Dew clung to the blades of grass as I walked that morning. It had rained all night and even as I walked in the early morning sun I could still feel the drizzle of the faded storm falling on my hair and clothes. It was oddly relaxing and I didn't feel as nervous as I did when I woke up. The damp blades tickled at my ankles as I slowly strolled my way back to the silhouette of Welton Academy, my new school. It felt odd to say and but evener odder to think that I would start in a day. Just one day.

As I walked the Welton Halls it felt even stranger. I'd been there for nearly a week, just myself and the teachers, and as I walked I could feel the echo of my steps ringing through every room, every crack and crevice. I took my time to examine paintings, pictures, rooms, everything. I wanted to be ready for the first day. I passed by the display cabinet of pictures and achievements every day during my starter week and eyed up the Boys' faces. I bet they never thought they'd have a girl looking at them, examining them like I did. Perhaps a passing Mom? But not me. Never a girl like me.

My hands trailed along banisters and brushed against the wood panels of the walls. I was just taking in my surroundings, because once everything started up I would be hiding for the most of it. I wouldn't have the same amount of time to explore. I would either be in my separate lessons or dodging out of sight of any boy walking my way.

I saw hardly any teachers, though all were roaming about somewhere. I bumped into Nurse Conrad, the only other woman in the entire school, once. She nodded at me vacantly and carried on her way. She barely even registered me as though even she thought I shouldn't have been in the school. It wasn't the most heart-warming of feelings that was for sure. I passed Dr Hager as I slowly made my way back to my room in one of Welton's small towers. How princess-like.

"I assure you are prepared for tomorrow Miss Tanner?" He said briefly stopping for a bit of small talk.

"I think so" I replied.

"Good, good. Well I shall see you for Trigonometry tomorrow at 4, now don't you forget that"

"I won't sir"

He nodded his head and carried on his way.

I slowly climbed up stairs and followed down hallways and corridors until I finally came to my door. At least I hadn't forgotten where it was for a change. That was always good.

I flopped down on my bed and groaned loudly. Was I really ready? To be a Welton girl? "The first of a new breed" Mr Nolan encouragingly said when I arrived. I picked up the folded piece of Welton Academy paper from on top of my pillow and reread it for the thousandth time. No matter how many times I read it nothing changed, I didn't discover that I'd been wrong the whole time or that the Academy was just having me on. It was real. It was all real. Welton Genuinely wanted to invite a girl into their school.

Dear Miss Tanner,

After speaking with you and your parents on your brother's graduation day regarding your current education, I have come to the decision of offering you a place here at Welton Academy. Now of course the school has been presented strictly as an all Boys' school for the last 99 years, but I am willing to make an exception. After checking with your current school, considering the success of your brother, Josh, and your clear understanding of the subjects we offer, I have decided that you will benefit from studying at Welton and will be a great asset to the school.

Now you shall be the only girl at the school and, to not hinder the results of our young boys, I will have you sleep in separate quarters, attend individual lessons with each teacher and dine in a separate room. I do not wish for the boys' to know straight away that a girl is attending Welton and I do not wish to inform any parents as of yet, because I would like to test as to whether or not girls would cause any problems toward our current status as the best preparatory school in the country. I also don't want any complaints from parents regarding places for any of their daughters.

I hope that you will happily accept the offered place and the terms that you will work by and not turn down a most wonderful opportunity.

Yours Sincerely,

Mr. G .Nolan

It was so exciting! The first girl in history to attend Welton, but…as I reread the letter, I felt like I had every other time. I felt the anticipated feeling of loneliness. A separate room, separate dining, individual lessons. It all just piled up to being one long year of solitude. The way Nolan wrote it made it sound as though I was something to be ashamed of, but like he said, it was a wonderful opportunity. Most of the girls at my last school were destined for marriage and motherhood. Some were smart enough to fight their way into medicine or law or politics, but not into Welton. My brother could hardly believe it when he saw it, heck I didn't believe. I'd picked up the envelope gingerly on the day it came. I never got letters. Never. The only time I saw an Envelope with even a glimpse of my name was on my birthday, but not any other time. I inspected it the best I could before slicing it open with the pen knife to find the Welton Crest. I quickly chucked it on to my brother Josh; it was probably a misaddressed letter, but it wasn't. It was an invite for a girl to join Welton. For once in nearly 100 years.

I placed the letter back on my pillow and began to lay out my new school uniform on my desk chair. There was my knee length grey skirt, round collared blouse, red and blue striped bow, a black cardigan, white frilly ankle socks and my black pumps. I piled some of my textbooks and other things into my small satchel before resting back on my bed. I looked around the room and thought to myself how different it was to what I'd seen of Josh's on rare visits. It was large, more spacious and it didn't have a roommate. It had small closet and drawer off to the side and then in front of the window was a desk and small bookshelf. I was lucky to say that I had a phone in my room, a special request from my parents just in case I got lonely. I brushed a thumb over the smooth black dial phone with a smile. At least I had something to keep me sane beyond my books. I could even call some of my old friends at Ridgeway if I wanted to. There was also my bed of course with a small bedside table and lamp. I had one more novelty: an en-suite bathroom, so I could avoid all things boy. Nolan had told me it was one of the spare teacher rooms when I arrived. I could already see why. There was one final addition of mine that never came with the room: a framed photograph of me and my friends from Ridgeway at one of the many pep rallies. We were all grinning from ear to ear in our cheer outfits, my friend Chris busy wrapping her arms around her boyfriend Chet and staring dreamily into his deep brown eyes, whilst Anna and Rachel struck one of their cheer poses. I simply blew a raspberry at the camera with a wicked look. I sighed. It was all old memories now.


So that is the first chapter of my DPS fan fic. If you liked it then please feel free to follow and fave or even review and if you didn't like it then review anyway. I could always do with the feedback to potentially improve it. Hope to see you on the next chapter :)