The Academy

I sat in the Principle’s office. Crossing my legs, new Jimmy Choo’s on my feet, denim skirt, and a light blue top. My head throbbing. Last night, it was crazy, so crazy I didn’t get home until 3 in the morning. Though the hangover hadn’t gone away yet and I was still partly drunk, stumbling over my own feet and my words. The principle walked in yelling, or well that is what it sounded like to me.

“Miss Williams,” He sighed. “This is the seventh time this month you have been called into my office. The last time for getting into a fight with Miss Sanchez and I let you slip with a warning since it right after summer break. But you came into school drunk, now. I’m sorry but I called your mother and we are expelling you from school.”

“Expelling?” I almost yelled. “But, but I don’t have any other school to go to! It’s not like my family can send me to another high school for my sophomore year, we’d have to move all together.”

“Well, your mom told me you would be sent to Kloss Academy,” He shrugged.

My heart sank. Kloss Academy was the boarding school my mother went to when she was in high school. It was across the country, in an upscale New York town. She had been threatening to send me there for the past year. But me being Riley never thought she would go through with it. I thought she would keep giving me second chances and I was out of trouble except for maybe a grounding or two. But apparently not.

“Your mom will be here soon. You should go and get your stuff out of your locker,” He said. I sighed grabbed my bag and walked out of the office and down the hall to my locker.

In a way I was happy. I was leaving this god forsaken school and going somewhere new. New girls, meant more drama, more boys, meant more hook-ups. More of both of this meant more fun for me. But I couldn’t get in a lot of trouble, I didn’t want to have a record of getting kicked out of two school in less than a year.

I cleaned out my locker and grabbed all my text books and proceeded to return them to my teachers, trying as hard as I could not to answer the question as to why I was handing everything in. It would start talk and that is the last thing I needed without me there. I took my notebooks, except for the ones I used to write in, and threw them in the trash can. Then my best friend Nicole walked over to me, obviously looking concerned.

“Riles, what’s going on?” She asked leaning against a locker beside me.

“I was just expelled. My mom’s sending me to Kloss academy,” I sighed. “I was just cleaning out my locker.”

“Riley!” She yelled. “You can’t leave me. How am I going to fight Maria alone? You’re the strength for it and I am the brains. You can’t leave! You have to talk to Mr. Mercer!”

“It’s too late Nicki,” I sighed closing my locker and pulling my bag up to my shoulder again. “I’m leaving on Sunday.”

“So I guess you can’t spend the weekend partying?” She asked slumping down.

“Nope,” I shook my head. “Packing up my room I guess. Well I better be going, before the security guard gets here,” I hugged her tightly, not knowing when the next time I would see her would be. “Tell the girls I love them and will miss them. Tell Nick, too.” Nick was my best guy friend, the one who made me what I am today, and I guess you could say this is messed up but I love him for it.

“I will,” she nodded, an obvious start of tears in her eyes. “Promise me you’ll keep in touch?”

“Of course I will, you guys will always be my number ones,” I smiled and walked away. I turned around and waved to her and she waved back. I walked downstairs and out the lobby doors and sure enough my mom was parked right outside. I got in the car and put my bag on my lap. “So I’m going to Kloss Academy?”

“You have no idea how embarrassed I am right now. I mean you came into school with a hangover! I know we always believed that if you start drinking at a younger age you might be less likely to abuse it but even this comes with rules. Like maintaining grades and your school life. But honestly Riley, you can’t go into school the day after a party with a hangover. I feel this is the best thing I have done for you in a while,” My mom was pretty angry, and I couldn’t blame her. I shouldn’t have gone to school but would she rather me miss school because I had a hangover.

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The rest of the ride was silent. Pretty much the same as the rest of the weekend. I went home packed up all my shoes, my clothes, make up, pretty much my whole room. The whole time I was home I spent in my room talking to my friends who I would soon be leaving. Now, it was Sunday and I was on my way over to Kloss Academy, almost there sitting in the taxi. The plane ride was pretty long and I already needed a nap so I thought that would be the first thing I would do when I got there.

