It was the first day back after summer vacation, and the school was abuzz with life. Quite a contrast to the usual quiet exterior. Students, new and old, were saying goodbye to their families, lugging suitcases full of belongings through the wrought iron gates of the school. Old friends reunited, telling eachother tales of their holidays, whilst old enemies put their pasts behind them for one day of peace. The taller students sat themselves on top of the red brick wall that surrounded campus, showing off how they could climb such a thing, only to get called down by security. A few of the classic delinquents passed around cigarettes in a corner and tossed stones at any bird that perched nearby. Geeks and nerds discussed their favourite shows that had aired during the two-month long vacation, and showed off new handheld gaming devices they'd bought. Aspiring council members stood at the gates, handing out a student handbook and leaflet to everyone who entered, informing them about the rules and events of the school.





Aside from the few younger students sniffling about being dropped off, being unable to run back to the loving arms of their family once they drove off, everything was peaceful. There were no fights, no scuffles, no drama. Save for the occasional 'bad-boy' hitting on twenty girls a minute, or the 'tough-guy' stealing a nintendo from a nerd. Everyone kept to their group of friends, and the friendless made friends rather quickly. It was like the ideal school. Until you delved deep into every students life, that is.

Since the school focused more on extracurricular activities, their population was small, and was made up of three types of people. The rich, the overly-intelligent, and the just plain dumb. The rich didn't need to worry about qualifications, as they were most likely to get a family company or business as a hand-me-down. The overly-intelligent already had the necessary qualifications to go far in life, and just wanted to kill the extra time they had and find a hobby. If they didn't have the qualifications, then it was most likely that they just got bored and under-challenged by regular school curriculum. The plain dumb... well, nobody really needs an explanation on them, do they?

School hours were short, and had long breaks between curricular classes, but their clubs were matched by none. It was unknown how they got so much funding. Almost anyone could start up their own club, whether it be a book or tetris-playing club, so long as they could prove it had interest and potential. It was much like raising a child. If you can prove they have potential, you'd love and nurture them. If they didn't, you'd stick them in the trash can and maybe, at a later date, set them on fire. Maybe do a couple slam-dunks with them first.

The school building itself was miraculous, standing at an astounding five stories high, with an accessible, flat roof. Some believe that it was renovated from a castle, or mansion of sorts. To the front was the courtyard, simple, paved pathways leading to the front gate and dormitory block with patches of grass off to the side. The back was a wide, open space, large enough for an outdoor tennis court, sports field, and exersise track to be seperate, and then some spare. A few students who had already settled in were sitting on picnic blankets, discussing their vacation and the academic year to come. A short way off was a small block of stables, filled with horses and foals alike for the clubs that needed them.



The dorm block was rather bland compared to the grandeur and splendour of the main school building. The sandblasted bricks reflected the sunlight, looking almost like someone had coated the entire building in gold and silver glitter. It stood at four stories high, with a total of two-hundred rooms, fifty on each floor. Posters were stuck around the building, advertising the less-popular clubs and school events. A few students sat on the gabled roof, enjoying the shade that the intersecting pieces gave.

---

---

A young girl stood in the foyer of the dormitory, waiting for the student in front of her to get done blubbering to the security guard stationed there. Having never been to a boarding school before, she reckoned this was standard procedure. Pulling her phone out from the pocket on her jacket, she scrolled through her e-mails until she found the one she was looking for. 'Acceptance Notification'. She figured she'd have to show this to the security guard so he could print her ID card, then she would be free to find her room. Unfortunately, the student in front of her claimed to have accidentally lost their letter of acceptance, and was sniffling and sobbing like no tomorrow.

Thankfully, that was the last she would see of the snot-faced student, as they were escorted out by another member of the security. Pulling her suitcase with her, she strode up to the desk, tossing her phone under the small window for the man to look at. She heard a faint 'beep' as he scanned the QR code that was on the bottom of the electronic mail, and the printer started to whurr into action. Taking the opportunity to look around properly for the first time since she entered, it was quite surprising how bland yet aesthetically pleasing the interior was. The foyer was small, with dark red wallpaper and oaken flooring. On the left, the security guard sat in a booth, similar to those you'd see in post offices or train stations. On the right was an enormous poster, advertising all the events to come. Directly infront was a wooden door with a large glass window running down the middle, letting the girl see the narrow hallways lined with doors it gave way to. The entire room was dimly lit by what looked to be a hanging light, that looked similar to a chandelier.

The man behind the glass screen grunted, shoving her phone and a newly-printed ID card through the window. Mumbling a small 'thanks', the girl made her way through the door. It was although she had entered a whole nother world. The hallway was indeed very narrow, it would be difficult for more than two people to walk side-by-side. The walls were painted an off-cream, almost pale yellow shade, and compared to the homely feel of the dimly lit lighting in the foyer, the lights in this part of the building were blinding. Plain, brown doors were parallel to eachother, and covered both walls, with about two meters of plain cream-cheese wall between them. Each door had a metal number screwed on, and at the end of the corridor, it was possible to see the bottom of a staircase.



Perching on her suitcase she checked the e-mail again, looking for her room number. Much to her dismay, it seemed like it would be on the second floor. Oh how she wished she didn't have to lug her case of belongings up the stairs, but it didn't seem like she had much choice, if any. Sighing, she got up and picked her suitcase up by the handle, rather than pulling it behind her, and made her way over to the stairs, and then up. It was quite the climb, there wasn't too many stairs but they were tall and far apart.

Thankful to reach the top, a skip was in her step as she made her way along the second corridor. Her room was towards the middle. Swiping her ID card in the slot that was in the doorhandle, either brilliantly or terribly designed, she heard a 'click'. Flinging open the door, she took in the sight.

The room was moderately sized and rectangular. On the left was a single bed, and on the right were a set of bunk-beds. 'Does this mean I'll have multiple roommates?' She thought to herself. On the far wall was a small window, along with a wardrobe and a chest of drawers. The walls were a beige colour, and she guessed that they'd soon become decorated with various things such as posters and calendars. At the foot of the singular bed was another door, with a large 'BATHROOM' sticker. At the foot of the bunk-bed, was a small refridgerator. Presumably for things such as drinks. Would it be impolite if she chose a bed before her roommates got here? Would she seem creepy if she waited for them before she chose? Shrugging, she threw her suitcase onto the top of the bunkbeds, climbing up the ladder and sitting herself down, cross-legged.

She would claim this bed, but she'd have to wait for at least one of her roomies before unpacking. It would be embarrassing if she lodged her underwear in the same place they wanted to keep theirs, after all.

---

Luca had arrived very early to school. His parents had plans later that day and were typically early for everything, so it came as no surprise to him when the school wasn't even opened yet. His parents had just dropped him off since he already knew what he was doing, but now he had to spend a half hour sitting on a ledge waiting for the doors to open. Luckily, the early male still had the password to the unrestricted wifi saved. Though, it was just his luck that he was barely in range of the wifi which meant that it was slow as fuck.

After a half hour of trying to be patient, the doors finally opened. By then a few students had also gathered around waiting. Some with family, others alone like him. Luca grabbed his mismatched suitcases and wheeled them behind him with ease. He was well accustomed to this process, having done it multiple times before. Once he strolled up to one of the stations, the blond male slid his previous year's ID over to the security guard. After a few moments of doing whatever the hell they had to do, the beefy man returned his card as well as a new one for this year. No words were exchanged, so Luca simply headed over to the dorms. It was the same as always, though he couldn't help but feel a strange mix of sadness and excitement in the pit of his stomach as he traversed the familiar terrain. This year was going to be his last year here, but he was excited at the potential possibilities that came with it.

Room 48 was on the second floor, towards the end of the hall. Luca felt a wave of nostalgia for this area, he roomed a couple doors down in his sophomore year. Now it was time for the moment of truth. Taking a dramatic deep breath, the senior slid his card into the slot and held it there for a moment. With a soft 'beep’ the light turned green. He let out the breath he was holding.

“Phew, at least the door works.” Luca spoke to himself as he opened the door. He decided to claim the bed on the right because why not? Also the bathroom was on the left side on the room and if there were ever an 'incident’ the blond would like to be as far away from the bathroom as possible. “Home sweet home” He said, his arms reaching up in the air to stretch his back. The lone male began to unpack his suitcases, playing music in the background and unabashedly singing with it. It was going to be a year alright.

