I doubt I had much time left to be sprinting all the way to the other side of the school but I didn't care. There was something inexplicably captivating about all of these new students and a part of me couldn't resist catching a glimpse of what their school life would be like.
I was aware that my actions were worthy of an obsessed fan girl but that didn't stop me from running as fast as I could (which sadly, wasn't that fast) towards the old dorm building.
My eyes darted around me, checking for anyone else who might have skipped registration but thankfully I was alone all the way. I eventually had to stop running but I was practically there, standing before tall, new gates below an ivy-covered arch. My eyes focussed on the one thing I didn't consider in my calculations.
"A padlock?!" I whispered angrily. "Ugh,"
I leant against the arch wall and tried to catch my breath. I guess I'd have to take in as much as I could from just the outside. Exhaling loudly, I pushed myself away from the wall and walked slowly to stand right in front of the intimidating black gates. I clasped my hands around the dark bars and looked properly at the night classes dorms.
The first renovation was obvious; the old busted gate had been restored into somewhat of a masterpiece. The main gate barely looked better than this. Then there was the short path leading up to the entrance. It was completely clear of the overgrown plants that had once invaded it. Instead it was a simple strip of gravel outlined by neatly cut grass.
The entrance was minimalistic yet gave a sense of grandeur regardless. It was a double door, guarded by two white marble pillars on either side that contrasted beautifully with the dark walls.
The windows had been restored too of course and looked classic and…
"Crap!" I exclaimed as I darted back under the arch.
There had been someone standing in one of the windows. They wouldn't have seen me, would they?
I peeped around the corner and looked back up to the window where I had seen the figure. I could see that they weren't looking at me but instead watching the sunrise or something. How nice.
I snuck back over to the gate and hid a little behind the wall so they wouldn't see me. I peeked over the top and saw him for the first time…
***
"Alice, where have you been?!" demanded Lily when I finally fell through our door, gasping for breath.
"I…went…to…look…at…the…old…dorms…" I breathed.
I dragged myself over to my bed and collapsed on it. It wasn't a luxury mattress with goose down pillows but it felt like a cloud at that moment. I didn't need to look to guess the expression that would be spreading across Lily's face at that moment.
"You WHAT?!"
I laughed a little and prepared myself for a ruthless interrogation.
"Well? What was it like? Did you get caught? Why are you so tired? And so late? Did you get to go inside or did you just look from the outside? Are the dorms like ours or better? I mean by the look of the night class students…"
I tuned her enthusiastic voice out after a while, I'd tell her everything I knew later. At the moment I couldn't shake him out of my head. I couldn't believe that had happened. I knew I was in big trouble this time…