"So what did you did you do to get sent to Erickson?" Louis asked. My hand tightens around the handle of my bag. I wasn't comfortable admitting my faults to a stranger.
"I'd like to keep that to myself, thanks," I said. I could see his excitement falter, but itself repaired just as fast as it was destroyed. He opened a door for me and we entire what I assumed was the main building.
"Better me prodding your crimes than the therapist. If you're lucky, you'll get the brutal one who asks the same question again and again until you crack," he said. I wasn't paying attention to him, i was too busy looking at the polished school. The hallway looked spotless, cleaner than any school I've ever seen before. There were endless degree's on the dull brown wall that showed off how extraordinary the rehabilitation system was. There was a stairway that lead the second floor in the middle of the room.
"The office is upstairs through the big double doors. I would recommend knocking on the door first, Principle Carver hates it when students walk right in," Louis said. He put my bag on the ground and makes his way down the hallway to my right. I thank him and pick up my bags. It would be a bitch getting up those stair with my stuff. "Oh, and if you need me, which I assume you will after your talk, I'll be in the music room."
I highly doubted I would need his help, but I nodded anyway. He was nice. I could work with that.
I started to make my way upstairs. As I ascended I realized the stairway parted, and I could help but think it was extra. I took the stairs to the right and hoped it was closer to the office.
I have to admit, the stairs wore me out. My bags were heavy and weighed me down. After I knocked on the office door I rested my hand on my knees to catch a breathe. I heard a quiet 'come in' from the other side. I left my stuff outside and entered the office.
"Aw, are you Clementine Jervis?" he asked. I nodded my head. He was a big man with a gravelly voice, well trimmed beard, and beady, almost dead looking eyes. I didn't like him already. He seemed off, like he was going to pounce at any moment. He kept looking me up and down. I hated it.
His office was to decorated. There was a big, ego boosting picture of himself behind the desk. He had a coat rack in the corned with an expensive fur coat hanging on one of the arms. His PhD hung next to his photo along with many other awards that probably didn't fit downstairs. His whole office screamed "I'm narcissistic and I'm proud!"
"I see you didn't struggle to find my office?" he said. I didn't answer him. He seemed to be oblivious to my wariness. "I'm glad to see you've found you way perfectly fine.
"Welcome to Erickson's Boarding School fo Troubled Youth. My name is Principle Carver. You were admitted a few days ago for committing a crime, I believe. We're glad you decided to attend this school to atone for your mistakes. I promise you won't regret it.
"As you saw we are short of a welcome comity. There are only a mere three hundred students at this school and none of them are trusted to skip class time. We are very serious when it comes to academic and moral achievement at this school. I'm afraid due to circumstance you'll have to find your own way to the girls dorm.
"Your parents should have received you schedule through email," he paused. "You're a smart girl, Clementine. You gave it all up to be a troubled teen.
"We don't expect you to attend any classes before lunch, but after lunch we do expect to see you're attending class. Your roommates name is Sophie, she is in lunch right now, you'll most likely meet her after curfew.
"Do you have any question?" he finished.
"When can I leave?" I asked. He gave me a mocking smile.
"When you have meet your juvenile quota. It will take you a long time to scratch the surface," he said. I felt unnerved at his statement. "You may leave now."
After I left his room I felt alive again. That man sucked and drained any positive energy you may have felt before entering his office. I would have to stay clear of him. His presence isn't the most welcoming.
I made my way to the music room. I still didn't know where to go, but to my luck there was on one room the hallway Louis went down lead to. The moment I entered I could hear the piano beautiful melody.
Louis sat at the piano. His eyes were closed as his fingers danced around the keys. He was in his own world. I felt bad when he noticed me at the door way, watching him play his amazing melody. He gave a nervous chuckle.
"That was quicker than I thought it was going to be," Louis said. "Did he creep you out? It's okay if he did, most people think he's a secret pedofile in the disguise of a principle." That joke actually made me chuckle, because that's exactly how I felt under Principle Carver's eyes.
"Yeah, I felt the same," I said. Louis looked at me with shocked eyes, a small smile playing on his lips. I must of surprised him with my laugh. "Are you skipping class?"
"What, no! I would have snuck out way more ninja like if I was skipping. That bell was for lunch," he explained. I almost jumped out of my skin. That's a real dick move for the school to only give me thirty minutes to settle down. There was no way I could find the dorms in time.
"I have thirty minutes to unpack and settle down, but I don't know where the dorms are. Can you show me?" I asked him. Louis looked at the piano then back at me. It wa more than enough to know that he was busy. I gave a dejected sigh before turning around with all my stuff.
"Wait!" Louis grabbed one of my bags. "Principle Carver was a dick to you already. I don't need to be one to you too."
I smiled. A real, genuine smile for the first time in days, "Thanks Louis."
"No problem, I remembered my first day here a few years back. I was real torture, and why should I let a pretty lady like yourself struggle through it to?" he said. For some reason I didn't his compliment. It didn't bother me as much as it would is someone else said it.
"Was there a welcome comity for you?"
