Holloway Boarding School

Orientation

The principal steps up to the mic.

"Good evening students. Welcome to our annual Holloway orientation." He greets. "Now, as some of you might have heard, we do have another service dog in the school. For the first years that might not be aware of the rules that follow a service animal, they are not for you to pet or distract. Please do not interfere with their work. If there are any questions, please feel free to ask an employee, me, or any of our handlers."

"Now, onto dress codes. There are no uniforms, but there are requirements that follow that privilege..." He continues on and on. I end up zoning out and day dreaming. I feel a paw on my leg. I focus back into reality and see Atlas. I pat his head and put him back under my chair. 

There is a hand on my shoulder and I jump. Atlas breaks his hide command and does light pressure therapy on my legs as I remain sitting. "Sorry, but I saw him alert. Are you okay?" Asks a girl with bright blonde hair and shinning blue eyes. I notice a Great Dane next to her. "I'm okay, thank you. Are you Carson?" I ask. She smiles. "Yes, that's me. Nice to meet you. You are Ven, correct?" I nod. She smiles some more. 

"I'm gonna get back to my seat, but if you need anything, just come get me and I'll be there, 'kay?" I nod. "Yeah, thank you." She nods back and walks away. I put Atlas back into hide again. Two alerts already...great. "Such a good boy." I say as I pat his head. As the orientation drags on, an hour goes by and then finally, it's over.

I sigh in relief. I stand to make a break for the door, but am stopped by some girls from my grade. "Hey, what's your name? I'm Ginny." Says a girl a hair taller than me with short purple hair and very pale skin. "Um, I'm Ven." I state. "So great to meet you! I was wondering if I could maybe pet your dog?" I look at her in the most unstupid way I can muster. "Sorry, no. He's-" I am cut off. 

"Working. Right." She rolls her eyes. She turns and walks away. I hear myself scoff and turn to try and walk away again. But am stopped, by three other girls and a guy. "Hey, I'm Kat, what's your name?" A girl with short blonde hair asks. "I'm Ven." I say, hiding my annoyed tone as best as possible. "I was wondering if you wanted to come eat with us?" She asks. "Uh...sure." I reply. 

"Great! Let's go!" She says happily. I follow the group with Atlas in a heel and we head to the cafeteria. We go up and I grab a piece of pizza, a yogurt cup, and some fruit. I take my tray to a table with the new little group. I sit down at the end of the table and put Atlas under my chair and halfway under the table.

I am sitting in front of one of the girls, across from the guy, and the two other girls sit on the other side of me. "So, I'm Vivien, this right here is Michael, or Mickey, then that's Luna, and you already know Kat's name." Says the girl in front of me. "Nice to meet you all." I reply quietly. "We saw Ginny with you, I guess she already showed you what type of person she is." Michael comments. "Yeah, a real peach." I mumble.

There are laughs and snickers from the group. "She really is." Vivian comments. "So, did you get your schedule yet?" Luna asks. "Yeah, and you guys?" I ask. "Yep. All accounted for." Kat replies for all of them. "What's y'all's first class?" I ask. "I have Literature." Kat says. "Same." I say. "Here too." Michael says. "Boo. I have Biology." Vivian says. "Me too." Says Luna. "At least we aren't alone!" Luna says dramatically. "Yeah, that would suck big time." Vivian agrees.