"Lilly wake up, you're going to be late!" My mother yelled I jolted up but shook my head "I thought school started tomorrow." I stated groggily as my mom rushed to my closet and began picking an outfit for me "It does, but today is the introduction ceremony and your father and I thought you should be there." I groaned softly and my mom threw my clothes at my face and laughed "Be down in 20 minutes." She commanded and was gone.
After a minute of sitting there wishing for sleep I got up and got into the plain blue dress my mother had picked, it was one of my favorites. I slipped on brown flats and a brown belt and meandered into the bathroom across the hall where I began to brush out my long blonde hair. It was at about my hips and my mom fought with me constantly about cutting it but no matter the common style I loved my hair and she just didn't understand. I braided it over my right shoulder and was downstairs with five minutes to spare.
"There's my punctual girl, ready to go?" he asked kissing my forehead and I responded with a yes sir before grabbing my coat and walking out the door with my parents behind me. Walton Academy was about a block away but my mom insisted we drive complaining it was cold, even though it was warm for Vermont considering it was early Fall. We drove anyway and we were one of the last to arrive, we sat in the back and I looked the crowed over. Boys with dread in their eyes sitting with their parents as far as the eye could see, and I seemed to be the woman in the room without a child.
A bagpipe began playing and the doors swung open and a procession of boys with banners marched to the front, the bagpipes stopped and the headmaster began his speech.
Amazingly, I managed to not fall asleep as the old man droned on and on but once he was done everyone filed out and became a mob and mothers and fathers saying goodbye to their children. It was obvious who the first years were by their tears and clinging but all the other boys just chatting with their parents or nonchalantly waving goodbye and I wondered what would change a person so?
Once we got to the door the headmaster and my father shook hands and laughed a greeting "Nolan, a fine speech as always." Then my mother took his hand "Doctor Nolan, this is our daughter Lilly." He then took my hand and gave a single firm shake "Ah Miss Jones, you will be the first girl to attend Walton and I expect nothing but the best." I smiled and gave him a shake back "You will have nothing less and thank you for this opportunity, sir."
He let go of my hand and moved on to the next people in line but a boy ran by, bumping into me and knocking me off balance. I instinctively closed my eyes but they popped right back open when I felt something other than the ground supporting my back. The boy holding me had short brown hair, green eyes, defined cheek bones and a lopsided grin that grew when I gave an apologetic smile "Um thank you." I almost whispered as I scrambled to stand up "My pleas… I mean I'm just glad you're alright." He quickly corrected himself as I giggled at this worried expression. "Neil!" a stern looking man snapped making the boy cringe.
"Well I hope to see you again, Neil." I smiled trying to lift the mood and he looked at me, his mouth hanging slightly open "That not fair, I don't know your name." he argued and I bit my lip "Lilly." And then I heard my father calling for me "Goodbye." I smiled and rush over to where my parents were trying to look over the crowd for me.
"There you are, honey! Were you making friends?" my mother greeted me with a hug "Possibly, I was just meeting a few people." And I looked to my father who was giving me a disappointed head shake; he had made it clear to me he wanted me to focus on academics this year. "Now baby, what have I told you about friends?" and I turned full front to him "But daddy, you told me to make connections and where else will I make better connections then with the future bankers, scientists, lawyers and doctors of America?" I argued and he smiled as he patted my head "That's my girl." He made a move to lead me back to the car but I stepped back "Can I meet you back at home? I wanted to pick up my schedule now rather than tomorrow morning." I asked and my father nodded proudly "Don't be too long, dinner will be ready soon." My mother cautioned and I accepted and began trying to navigate my way to the 'Academic Honor Room' which is where I heard I was to pick up my papers.
I approached the woman behind the desk who seemed to be successfully ignoring the room of noisy high schoolers. I lightly cleared my thout to draw her attention to me and a moment later she was staring over her glasses at me "Excuse me, I'm here to pick up papers for Lilly Jones." I stated and her eyebrows rose "One moment." She issued turning form me to the phone to her right "Sir, Miss Jones is here. Yes, sir." She hung up and was back to me. "Go right up the stairs and through the open doors." She directed. I turned to leaved and saw the staircase full of boys "But, um, the line?" I questioned she waved a hand "Just go up the stairs, don't mind them." I took a deep breath and began my journey through the stares and whispers.
I kept my head down as I climbed the stairs, the boys moving out of my way until about the top. These two boys were in such a deep conversation they didn't even know I was there until I taped the arm of the tall boy in front of me. "Excuse me?" I whispered not wanting to seem rude but when the boy saw me fear shot into his eyes and he jumped out of the way. He bowed his head and began apologizing profusely. I giggled which cut him short, "No harm done." I smiled but he continued to be plastered to the wall as I continued on to the top and forward to the now open doors. Three boys advanced towards me. Two had their heads down but the third was strutting, looking straight at me. "Excuse me, I think you dropped something." He said pointing down to my shoes "What?" I responded looking down but I felt fingers at my chin pull my face back up to look at the boy "My jaw." He winked then brushed past me and glided down the stairs.
I chuckled as I headed to the door, this is going to be an interesting year.