After a long holiday, it was the beginning of a new semester, the last one for Elara, and then graduation. Back to school, the famous elite school, Harrowgate Academy. Filled with students from very powerful families, more of a social class and status school nestled in the rolling hills of Los Angeles, this was one of the most well-known elite schools all over the world. Elara made her way effortlessly through the students in the parking lot. Which was packed with different luxurious cars. Some preferred to drive themselves to school others had their own chauffeurs.
The air here was filled with a rich aura, expensive designer perfumes, sleek sports cars, and bikes. She trudged through the ornate walls of Harrowgate, her footsteps echoing against the polished marble floors. Other students glided effortlessly through the corridors, chatting and playing. Dressed in the standard school uniform, a black tennis-designed skirt, a white long-sleeved shirt with a white sweater-vest with black linings and on the left chest with the school logo HG, a smoke waist chain around the skirt waist and a black ribbon tie holding her long black hair backward, and a pair of white sneakers. For men, it was black trousers, white shirts, white sneakers, and sweaters. One thing about Harrowgate: the uniform was mandatory.
Ascending the stairs to the third floor, Elara felt the weight of the new semester pressing down on her shoulders. Despite her best efforts, she struggled to keep up with the vigorous curriculum, often spending long hours studying late into the night. This semester, she had to double her efforts to graduate, that she knew.
*******
It was their first day at Harrowgate Academy. Damien, Lucas, and Alex. Their mother had forced them to use the same car, afraid that Damien would ditch school if he went on his own. They packed the car next to the other cars that were in the parking lot. No one was in the mood, so they drove in silence until they got here. They had just been changed schools abruptly, and no one was happy about it. Especially Damien who had just one semester to finish his studies.
As they were getting out of the car, the school bus pulled by; they had never used the school bus before; it was either they drove or were chauffeured to school, so their eyes darted on the bus. Other students on the packing lot had their eyes on the bus too, almost everyone, some whispering, some laughing. Damien was already out of the car and leaning on it, but his eyes were fixed on his phone; Alex and Lucas were focused on the bus, too, waiting anxiously to see why everyone was looking at it.
After some seconds, someone alighted the bus, a striking beauty, her long hair resting on her shoulders gracefully, her neat uniform that looked so good on her, a simple tote bag, and some books in her hands. She didn't even look around as she passed before them, gliding effortlessly through the crowd.
"Did you just see that, Lucas?" Alex asked, turning to his twin brother, but seeing the way his eyes were fixed on that girl, he didn't need an answer. Alex then turned to his older brother, Damien. "Don't tell me you didn't see her bro!" He asked, meeting eyes filled with disgust, "I did....nothing special," Damien replied, his head still looking down at his phone.
He didn't even seem to care about anything that was happening around them, and they knew very well that, given the chance, Damien would not be here. Before long, they were approached by a girl who exuded confidence and charisma. With a warm smile, she shook their hands and embraced Famien in a friendly hug, which wasn't reciprocated, he did not even look at her. A little embarrassed, she stepped back. Alex, noticing it quickly, interrupted the air.
"Oh, I'm Alex, and this is Lucas...." he said, tapping Licas and then moving his eyes to Damien. "And this is Damien. " Damien didn't even look up; he was so unbothered. "I'm Bianca...Bia....I'll be your guide, I must admit that it's my first time seeing this school accept students in a second semester, massive...." she said, giving a friendly smile. "I have all your information, so I'll help you get settled in your classes.... You all are studying business, right??? But on different levels, Alex and Lucas's first year second semester and Damien's fourth year second semester, right?" She asked, her eyes on Damien, but she got a yes from Alex, who was trying to avoid the awkward moment that was building up.
"Okay, good let me show you around and then get you settled...." she said smiling. As they walked through the labyrinth hallways and dustling corridors, Bianca leading the way, Alex and Lucas were exchanging hesitant glances as she talked. It was so obvious that she was interested in Damien. She couldn't even hide it. On the way, she pointed out various landmarks within the school, from the state-of-the-art science labs to the expansive library filled with rare and ancient texts.
She showed them the playground, basketball court, the school cafeteria, and the school gymnasium. After dropping Alex and Lucas to their class, Bianca turned to Damien.
"We are in the same class..." she said, giving him a warm smile. Damien just looked at her, wishing that she would just stop talking and smiling at him.
"We are here...."She said when they reached the class. She then opened the door and bumped into someone. "Geez, watch where you are going, idiot....:she said pushing the person to the ground. Damien then got the chance to see the person. It was the girl. His brothers had been crazy over at the parking lot earlier. Everybody burst into laughter. The girl stood from the ground and said sorry.
"You're lucky there's a new student; I'd have pulled your hair...." Bianca said and then turned to face Damien.
"Sorry about that; she's just so clumsy. Where do you prefer to sit?" she asked. Damien scanned the room, and after a moment, he answered. "Back, next to a window..."That was all he said. Bianca looked around at the back and then smiled. "Come, let me show you," She said, pulling his hand and making him follow her. Damien could feel the stares of the whole classroom on him. He hated that kind of attention. He didn't want to be here even, but it was just this semester, and he would graduate, then move out of his parent's house and wouldn't have to be ordered around like a little child anymore. Branca stopped at a locker seat at the back, next to the window.
"Elara, come quick and move your things " She shouted.
After a few seconds, no one came, and there was no response. She then clicked and walked hastily to the front. She headed straight to the girl she had bumped into, she was looking for something in the dustbin. She pulled her by the hair and dragged her to where she had left Damien.
"You have those things on?" She yelled against seeing the girl's airpods, pulled them out, and threw them out of the window.
"Why did you do that?" The girl asked, in a weak low voice. A slap landed on her face the minute she spoke and everyone laughed. Then books and a bag went flying over through the window. The girl ran out immediately, and the laughter in the class increased the second she stepped out.
"You can have the seat...I'll be at the front desk if you need me..." Bianca said and then walked out to her seat at the front. She hadn't forgotten to give a smile, though; you'd think she was the kindest person alive. Just some seconds and a lecturer stepped in. Greetings and then the class started. After a few minutes, the lecturer paused and looked at the door.
"I am not letting you in. Wait there until I'm done with my class, or just go back to whatever you were doing," she said and continued with the lecture.
Everyone laughed but when the lecturer turned, they were all quiet. After one hour and thirty minutes, the lecture was over, and the lecturer walked out. Then the girl, elara walked in. On her hands, she had a bag and some books that seemed to have pages that were torn. She then walked towards Damien and took the sit next to him, all the others were filled up. She packed her books into the locker and then took one book and walked out. "She has gone to the library, can't afford anything at the school cafeteria, not even water....anyway, let's go to the cafeteria; I'll treat you with something, " Bianca said, smiling at Damien.
Damien was still thinking of how his father had approached him, the other day, all that was still lingering in his mind. He hadn't planned to be in this school at all, but something about his father.....