Lovesick

Sequoia Manor

[Y/N] Astor looked out the rain-covered glass window of the car to the gray sky filled with even darker clouds. Even the weather seemed to foretell of a dark and stormy future here. The young girl looked down and fiddled with the hem of the plaid skirt she was being forced to wear. The skirt was only one aspect of the very pretentious uniform of the new school she was to attend. The choice was not hers, of course. It was the choice of her Aunt Amelie, her father's distant sister. 

Their family hadn't been close in a long time. Her grandparents had built an empire on stationary sales and keeping their kids at length. They called it an honest upbringing. Therapists called it neglect. After [Y/N]'s father turned 22, he swore off his parents and moved away to the United States, even though it meant being cut off financially. It was there though that he met [Y/N]'s mother, the love of his life.

Aunt Amelie cleared her throat. [Y/N] snapped back to the reality of the bumpy road that led to Sequoia Manor. [Y/N] shifted in her seat, bracing herself for another of her aunt's famous lectures. She instinctively pulled her book closer to her chest, as if that would save her from any harsh words or reprimands.

"It is not becoming for a young lady to daydream. Luckily, you will have many esteemed professors here to straighten you out." Aunt Amelie's clipped voice filled the limousine. It was quite clear that Aunt Amelie had reveled in using her parents' fortune. "And my word child, would it kill you to sit up straight?"

[Y/N] tried her best to straighten as she looked down at the book her parents had left her. It was the very book that her mother was reading when she met her father. [Y/N] tried to put a smile on her face to appease her aunt, though that task seemed impossible. Aunt Amelie launched into a long story about her time at Sequoia Academy and how it shaped her into the young woman who took the tech industry by storm. [Y/N] tried to appear interested as her mind once again wandered.

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Sequoia Manor was named for the trees that surrounded it. The grounds were covered with an assortment of trees that seemed to shield the manor from the eyes of the public. The nearest town was over 70 kilometers away and only accessible by the singular long stony road. The manor was host to many heirs of great fortunes. Only the best went to Sequoia, or so the pamphlet said.

There were about six hundred of the best and brightest students at Sequoia. There were professors from every field and coaches for every sport. There was even a horse stable for more equestrian interests. Rich people seemingly had the world at their disposal.

The manor itself was vast, holding about five hundred guest rooms for parents or professors to live in away from the dormitories themselves. The dormitories were split based on gender, though there was a mostly unknown middle ground for people undefined by gender. These dormitories were two bedrooms that housed two students each. The bedrooms were separated by the shared kitchen and living space. 

Four boys sat in their dormitory as one of their phones rang. The brunette waved off the other boys and went to stand on their balcony. This balcony only graced the highest paying families. He adjusted his sweater as he swiped on his phone to accept.

"Hello? This is Hugo Dawson speaking." The baritone voice rang out.

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On the other end of the phone, the Headmistress of Sequoia Academy herself spoke as sweetly as possible in the presence of a new student. Amelie Astor smiled her pristine and fake smile at her withdrawn niece. She found that exuding confidence seemed to get a woman anything that she could desire. At least, that always seemed to work with her husband. No offence to men, but [Y/N]'s Uncle Robert never failed to defer every decision to his wife. He seemed to not trust himself with any decision bigger than which alcohol to bury himself in. This personality did work all too well with her Aunt though.