---

---

An old car with three people in it pulled up in front of the school, doing it's best to avoid the masses of new arrivals and people being dropped off. It was a frustration every year, mostly for Jae's dad, who was driving. The car wasn't optimal either, being old and breaking down on the regular. If you were to divide the school into 'rich' and 'poor' it was clearly so that Jae would be in the poor area of the school. How his parents brought up the money for this school, Jae did not know. But it wasn't unlikely that they were deep in debt for it.

When the car stopped, Jae got out and walked to the back of the car, opening the back up and grabbing a dufflebag and swinging it over his shoulder. He then grabbed a smaller sportsbag and closed the back of the car. During the entire process not a word was spoken with his parents. When he stepped onto the pavement, ready to head into the school, he glanced back shortly, noticing his mother looking at him with a faint smile. His father didn't even look at him, turning his hands on the steering wheel and driving off. It was a similar exchange to the two previous years and Jae would be lying if he said he wasn't relieved to be out of that house again.

While he was expected to head inside more or less immediately, he stopped for a moment and went through his pockets shortly, grabbing a cigarette pack that looked like it had been in there for a month minimum. Never the less, despite it's apparent age, Jae managed to pull a cigarette from the rugged pack, sticking it in his mouth and putting the pack back. He pulled his hand out of his pocket, this time holding a lighter. With a rather simple movement he flicked his thumb over the top of the lighter, twisting the small gear and pressing the button to release gas. A flame jolted out of the lighter and he used it to light his cigarette. With that said and done he returned the lighter to it's rightful place, and returned on his way to the school.

The campus was large - large enough by any rate - and it had the effect that Jae felt in place and out of place at the same time. A sort of strange feeling of being home, yet being in a strange environment. It was a feeling he'd always had, and something that never really faded away. He continued across the large courtyard, pushing himself a way past the nerds and would-be delinquents that were holding up the masses of people trying to get to the dorms. “Fucking idiots.. can't you see we're trying to get to the dorms?” he bad-mouthed one of them as he passed him by, giving the delinquent a shady look before walking off. Jae got away a lot with that kind of stuff - he wasn't tall, but his arms looked 'sorta buff' and he had a rough look about him. The cotton square plaster taped onto the corner of his eye said that much, anyway.

He stood outside the dorms when he had arrived for a few more moments, finishing his cigarette first, watching some of the first years entering the building. He seemed disinterested in most of them, following some of them with his eyes. A girl walked inside, her long onyx-colored hair being the only reason Jae gave her a look in the first place. He looked at her pass by until she entered, at which point he turned his eyes front again. A third years student that Jae knew to be a guy called 'Luca' passed by, but Jae wasn't nearly interested enough to look at him for more than a second. He doubted Luca would recognise Jae anyway.

When he had had enough of this little game called 'stare at all the people' he threw his nearly finished cigarette to the side, before heading inside. Some cleaner-janitor person would probably clean up the cigarette later. That's what they're paid for, isn't it? Jae passed the security, flashing his student card at the man quickly. “All these walls and they still need security.. fucking prison. As if I'd try to escape..” Jae mumbled as he walked into the hallway leading to the rooms. He'd never had a first floor room before, so this was a change at least. Jae didn't like change too much though.

The card got swiped in the doorhandle, which Jae always considered to be a 'retarded way of doing things' as it was much easier to break into these type of rooms. And it was much easier to fumble and not open the door quickly enough in an emergency. 'But it's so state of the art, so modern!' the school would likely say. State of the art my ass, Jae would reply. What was wrong with a simple key? Whatever..

He set foot in the room and lo and behold! “What a piece of shit.” Jae mumbled as he swung his bag onto the first bed he saw, on the right side of the room. Okay, so the room wasn't as majestic as he'd have hoped, but whatever. It had a bed, a bathroom and a refrigerator. That's all he needed. He didn't care too much who was in the room with him, or what they'd think of the beds, since Jae was here first, and that means he got first pick. Now that he was a third years he assumed his seniority gave him the power to decide such things, anyway... He unpacked most of his clothes and put them away in a nearby drawer. Despite his rough, delinquent appearance, the clothes he put away were somewhat nice. And he put them away neatly folded and organized. Perhaps looks could be deceiving. “Fucking school.” he then mumbled, quickly shattering the notion that perhaps Jae wasn't as much a delinquent as it seemed. No, he definitely was a bit of a delinquent.

---

---

Felix stared out the car's tinted windows, his breath trembling ever so slightly as he took in the sight. This was it. This was finally it. He had seen the school before through websites and pamphlets, so he knew what it looked like. The red bricks, the looming buildings, the sophisticated architecture--all familiarized in preparation for his upcoming arrival. But to be here now and actually see the campus with his own eyes? It was overwhelming to say the least. This was going to be his school. Not that cold, lifeless prep school full of teasing faces and unforgotten mistakes. This was a new place, with new faces and a new life.

"Nervous?" His mother's voice broke through Felix's thoughts, momentarily startling the young man. She peered into the rear view mirror, her dark eyes meeting her son's crimson. They were gentle, filled with a soft light that was mirrored in Felix's own, but also laced with unhidden concern.

Felix laughed, a warm sound full of mirth an amusement. It was a stark contrast to his shaking insides. "Please, Mother." He winked. "I never get nervous."

He grabbed his suitcase, pausing to kiss his mother's cheek, before stepping outside. Felix watched as the car pulled away before he turned his attention back to the looking walls before him. There was no turning back now. With a brilliant smile, He strode forward toward the school. Students milled about, laughing and chatting earnestly. The air was infectiously lively, giving Felix a small bounce to his step. There were no familiar faces, no familiar voices, no familiar anything. Everything was so foreign and new. Yet somehow, it only served to fill him with excitement.

Knowing where to go was his biggest challenge so far. After asking multiple students for directions (and perhaps even their phone numbers), Felix was redirected to a security station for his ID card and room assignment. He gave the guard a sheepish smile as he fumbled on his phone for his letter of acceptance and slipped it to the guard. "Sorry," he laughed as it was scanned and the ID printed. "You see, I'm quite new here and I'm not used to such--oh, guess I'll be seeing you later!" He took back his phone and brand new card as he as unceremoniously pushed from the line by the student behind him. With a wave to the stone-face guard, Felix made his way into the hallway. A few turns and a set of steps later, Felix was at his dorm number. He glanced back and forth between the door and the acceptance letter. This was it. Or at least, he hoped so. One could never be too sure whether or not you were stepping into your new room or the broom closet. He scanned his card, sighing in relief as it worked, and stepped inside.

The room was fairly plain. Not too spacious, not too cramped. There was a bathroom, thank goodness, and it had basic furnishings as well. A few beds, a desk, a girl, a dresser--
Felix eyes snapped back, surprise evident on his face. A girl?! And very pretty one at that! He glanced at the letter, reading and rereading the text quickly. It had mentioned roommates, but not coed. He looked up, giving the girl a warm smile. "Well, this is certainly quite a surprise," he greeted, extending a hand. "You must be my new roomie. My name is Felix Leverett. Pleasure to meet you."

---

It was quiet in the car ride to her new school, or rather her new prison for her final year in high school. Everyl burned daggers into the back of her driver's head, and by the frigid tension in the car, she was quite sure he could feel it. She knew that it wasn't the driver's fault, but he just happened to be within the vicinity for her resentment. He was actually one of her most favorable of staff -- meek, loyal, and quiet. Just how Everyl liked them. None of that bullshit happy-go-lucky false front that so many of weak often put up.

Disgusting.

They had slowly reached the hovel of an educational facility. Did her father really expect her to stay here? Her driver quickly got of his seat and the car to open the door for her. Perhaps the last time she'll have someone at her beck and call. She stepped out, scowling and the cheerful sounds of the hooligans that are her fellow classmates. Everyl turned her head sharply at her driver, wondering why he was just standing there idly as if he were paid by the hour. Fear satisfyingly painted his features as he jumped back to work mode, closing her door and fetching her luggage. Louis Vuitton leather set trunks of course.

"Later!"

Everyl turned and as if he teleported, the driver was already zooming off in the Bentley she was sitting in moments ago. She huffed, figuring her punishment must have started the moment she set foot on school grounds. Brushing a strand of hair behind her ear in a soothing way, Everyl looked to the rather too large trunks. Now that she was the one who had to carry them, perhaps it was a bit much.

No, no. I did pack the essentials. It's not like I'm going to live some of this savages. She scanned the area in repulsion, seeing what they called cheap clothes being worn in public. Why she would never even be caught dead in such rags. Shes till couldn't believe she had to be in such close proximity of these beasts.

