The first thing I saw as I dragged my suitcase through the large wooden door of the boarding house, was a huge silver chandelier hanging from the ceiling with crystal leaves reflecting the warm light bouncing off of the lamp standing proudly on the reception desk in the lobby.
The reception area was warm and full of architecture. Pretty ornaments littered the shelves on the walls and centuries old crystal animals lining a particular shelf which looked older than the antiques which were sitting on it.
I stood in the middle of the reception with my arms full and my headphones dangling down my chest. I didn't walk over to the reception desk where a young women was sat, tapping on her iPhone. I just stayed in one place, taking in my surroundings.
"Hello!" the receptionist grinned at me with pearly white teeth and shining blue eyes. She was quite pretty. Petite with blonde hair and plump red lips. "How can I help you?" she trilled politely, the grin never leaving her face.
I shuffled uncomfortably and dropped my heavy suitcases at my feet. They hit the posh carpeted flooring with a quiet thud. "Uh, Hi? I got here a few minuets ago. I'm from Manchester and I start here on Monday." I smiled back at her politely.
I cleared my throat using this opportunity to look around the posh, pretty reception area. Creme walls and red carpet with pictures of the school; Redtail Academy. I remember laughing at the name with my friends back in Rossendale. I eyed a specific portrait of the head master: a burly looking fellow with strange eyebrows and sincere expression.
"Name?" my eyes flickered back to the over-enthusiastic receptionist. She smiled at my curiosity. "That's Mr. Clayton, the head!" she said excitedly. Then she laughed at my expression. "Don't worry love, he's lovely." I nodded forcing a smile.
"Oh." I mumbled. I would have said more, but I wasn't really gunning for a conversation.
"Name?" The receptionist repeated, then chuckled. "In your own world, love?" her lips curved into a smile. "It must be a lot to take in, plus it's pretty late!" she glanced at the huge clock nailed into the wall.
Half past eleven in the evening. I stifled a sigh. Nearly midnight on a Friday night and I'm stuck in a stupid boarding house. Plus, with my social skills I doubt I'll make any friends. I prefer keeping to myself with my music and a book.
"I'll get your paperwork done quickly and then you can have your room key." the receptionist gestured for me to say my name.
"Uh, Phil Lester." I replied. She nodded. "One moment." the receptionist started typing on her computer and I went back to marvelling the old fashioned interior of the house. There was a stone archway leading out of the reception area which presumably led to dorm rooms or living area.
I really need a map to find my way around the actual school which is directly a five second walk away from here.
Mental note: Ask Miss. Enthusistic for a map.
"Ah!" The receptionist printed out a bunch of paperwork and handed me a pen. "Just sign the authorisation papers?" I nodded, took the pen and signed my signature repeatedly through about eight sheets. By the time I finished, my hand was aching.
When I slid the last sheet of paper across the desk, the receptionist who's name I learned was Penny after spotting the name tag clipped to her white blouse, sighed with relief. "That's it then Phil!" she handed me another bunch of papers and a keyring with my room key and a memory stick attached. "You're in room number eight." she explained. "The papers in your hands are a map of the grounds and your class schedule." I flipped through the mass of paperwork for the map, nodding.
"Also, here are your bursary application forms if you want to apply for additional support with meals and school equipment!"
I carried on nodding, my neck starting to ache due to constant nodding. "Uh.." I studied the brightly coloured map with a frown. "Sorry, what's my room number again?" I ran my hand through my short black hair nervously. Penny shook her head laughing. "Don't be nervous love, we're all lovely here!" she smiled and scribbled down my room number on a post-it note and handed it to me. I took it gratefully. "You won't believe how many students come here are like little shy sheep!" she grinned at me. "And now I see them occasionally sneaking out past curfew." I twiddled my room key between my fingers and nodded awkwardly.
"There are only twelve students currently boarding here." she smiled. "The rest of Redtail Acadamy students prefer to live at home." I nodded at that again, then silently cursed myself for nodding.
