Maddox Academy: Grievous Beginnings - Wattys 2022 Shortlister

Chapter Five - A Thunderstorm Initiation

Mrs Maddox looked at me from across the desk.

Rain lashed against the window for the third day in a row and bolts of lightning darted across the sky. The occasional clap of thunder rolled across the sky and the light on Mrs Maddox's table flickered. Nothing could have made my meeting with Mrs Maddox any more ominous, except perhaps a power cut. This meeting had been a long time coming.

I had expected Mrs Maddox to call me in to her office on the same day as the incident with Miss Feldman, but she hadn't. Katie said she rarely called anyone into her office unless they had done something worthy of a possible suspension, and no one thought being an awful drawer matched that criteria. When she summoned me to her office on Friday afternoon, Katie had offered to come with me, but I knew I had to do it myself although I did appreciate the offer.

It wouldn't look good if I got the head girl to try and cover for me.

Mrs Maddox removed her glasses and placed them on the stack of paper in front of her. The lamp flickered. She clasped her hands in front of her and leant forward so her elbows rested on the edge of the table. Although she seemed inviting and there was a hint of kindness behind her eyes, I didn't like how small she made me feel. If she was going to tell me off, I wanted her to get on with it rather than dragging it out.

"You have been with us almost a full week, Felicity. How do you think you have fared so far?" she asked.

"Alright, I think," I said.

"Have you made any friends?"

"Katie and Jo, from fifth year."

"Any friends in your own year?"

"Not really, Ma'am. I've spoken to Emma a few times."

"Hm. Katie mentioned the other day that the two of you had become rather good friends." She paused. "You have had glowing reports from your teachers in the past week, specifically from your history teacher. She is very impressed."

A lightning bolt darted across the sky outside.

"The same, however, cannot be said about Miss Feldman. She suggested you do not take part in any more of her sewing classes, but this is not a solution. I have already agreed to allow you to miss your sport lessons whilst your class do swimming and I do not want to disrupt your time here anymore. You will continue with the sewing classes, but you must follow all instructions. I do not want to have Miss Feldman in here for a second time to complain about your work ethic in her classroom. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Mrs Maddox."

"Good. You are dismissed."

She waved her hand at me and placed her glasses back on her nose. Her attention immediately returned to the stack of paper she had been looking at when I walked in and I took it as my official cue to leave. I pushed myself off the chair, smoothed out the back of my dress and stepped out into the hall.

The lights hanging on the walls flickered and I could hear a clap of thunder as it rolled across the sky. I made my way down the hallway, pausing briefly to listen to the rain as it lashed against the stained-glass window in the entranceway. Clouds rolled across the sky and basked the entire entranceway in darkness. The only source of light came from the flickering lightbulbs and the occasional flash of lightning that illuminated the entire hall.

I followed the maze of hallways through to the dining room which was already packed with students. The longer I had been at the school, the easier it had become to find my way around and after five days, I could finally make it to the dining hall without getting lost. I considered that a personal achievement, but I still struggled to find my classrooms. Katie had said it took her six months to find her way around.