To distract herself, she figured she better move her luggage inside, the aged leather style was last year and every minute under the blazing sun meant another several hundred dollars off of its value. She pushed with all her might, genuinely surprised her trunks began to move, given she's never worked a day in her life. It took her a few proud steps to realize her bags were on a cart for easier mobility. Chagrin colored her face briefly before she continued on, feeling much like those pilgrim folk who possibly traveled this very path years before. A young man, a first year it looked from his childish features, had opened the door. At last, some recognition. She made her way through the door way without any means of a thank you.

The inside could have been better, but was surprisingly nicer than the outside in her opinion. She followed the small crowd the best she could, having a rather difficult time seeing over her stacked trunks. They fortunately led her to the stations where it appeared you received an ID card. She waited in line impatiently, fixing her messed up hair from all that vigorous labor she had just endured. How dare they make her wait. She doubted any of these children even knew the taste of
foie gras, let alone worthy of being ahead of her.

Eventually, it was finally her turn. She stood before the glass, waiting a few more painfully long seconds before the man on the other side looked at her expectedly, as if expecting something. He gestured toward the hole on the bottom of the glass, wanting something, acting as if she would carry things on her person. That was the help's job. She arched a brow, rather appalled she was to stand here and waste her time.

Vesta. At last the stare down had broken as the man nodded at the mention of her last name. He typed on his keyboard before the printer roared to life. The man threw her card underneath the window for her to retrieve. She did so, holding the edge of it precariously as if she'd get some sort of disease from it. Carrying on her way, shoving her hoard of personal items to where her room was, gladly not on the second floor. Even thinking about carrying all of her belongings up the stairs made her exhausted.

Room 17 wasn't much of a journey as she expected. The plain door had one of those swipe devices like those equally rundown hotel places she'd never dare stay at. With the green light flashing it's approval, Everyl swung the door open, now having to pull the damned cart of luggage. She even had to exert force due to the cart just not quite fitting through the doorway. Although when it did unexpectedly, she manage to pull a bit too hard, the momentum making her fall on her rear.

"Oh dear lord. Now I'm going to have to burn these clothes." She grumbled with irritation, immediately getting off the most likely filthy floor. She closed the door rather forcefully, not wanting any eyes to see her at such a low point at her life, cut off from society in this closet of a room.

---

---

"Dear, are you listening?"

The warm, motherly voice snapped the young adult back to attention. She had been daydreaming again, staring absent-mindedly out of the window of the small car. Turning to face the person beside her, Sugar frowned slightly and shook her head, the expression quickly turning into a small smile.

"Sorry, Mother. Could you repeat that?" She asked. Her voice was quiet, yet not weak. It was something akin to a sweet honey or caramel.

She had expected her mother to drone on about the five rules of school, like she had the previous two years. Sugar knew the rules by heart, but never talked back to her parent. She knew that her mother was only looking out for her. Instead, the older woman just gave her daughter a smile, the corners of her eyes creasing and wrinkling.

"This is your last year, I hope you'll make the most of it."

Sugar nodded, some of her hair loosely bouncing as she did so. Through the window on the drivers side, she could see the large, open gates of the school. So this was it. She wrung her hands together in her lap, feeling slightly nervous. She had enjoyed the last couple of years at the school, and she was glad that her parents had allowed her to attend. The feeling of independance and freedom was absolutely amazing, and yet... This year, she couldn't help but feel a bit hesitant. It was her last year. That meant she would be leaving next year. She didn't want to enter a world of adulthood just yet. But apart from that...

"Mother, will you be alright on your own?" She asked, concern lacing her voice. The older woman merely responded with a smile.

Sighing, the girl opened the passenger door, climbing out of the car, taking care not to wobble or stumble in her new heels. Making her way to the trunk, she opened it and took out three bags. A suitcase, a backpack, and a duffel bag. Each was neatly labelled, and after checking to make sure she still had her necesseties in her pockets, she shut the trunk and made her way to the gates, waving as the car drove off. Taking a deep breath, she made her way straight to the dormitories, greeting people as she walked past.

As she approached the desk, having waited behind several other students, she struggled momentarily to get her previous years ID from her pocket. but succeeded after a minute of bumbling and fussing. Sliding it over to the rather misfortunate man behind the screen, she flashed him a sympathetic smile, understanding all too well what it's like to sit on your own and have to do the same process over and over. 'Freshman year was a dark time... I can't even remember why I volunteered to do door duty that day.' She thought, adjusting her backpack as she did so. It didn't take long for her card to be returned along with a new one for the year ahead. She was unsure if all the cards were the same colour, recalling one year where some people had red cards and others had white or grey, but she liked the minty green colour of her own this year.

Her room was fairly easy to find, and she was grateful for it not being on a higher floor. Putting her ear to the door gently, she heard what sounded like drawers being opened and closed. So her roommate was already present. She wasn't much for dramatic enterances. If anything, she hoped that they might not notice her enter. But then that would be rude, or at least, it would be if she didn't say anything.

Swiping her card in the handle, she saw the light turn green. Supressing a mix of excitement and nervousness, she turned the handle, stepping into the room with her suitcase in tow. It wasn't glamourous by any means, but she supposed that, like any other room, it would be personalised soon enough. As she suspected, her roommate was already present.

Oh dear.

It didn't take long for her to recognise him. It would be impossible for her not to. She had met him originally in the martial arts club, and thought that they could've gotten along due to having a common interest, but boy was she wrong. The man was such an ass.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Sugar took a moment to compose herself before surveying the room. Two beds were left untaken, both were on the left side. Moving quickly, she dumped her duffelbag and backpack on the one closest to the door. She wanted to be able to get in and out as quickly as she could, and be as far away from that man as possible. She saw him as a lost cause, and trying to be social with him would get her nowhere. Though... it was no reason to be impolite.

"Jae, is it? You might not remember me, we were in the Martial Arts club together, Homingwell, Sugar." She introduced, choosing her words carefully as she unzipped her backpack, picking out a few rectangular shapes in bubble-wrap. Unwrapping them carefully, as though she was unwrapping a blanket from a newborn, she said the objects -- a couple of photos -- upright on the bedside table between the two beds, making sure to keep them towards her side.

---

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---

---

Power-walking through the halls of the school was not what Vermilion wanted to spend enrollment Sunday doing, but, alas, it was her job. It fell to her to fix any errors, recruit people to hand out handbooks, and make sure each room was spic-n-span before classes started tomorrow. Arriving back in the council room, she got a quick drink from the water cooler in the corner before sitting back down, adding a bright green checkmark next to an item on the list in front of her. Her two suitcases stood near the door. She hadn't had chance to settle in and unpack yet, but she had gotten her new ID earlier. Picking up a pen, she scrawled another thing on the bottom of the list, 'Unpack'. There was just one more thing to do before that, and strangely, it was the most exciting of them yet.

Paperwork. Kind of, anyway.

Booting up her laptop, she logged into the school database with her council login. As the blue loading circle went around, and around, and around, she leant back in her chair, her thoughts drifting to the previous year. She was a Junior now, which meant one last year before she'd have to start being slightly more serious. During her Sophomore year, she threw so many sick parties that her roommate moved out. Hopefully her roommate this year was more tolerant to those kinds of things.

She noticed the loading circle vanish, and the screen popped up with a list of every student who had signed in. All she had to do was print their page out and file them neatly in the cabinet for student files. She didn't really know what the point of it was, since technology existed, but she guessed it had some importance. Clicking around and pressing a few keys, the printer at the back of the room whurred to life, spitting out each piece of paper in a matter of seconds.

It took merely two minutes for the printer to finish printing all the files, and the paper was still warm to the touch. Vermilion picked up the stack in one hand, yoinking open the drawer to a filing cabinet with the other, and got to work. Divider, file, divider, file, divider, file. That repeated until the last file was placed at the back of the drawer. Heading back over to her checklist, the girl tore it up and trashed it, running out of the room giddily, only to return a moment later for her belongings.

---

Room 48... Room 48... Vermilion stalked the hallways of the dormitory looking for her room. She had thought it would be on the first floor, but to her dismay, the first floor rooms stopped at 45, the rest were all rooms for the 'special' kids. Sighing, she hauled her suitcases up the stairs. She had a lack of muscle from barely ever working out, so it was quite the challenge. However, she was excited to the point where stopping to catch her breath wasn't necessary.

Pulling her suitcases through the hall, she found her room rather quickly, and could hear some quite unique singing from inside. Maybe unique was... a nice way to put it. At least it seemed like they wouldn't mind parties. Sliding her card into the slot, she could barely hear the 'beep' and 'click' over the dying cat inside. It reminded her vaguely of her previous year when she roomed on the fourth floor, and the people underneath kept complaining about the noise.