The taxi neared a stop and then I looked out the window. My new life right in front of me. The buildings were scattered, it reminded me of a little town, which is probably what you could call it. There were many living quarters here and there, little cafés and student hang outs. I saw in the distance what looked like a football field, tennis courts, and basketball court.

“Great, I am finally here,” I said with no enthusiasm, stepping out of the car and propping my huge sunglasses on my head.

“Oh Riley, it won’t be that bad,” My mom said grabbing my luggage out of the trunk. “I think you will grow to love it here.”

“Oh yeah definitely,” I rolled my eyes. I started walking towards the main building where the paper said the office was. My mom followed closely behind with a luggage cart, almost like a hotel.

I walked through the building and told the women behind the counter my name then sat down on a chair across the room next to my mom. I tapped my foot on the ground, nervous. I didn’t know why. I barely ever got nervous.

“Miss Williams,” The secretary said. “Mrs. Gentry will see you now.”

I nodded getting up and walking into the adjoining office. I sat down across from a calm looking middle-aged woman. She had short dirty blonde hair and wore professional looking clothes. She was sitting down but I could tell she was about average height. My mom came in smiling at the woman and sat down next to me.

“Hello, Miss Williams and Mrs. Williams,” She smiled at us. “Mrs. Williams, I heard you are an Alumni of Kloss Academy, then I would hope your daughter will fit in just as well. Now I understand, Miss Williams, you were expelled from your previous school,” I nodded at her. “Well, we will make sure you won’t end up like that here. Your mother told me you were a bright girl who just got involved in some of the wrong things. Well people here at Kloss Academy are differently raised than people from Public school. But seeing as your mother is an old student of ours, I think you will be greatly appreciated here.”

“I hope so Mrs. Gentry,” My mother smiled at her. “My daughter will be on her best behavior while here, now won’t you?” I nodded at her.

“Great,” Mrs Gentry said. “Now you will be staying in the Mercer Building in room 238. Your roommate should be there. Tomorrow is your first day of classes, this is your schedule. Breakfast is at 7:15 and classes start at eight o’clock and end at 1:30. You should go and start unpacking.”

“Thank you,” I said getting up and shaking her hand. I walked out the door, my mom closely following behind me.

“Okay, Riley, I better go and catch my flight back,” She said smiling. “I will see you soon. Remember to write and be safe,” She hugged me and kissed my cheek. She turned to walk away. “Oh yeah and no fights.”

“Bye mom,” I said turning away and grabbing the luggage cart. I looked at the map and looked for the Mercer Building. I followed the paths, dragging my luggage behind me and stopping for a breather every few moments. I found the building soon and walked inside. I saw the steps yet no elevator. Why would you have luggage carts yet no elevator? I looked around thinking maybe they were on opposite side.

“You must be new,” a girl said standing next to me. Her hair was brunette, she was my height, and had green eyes. I nodded. “I’m Cassidy, but you can call my Cassie.”

“I’m Riley,” I smiled at her. “How do I get my luggage up there with no elevator?”

“I’ll help you,” She said. “What room are you in?”

“238,” I said. Suddenly she squeaked. “Why did you just squeak?”

“You’re my new roomie!” She said. “Come on I’ll show you to our room.”

She grabbed one of my bags and I grabbed the other two and my make up train case and followed her up the stairs. There were two flights of stairs we had to go up and then walked a short hallway where we found our dorm room. She opened the door and walked inside. The room had white walls and two beds, one on either side, two desks at the end of each bed, and Cassie had pictures on hers, mine was bare.

“Welcome to our room,” She said sitting on her bed. “It’s a bit quaint but ever dorm is the same.”

“Well, I’ll have to so some major decorating to my side but I feel it will be wonderful,” I said sitting on my bed. “So tell me some things about this place. Any hot guys?”

“Well, here at Kloss we have a list,” She smiled taking a piece of paper out of the bag on her bed.

“A list of what?” I laughed walking over and sitting cross legged on her bed.

