Nicole, an ambitious but overlooked student at elite private school, Waterbridge Academy, is ready for her junior year to be all kinds of fun.
While her focus should be classes and homework, they take second string to Highjinks, the epic prank battl...
Jess and I sat just outside the dining hall, ignoring the freezing temperatures to discuss the Christmas break developments before dinner.She cut me off mid-rant about my mother's drama when she pointed, wide-eyed over my shoulder, and I whipped my head around and choked on a laugh so intense it brought tears to my eyes. Coming through the woods toward us,Katia and her two besties were Smurfs. Head to toe blue. While it hadn't been their doing, they played it off well with short white dresses, white hats and white heels.
Not wanting to miss their grand entrance, we quickly ducked into the hall and watched the explosion of laughter their arrival caused. They pranced and twirled and shimmied into the cafeteria, pausing to pose in front Kellen, who tried unsuccessfully to hold back a smile.
As she passed my table to hers, she threw a glance back over her shoulder at him and fired an imaginary gun at him. Hijinks was officially back on.
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-.-
Confusion. That was the overwhelming feeling in the auditorium as we waited for the assembly to begin. Where was Headmaster Sorensen? Who was the man standing side stage beside Ms. Penzant in his place?
A strange feeling settled in the pit of my stomach as his eyes swept over the student body. He had that air of authority, the entitled kind that so many of our parents exuded. The kind that meant no matter how things used to be, they would soon be his way. He strode to the center of the stage, eyeing us all with obvious distaste.
"I am Headmaster Corbis. I will not be running this place as my predecessor did. You will not be my best friends, and I will not be playing Grandpa to any of you." His tone was eerily emotionless and somehow mocking as he spoke to us. "I will not tolerate tardiness, backtalk, substandard uniform, or any of the antics your previous Headmaster might have put up with." His hard gaze fell on the Triad, still tinted blue, and I don't know how Katia didn't shrink down in her seat.
This man was terrifying, and we all watched our leaders surreptitiously as he marched off the stage and left the assembly altogether. What in the world was happening? Ms. Penzant watched the man leave with her lips sourly puckered before she approached the podium. She calmly explained that Headmaster Sorensen had been replaced suddenly over the break for unforeseen reasons and advised us to make the transition of administration smooth.
-.-
"What the hell happened to knocking?"
Katiawas unfazed by Kellen's tone, but as she noticed the rest of us there, looked a little startled. "I did knock."
"Well, it's customary to wait for an answer before barging in. Jacks or I could have been naked for all you know."
"That would have been a sight," she mused, sauntering into the room. "Jacks and Kellen dancing around naked with a bunch of clothed juniors drooling over them... I didn't know you opened a strip club in your room, Kellen."