Opening the door, she was greeted to the sight of her new roommate singing whilst unpacking. For a moment she stood and stared, unsure of how to feel and react, but then she slowly began to realise exactly who it was. He was a year her upperclassman, so they never had classes together, but they'd exchanged hello's in the hallways more than once, and she was faiiiirly sure he'd attended a couple of her parties, but couldn't be certain. Stepping into the room slowly, she shut the door behind her quietly and left her suitcases standing in front of it.

She knew the song that was playing, and what better way to make an enterance than showing off her vocals? Clearing her throat as quietly as she could, she sang along to the next line of the song, hoping that she caught her new roomie by surprise.

---

---

Jae was busy putting some of his clothes into a different drawer when the sound of a card being swiped pulled him out of his own little world. He sighed, wondering who he was in a room with this time. He stood up straight and turned around, looking at the door as it opened. The girl that walked in resembled something like a newborn child, standing at barely 5'3. Her lack of curves did not help her either, making her look more like a boy than anything else. She attempted to properly introduce herself, but her rather casual 'Jae, is it?' made it seem like she was barely attempting to recall his name to Jae. When she said her own name, Jae couldn't help but let a laugh slip from his mouth. “Your parents named you Sugar? What a name.” he said, turning back to his clothes. He wasn't really that interested in the girl. And well, he made sure to let that be obvious in the way he behaved.

“I took this bed. You were late, so it's your loss. Martial art club meets at Wednesday from 5 PM to 8 PM again.” he mentioned as he continued doing whatever he was doing. He let her off to her own business while preparing his area of the room. He wondered who Sugar was, in actuality. He knew she did martial arts, since she mentioned it, but he'd never really paid attention to her. And now he was in a room with her. How strange. “What part of the martial arts club are you in? Karate? Tae kwon do? MMA?” Just asking so I know where to avoid you.. he thought to himself while he changed the case for his pillow. Eh, whatever.

Jae digged through his pockets with his right hand, pulling out his phone. He unlocked it and went through the music, pressing on a song that he liked, prompting it to play rather loudly. Ah yes, he didn't really care that Sugar was still in the room with him. She'd have to get accustomed to his music, Jae supposed, but that was her problem. For a moment he put his hands on his hips, wondering what to do next. This was always a bit of a problem for Jae, since there was basically fucking nothing to do on the first day unless you were a freshman and had to arrange a bunch of shit. He turned to face Sugar, looking at her putting away some pictures. He glanced at the pictures briefly but couldn't get a good look at what was on them. “Tsk. Ey, do you smoke?” The question was rather random, but Jae felt weird not making contact with her. Not that there wasn't time for that later, but it was a good thing to get accustomed to the girls' habits early on so he knew what to expect for the rest of the year.

From his other pocket, Jae produced the cigarette pack again, pulling out a cigarette and placing it onto his lips, wiggling it up and down a bit as he looked at Sugar, waiting for an answer. The pack went back into his pocket, while he curiously eyed Sugar. What a crazy name. She didn't even look like a Sugar. She just looked like a boy. If it weren't for her hair.. “Ah, well. If you smoke, feel free to come with me. Otherwise, I'll be off alone. Don't touch any of my shit.” He motioned briefly to his sports bag with karate apparel that was on the bed now. He stepped to the left, grabbing a black jacket from the remaining clothes he'd have to unpack, and pulled it on. He then marched himself out of the room, heading for the door again. He passed by the large amount of freshmen trying to get a security pass, pushing some of them aside. Some of them were taller than him, but his rather aggressive look on his face made sure that they didn't try to tell him off. The glory of having RAF -- resting asshole face.

Once he arrived outside he was quick to light up the cigarette hanging from his lips. Ah, sweet relief. His eyes darted across the people that were passing him by, attempting to enter the building. Every time a new year started this shit happened again. State of the art school my ass. Can't even invent a way to get people to their rooms in an orderly fashion..

---

---

She had expected to be rudely insulted for entering the room, but instead, no such thing happened. It would be a lie if she said she didn't feel intimidated or vulnerable as he eyed her, but so far, nothing bad had happened. Perhaps she got too worked up. After all, considering the attitude her new roommate had, it would be pretty difficult to just act as though they were friends. Especially after her embarrassment last year. Fidgeting with her photos, adjusting them to the point where she could comfortably see them from any angle, she was surprised when she heard him laugh.

The comment about her name was nothing new. In fact, it was almost normal. Ever since she'd started middle school, she'd recieve remarks about how awkward or strange her name was. Frankly, it didn't bother her in the slightest. Her name was one of the things that gave her youth, and set her apart from everyone else. She'd much prefer to be called 'Sugar' than 'Emily' or 'Claire'. Not that she disliked people with ordinary names, but she just found them... normal. She could tell that he wasn't interested in her, and she hadn't expected him to be, so rather than responding she just kept it to herself. It was better to have comfortable silence than awkward socialisation. Setting up a third photograph in the same manner as the previous two, she was taken aback when he kept talking.

Looking over to the bed on the other side of the room, she nodded slightly. She already knew he'd claimed that bed, so what was the point in saying it? Sugar guessed it was just to strike up conversation, but nevertheless, it still seemed pointless. "That's convenient." She mused, choosing only to comment about the club times. She didn't want to sour the mood by mentioning that, in actuality, she wasn't late. As far as she knew, the gates were still open for at least another hour, according to her watch. He was just probably early.

Pulling a box out from her backpack, she set it down on the bed, opening it and looking at the contents. It was filled to the brim with assorted stationary, mainly patterned papers, envelopes, and postcards. The majority were green in colour, with intricate floral designs along the edges, but a few were variants of pink and blue. Carefully, she placed the lid back on the box and slotted it into the bottom drawer in the bedside table. She decided that if they had a third roommate, it would be polite to let them use the top drawer. Sliding it shut, finding the sound pleasant, she looked over at Jae as he asked his question. What was his reason for wanting to know what martial art she did? "I did Taekwondo two years ago, as a Sophomore. Then Aikido last year. I signed up to do Karate this year." She replied, sliding her backpack under the bed, knocking one of her photos in the process.

As she focused on adjusting it again, the sudden music made her jump slightly. It was rather loud, not that she minded. Jae was being surprisingly tolerant of her being there, nice even. Something she hadn't expected in the slightest. The least she could do is not critique his taste in music, although she was fairly sure she'd get mouthed at for blasting her own. By the time she realised he'd asked a question, she could only stare at him dumbfounded. Did she smoke? It was certainly an interesting and out of the blue question, but Sugar convinced herself he was just trying to be nice, not trying to get her addicted to something she'd never even considered doing.

By the time she opened her mouth to politely reject the offer, he'd said something else, and then left. "Ah..." She started, staring at the closed door for a moment. "That... Could've gone worse." The girl thought outloud, her eyes trailing to the bag that he'd motioned to. Her interest was piqued, but she knew it was extremely rude to rummage through someone's belongings. Taking a few moments to push the thought to the back of her mind, she unzipped her suitcase, looking at the spectacle of colours inside. Her few favourite outfits had been neatly folded with help from her mother. They still smelled like home. The scent of cinnamon and vanilla spread around the small room, as though a scented candle had been lit, or an air freshener plugged in.

Atop the clothes was a small notepad, sky blue in colour, with a pen attached with an elastic band. The girl took it out, removing the band and retrieving the pen, and opening it to the first page.

"Right... First, I need to unpack. Then I can write a list of what I need."

Luca stood at the door of his closet, adjusting the way his gi sat on the hanger. He’d probably have to iron it later since it got wrinkly in his suitcase. He absentmindedly kept singing along to the music, not really paying attention. After a moment of silence, the song changed to something a bit slower. It didn’t exactly fit his mood at the moment, but he didn’t feel like changing the song. The blond continued singing. Through many years of martial arts, he had pretty good breath support. This was good when calling attention or if he was at a party or something, but bad for everyone around him when he was singing.

He didn’t hear the door open or close, but once Luca heard a voice join him, he instantly dropped the hangar with his more formal clothes on it. In his mind he realized someone just heard him singing, and turned a little red. However, his body instantly went into ‘fight mode’ as he was trained to do. Unable to stop his movements, the senior whipped around and held his arms up in front of him as if to protect his face. After realizing this new girl was probably his room mate, Luca dropped his stance quickly, hoping she didn’t see that. Well, it was too late now, might as well just pretend it didn’t happen or laugh it off. Probably both. He listened to the new addition as she sang. Hey, she was actually pretty good. Better than him anyways.

