The driver pulled up to the curb.
“You’re to go to the headmaster’s office, Ms. Ressler.”
“Thanks,” I croaked, not realizing how dry my throat was. Looking around at all these new students, my new classmates, I felt like I wanted to cry. All the girls were absolutely gorgeous, thin, confident, everything I wasn’t. The guys were smoking hot and fit, the bar to make the sports teams here must have been incredible.
I left the warm comfort of the car and grabbed my bag, then hurried towards the main building, staring at the ground, making sure not to make eye contact with anyone. A group of girls strolled past me, like they didn’t have a care in the world, giggling at something. I hoped it wasn’t me they were giggling at.
Making my way through the building I followed the signs to the headmaster’s office. Luckily, it wasn’t far. There were people inside the building too, and even though I didn’t look at them, I could just tell they were watching me.
It was such a relief when the door to the office area closed behind me and the sounds of the school were suddenly shut out, only a dim hum in the background.
“Yes?” asked a smart looking secretary in her 50s, a few strands of her greying hair popping through the lenses of her glasses.
“Hi. Um, I’m supposed to see the headmaster, I think. Tina Ressler.”
“Of course. You’re expected. Please go through to his office now,” she replied, motioning with her head to a door over her left shoulder. I got up and moved tentatively towards the door. Was I supposed to knock first? To be polite? I rapped the wood twice lightly before opening the door, peering inside, hoping I wasn’t going to get yelled at for interrupting anything.
Instead, I found a plump woman with white hair and a cherubic face looking down at some papers. She looked up with a smile when I entered.
“Ah, you must be Tina,” she greeted me, motioning with a hand that I should sit down in one of the seats in front of her desk.
“Hello, Mrs. MacKilley,” I replied shyly, sitting on the edge of the chair. I pressed my knees together and held my hands in my lap.
“I have your class schedule here for you. I’ve gone and seen all of your teachers and let them know about your situation. Luckily you’re transferring early enough in the school year. There will be some work for you to catch up on, of course, but your grades at your old school were good enough that I’m not extremely worried.”
“Thank you,” I replied. I was still worried, but Mrs. MacKilley actually seemed… nice!
“Now, your first class will be science, with Mr. Morris. It would have been good if you could have gotten a tour of the school before-hand, but of course, with such short notice it wasn’t possible. His classroom is nearby, you just go down the hall to the left when you leave my office and his classroom is the fourth door on the right.”
“Ok, perfect.”
“I’m sure you’ll be able to find someone to ask about the rest of your classes. Do you have any other questions?”
“No, I’m sure I can figure it out,” I replied with what I hoped was a smile. I wasn’t about to admit to the principal – no, headmaster – that I actually did have a million questions, but none of them were things I felt I could ask.
“Alright, well then welcome to Moreton Academy, Tina.” Mrs. MacKilley rose, and I took the hint and rose as well, shaking her outstretched hand. She had a warm, firm grip, the kind that made you feel welcome, the kind that made you feel safe. Maybe this place wasn’t going to be so bad after all.
*
A few minutes after I left a bell rang, and I took that to mean it was time to go to class. The hallways were suddenly flooded with students, each and every one of them dressed in the red and black colours of the school. On the bright side, at least I wasn’t going to stick out that much, I was dressed the same way as everyone else.
I made my way down the hallway, sticking to the sides, trying to avoid everyone, then counted four doors to the right. I entered a science lab that made my old school’s science classroom look like a hovel.
Instead of normal desks, the room was set up in a set of large tables, each with a sink and two gas lighters in the centre, along with four power outlets. Two microscopes sat in the centre of each desk, protected by plastic covers. The walls were lined with posters of the human body, the muscular system, the skeletal system, a large chart of the periodic table and random other science-related diagrams. At the front of the classroom was a Smartscreen, and sitting at a computer off to the side of it was a tall, balding man who looked more like a bodybuilder than a science teacher.
As other students began to file in, they all sat down at the tables. I had no idea where to go, so I went up to the man that I assumed had to be the teacher.