I just arrived and I already hated this stupid school. It was huge and rich and perfect and stupid.
"Look at how clean the floors are!" Aunt Maria exclaimed. She'd been going on and on about how great the place was since we stepped out of the car. If she liked it so much, why didn't she just enroll here and I could go back to live in our house?
"The windows are so clear." She went on.
I scoffed and quickened my pace. We'd been walking around for half an hour and still hadn't found the reception office. I bet if she stopped fangirling over the floors we would've found it by now. All I wanted to do was get my school schedule and dorm room so I could sulk and sleep.
"You're never going to make any friends with that scowl on your face." Maria commented, talking about something other than the school's appearance for the first time since we arrived.
I was about to reply with something sarcastic, but the words died in my throat when I saw a door with the word 'reception' above it. I practically ran to it, only stopping when I was at the door so I could compose myself. As much as I didn't want to be here, I still needed to make a good first impression. I wouldn't want to start off at a new school with the staff hating me.
I was already in the office when Maria reached me, and I could practically feel her disapproving glare burning two holes into the back of my head.
Sorry I left you behind. Not!
"Hi sweetie, how can I help you?" The secretary behind the desk asked politely.
"My name is Cora Steele and I'm new here." I replied, giving her a shy smile as my eyes landed on the name plate in front of her, which said Mrs. Catherine.
"Oh yes, I've heard lots about you." She remarked, rummaging through her desk for my schedule and dorm information as she spoke.
"All good things I hope." I replied, making small talk as I waited.
She handed over my schedule and dorm key, "Of course! I've heard about what you can do, it's all the staff has been talking about. We've been very excited for you to come."
"Thank you." I muttered quietly, taking in everything she said.
The staff had been talking about me? Surly what I could do wasn't that impressive. There were students far more talented than me here.
"Your dorm is in the music wing, number 114." She told me, smiling warmly.
"Thanks, it was nice meeting you." I replied, making my way back towards the door.
"You too Cora, welcome to Jefferson Academy."
I gave her one last smile before pushing through the door and walking back into the empty hallway. It was kind of strange for such a big place to be so empty, but it was eleven o'clock in the morning on a Friday, so everyone was in class.
"We should head to your dorm." Aunt Maria suggested, scaring the living daylights out of me. For one blissful moment I forgot she was here.
I nodded in agreement and started towards a convenient school map that was on the wall beside the reception door.
Music wing, oh music wing, where is the music wing? I sang in my head as my eyes scanned the map. Oh would you look at that, it was all the way on the other side of the school. Splendid!
I immediately started marching in the direction of my new room, trusting that my aunt would follow, and sure enough a moment later I heard her heels click against the floor as she jogged to catch up. I could tell she wasn't impressed with me, even without looking at her, but I also knew she wouldn't say anything since I was in a bad mood.
Thirty minutes later, after getting lost four times in an attempt to follow the signs that lead to the music wing, I found the door with number 114 on it.
Aunt Maria was practically wheezing when we stopped outside my room, which was pretty pathetic. Sure I'd been walking fast, but not that fast.
"Open the damn door already!" She snapped, panting heavily.
I chuckled and took my time taking out the key and unlocking the door. Karma's a witch, huh Maria?
As soon as the door was open Maria shoved past me and dropped down onto one of the two beds.
I sure hope that one wasn't mine.
"Well you can leave now." I told her, smiling at the sight of my belongings. Earlier in the day we shipped off all the stuff I really wanted to take with me, since this was where I'd be living permanently until the end of high school.
"I'll help you unpack." Maria offered, desperately making an excuse to stay and rest. For a second I thought she was even going to drop to her knees and beg.
"No thanks." I declined politely, turning away so she wouldn't see my smirk.
"But Cor-" I cut her off by raising my hand, surprised when she actually stopped talking.
"I just want to be alone, and I'm not particularly happy with you at the moment." I said as I turned to face her again.
"Fine." She sighed, getting up to make her way out.
I took one last look at my aunt as she opened the door to leave. She looked so much like my mom with her straight blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and petit figure.
I looked nothing like them, apart from how small I was. I had my dad's wavy brown hair and green eyes.
As Maria walked out of the room, slamming the door behind her, I was hit by a wave of sorrow. Not because she was leaving, but because I still missed my parents so much it hurt, and she was a constant reminder.