The embarrased male kinda recognized the girl. She had hosted quite a few parties he had been forced to attend in previous years. If memory served him right, she was also on the Student Council. He hoped that wouldn’t affect his daily life. Not that he was a troublemaker, but sometimes Luca didn’t adhere to the rules because he thought they were stupid. Even though she was still singing, Luca decided to talk to her. It’d be a bit weird if he just stood there staring at her. “You have a pretty good voice,” He said, smiling. “I assume you’re my roommate? My name’s Luca, nice to meet you.” He walked over to where she was standing to help carry in one of her suitcases. He had taken the single bed so the only other options were either the top or bottom of the bunk bed. “I hope you don’t mind me taking that bed over there,” he gestured over to where his stuff was splayed out on his nicely made bed. He actually should have put some of that stuff away before a girl came in, but oh well, it was too late. “Do you want the top of bottom bunk?” Luca asked, setting her suitcase by the foot of the bed.

It had been dark out when she had gotten onto the coach.

Several hours as the sun slowly rose, with orange coming in as a chaser to the lightening blue, there hours were spent flicking through texts from the other day, or else balancing a laptop on knees as the internet as surfed. And, when the sun was bright enough in the sky, Jack took to napping for the last remaining hour of the trip.

The last leg of the trip started with a waking shake of her shoulder. Letting her eyes flutter open to welcome sun and the sight of another coaches passenger, her lips had screwed into a slight frown as she uncrossed her arm to press a hand to an arm rest, pushing herself up and pulling herself onto her feet with a less than graceful yawn,

“…ah…thanks for waking me.”

Stepping off the coach with both camera and laptop bag hanging off of her, weighing on her front like a small child hanging off her neck, she waiting patiently for her duffle bag to be brought out of compartment. And the last leg of this hell of a journey, well…

-----

Pushing the duffle bag along lazily with the pad of her foot, the tall female made her way down the hall to her dorm, hands firmly set in her pockets…she had actually made pretty good time, getting on over through the main building and past several floors. Finally just shoving the bag to the wall, and checking the room number on paper, she squinted at the door as she heard something from behind the door.

Finally just shrugging, she slid the card into the slot and initially propping her shoe into the door propping it open, and slowly pushed the door open and craned her neck as she eyed the two inside. Just in time to the strange duet’s dying down, and the main topic of discussion being raised,

“Who tops and who bottoms?”

Crossing her arms over her chest with some difficulty, as the two bags still hung off of her tall form, a sharp brow was raised playfully as she looked between them…actually taking a moment to really look at either of these teens, her roommates for the year, “Tsk…well, shhhh--wow, you’re both really good looking.”

Rubbing a thumb along her chin thoughtfully, an intrigued sort of grin grew out of her friendly smile; she brought the same hand up to lightly adjust the loose ponytail, before quickly setting the heftier laptop bag down and offering out a hand for whomever may take it, “It’s Jack, by the way…so, we going to need to set some ground rules, or are we fine to roll with the punches with this?” With the three beds…"Are all three of us rooming together?" She rolled her shoulder as she asked this, felt a hell of a lot better, not having her laptop weighing her down.

And, she did hope so. Jack especially liked these two before her. With heights pretty similar, she could look the guy right in the eye from where she stood...the other girl was also pretty tall, but with similar coloration shared between them and this natural sociable posturing...without even trying, it almost felt like home.

Being alone in a room was quite... boring. Though Cesela wasn't much of a socialite, her polite attitude had always made it easy for people to get along with her at first. Though they never tended to hang around long because of her narrow mind, she was used to people coming and going as they please. She didn't really know what to do. She'd picked a bed, and was inclined to believe that meant her roommates, or at least one of them, should get first pick of storage. It was only a nice thing to do, right?

Sighing, she unzipped her single suitcase, checking again that everything was there despite double-checking earlier that morning. She'd only wanted to pack what she desperately needed. A couple of different outfits and a plastic bag of necessities. Toothbrush, toothpaste, that kind of thing. From the website, she'd seen that the school had a rather lax policy about leaving the grounds, so buying anything extra that she needed would be rather easy. She wasn't rich, by any stretch of the imagination, but her family was quite well-off. Although... Someone could probably tell that just by looking at her.

Time went by and she found herself staring at the window on the far end of the room. Boredom getting the better of her momentarily, she pondered about going over to the window. The girl hastily decided against it. The image of her roommate entering whilst she was looking out of the window, a lonely look on her face, was enough to make her want to barf. 'I'd much rather not experience such a cliche scene.'

The click of the door and the sound of it being opened caught her attention. Finally, she'd have some company. He was rather young-looking, and Cesela came to the conclusion that he was younger than herself. Most likely not by much, but even so. As though amplifying that youthful appearance, he seemed quite happy. He looked to be around the same height as herself, and made a mental note to invest in some high heels. At first, the new body didn't seem to quite notice her, but when they did, the surprise on his face was enough to get a small laugh out of the girl.

Propelling herself off the top of the bunks, she hopped down to stand before him. His mannerisms were quite good, it seemed as though he had grown up in a well-off family, perhaps even wealthy. Taking his extended hand, she gave it a gentle shake. "Cesela Woodlocke, the pleasure is all mine." She flashed him a tiny smile, "I took the top bunk, I hope you don't mind. I haven't unpacked yet, so you can have your pick of storage." Reclaiming her hand, she gestured to the top of the bunk beds, where her open suitcase still sat. "Do you need any help unpacking or anything? I don't really have much, so.."

It was a little awkward, trying to find something to say. But turning her back on him would be impolite. While Felix did seem like a friendly type, what was their relationship classed as? Strangers? Friends? Acquaintances? What were the boundaries? Would it be weird if she asked him to go shopping during their free time for things they didn't bring? Shaking her head slightly, as if to shake out the thoughts, she focused her attention back to her roommate. "What year are you in? If you don't mind my asking."

@Major Ursa@Knight of Doom

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---

Grinning as she finished singing, Vermilion did a mock bow at his compliment. "Thank you, there'll be more where that came from. I have a tendency to sing in the shower." She returned the smile and almost raised an eyebrow when he carried one of her suitcases in. It was an act of chivalry that she had assumed died long ago. Ah, right, he introduced himself. It'd be rude to let that go unreturned. "Vermilion Middleton, but that's probably a mouthful, so you can call me whatever you'd prefer." Pausing, she took a breath. She had a small habit of going on and on and on about things, even if they weren't really important. "Nice to meet you properly, Luca."

She chose not to comment on his singing capability, or anything that happened before he spoke up, for that matter. While she enjoyed a good joke, she didn't like them to be at the expense of someone elses comfort or dignity. Looking to the bed he'd gestured to, she made a small 'mm' and nodded. Pondering the question for a moment, she didn't have time to respond before a third person entered the room.

'Who tops and who bottoms,' Vermilion stifled a laugh at that. Too much partying and late-night drunk conversation had given those words a whole nother meaning. Not that she'd ever consider it, but regardless, the presumably unintentional innuendo was humerous. The person who'd entered seemed to be rather an interesting character. Their appearance was what she would call 'slightly edgy,' and perhaps even delinquent-esque. But their attitude seemed to be rather different.

"I don't mind taking either bunk, so you can pick first." She said to the person who'd introduced themselves as 'Jack'. They certainly didn't look like a Jack, but Jack they were. She took their hand eagerly, giving it a shake. The three of them were quite similar in height, which was a nice change from her dwarfling of a roommate the previous year. "Nice to meet you, Jack!" Beaming, she continued on. "I'm Vermilion, the guy is Luca. Do you need any help with your bags? You seemed to have a bit of trouble with one earlier. Oh, and thank you for the compliment, you're rather attractive yourself." She babbled on, inching closer to Jack as she did so, before realising what she was doing. Laughing sheepishly, she let go of their hand, realising just how close she was and how tightly she was holding it, and took a step back.

"Sorry, I get really carried away. You're both huge upgrades from my roommate last year. As far as rules go..." She looked between the two, "Although I'm on the council, I think rules are a bit of a bore. So long as you don't mind my parties, everything else should be fine."

---

Fixing her blonde hair into a tight braid, Luna stared into her vanity mirror. She hated who looked back at her - a girl who looked afraid of the future, who cowered in the presence of others, who stayed hidden in the shadows. This was the girl she had become during her years spent away from home. It was the girl she would become today. After spending a relaxing summer with her beloved family, it was time to return to the academy. Perhaps this would be the year? There had to be at least one person out there willing to be her friend, right? When other children asked Santa for bicycles and laptops, Luna wished for a person to call her friend. But, Luna was cursed.

Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her backpack and took her time as she walked to the driveway. Two smiling parents stood waiting for her. Despite her troubles at school, Luna was grateful for the love she found at home. There was no one more caring than her mother and father. They hugged her, kissed her, loved her. At home, Luna was a well behaved, loving daughter. But, she was also a liar. Neither of her parents were aware of Luna’s school life, for she constantly filled them in with lies of a cheerful and exciting school. A fake life. Luna only wished to please her parents, and they would always be worried about her if they knew. Better to leave them in the dark.

The road to the academy was full of exciting banter from her mother, asking questions about her friends, any boys who caught her eye, teachers she liked. Every new school year started the same. The lies rolled of her tongue easily now. She created a world within her mind where she was popular and loved by everyone. Most of her time was spent absorbed in this dream world and she had gotten so used to it, Luna sometimes even forget about her real life.

“We’re here, sweetheart.”

Parked a block away from the actual entrance, per Luna’s request, they stepped out the car. Tears threatened to come crashing down, but Luna bit her lip; she was supposed to be excited for the new school year. Savoring her parent’s memory, Luna exchanged tight hugs and kisses before making the haunting walk to school. The day had actually come. A honk rang out in the distance as her parents drove by, waving their hands out the window. Smiling, Luna yelled out another goodbye. A few moments later and the Luna her parents knew and loved, was gone.

Ten minutes of walking and Luna had made it to the academy. Students stepped out of the way as she walked, scared of touching her. New faces were confused but the whispers already beginning would soon fill them in. Sometimes she liked to imagine she was their Princess, walking to her throne room. Another dream. Ever since Luna was little, she had picked up a nasty rumor for being cursed. Things seemed to go wrong whenever she was around, although Luna used to believe it was just coincidence. It didn’t matter now, though. People still treated her differently. Keeping her head down, Luna made her way to the check in.

Most students were going straight to their rooms to begin meeting their roommates and unpacking, but Luna didn’t feel like going to an empty room at the moment. Instead, she went to her secret hiding place. She knew it was probably against the rules, but she had yet to be caught for it. It was difficult dragging all of her luggage up the endless flights of stairs, but Luna didn’t mind it much. It would be worth it.

A smile spread across her face as she opened the doors to the roof of the academy’s building. The blinding sun, her only friend in this lonely school, welcomed her with welcoming arms. Luna couldn’t explain it, but being up on high places made her feel more comfortable. She enjoyed being away from the other fearful students and the pitiful room of her dorm. Up here, she could be whoever she wanted to be. No lies, just her.

Adjusting into a comfortable position, Luna pulled out her art book from her backpack and began to scribble a few sketches. As long as she had a roof and her sketchbook, life didn’t seem so bad.

The girl was striking, to say the least. Her hair was an ebony waterfall of soft, dark locks; her cerulean eyes seemed to reach into Felix's own soul, taking his heart and tickling it senseless. For a moment, Felix resisted the urge to bend down and kiss her land. After all, such a way was customary in greeting a fair maiden. But that'd probably look weird and overdramatic, so he stuck with a simple handshake and smile.

"I don't mind at all," he said with a light laugh. "Quite frankly, I'm not too fond of heights myself." He set his suitcase on the bottom bunk, careful not to jostle it too much. What lay inside was much too precious for such brutish actions. "Some help would be much appreciated, thank you."

He opened his bag, gently lifting a medium-sized wooden box from its innards. Unlike the rest of Felix's belongings, it seemed decades ancient, with minute cracks weaving its walk through the oak and the semblance of tarnish on its silver hinges. While not quite heavy, it was definitely large enough to have displaced most of his clothes from his bag, leaving Felix with half of the necessary clothing needed. Alas, such sacrifices had to be made in the short run. Besides, he could always purchase extras. Maybe he could even ask his roommate to come along. Wouldn't that be a fun little bonding trip? He nestled the box in the upper drawer of one of the dressers before turning to his roommate.

"I'm a junior," he announced proudly. "Although this is my first year here. The years prior, I was at--" Felix paused for a moment, his smile wavering like mirage, "...At an unpleasant boarding school," he finished simply with a seeming tautness to his grin. He couldn't bring himself to share such an unpleasant history with his newfound friend. Even the name itself reopened scars of taunts and name-calling. He shook away the memories. "But that doesn't matter now, eh?" Felix laughed and began to sort out his clothes. "What about you, Miss?"

A loud, fuzzy static echoed around the school grounds. Students ceased their chatter and watched as the gates shut, and the last of the cars that were parked were now driving away. The loud buzz turned into a crackle that could be heard at every corner of the campus, both indoors and out. "Ahem -- Testing, testing." A voice rang out, giving way to a cough. It was clear that the person who spoke was old in age, and their voice had a certain refined quality. Obviously they were a person of great importance.

"All students please make your way to the assembly hall immediately. Tardiness will be punished." They spluttered out, coughing multiple more times between words. "That will be all." The speakers around the campus emitted some more crackling and static, before stopping completely. The sound of room doors being opened could be heard throughout the dormitory as students started making their way to the appointed place. A few of the eager students outside were excitedly entering the grand building, looking at the signs that pointed out the way to the hall. The ones that were unwilling tried their luck on skipping out and staying outside, only to be ushered indoors by security.

The assembly hall itself was a moderately sized room. At the back, rows of dark-purple cushioned bleachers spread throughout the entirety of the width. A few students were already taking their seats on them, looking towards the front. A large stage area was taking up a lot of the remaining space at the front, with stairs at both sides. In the center of the stage was a single podium, and behind that, black curtains shielded whatever was there.

Once all the students were seated, the lighting dimmed at the back of the room, giving the front a bright appearance. The curtains got pulled back to reveal an elderly man. His long, grey hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and his long beard was surprisingly well trimmed. He donned a smart suit, complete with dress shoes and glasses. He gave a small cough before approaching the podium, giving the small microphone a light tap to make sure it worked.

"Welcome to a new school year." The man started, surveying the entire room and clasping his hands behind his back. "To kick off this new adventure, I would like for a few of our new and old faces to introduce themselves. Any volunteers may come up to the podium."

---

---

@Fubsy

Curiousity piqued as the younger boy answered her question. Perhaps they had more in common than she had initially thought. She chose not to butt in and instead let him continue talking. A slight sadness seemed to hint in his tone as he mentioned his previous education, but it was quickly shook off. She moved towards the wardrobe, prying it open. It took a little effort, probably because it went unused, but she got it open. A few coathangers had been left inside. She plucked them off the rail quickly and moved to place them on the bed, next to her roommates suitcase. "You can use the hangers, your clothes are probably smarter than mine." She observed, comparing his clothing to her own scrunched up, wrinkled PJ shirts. A part of her wanted to ask about the wooden box he'd put away carefully, but another part of her thought it would be best to ignore it.

"You don't need to call me Miss, just Cesela is fine." She laughed slightly, "I'm a Junior myself, perhaps we'll have classes together. It's my first year here, so it'd be nice if we did. A room full of unfamiliar faces is unnerving."

When the speakers crackled to life, the sudden noise made her jump slightly. It was quite loud, and she was never fond of loud noises, but to show weakness would be a bad idea. Much to Ceselas joy, the announcement didn't last too long. "I guess we'll have to unpack later." She mused, opening the door and heading out without so much as a 'See you down there'. It may have been a bit abrupt, but she didn't want to get pushed and shoved in a crowd rush.

The walk across the courtyard was quick and painless, though she did have to mumble a few 'Watch it's at a few people who stepped on the back of her shoes. The ground floor of the main school building was enough to get a small 'woah' out of the girl as she followed the masses in the general direction of the hall. It was cramped and narrow, but pretty as heck. The chandeliers hanging from the cieling gave an elegant feel to the halls, and as she walked, she noticed a few doors labelled with room numbers. Presumably those would be classrooms.

Towards the end of the hall, the floor sloped down, almost making Cesela lose her footing as she wasn't paying attention. The walls widened out, and there were two oaken doors, held open by who she assumed to be members of the staff. It was nice to finally have breathing room. Looking around, a lot of people were sat with their friends, spread out on the many bleachers. Pondering for a moment, she made her way over and up the stairs, taking a seat at the very back, on one of the empty rows.

A few people sat on the same row, but not many. With so few students and so much space, it was inevitable that they would be spread out. The man at the front of the room - who she assumed to be the principal - spoke a few words. It was almost an exact replica of what she had heard at her old school. They'd say a sentence or two, and ask a few people to go up and say hi and talk about themselves. It was rather pointless in her opinion. As the elderly man stepped back, she found herself looking around the room, wondering who would go first. She had done it at her old school and she certainly wasn't going to do it again.

