Fortnight Field Academy

Chapter 3

We proceeded into the building. The lobby was nicer than the one I had as a freshman. There were two staircases across the room; one going up, and one going down. The descending stairs lead to the entrance of the common courtyard, where all four grades could go to hang out and relax, or whatever. The rising stairs lead to the second floor, which would, of course, have an identical layout as this one. The left and right walls opened into twin hallways. A circular table with four cushy chairs decorated the center of the lobby. Two brown, leather, Chesterfield sofas leaned against opposite walls. The right one was currently being occupied by three girls giggling over a magazine.

"Left hallway, first door on the left," Maggie sang as she danced to dorm 107.

The inside surprised me.

We walked directly into a modern kitchen complete with red- oak hardwood flooring and brand new, shiny appliances. Last year, my kitchen looked like something from a crack addict's trailer. Drew laughed at the expression on my face. "That was my reaction, too. Apparently, they got some huge donation from a vamp whose kid goes here."

The living room had normal, light brown carpet and the walls were just a shade darker. Half- opened boxes scattered the floor. Drew added mine to the mess, so I followed suit.

"So when did you guys get here? I don't remember seeing either of you last year," I asked.

"Four days ago," Maggie answered. "We both transferred from a school in Montana. My dad got a new job here and Drew's parents let her fly out by herself."

"When does the fourth roommate arrive?" I proceeded to question.

"That's where the three of us get lucky," Drew interjected. "Fortnight has a shortage of sophomore girls so we don't have to be overcrowded like the rest of these poor shmoes."

"Oh I almost forgot!" Maggie cried. "When we have more time you'll have to help us find furniture online."

This confused me. "What do you mean 'order stuff'? Aren't we suppose to stay off the humans' radar?"

Drew chuckled again. "Oh Nix. So young and naïve." She spoke in a joking tone, but I still got that bitchy vibe that comes off of pretty girls like her. "Lots of Alii own large companies. You just have to know where to look." She winked mischievously. "And the Wicked Witch of the West won't mind as long as you don't draw any unnecessary attention."

I smiled despite myself. Wicked Witch of the West was a perfect comparison for Goodman.

"We can do all that later," Maggie said. "Right now you need to pick a room so we know where to put the rest of your stuff."

On the wall across from the kitchen, sat two non- descriptive white doors. A bright pink and blue polka dot wooden "M" hung on one. The other remained plain.

I entered Maggie's room first and was almost blinded by the light of two huge windows. There was a single twin- sized bed on either side, separated by a basic school desk. The left bed was covered with a floral comforter and about ten stuffed turtles. Next to the door was a respectable sized closet that held a couple of shirts. More boxes plastered almost every open space.

"Mags is right next to the laundry room. Stay with me and it will always be nice and quiet," Drew pitched.

I already knew I would choose to bunk with Maggie. I didn't think I could bear to sleep in the same room as the rich and gorgeous Drew, knowing she was probably counting all the ways she was better than me.

It was out of the sheer kindness of my heart that I walked into Drew's room.

The design was exactly like Maggie's, except there was only one window and the closet was a little bigger. The window was closed, which made it considerably darker. Again, it was still being moved into, so there were containers everywhere.

"What do you think?" Drew asked.

"Um, actually I think I want to stay in Maggie's room. I like all the light," I lied. To be honest, the brightness sort of bothered me.

If either of them heard my deception, they didn't say anything. Drew just shrugged while Maggie was jittering with joy. "Great! Let's go get the rest of your things."

With the three of us carrying as much as we possibly could, it only took two more trips to clear the car.

"I'm exhausted," Maggie huffed between deep breaths.

"You only have twenty minutes before the Repertum Ceremony." Drew sighed. "We better get changed."

I groaned. It was customary to where nice white clothes. To symbolize innocence or something like that.

All of us found remarkably similar white sundresses. Drew's, of course, managed to outline all of her curves without making her look like a slut. Maggie, standing only about five feet tall, was adorable, yet not in a little kid kind of way. And as for me? Well I looked like a twelve year old boy. My dress felt baggy over my rail thin frame. I pulled my dark brown hair back into a bun, hoping it'd make me appear a little bit older. It didn't.

"Well ladies, are you ready to learn your fate?" Drew asked.

"No," I confessed.

Maggie shook her head. "Me either."

"It's too late to run away screaming now," Drew said. "But if all else fails, we can drop out and sell meth. I know a guy."

I laughed and for that brief moment, I almost forgot about the butterflies rioting in my stomach.

Almost.