Chapter 2- Dean Buckley vs. The Kleptomaniac

I sighed as my brother's car rounded the final bend and parked the car in front of the school. Eden Hall Academy looked fairly similar to all the other prep schools that I had gone to.

Large property; check. Large stone building with large stone steps; check. School colors on display; check. Tons of mindless drones being forced into the system; check.

It was so much like the others I thought I would vomit. It would be fun to see the look on ol' Denny's face as the paint peeled off his new car, but the idea of re-experiencing the food from the airplane was enough torture for one day, so I saved that little idea for the future.

Denny cleared his throat and looked expectantly at me. "Can you get yourself in there without an escort, or do I have to treat you like the five year old you pretend to be?"

I rested my elbow on the door, placed my head in my hand and glanced at him as if saying 'do you really trust me that much?'

He groaned and got out of the car and walked to the other side waiting for me to get out, which I did after a few minutes of making him wait. I grabbed my bag from the back and pushed myself to get out of the car being only a couple steps behind Denny.

The inside of the building even looked identical. Marble staircases; check. Happy students; check. Big trophy cases complete with plenty of big and shiny trophies; check. This was so much like the other schools. I'd only have to put up with this place for a month tops; a minimum of three weeks. I could try for two weeks again, but let's not over exert myself. Besides, I could loose my touch. "Three weeks." I muttered.

"Pardon?" My brother asked looking over his shoulder at me suspiciously. Oops. Did I say that out loud?

"Denis Banks?" A man with grayish hair asked as Denny put his hand on doorknob of the Main Office. He was fairly tall with a worn face with little creases around his eyes and his eyes looked full of life. I always liked to take note of little things like that. It was always so much more fun when I eventually broke their spirits.

"Yes." My brother acknowledged him in a way that should have made me sick. My family makes me nauseous; so sue me. "I assume you're Dean Buckley?"

I smiled. Perfect. I got to meet my rival within the first couple minutes of coming to the school. I might as well get acquainted with him, and also get comfortable in his office. I have a feeling he will be dealing with me personally.

"And you assumptions are correct." He replied with a grin and a pat on the shoulder, trying his best to seem welcoming and friendly. The urge to scream, 'Stop with the act! You just want our money!' overcame me, but after years of grooming at the pretentious schools, I actually did learn a thing or two. One of those things is when to keep my mouth shut, however sometimes I ignored these lessons; more often than not did I ignore those lessons.

"And this must be Adam."

I didn't even have to say anything. My brother seemed to take over as Dean Buckley led us into his spacious office. "And it is, my troublesome little brother." Denny replied with a chuckle, slapping his hand on my back, pretending that we are close.

The truth is that we were close, back when dad wasn't a loon and my mother wasn't as much of an alcoholic as she is now. We were close when I played hockey. Now, we only seem to be close when we are poking fun at each other or when my mother needs backup with me, which is more often than she would like to admit, and less often than I would like to say.

Dean Buckley and Denny talked about me as if I weren't even there. The new Dean seemed slightly concerned about my record, which was fairly thick from my infractions, and Denny was ensuring that with Dean Buckley's help 'I wouldn't be any trouble at all.' That's what he always said. He was just being sure that Dean Buckley wouldn't run off with his tail between his legs as soon as he got a quick look at my record.

Meanwhile I took inventory of his office. A couple pictures of his family were across his desk. He had a daughter, a young son and a wife. They smiled at me from behind the glass on the picture frame on his desk. I cast my eyes away from them and my eyes seemed to lock on a pair of golden personalized pens on the edge of his desk.

"Well Adam, I think this is going to be a good experience for you. Build some character, create some good connections." Dean Buckley announced, snapping my attention to him in an instant. He slid a room key onto the edge of his desk along with a timetable and agenda. "I think if you try, you will fit right in here at Eden Hall."

I nodded and grabbed the timetable, folding it a couple times and putting it in the breast pocket of my jacket, placed the agenda in my bag and playing with the key as I awaited my dismissal.

My brother cleared his throat and frowned. "I think it may be necessary to also give him a tracking sheet and have regular dorm checks. My brother has been known to get into mischief if he doesn't have someone watching him." He glanced at me and focused on Dean Buckley who seemed to frown at this statement. Dick. Weren't brother's supposed to be loyal to each other?

Ok... maybe he isn't happy with the fact he had to take time out of hanging with his friends to bring me to this school. But he would be even less happy with me when he found out his wallet was missing a couple hundred. He should really consider carrying smaller bills with him.

"I don't know if we really need to go as far as the tracking sheet. Here at Eden Hall we like to give students the benefit of the doubt, but I think dorm checks may be suitable." Dean Buckley replied with a nod reaching for one of his pens at the edge of his desk. His eyes widened as he realized there was only one. "Where did that pen go?" He muttered to himself as he reached about the desk, looking under some of the papers.

My brother jerked his head immediately at me, just nostrils flaring like an angry bull. He knew; it's just sad that Dean Buckley was pleasantly oblivious.

I sighed and reached into my bag and retrieved the pen and sat it on his desk. Dean Buckley stared at me, flabbergasted at my behavior and nonchalant attitude. "Thank you." He muttered with wide eyes as he grabbed the pen carefully and wrote a quick note, eying me the entire time.

I shrugged. "I didn't notice it with my agenda."

My brother breathed deeply, his neck turning red from embarrassment. "Yes, I think it may be time for me to get young Adam here settled. Is there anything else he needs to know?"