---

---

Jae tossed the cigarette remains to the side as he had finished the smoke, blowing out a final grey puff of smoke in front of him. The loudspeakers nearby cracked a bit before a voice came out of it, calling them all to the main hall. That old bastard.. Every year he did the same thing and every year it went the same way -- everyone was too shy to come forward. In his mind Jae contemplated going forward to speak, but he was at a loss on what he'd go and say. Maybe it'd be a good idea to show this old geezer that his 'idea' of nice introductions was fucking stupid. Grinning to himself, Jae thought up a few things he would say. Oh, yes. Old geezer would regret doing this today of all days.

While he was contemplating his words, a security guard showed up, and tried to shove Jae in the right direction. “Hey, take it easy, idiot.” Jae uttered under his breath, knowing better than to insult those glorified mall-cops out loud. Being forced to now, Jae walked towards the main building and flowed with the group of students that was entering. They were taking their sweet time, too. Tsk. An annoyed expression crept onto Jae's face, don't these idiots know how to hurry it along? Annoyed with their slow movement, Jae put a hand on the shoulder of the person in front of him and pulled back slightly, and then pressed himself through the opening that this motion left. This way he'd get to the front of the mob swiftly enough. Some times, when he pulled someone back or pushed them aside roughly, he'd get a 'hey, watch it!' or at times a 'what the fuck, man?'

Not that Jae was concerned with that. If they'd just walk quicker this could be avoided. Jae approached the dent in the floor now, where the area opened up a bit, and now he could make some actual progress. He passed through the doors and shoved his way to somewhere in the middle of the large room, sitting himself down on a bleacher that was somewhere at the middle area of the hall. Once everyone settled down, the old man that had announced the message earlier was revealed from behind two large, black cushions.

When the man called for volunteers, Jae did not instantly get up, but merely looked around to see if anyone was stupid enough to get up there. When nobody else decided to get up, Jae grinned. Slowly he pushed himself up, before raising a hand at the old guy at the front. Jae made his way to the front, doing his best to be casual about it. Jae wasn't one that enjoyed being in the spotlight, but he wouldn't ignore a chance to show the old guy that this whole charade was moronic.

When Jae got up to the microphone, the old man stepped aside and let Jae take the word. Similar to how the old man did it, Jae tapped the microphone with a bit less tactful subtlety. Two loud plopping noises emitted through the hall, scaring some of the students. “Eh, yo. I'm Jae Hwang,” he started out, leaning in to the microphone. He looked around the hall with curious eyes, before a grin appeared on his face. “I'm a third years.. and..”

Slowly he looked to the right, his eyes laying upon the old man who looked back, awaiting what Jae would say. When Jae was satisfied that he had the old man's attention, he turned back to the hall and spoke out. “I'm looking forward to spending another year in this prison. Be careful when you send e-mails to your parents though. In the previous years they read the e-mails and censored them if they weren't good enou-”

A light shove from the old man let Jae know that his stage time was over. He looked at the man and grinned, only to be met with a rather annoyed glare. Now, the things he said about e-mails were totally false. But the first years didn't know that. It'd be funny to see how the old guy would get out of this one. And naturally, Jae was already expecting punishment for this. But to be frank, Jae didn't care. This was the first day, practically the only day in the year where you could have some fun without security guards or teacher breathing down your neck.

Being done with the speech - or rather, forced to be done - Jae continued on his way off the stage. Perhaps this would set the tone for the rest of the introductions, because lord knows that the old guy would force people to come up on stage and tell something about themselves. If he could, he'd use a knife to poke you, forcing you to talk more and more and more..

Jae sat down on the bleachers again, taking a random spot where ever he saw one, since he didn't have any old friends around. None that he'd recognize anyway. Most of them probably skipped out on going to the boarding school for a third year. Their parents weren't really going to force them to go and do just that.. Jae's did, however.

Felix sharply looked up as crackling sound filled the room, followed by the droning of an elderly man sending out instructions. The assembly hall? Where was that? Before he could turn to Cesela and ask, the girl was already out the door, blending into the thickening crowd of students. Felix hurriedly zipped up his suitcase. Even if he had a map, there was no time to consult it. The thought of being punished on the first day did not sit well with him. In a rush, he grabbed his ID card and hurried out the door.

As small as the student body was, they were very fond of pushing. Very fond. Felix winced as several bodies unceremoniously nudged him forward. A couple muttered, "Pardons," managed to clear some of the crowding, but only for a moment. After that, he was near trampled on once more. His height was a clear disadvantage here. Where ever he looked, multiple torsos pressed against him tightly. He never had claustrophobia, but this was close enough to give it to him.

Eventually, the crowd thinned out, giving room for Felix to relax. The current of people led him to a set of double doors, inside being a spectacle of an auditorium. Felix hurried to a seat near the front, a small sigh of relief slipping out of his mouth. So far, he wasn't late or a flattened pancake on the ground. Not a bad start, all things considered.

A hush fell over the scattered students, though the occasional whisper near the back persisted. Felix sat upright, paying sharp attention as the headmaster gave his words. It was a fairly generic greeting. An introduction and an icebreaker all in one. Still, it did little to deter Felix's excitement. He watched as a young man went upstage, barely hiding his laughter as the man did his introduction. He pitied the headmaster, of course, but the look on his face was enough to illicit a chuckle from Felix. He watched the young man, Jae, walk down. As scary looking as we was, he seemed like an interesting stranger. And, as his mother used to say, strangers were only friends he hadn't yet made.

Felix bounced up as no one else came forward. He walked towards the stage, an aura of confidence exuding from him. "Hello to you all!" he greeted, flashing the crowd his most charming grin. "My name is Felix Leverett. I'm a third year, although this is my first time in this school. I have a passion for art, literature, and," he sent out a wink to a group of fanciful looking girls in the audience, "all you beautiful ladies out there. I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you!"

With another flashing smile, Felix turned and hopped down the steps. He returned to his previous seat, twiddling his thumbs as he went over his words. Had he said too much? Too little? Had he seemed too annoying or eager? He shook away the nervous thoughts. There was no point in dwelling on it too much. All he could do now was turn to the stage and see who would go up next.

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The timing was perfect. Just as she had finished putting away the rest of her belongings, and made a list of things she still needed, the speakers came to life. In the previous years, it had unfortunately been in the middle of her packing, and she hated leaving things unfinished with a passion. But this year it was just... perfect. While the man spoke over the intercom, Sugar proudly observed her little corner of the room, a wide smile on her face. A poster neatly stuck above the head of her bed, photos on the bedside table, alarm clock and wireless phone charger next to them. It was looking less like your standard dorm and more personalised, or as she liked to say, 'sweetened'. As though someone had taken honey and spread it on a bland, plain piece of toast.

Supressing a squeal of excitement as the voice and static stopped, she rushed out of the room. In previous years, she would've dreaded the walk to the assembly hall, but this year it was filled with happiness. It took all of her effort not to skip. She found herself walking next to an anxious Freshman, who was shaking so much she could feel it since they were forced into such close proximity. You'd have thought the school would've knocked some walls down and made the hallways wider, but usually there wasn't such huge crowds. The girl exchanged light conversation with the Freshman whilst they walked, but the shaking didn't cease. She was almost thankful when the hallway opened up.

A bounce in her step, she forgot about the dip and slope in the floor, and ended up falling, practically skidding into the hall on her stomach. Thankfully she hadn't hit her face too badly, but sliding in on her stomach... Whilst a unique enterance, it was one she hadn't desired. Blushing from embarrassment as she felt pairs of eyes on her, Sugar quickly got onto her feet and dusted herself off. It would be best to just laugh the incident off, since she hadn't sustained any injuries except a potential bump on the head, but a vast majority of students who saw wouldn't be so forgetful.

Checking to make sure she wasn't bleeding, Sugar hurried forward and took a seat at the front, directly in the middle. Not many students sat there, because it would be in direct view of whoever was conducting the assembly, but she liked it. It was easy to get in and out, rather than having to shuffle past other students to move. Her embarrassment from the earlier incident had dissipated as the lights dimmed, her excitement coming back stronger than ever. Every year was the same. A few students would go up on stage to introduce themself, rather than the Headmaster going on and on about everything. Each one said something different. Some just said their names, some said their interests, some said their clubs... It was like reading a leaflet about everything the school had to offer, but it came out of the mouthes of those who attended, and it wasn't so boring.

