School of Secrets

Chapter One

Blinn pushed open my car door and climbed out, "I suddenly feel like I might throw up."

I climbed out after her, "Blinn Caspar is nervous?" I asked, "What is this?"

"And you aren't?" she asked as we walked around to my trunk.

"Sure," I said, "but I am excited too. I'm not sure my brain can really tell the difference between the two. Besides today is just move in day. Nothing scary happens today.

Blinn took a deep breath, "You know what. You are right. We have more important things to think about. Like, what floor do you think our room will be on? What do you think our roommates will be like?"

I nudged her with my elbow, "Now that is more the Blinn I know. And I don't know, hopefully our roommates are nice." I popped open my trunk. Blinn reached into the trunk and pulled out her suitcase. She sat that on the ground and reached back in to grab her duffel. She slung her duffel on one shoulder.

"I just want it to be a good year, Noella."

I reached into my trunk and grabbed my own suitcase and duffel, "I am sure it will be," I said. I crossed my duffel strap across my body, "Come on, let's get checked in. Remember we have our boxes we mailed to unpack too." I shut my trunk.

"Don't remind me," Blinn said pulling up the handle on her suitcase.

I began rolling my suitcase, "Come on."

Blinn followed behind me, "What if one of our roommates, like, collects cat hair?"

"Cat hair?"

Blinn jogged ahead of me and pulled open the main door to Orburn's front office, "It could happen."

"I doubt it," I said as I walked past her and into the building. The air conditioning was running full blast, but the main hallway was still warm. It was obvious that the air conditioning couldn't keep up with the continued entrance and exit of new students. "This way," I said gesturing with my head towards the sign that had been propped up that said: CHECK IN, with an arrow.

We made our way down a short hallway and came to a set of double doors with a plaque beside it that stated we had made it to the front office. I opened the door and gestured at Blinn, "After you."

"Thank you," Blinn said, and she rolled her suitcase in. I followed after her, letting the door close behind us. We had only made it a few feet inside when Blinn came to a sudden stop. "Oh. My. GOSH!"

The scene in front of us was one of pure chaos. There was a mob of students, suitcases, duffels, and other moving odds and in. Students were trying to figure out which adult they needed to talk to while at the same time not stepping on anyone's luggage or lose their own. Some students were trying to make their way out. Some were just joining the line. Other students were off to the side, on their phones, obviously speaking with a parent about important information. I glanced at Blinn who was processing the scene in front of us, about as quickly as I had.

"Wow," Blinn said.

I nodded. "Girls!" Suddenly a voice cut through the crowd, "Girls! I can help you two over here!" Blinn and I stood on our tip toes and tracked the voice to a redhead office lady who was smiling and waving her arms at us, "Yes! You two!" She cheered when I made eye contact.

"Come on," I said to Blinn. We eased through the crowd and to the lady who had called for us. When we reached her, she beamed, "Welcome to Orburn girls! My name is Charlotte. May I get your names so I can find your packets?"