She looked past me and sighed. "Speaking of which, Luke and Emma! I can see you, get out from behind that wall!" I turned around to see two teenagers my age, frozen at the door. The boy had short ginger hair and looked irritated, his female friend with bright red hair had a similar expession. I didn't really know what to do, so I stood there awkwardly holding a bunch of papers. I decided on smiling at them politely. Behind me, Penny chuckled. "You're in your PJ's!" the students I presume were Luke and Emma, unfroze. The girl staring at me, while the boy babbled an excuse. "We're just going to get something to eat!"
Penny laughed again. Her laugh was starting to get agitating. "Oh! you're going to get food at…" she glanced at the clock. "Nearly midnight?" the receptionist rolled her eyes at me and then she shook her head at the teens.
"Have you got passes to be out this late?" Penny asked sternly. "Plus, why are you in your pyjama's in the first place?"
The red headed girl shrugged. "Couldn't be bothered to get dressed?" she answered that like a question rather than a statement. Penny's smile faltered. "Emma, attitude." she said sternly. The girl; Emma, frowned. "We're just really hungry, Penny!" she insisted. The boy nodded. "Yeah come on Penny! Just let us out this once?"
I felt like I should take my room key and make my way to wherever the dorms are. I glanced at the map Penny had given me.
"Tell you what!" Penny eyed me frowning at the map. So I must look really confused. "Guys, what if you help Phil here," she gestured to me and the two teens glanced at me. "He's new and could really do with a tour which leads to his room?" she smiled at them hopefully. When none of them spoke she sighed. "This is the second time I've caught you two sneaking out at curfew. If none of you are prepared to help Phil, I will speak to the head-"
"Fine!" the girl, Emma, stamped on the floor and folded her arms, her lips curling into a scowl. "Come on then!" she hissed at me.
"Emma Blackery!" Penny shrieked, her lip-sticky smile turning sour. "Don't speak to the new boy like that!" at that point I felt like I should say that I'm fine, and I will find my room on my own. But instead, I stood there like a lemon. Surely Emma and Luke thought I was a right idiot by now.
"What?!" Emma shot back at the receptionist. "We're going to help him! Jeez!" then she stomped forwards and grabbed me pretty roughly by the shoulders and started dragging me towards a wide wooden door. I staggered before regaining my footing and nearly dropped all my paperwork.
"I'll get his luggage?" The guy, Luke, bent down and picked up my suitcases and hauled them over to the door. "Jesus what have you packed in here, bricks?"
I snorted at that. "No, uh..just clothes?" Oh god, why can't I just find my room by MYSELF?!
Emma and Luke led me, well, dragged me out of the reception area and once Penny was out of sight and Luke had slammed the door behind him, Emma finally let go of my shoulders. They walked, pretty fast down a posh carpeted corridor and I had to run to catch up with them.
"I can take it from here!" I huffed out of breath, practically power-walking after him.
"Nope, we're taking you to your room, newbie." Emma said coldly, not even turning around to look at me. Luke was still carrying my luggage. "So…" he said conversationally. I shuffled uncomfortably. "Phil, is it Phil?" he asked. I nodded but didn't speak. He nodded and smiled kindly. "I'm Luke.." he chuckled. "Though you already guessed that right?" he snorted. "Penny can be pretty bitchy at times." he leaned in to whisper. "Sorry about Emma, she's just pissed about not being aloud to see her mum tomorrow."
I nodded. "Oh…okay?" Emma, still giving me the silent treatment, and Luke, giving me a low-down on the students, led me down another posh corridor and up a spiral staircase. I couldn't help staring in awe as we made our way through the house. There were mini chandeliers hung in every corridor making this strange new house feel more like home.
"S' just up here mate." while Emma stood at the top of what seemed like the hundredth staircase I had climbed, tapping her foot impatiently. Luke dragged my suitcases up each step one by one while I walked up behind.