She was surprised when her roommate was the first to go up. She hadn't even seen him when she entered. Oh, how she wished he wouldn't say anything stupid. At first, what Jae said was normal, but that dream was quickly shattered. As he spoke, she picked up on a few whispers from Freshmen next to her. It seemed like they were actually believing the school censored e-mails that students sent out to family and friends. She was sure that his intention wasn't to scare the Freshmen, but more to anger the elderly man who had a very, very displeased look. The girl made a note to ask him about that later on.

Next up on the stage was a smaller boy, though she couldn't exactly say he was small. He seemed rather charismatic, and just seeing him grin like that was enough to illict a small smile from Sugar. She had always liked seeing people be happy and confident, it was one of the few joys of this ceremony. As the boy -- Felix -- spoke, the girl figured that perhaps she ought to get to know him. They had a lot in common, from the sounds of it, he reminded her a lot of a little brother. For someone who said it was their first year, which she assumed was true as she hadn't seen him before, he did seem like he was confident in himself. Not many people go up on stage on their first year, regardless of what grade they were in.

Once the younger boy sat down, Sugar looked around the room quickly. Was anyone else going to get up? It was only the beginning of the ceremony, and Jae had dashed hopes of any Freshmen going up, she guessed. Taking a breath, the girl made her own way up onto the platform, grimacing as she was barely able to look over the podium. Giving an angry look to one of the staff nearby, she could hear a few murmurs from the crowd as a wooden stool was brought over for her to stand on. Stepping onto the stool and dismissing the staff member with a hand gesture, she cleared her throat, grabbing the attention of the small crowd.

"Good morning to you all!" She started, almost scaring herself at the sound of her voice. She wasn't used to hearing herself speak through a microphone and sound system, and it sounded ever so slightly distorted. Then again, she didn't exactly have a strong voice. It was like hearing something just louder than a whisper. "I'm Sugar Homingwell. I'm a Senior, Eighteen, and I'm known around here for dabbling in multiple Martial Arts." She continued, smiling all the while. "I hope we can become friends and I'm looking forward to my last year here!"

Hopping off the stool, she made her way back to where she was originally sat, taking care not to fall flat on her face again. It would've been absolutely humiliating if she fell down the stairs, or tripped over her own feet whilst on the stage. Thankfully, neither happened, and she made it back to her seat safe and sound.

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As soon as the intercom came to life, Vermilion was out of the door like a rocket. Without paying any attention to her two roomies, she practically jumped down the flight of stairs and bulldozed through the doors. Introductions could wait until later, but she loved the annual introductory ceremony. Loved would probably be an understatement. She got to the assembly hall before anyone else had shown up, and did a small jump from excitement. Last year, she had gone up, and it was the best decision she'd ever made. This year, she would do the same.

Taking a seat at the back of the middle set of bleachers, she watched as everyone else entered. A few she noticed, a few she didn't, and a few she wished she didn't. Thankfully, nobody sat on the same row, so she could easily get up and make a dash for the stage when she wanted.

The first person to get up was Jae Hwan, a male she vaguely recognised as being from one of the poorest families in the school. How she knew that? She may or may not have stalked around the student files the previous year. She had to stop herself from yelling when he stated the school censored outgoing e-mails. It was so tempting to call his ass out on it right there and then. But she'd get her turn, and she'd make good use of it.

Next to go up was a cute chap who she hadn't seen before, but his last name was familiar. Most likely from when she had filed the student records earlier that day. He seemed cute, almost. Perhaps he was the type to like older women? He seemed like a little bit of a flirt, but there was nothing wrong with that. The girl made a mental note to invite him to one of her many parties in the year to come. Maybe they could become friends, and she could hook him up with someone. Maybe.

Or maybe she was just getting a tad over her head.

Next up was definitely a face she recognised. Sugar. Though Vermilion didn't personally know the shorter girl, comments on her name had reached quite a few ears. She seemed rather sweet.

Sugar.

Sweet.

That was humuorous.

A few seconds passed without anyone getting up, and Vermilion saw this as her chance. Standing up and bolting her way to the stage, she stood behind the podium and cleared her throat loudly.

"First, I would like to say welcome to all new students! I'm sure you will settle right in to our cozy community." Taking a breath and listening as a few people broke out into applause, she savoured the moment, and continued when it died down. "I would also like to say, Mr Hwan, the school does not under any circumstance censor electronic mails. The only people with access to those, are the student council, namely myself. I must say, while we don't censor or stop them from going out, it is quite fun to snoop." She took a moment to observe their reactions. A few students looked relieved, a few looked unaffected and bored, it was hard to tell what the rest were thinking.

"Did you know that last year someones aunt choked on a frog leg? Or one time someone sent their family a collection of photos of every student in school asleep? Do you want to read wacky stories about people getting crushed by books? I mean, you can't blame me for snooping." She continued on, aware that the headmaster was annoyed with her. What was the worst he could do, anyway? "Anyway, I should introduce myself. Vermilion Middleton, Student Council President and professional e-mail snoop."

Making a hasty exit before she was forced off, she jumped off of the front of the stage rather than using the stairs, and made her way back to her seat. Before she sat down, she yelled out "Oh! Last year, someone's father died because he couldn't get out of his pants!" Watching as a few people sniggered while most just looked utterly horrified, she took her seat, proud of herself and really rather quite smug.

A soft breeze brushed against Luna’s face as she closed her eyes to enjoy the peaceful setting. There was absolutely no sound to disturb her, except that of her breath. She even had a silent, shining guardian standing watch above her. This was as close to Heaven as she could get. If Luna didn’t have to attend class, she’d easily spend her whole year locked up here. No one would even miss her. But alas, things never went her way. Sighing, she continued to focus on her art book, until a deafening blast of sound attacked her ear. Of course, of course. What was she thinking? There was the annual first assembly of the school year. Luna glanced at her suitcase, and grumbled in annoyance. She didn’t think anyone would take her belongings, plus risking being late would not be a good start to the year. Just to be safe though, Luna grabbed her backpack, full of art supplies and many of her art books, and began heading downstairs.

By the time she arrived, most of the bleachers were already full. Silence haunted her steps as she went past several students, most of whom leaned far away from her. The typical set of whispers grew in the air, but Luna continued all the way to the back row. There was a time events like this used to make her cry. Not anymore. It was strange how easily one got used to the harassment of her peers. She supposed crying all the time got too depressing.

As the headmaster made his typical speech about the school year, he welcomed students to make introductions. How anyone had the courage to do so, was beyond her. Just thinking about walking up to the platform made her shiver. She watched silently as several students rose to the occasion. While she hated to admit it, Luna was slightly jealous at how easy it was for them to walk across the stage in front of the entire student body and speak. Sighing, she kept her head down and waited for the ceremony to finish.

With perfect timing, Luca’s next roommate came into their shared room. They looked like the type that could pass as either male or female. He was curious and didn’t quite know what to make of the new addition, but he also didn’t want to be rude and straight up ask. The first words out of their mouth was an innuendo off the blonde’s words. Of course, Luca didn’t mind. But then, they commented about Vermillion and him being attractive. Was that a normal thing to say in casual conversation? The senior didn’t particularly think so, but his two new roommates seemed to find it just fine.

Luca didn’t even get to introduce himself. Vermilion did it for him. He just simply smiled and waved when his name was mentioned. He also made sure to say “Hey.” It seemed as though his room was going to be quite lively between his two new roommates. Did she just say party? Oh boy, just how frequent would these parties be? Also how can you have a party is such a small room? However, Luca didn’t get the chance to ask these questions since the intercom came on and a familiar old voice announced orientation. Before the announcement even finished, the more energetic roommate had taken off like it was the end of the world. Yesh, why was she in such a rush? Once the announcement was done, Luca strolled over to the door, just about to exit. Just before he passed the threshold, he turned his head over to the remaining person in the room, “You comin’?” He asked, before continuing his way to the assembly hall.

Once he arrived, he found some of his old friends to sit next to. They had taken a back row and ushered him over. They all merely chatted while whoever was on the podium was talking. Some of his friends seemed to have an amazing summer, then again, those people were kinda rich. When Vermilion got on stage, Luca paused his story. “Hey, that’s one of my roommates.” He commented. The small group all looked up at once to see the slim girl basically spew word vomit. “That oughta be fun,” the guy next to Luca chuckled. The blonde just rolled his eyes and elbowed him harshly. “You gonna go up there?” Another guy asked. “Naw, I don’t really feel like making a fool out of myself today,”