be on my ass. Nastassia, you're my Co-HOH for the Cordelia Alpha's and all of the students look up to you, she says. I mean, they'd better. My heels are six inches" I say, touching up my flamenco red lipstick in the mirror of my vanity.

It's the only old thing in my dorm room- passed down from my even greater grandmother and down to me. It's also the most 'Look at me, I'm rich' thing I own besides my clothes. Gold and accented in black, but the gold is real. I've always hated it, but my mother insisted that I take it with me.

Peyton giggles, brushing through my ice blonde hair and staring at nothing as if in a trance. "I've always thought that monthly assemblies were a bit much, but no one ever listens to me" she replies absently.

"I don't agree with you on much, but that's just a fact" I tell her and she nods, smiles and places the brush on the vanity beside my phone.

"Yeah, that's because you said it, Nastassia. Verbatim. You think that everything you say is 'just a fact'. I've learned to go along with it".

"Smart". I lean into the mirror, pinching the skin along my jawline and squinting as if that will make my eyes zoom in to where I'm looking. "Serious question, Pey. Is my face gaining weight?". "Don't tell me you've developed body dysmorphia or something. Maybe you should have a talk with your therapist, Stas".

I laugh, standing up from the vanity. "It's never good to look at yourself for too long, because your mind will find something to fixate on. Your face is just as beautiful as ever. Let's go and get this shit over with".

"You're the wisest bitch I know and you're right, too. I am beautiful and also...super smart".

"I never said the last part. Let's not get too ahead of ourselves" she says, linking her arm with mine. I giggle bumping my hip against hers. "Love you, Pey-Day". "Love you, too, Stassi-Wassi".

...

I'm not one of those pumpkin spice, thigh high boots with jeans and an orange-y brown sweater bitches, but I do love fall. The campus is beautiful all throughout the year, but when the trees turn colors and the leaves crunch beneath your boots it just feels so much more special.

The air is crisp and fresh, and a deep breath feels like you're filling your lungs with an angels breath. Fall at Ivy Cordelia is truly something to experience.

I remember the first time visiting the campus while scouting boarding schools near the beginning of my eighth grade year. ICBS was the last stop, because I already had my eye on it due to the fact that it's reputation outshines all of it's competitors.

So, of course, I saved the best for last. Nothing felt more magical than walking through the ivy covered archway on that day.

The first thing I noticed was the fountain. It sat in the center of the quad- large and imposing, surrounded by students on blankets, having picnics just because. On either side of them were the food stands and since they change depending on the time of year, these were all autumn-y and cozy types of foods.

Every person I saw had their hands wrapped around a warm mug or coffee tumbler of something delicious. And in the other hand, some type of decadent dessert or comforting hand held thing.

All of that was encompassed on a perfectly manicured, circular section of grass. A paved walkway wrapped its way around it, separating the students from an expanse of lawn on either side. Trees lined the walkway- colorful trees whose leaves had fallen, blanketing the nearby grass with red and orange and yellow.