“A list of the top hottest guys in school,” She smiled mischievously. I gave her the tell me who they are smile and she opened the paper up. “There’s Andy Biersack, Danny Worsnop, Devin Oliver, Ashley Purdy, James Cassels, Jimmy Gregerson, Jake Pitts, Ben Bruce, Andrew Oliver, Christian Coma, Sam Bettley, Zach Johnson, Jinxx, Cameron Liddel, Jeff Valentine, and Brent Allen.” She handed the paper over to me and I looked at it.

“Well, I can’t wait to meet them,” I smiled. “So when’s dinner? I’m starving?” I laughed walking over to my stuff and moving them out of the way.

“In like two hours,” Cassie laughed. “But I’m about to go to the café on campus and meet some people, maybe get some snacks. Why don’t you come, you can meet some new people.”

“Sure,” I said. “Let me just grab my purse.” I went over to one of my luggage bags and took out my oversized purse. Cassie led me to the café which was down by the main mess hall. Inside she waved to 2 other girls. One was blonde with blue eyes and the other was brunette with brown eyes.

“Riley this is Audrina,” She said pointing to the brunette. “And this is Claire,” she pointed to the blonde. “We’ve been friends since last year. Guys this is Riley, my new roommate.”

“Nice to meet you Riley,” Audrina said waving. “How do you like Kloss so far?”

“It’s okay,” I shrugged. “Way better than my old school. But I really want to see at least one of those guys on The List, Cassie was telling me about.”

“Well, you won’t have to wait any longer,” Claire started. “Devin Oliver just walked in followed by his brother Andrew.”

I looked over to see two guys walk in and walk over to the counter. One had brown hair, it was a bit on the long side but not long enough you couldn’t see his eyes which I could see were blue. The guy next to him had a lighter color hair and was longer and was parted on the right side. His eyes were blue as well. The brown haired boy was wearing a black shirt with some type of design on it and black skinny jeans while his brother was wearing a sort of green and yellow tie-dye shirt and brown skinny jeans.

The blond looked over at me, smiled and then whispered something to his brother. He looked over and smiled and I smiled back at them flirtatiously.

“Oh boy,” Audrina said. “I don’t see this ending well.” The other girls laughed and I looked at them confused.

“Why?” I asked looking at them.

“There is a girl here, names Michelle, thinks she owns every guy on the list, especially the first 3, the most coveted of them. She sees you flirting with any of them, not only the first three but you might get in more trouble with them, she will make the rest of your time here a living hell, making you wish you were never born,” Cassie told me.

“Oh well, I’m tougher than that,” I said. “I was sent here because I drink, partied, and got into fights, which I usually won. I’m pretty sure pretty little Michelle will be no match for me.”

“Okay well have fun with that,” Claire laughed. “I’m pretty sure Michelle won’t fight you though. She thinks she is too high and mighty for that and is afraid to break a nail.”

“Oh well then she won’t be a problem for me,” I smirked, getting up and going over to the counter and standing behind Devin and Andrew who turned around and smiled at me. “Hi.”

“Hello,” They both said. “You must be new,” The brunette added. I answered with a nod. “I’m Devin and this is my brother Andrew.”

“Riley,” I smiled.

“Well, Riley, you should hang out with us sometime, maybe after dinner tonight, come to the student hangout across from Maple hall. A bunch of us are watching movies,” Andrew said. “Bring your friends too, can’t leave them hanging.”

“Definitely,” They grabbed their drinks and started to walk away. “See you tonight.” I ordered a drink, smiling, and went back to the table. “Looks like we all have plans tonight.”

“Which makes us all dead girls walking,” Audrina sighed.

“I don’t think this Michelle girl is that bad,” I said. “I also don’t think those two are as attracted to her as she is to them. So really no harm done either way.”

I took a drink of my latte thinking. Maybe this school wasn’t going to be as bad as I thought. Maybe it’s starting to grow on me. Maybe what my mom said is true and it might cause me to change. Well, maybe not all the way.