"Here we are! Room…?" Emma scanned the post-it note Penny had given me with my room number. "Number eight!" she tapped on the mahogany door gently and smirked at me once I had reached her. Luke joined us red-faced still with my luggage.
The corridor my room was on was similar to the others with light purple carpet and was lined with six rooms. My door, well, my roommates door, had a picture of a Pokemon I couldn't name, and black block letters were blue-tac'd to the wood. "KEEP THE FUCK OUT"
"Inviting…" I muttered. Emma traced the door with her chipped nail. "Oh, you're rooming with Mr. 'I'm on fire' Phil," she snickered. "Well, good luck with that!" she said cheerily, then turned and went back down the corridor. "Luke?" she called impatiently.
He smiled at me apologetically and patted me on the back. "Nice meeting you Phil!" he grinned and then turned to follow Emma. "See you at breakfast!" he shouted over his shoulder, then broke into a run to catch up with his friend.
When Emma and Luke had gone and I was finally on my own, I turned, heart hammering, and faced my roommates door. My key was clenched in my sweaty fist and I had to inhale and exhale a few times to calm myself down.
Then after standing there like an idiot for at least five minuets, I cleared my throat and knocked quietly on the wood four times.
No answer. I knocked again, this time harder. Still silence. I wondered if he was out, after all it was a Friday night. Saying that, wasn't it midnight? Plus, there's a curfew, so he's either asleep or ignoring me.
"Um…hello?" I studied the golden plated number on the door. Number Eight. I have the right room, so why is nobody answering?
"Oh for god's sake." I mumbled, irritably. I was tired, the car-journey was long and I just want to curl up and sleep.
"Hello?!" I banged on the door this time. "Can you let me in?"
Then out of frustration at my roommates obvious arrogance, I twisted the door knob and to my surprise- not- the door creaked open. So he WAS in the room.
"Um..?" I walked in, confused when I wandered straight into darkness. I fumbled on the wall blindly for a light switch and after finding one, clicked it on.
The room flooded with bright light and I squinted painfully. After recovering from momentarily becoming blind, I took a step forwards and properly took in my roommates, and now my room.
The room was pretty big, and you could tell that it was half occupied. My roommates side was littered with books and clothes, his walls covered in posters of some of my favourite bands. His bed was unmade, and a laptop surrounded by multiple packets of dorito's lay on his blue duvet.
My side however, was completely bare and stripped of personality. There was just a single bed which was made and a school uniform folded neatly on-top of it. So my roommate must of known I was coming. Next to the bed was a simple wooden desk and lamp.
My gaze went to the window, which was wide and had bright yellow curtains hanging from-
"What. The. Fuck?!" the sudden voice made me nearly jump out of my skin. I scanned the room again and my heart started hammering.
Leaning next to his bed, was my roommate. He was tall with short brunette hair cut into a similar style as mine. He wore a simple black T-shirt with black skinny's.
He was scowling. Like I had paraded in here naked or something.
I forced a polite smile. "Uh, Hi. I'm your new roommate." I ran a hand through my hair. Something I do when I'm nervous.
The boy, to my surprise, started laughing. His scowl broke into a dimpled grin and he doubled over laughing like a hyena. I didn't know what to do, so I just stared at him, waiting for him to stop.
"No." The boy stopped laughing abruptly and shot me a glare.
I tried a second approach. "I'm Phil Lester?" I searched his expression for kindness but all I saw was annoyance. "Oh sorry, my apologies." he said while straightening up and walked over so were were three inches away from each other.
"Hello, Phil Lester." he said cooly, his voice dripped sarcasm and his breath tickled my face. I opened my mouth to reply, but suddenly he pushed me roughly, so I stumbled out of the room, and landed on my ass back on the corridor. "Bye Phil Lester!" he said in a sing-song voice, before slamming the door behind him.
Well that went well.
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