I crossed my arms defiantly. Tell me Buckley, what else do I need to know? I smirked. This guy was going to be such a pushover.

"That will be all." He replied eying me. "If you need a map; ask Miss Jamison. She'll be more than happy to help you."

Denny was the first to get up and quickly made his way to the door as I collected my bag and pushed out of the chair with a sadistic smirk and walked out of his office. By the time I had gotten out of the office Denny had already collected a pair of maps and was waiting for me by the door. I winked at the gorgeous secretary, whom I guessed was Miss Jamison and walked out of the door, which Denny was holding.

My brother and I seemed to be in a race as we walked toward the car to grab my suitcases and a box of personal items that he had okay-ed while I packed.

"You had to let out your inner kleptomaniac on the Dean's personal possessions didn't you?" He spat as he opened the door to his car and shoved the heavy box in my arms. "I thought we were going to be good and actually enjoy your time here."

I scoffed as he grabbed my suitcases and closed the car door behind him and locking the car with a push of a button on his keychain. "I'm considering my options."

He rolled his eyes as we started our trek to the boy's dormitories. "Your options have been considered for you Adam." He replied angrily glancing at me and shaking his head. "This is your last stop before you head to military school and I know you don't want to do that."

I rolled my eyes. "You never know. Maybe knowing how to shoot a rifle may come in handy one day soon." I smiled at the hidden meaning.

He huffed. "You don't have to like it here. You just have to be. When you attend classes you get good marks Adam. Just pass high school, go to whatever college mother deems suitable and then you can change your name and do whatever you feel like. Just visit us on Christmas and you won't have to hear from us."

I shrugged. "Maybe I like causing mother problems. Maybe I feel like I don't get enough attention and I'm acting out to get her and your attention. Love me Denny. I'm just a little lost puppy and I just need love." I laughed as we walked up the steps to my new 'home' for the next three weeks.

"You've been getting enough attention lately and your satire has no effect on me Adam. "He replied with an emotionless look on his face. "What room number are we looking for?" He stopped.

I put the box on the ground and reached into my pocket and pulled out the first thing I touched; my pack of cigarettes.

He frowned and dropped a suitcase and snatched the carton out of my hand. "I thought you were quitting." He snapped as he tossed the half empty pack in the trash.

I looked longingly at the trash bin. I had a feeling I would need those tonight. "No, you said I should think about quitting. I thought about it and bought a new pack; the one you threw out." I replied bitterly. I glared at him angrily as I dug through my pocket, being careful not to pull out my lighter I had lifted from my old roommate in Maine. I gripped my key and stared at the room number. "Room 310."

My brother grinned. "Excellent. Then you won't be able to sneak out after curfew without breaking your neck."

I glared at him as he walked up the first flight of stairs. "Don't temp me." I called up at him as a boy with dark curly hair passed me, looking at me funny as I responded. I glared at him. "What are you looking at?"

He shrugged. "Nothing, you just look familiar."

I shook my head as I didn't even give him the courtesy of a short response laced with sarcasm and wit. Not that it would've mattered as I continued onto the second staircase. Sarcasm is wasted on the stupid. However he did look slightly familiar.

I got onto the third floor just as my brother had found room 310. "It looks nice from here." He called from in front of the door over a couple freshmen boys who were kicking around a hackie sack in the middle of the hall.

"Of course it does." I yelled back, ducking under the game and dragging my feet as I neared Denny. "If the halls looked like crap do you really think the rich folk like Mimi would invest their money and the minds of their children at this dump?"

My brother looked over at me with a glare. "I'm sure you'll get an excellent education here. You would've gotten a better one at the other schools but you insisted on acting out."

I shook my head as I shoved the key in the lock and twisted the doorknob. I turned to Denny with an unimpressed look. "It's a closet."

He frowned. "It is bigger than your old room at Nixon Academy."

"I went to John F. Kennedy Academy for Boys, not Nixon thank you very much." I corrected with a sneer. "And I don't care. It's a closet, and I refuse to stay here."

My brother walked into the room and put the suitcases on the empty bed. "Well it's either here or you can stay with mother at home and I have to drive you to school everyday."

I cocked an eyebrow. "You're staying with Mimi here in Minnesota? What about Yale?"

"I'm taking a semester off." He replied quickly. "Besides, I'm quite sure mother doesn't want to be left alone in our house until you mess up in this place. She needs someone to watch her seeing I know you won't visit her."

"Just like she won't visit Dad." I snapped kicking my box into the room.

He closed his eyes. My brother didn't like to talk about father and when he did he always made it sound like he was dead instead of in Northern Wisconsin in a mental institution locked in a little room, much like this place sans the second bed. "That's different Adam."

I rolled my eyes. "Well thanks, you can leave now." I replied sarcastically, motioning towards the door.

My brother looked at me pitifully and shook his head. "I'll see you on Saturday. We'll have lunch. Call me if you need anything." He muttered and walked out of the room.

I slammed the door behind him and collapsed on the bed. Ok, so the room wasn't a closet. It was a fairly normal sized room and the walls were a cream color which was so bright and pleasant. I licked my lips and grabbed my cell phone from my bag and flipped it open, dialing a number I knew too well.

"Jim?" I asked into the phone. "Yeah it's Banksie. You wouldn't by any chance have any 'connections' in Minneapolis; would you?"