They died just before I started high school and it was all my fault. I was the one that asked them to pick me up from my friend's house while they were on their way out of town for a business trip. I was the reason they were on the same street as a drunk driver.
Even though it happened two years ago, it still hurt just as bad as the day it happened.
Get over it I heard Maria say in the back of my mind. Maybe she was right, maybe I did need to get over it. There was nothing I could do to change what happened, so why dwell on the past? Even if I was the reason they were dead.
I knew Maria blamed me too, which didn't help my guilt. Every time my mom was brought up in a conversation Maria looked over at me with so much resentment. Even though she'd never said it out loud, she made it pretty clear that she knew I was the reason for her sister's death.
I sighed and looked around my room, seeing boxes of my stuff on the left side, and to my amusement the bed Maria had rested on was on the opposite side of the room. I kind of felt bad that my roommate had to sleep on a bed that Maria touched, it probably smelt like old lady perfume now.
• • • • • • • • • • • • •
After changing into a pair comfortable jogging pants and a tank top, I decided to unpack. Luckily that didn't take too long because all I really had to do was put away my clothes, books, and a few random things.
The last thing I unpacked was a picture of my mom, dad, and I from a trip to Niagara Falls we made not long before they died. That was the last family photo we took.
I placed it on my new bedside table, then flopped down on my bed and closed my eyes. The one good thing about this school was the surprisingly comfortable beds.
My eyes snapped open when I heard someone fumbling with the door handle outside of the room.
I sat up and looked at my phone for the time, learning that it was already ten after three. I must've fallen asleep.
Finally after a minute of fumbling, the door swung open to reveal a girl. She looked surprised to see someone else in her room, but that quickly faded and a welcoming smile took over.
"Oh hi! I'm Skylar White but you can call me Sky." She introduced herself, and I almost laughed at how much her name suited her.
When I thought of the sky I pictured light blue, which was the colour of her eyes, and her hair was practically white, just like her last name.
"I'm Cora Steele." I replied quietly, giving her a small smile.
"Oh I know. Everyone's heard about you." She said, closing the door behind her and sitting down on her bed.
"Oh." Was all I said. I knew the staff had been talking about me, but the students too? That was just weird.
"So is it true that you draw with your eyes closed?" She asked, bouncing in her spot as she eagerly awaited my answer.
I chuckled at her excitement and nodded to confirm the rumour.
"That's so cool!" She exclaimed.
I shrugged a shoulder, "I guess, but I can't even draw a stick man with my eyes opened."
I used to be normal and draw with my eyes open, but after my parents died things changed, and now I couldn't draw unless they were closed.
She looked at me with amazement,"Seriously?"
I simply nodded again.
"So if you're here for drawing, why are you in the music wing?" She asked curiously. This girl sure had a lot of questions.
"I'm here for piano too." I informed her.
"So you're a multi-talent." She stated, more to herself than to me.
"A what?" What did she just call me? I hope that wasn't some sort of insult here.
"A multi-talent. There's only a few here but it means that you're here for two or more different types of talent." She explained.
"What are you here for?" I asked, steering the conversation away from me. I hated talking about myself.
"Singing." She replied, shrugging like it was no big deal, but that was a huge deal. I knew you had to be practically pitch perfect if you wanted to get accepted here for singing.
"Wow, you must be amazing." I stated the obvious, internally face palming at my stupidity.
"I'm alright I guess." She mumbled modestly, blushing at the compliment.
I laughed and shook my head. I knew Sky and I were going to be good friends. Thank God I didn't get stuck with a rude roommate.
"So do you want me to show you around and introduce you to some people? I know the whole school is just dying to meet you." She offered, bouncing excitedly on her bed again. She seems to have a habit of that.
I looked down at my tank top and jogging pants, wincing at the stain on my shirt.
"Sure, I just need to change first." I agreed, going over to my closet to take out a cute grey jumper and black leggings. I couldn't look like a slob to meet everyone, but I also didn't want to dress too nicely either.
After I picked out my clothes I looked around, giving Sky a thankful smile when she pointed to a door that turned out to be our bathroom.
Stupid rich school with walk in closets and bathrooms in every dorm room. I was expecting there to be one huge bathroom with toilets and showers that all the girls had to share.
