The Cursed Legacy (Belford Academy Chronicles #1)

Chapter 2: The Arrival

I woke up the next day, still angry at my parents for sending me to Belford Academy. I got dressed and packed the last of my things, not speaking to them. We got in the car, and I looked out the window as we drove further and further from the city and into the woods. The silence was unnerving, and I felt an uneasy feeling settle in my stomach.

We finally arrived at Belford Academy, and my first impression was that it looked like an old, gloomy palace. The building was massive, with turrets and towers reaching up to the sky. I took a deep breath and stepped out of the car, feeling a mixture of excitement and apprehension.

We went inside, and I was struck by the old-fashioned interior. The floorboards creaked under our feet. I was suddenly jolted out of my thoughts by the sight of an old lady walking toward us.

"Welcome to Belford Academy," she said, a warm smile on her face. "I'm Mrs. Davenport, the principal."

I nodded, unsure of what to say. Mrs. Davenport was dressed in a long black gown and had her hair tied up in a tight bun. She looked every bit the stern headmistress I had imagined.

"It's an honor to have you here, Elizabeth," she continued. "We take great pride in our academic programs and expect our students to excel in all areas. But I'm sure you'll do just fine."

My parents hugged me and said their goodbyes. "Take care, Liz," my dad said, giving me a reassuring pat on the back. "We'll come to visit you soon, and you can come home for the holidays."

"Call us if you need anything, okay?" my mom added, her eyes brimming with tears.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. I felt a lump form in my throat, and I hugged them both tightly. "I'll miss you," I whispered. No matter how angry I was at them for throwing me into this I loved them and knew they were doing this for my sake.

"We'll miss you too, sweetheart," my mom said, wiping away a tear.

I watched as they got back in the car and drove away. A feeling of loneliness washed over me, and I turned to face Mrs. Davenport.

Mrs. Davenport turned and gestured for me to follow her down a long corridor. "I'll take you to your room and then we can discuss the schedule for the upcoming week."

As we walked, I couldn't help but notice how dimly lit the hallway was. The only light came from the flickering candles in the sconces on the walls. It felt like we were walking through a castle in the middle ages.

Finally, we reached my room, which was surprisingly cozy. The walls were covered in old-fashioned wallpaper, and there was a small desk and a twin-sized bed with a fluffy comforter.

Mrs. Davenport turned to me, her expression serious. "Now, Liz, I understand that this may be a difficult transition for you, but I must impress upon you the importance of maintaining discipline and focus while you are here. Belford Academy is not like any other school. We have a strict code of conduct, and we expect our students to adhere to it at all times. The very first and foremost thing you have to keep in mind is to stay away from the woods surrounding the school. There might be dangerous things lurking there. Also, no cell phones or any other type of electronic devices are allowed. They are useless here anyways as there is no electricity or reception."

I bristled at her tone, but I knew better than to argue. "Yes, ma'am," I replied stiffly. All this was so bizarre. I was stuck in the middle of now where with nothing except my bags and my wits.

"Good," she said. "Now, let's go over your schedule for the week."

Mrs. Davenport handed me a schedule, and I scanned it quickly. My first class was Math, followed by English and History. I was relieved to see that there were breaks between each class.

Just then, the door opened and a girl entered, lugging a large suitcase behind her. "Hi, I'm Isabella," she said, smiling at me.

I returned her smile, grateful for the distraction. "I'm Elizabeth Winters. You can call me Liz," I said, holding out my hand.

Isabella shook my hand warmly. 

Mrs. Davenport turned to me. "Elizabeth, this is your roommate, Isabella Ortiz. She has already been a student in Belford for a year. Isabella, please make sure Liz gets settled in and comfortable. I'll leave you two to it."

And with that, Mrs. Davenport exited the room, leaving me alone with Isabella. I turned to her, grateful for her presence.

Isabella looked around the room, her eyes taking in everything. "Wow, this is actually a really nice room," she said, her voice tinged with a hint of surprise. "Not like my room last year."

"What was wrong with your room last year?," I asked.

Isabella walked over to her suitcase and started unpacking. "It was way smaller and had this weird stench. You won't believe how many bottles of room freshener I had emptied." 

I nodded. No big surprise for a centuries-old place like this. 

As we unpacked, I couldn't help but notice how many expensive items Isabella owned. She had designer clothes, expensive makeup, and a gold-plated jewelry box that looked like it had cost a fortune.

"Wow, you must come from a wealthy family," I said, unable to hide my curiosity.

Isabella looked up at me, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. My parents have money, but they're never around. They're always off traveling or doing something important. I hardly ever see them. That's why they dumped me here last year. They weren't even home most of the time when I went for the break."

I felt a pang of sympathy for her. "I'm sorry," I said softly. "That must be tough."

Isabella shrugged. "It's okay. I'm used to it by now. But enough about me. What about you? Where are you from?"

We continued to talk as we unpacked, and I found myself opening up to Isabella in a way I hadn't with anyone in a long time. I told her about my parents and how they were splitting up. Messed up families. We both had something to bond on.

Despite my initial reservations about Belford Academy, I was starting to feel like maybe this experience wouldn't be so bad after all.