Maple Ridge

Chapter 6

Fiona Anderson

I rush through the long corridor. I am so late, and that also on my first day. I was supposed to meet Mrs. Dixon 10 minutes back.

When I left the dorm last night, I had walked around the grounds. Wanting to find the main building.

Walking aimlessly, I had ended up in a small shed and sat there. Thinking about my dream, my nightmare actually. I had thought about it a lot, but I still can't figure out what it meant.

I had entered the shed and sat there for some time, wanting to get out of the chilly wind blowing this high in the mountains.

Without realising, I had dozed off right there in the shed. A few hours later, a gardener had come and shook me awake from my dreamless sleep.

I had checked the time and rushed out of the shed and into the bathrooms.

I quickly took a bath and put on my uniform before rushing off to breakfast.

It took me some time to find the dining hall, but I reached it somehow.

I walked in to find 4 large tables with a counter in the back. Behind the counter sat an old, kind looking lady. She was filling everyone's trays with scrambled eggs and toasted bread.

I got into the line and waited for my chance.

As I stepped forward to get my food, the lady stopped her hand mid-way and asked, "Are you new here? I haven't seen you around."

"Oh, I have only been here a day. I got here last evening." I say with a small smile.

"Your face looks very familiar to a girl I used to know a long time back." She says, giving me a weird look.

"You must be mistaken. I haven't been here before." I say uncertainly.

"You are new! I will give you extra eggs as a welcome gift." She says with a small laugh. She was kind of sweet, so I accept the extra eggs.

I take my food and proceed to the table where Alison and Ava are sitting. Not knowing where else to sit.

As I go past other girls in my grade, I find them laughing, looking sideways at me. I think I hear a girl mutter 'accident' under her breath but I just wave it off, thinking of it as a coincidence.

I take a seat beside Ava and ask, "Why is everyone laughing at me?" Ava looks at Alison for a second before saying, "Everyone knows about what happened last night." That is when a girl sitting opposite me jeered, "Did you pee yourself? Having nightmares?" she says, mocking me by making a sad face.

Blood rushed to my cheeks as I looked around at Alison. How could she do this to me?

Alison looks at me for a second and then says, "Yes, I told everybody. That's what you get for ruining my sleep." Not showing even a bit of guilt.

I can't believe her!

The rest of the breakfast goes by with the other girls teasing and bothering me with their pity remarks about my nightmare.

I just try to ignore them. I am not going to let them ruin my first day.

I quickly eat my breakfast and rush to get out of the dining hall.

I walk out of the hall and realise that I don't actually know where to go. I walk down a few corridors, turning left or right with no clue about where I should go.

It takes me 15 minutes and after asking at least 3 people, I finally enter the hallway where I can see the door with the principal's name on it.

I walk up to the door and extend my hand to knock when I hear some voices inside.