After I got dressed I ran a brush through my hair, which went midway down my back, and decided that I was good to go.
I didn't really wear makeup other than mascara, mostly because I had no idea how to do makeup, and I put mascara on this morning so I didn't need to do that now.
"Ready?" She asked when I walked out of the bathroom and put my old clothes into my laundry basket.
I nodded my head and bit my lip, nervous to meet the people here. What if they didn't like me?
"Everyone will love you." Sky assured me, seeing my uneasiness, or maybe she was a mind reader. I doubted that, but you never know.
Ten minutes later she was leading me to the 'den' as she liked to call it, after showing me the cafeteria and one of the gyms. Yes that was right, there was more than one gym here. Stupid rich school.
As we walked, Sky babbled on about the latest gossip and filled me in on everything that'd happened over the years, but I was only half listening. My mind was preoccupied with the fact that we were heading towards the place that everyone hung out at.
Apparently there was a den for each wing, and there was six wings in total. One for each type of talent. There was an art wing, music wing, dance wing, literature wing, sports wing and brain wing.
When she told me the name of the last one I had a laughing fit while she explained that the brain wing was for the super geniuses here.
Suddenly Sky stopped walking when we got to a door, almost causing me to crash into her back. That must be the music den.
I chewed on my lip as the nerves of meeting so many new people kicked in again. What if they made fun of me for the way I draw?
Sky, seeing how nervous I was, smiled at me encouragingly and put a hand on my shoulder.
"Everyone will love you." She repeated her earlier words, and with that she took her hand off my shoulder, pulled the door open, and stepped inside.
I heard everyone talking and greeting her, but when I walked in everyone quieted down.
I closed the door to distract myself from the awkward silence, but once that was done I was again facing the curious glances everyone was giving me.
"This is my new roommate Cora Steele." Sky told everyone, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
"Hi." I greeted quietly, giving everyone a small smile.
Some people greeted me back, or smiled, while others just looked at me curiously.
"And before anyone asks, everything we've heard about her talent is true." Sky spoke up again, cutting a girl off that had opened her mouth, probably to ask about the way I drew. Playing piano with your eyes closed was no big deal, but drawing with them closed? That was weird.
When Sky's words sunk in some people started whispering to each other, while others looked at me in amazement or jealousy. Why would anyone be jealous of something that made me a freak?
"Wait if you're here for art, why are you in the music wing?" A girl with fiery red hair and blue eyes asked.
"She's here for piano too." Sky answered for me, which I was thankful for. I hated being put on the spot in front of large groups of people, or in front of anyone really.
The people that were looking at me with jealousy before were now full on glaring, and others whispered about how I was a multi-talent.
"That's cool. I'm Jess by the way." The girl with red hair introduced herself, walking over to us.
"Hi." I said lamely, shooting her a nervous smile.
As you could probably tell, I was a pretty shy person until I warmed up someone. Thankfully Sky was quite the talker so it didn't me take long to get used to her.
"Don't worry, I won't bite." Jess joked.
I laughed and relaxed a little bit. Maybe this school wouldn't be so bad after all.
"What's your talent?" I asked her.
"I sing." She answered, smiling proudly.
"Does everyone in the music wing sing or something?" I asked, dramatically throwing my hands up in defeat.
"Pretty much. Why, you don't?" Sky replied.
"I don't think I'm good enough to sing here." I mumbled.
Jess rolled her eyes, "I'm sure you're just being modest."
I opened my mouth to reply when the door suddenly opened, startling me.
Everyone went silent again as three guys walked into the room and took a seat on one of the many couches in the den. I didn't really notice how cool the room was until now. It had a few T.Vs, a bunch of couches and chairs, a fridge, and a pool table.
Stupid rich school.
I looked at the three guys for a moment as they started talking amongst each other, and had to admit, they were all very attractive. Muscular, perfect hair, and a great fashion sense.
"Who are they?" I asked, directing my attention back to Jess and Sky.
"That's Matt." Jess answered, nodding towards the one with black hair and brown eyes. "And Cody." She continued, gesturing to the one with shaggy blond hair and light brown eyes.
"And that." Sky said, looking at the one with dark brown hair, light grey eyes, and perfectly tanned skin, "Is Drew Bates."