Lucas Martin De Los Angeles Lavanda Meri De Los Angeles
| l o c a t i o n | rest stop > wellington academy
| t i m e | 7:00AM
"Lali," Lucas exhaled a loud, exasperated sigh before continuing,"Por el amor de dios, explícame lo que haces aqui."
Lavanda had one of those shit-eating grins Lucas hated so much, he was usually graced with their presence whenever his older sister felt she and one upped him. Today wasn't one of those days, there couldn't possibly be anything that Lavanda could've pulled on him. After all, he had fool-proofed his suitcase and double checked he had everything earlier in the morning while she was still snoring. Not to mention, he had already finished breakfast and had no drinks with him. Anything and everything that could have been considered possible ammo for Lavanda was nowhere in sight. But here she was. Standing next to him at the rest stop he normally waits at to be transported up the mountains, into the woods, back to the place he calls a second home.
Lucas had spent the summer back home with his mother and sister; the weight of how much he missed them swallowed him the moment he got home. His mother's hugs, her cooking, his old shared room and even his sister's shit-eating grin—those were all things he had been excited to see once more. Now that summer was over and he got a truckload of that back into his system, he couldn't wait to be back at the academy and back at his cottage."Seriously, Lali, you're going to miss your flight back home."
"Lu, bro," Lavanda's grin gets even wider, "don't worry about it, I just want to make sure you get on your secret car ride to school safely."
Lucas lets another sigh escape him—this was the fifth one this morning—defeated and tired of the back and forth, he decides to just wait in silence. He takes in the scenery; the sun aggressively reminding him how summer was valiantly fighting to stay around, but the wind that came through brought in the signs that fall was just around the corner, winning the battle. He looks over to his sister, her hair a mess of strands blending in with the wind and a long sweatshirt that spelled the words 'mashed potatoes.' He never understood the point of that sweatshirt but it was Lavanda's favorite go to. His eyes then focused on what she was carrying and his confusion only grew. "Why the fuck do you have your suitcase with you?"
Lavanda threw her head back into a fit of giggles and as if on cue, the Wellington Coach arrived at the rest stop. Lucas nodded his acknowledgement to the driver while his sister filled the background with laughter, now bordering on cackling. "Look, Lali, I don't know what the hell you're on, but I'll see you during winter break, okay?"
Lavanda's laughter only grew and instead of answering, Lucas sighed (sixth one and counting) and began entering the coach as the driver took care of his luggage. To his surprise, Lavanda followed right after. She had been wiping off the corner of her eye; the residues of her laughs lingered in the air. She took in a loud, satisfied inhale of air and closed the door behind her. Lucas, confused and with an unrestrained anger, nearly raised his voice when he asked, "the fuck?"
"Chill, chill." Lavanda placatingly (and very annoyingly) said as she rose her hands in defense, "I got accepted to Wellington too! Surprise!"
Lucas, in his shock, looked around as if he were waiting for the "gotcha! you just got PUNK'D!" But with no cameras rolling in sight, he instead watched as the driver took in Lavanda's luggage, settled into the driver's seat, and began their ascent up the mountain. Lucas avoided looking over at Lavanda because he could just feel the energy she was giving off. Instead, he opted to look out the window in stark silence.
"So," Lavanda started, cutting through the silence. "What's Wellington Academy like? You rarely tell me anything juicy about it."
"Does mami know?"
"What?"
"Mami, did she know?"
"Oh yeah, she did. I can't wait to tell her how you reacted." She sighs in contentment before continuing, "I should've recorded it."
"Why wasn't I told then?"
"Porque then it wouldn't have been a surprise, obviously."
They ride in silence once more. The scenery began changing before them, it had gone from signs and farms to longer stretches of land and thickening trees.
Lucas finally looked over at his sister, who had been staring out the window. She had been tapping her foot to a nonexistent rhythm which Lucas knew it to be her nervous habit. "Hey, Lali."
Lavanda looks over at him and Lucas smiled. "Congrats on getting in."
Lavanda broke into a full smile and punched him in the arm before happily teetering back an dforth in her seat. "About time you said that! You were angry for way too long."
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| Wellington Academy |
| Arrival Time: 7.30AM |
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| Wellington Academy |
| Arrival Time: 7.30AM |
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"Shit," Lavanda blurted, "isn't this that mural you painted, Lu?" She glued her face onto the window of the car, trying to soak in all the colors before the tunnel ended.
"This is fucking amazing," She turned back at him, smile in tow, "much better than the pictures you showed mami and I."
Lucas smiled in return and turned her attention back to what they had been talking about.
"Anyways, like I was saying," he grabbed onto the hem of her sweatshirt and pulled her back down so she can sit properly. "We're almost at the school and since this is going to be your first year ever, you're going to be going a different way than I am."
Lavanda tried to dig through everything Lucas had told her before in passing about the academy; most of what Lucas would ever share was how amazing the resources of the school were. Lavanda saw her once listless little brother become passionate about life once more and she had been interested in Wellington Academy ever since. "Will I be in the same cottage as you?"
"Dios, no." Lucas said, "I hope not. Sharing a room at home is enough, definitely don't want that here."
Lavanda rolls her eyes in response but does not have a chance to retort since the coach juddered to a stop. The driver looks back with a silent look that read 'we're here.' Lucas and Lavanda began getting off the car and helping the driver tale their luggage out. Lavanda stared up at the large gate they had just driven through and towards the green expanse of lawn before her. It was a huge contrast to the forestry, woody, natural surroundings they found themselves in. With her suitcase in hand, she thanked the driver before following Lucas to a larger clearing before a fountain. Lavanda looked behind her to see the gates just a few feet away, she saw as the driver pulled out to head back down the hill. That must be exhausting.
"What time were you supposed to be here?" Lucas asked Lavanda, bringing her attention back to the front again.
"I don't know, they kinda said 7AM, but that wouldn't have worked with my plan."
Are you dumb?"
"You're the dumb one, dumbass." Lavanda huffed defensively, "what's the big deal, I'm here anyways."
"The big deal is that you probably made your cottage leader wait too long. I hope they left you behind." Lucas began walking away from the fountain and towards a pebbled path leading deeper into the campus. "And it's not my problem! So! Good Luck!"
"Asshole." Lavanda yelled after him but instead of following, lingered awkwardly until she noticed a girl standing by the fountain. Lavanda quickened her steps towards the girl; she was taller than Lavanda with long blonde hair. Bandages littered the girl but Lavanda dismissed it, hoping the girl could guide her towards the principal's office or whatever the heck this school had. Plus, judging the only person around by their looks right now was probably not the best choice to make.
"Hey!" Lavanda said as she got within ear shot, "I'm Lavanda and new and lost. Can you help me?"