"You're joking, right? Erickson doesn't give two shits about its students, it only wants money," Louis explained. I couldn't believe him. There was no way I was sent to a school that wouldn't help me.
"That's not what the critics say," I said. Louis gave me a sad sigh.
"Even critics can be bought out Clem," Louis whispered. He was already accustomed to my nickname. His tone was dark and effected the mood of our conversation. He must of noticed and decided to change the subject. "You want to hear a funny story?" he asked me.
"Sure."
"Okay, so a few years back when we were all super immature and didn't know right for wrong, I got busted for being in a girls dorm at night," he revealed. My jaw dropped as I suppressed a laugh.
"You're joking!"
"My words are one hundred percent true," he laughed. "It was a dare. Marlon knew this girl named Sophie who didn't lock her door at night so he dared me to sneak into her room for five minutes. Long story short, Sophie was still awake and she saw me and screamed."
I laughed at the blush on his cheeks. Erickson had some bad ass kids.
"Anyway, since then Sophie's been super wary of me around her dorm, but if it wasn't for that incident I don't think we would've ever become friends," Louis's smile was warm. "Oh and I had to clean the both bathrooms after school for a week."
"Is that the kind of punishments they give here?" I asked. Louis nodded his head. If chores were punishment then I'm definitely not getting in trouble.
We were going the the hallway on the left. "What's your room number?" Louis asked. I tried to recall any number Principle Carver may of told me, but my mind was drawing up a blank. I only knew my roommates name.
"My roommates name is Sophie. That's all Principle Carver told me," I informed him. Louis shook his head in a disappointed manner.
"The staff of Erickson cease to impress," he bantered. "Well now you know I know where she sleeps."
"Well isn't that helpful," I joked. He seemed pleased with his answer and that pleased myself. I was never one to joke much, so to get positive response to a joke of mine was satisfying. Louis stopped in front of a room.
"They keep the door unlocked during the day. You're only allowed to lock them at night. If you don't someone will steal something valuable from your room, just some advice," he placed my bag in front of me. "You won't have time to unpack, but you will have time to meet my friends. It's up to you of course. You don't have to meet them now."
Honestly I wouldn't mind being friends with Louis. He was a joker, but all of his jokes were inviting and welcomed. He seemed nice and I bet he would be there when I need him. Hell he was here for me now and I don't even know him. If his friends were as nice as him, then I wouldn't mind sticking around.
But what if they were like my old friends.
My old friends were trouble makers. My first boyfriend, Gabe, was a known bully and prankster at my old school. Don't ask why I would date him, It just seemed like something that little Clem needed to survive freshmen year. All of his friends had been convicted of something at least once. They all smoked, did drugs, and drank at their little hide out. I had only ever did it once. After that I knew they would be a problem, and the next day I abandoned them.
I really hope they weren't like my old friends.
Louis looked at me with hopeful eyes. "It wouldn't hurt to have friends here," I said. He gave me a bright smiled. He smiled a lot. it was reassuring.
"Drop your bags inside, hide anything valuable, and bring yo' ass back out here to meet my friends," Louis joked. I did everything he said. I didn't bring with me that much of value. All my electronics were at home, my father deemed me unworthy of them while I was in the town's jail. I hid all my jewelry and any expensive piece of clothing, and that about it.
"That was in adequate time. How fast do you think you can get to the cafeteria?" he smirked at me. I gestured for him to lead the way.
He ran the entire way. He wasn't joking when he said there was barely any time left for lunch. If my schedule was correct I only had five minutes to meet his friends.
Everyone in the school had to be eating lunch at the same time. The room was pact with all three hundred students. The room was buzzing with noise as the teens chatted amongst each other. There had to be a billion teachers in the room. They really didn't trust the students at all.
Louis walked past a teacher and gave a jolly smile. The teacher scowled at him.
Louis barely struggled to find his friend. They all sat at one table. There was a guy with a horrible mullet, a girl with gelled back blonde hair and blue eyes, a girl with strawberry blonde hair and mint green eyes, another girl with short blonde hair a blue eyes, and finally a boy with short brown hair and really strong cheekbones.
"Clementine, that's Marlon," he points to the bad mullet dude. "Brody," gelled back hair chick. "Minnie," Mint eyed girl. "Violet," Short blonde hair girl. "And Mitch." Short brown haired dude. That was a lot of people to remember on the spot. "Friends, this is Clementine. Shower her with kind and warm welcomes."
"Nice to meet you, Clementine," Brody said. She had a light southern accent when she spoke. It was definitely welcoming.
"What's up, Clementine," Marlon said. He gave me a look over and for a second he reminded me of Principle Carver. I had to watch myself around him.
Mitch and Violet both gave me head nods. Minnie just ignored me entirely and stared lovingly at Violet.
I was about to give a greeting when the bell rang. Everyone dispersed and left the table. The only person who stayed was Louis.
"Let me see your schedule again," he said. I handed him my schedule. He read over it before grunting in understanding. "Your next class is with me. Come on." He lead the way to our next class. In that moment I knew I would tolerate Louis the most out of all his friends, because he was the only one who stayed.
And you never leave the ones that stay.
