SPITE

Chapter Two

"We're here."

Upon hearing his father's voice, Liam lifted his head and peered through his window to see that their car was headed slowly along a thin, rocky path what seemed to be positioned in the middle of nowhere. Surrounding them was a looming tangle of pine trees swaying side to side gently, threatening to swallow the out-of-place path whole. The winding path veered around a corner abruptly, and then Liam saw it. The garden in front of the grand building was about the same size, if not bigger! The grass was freshly trimmed and a luscious green colour, and surrounding it was a variety of tall, colourful bushes and shrubs, all in full bloom. One of the plants was crawling up a modern white wall, its appearance similar to ivy, but it had huge pink blooms erupting from it's long spidery vines. There was also a fountain in the centre of garden, in which the pebbly path had to veer around in two seperate, thinner tracks. The fountain itself was a chalky white, fresh aqua water spurting from the sculptural roses on top of the fountains base and gracefully spilling with a plash into the clear blue pool congregated in the spherical pool below. Liam thought it looked beautiful. 

The car gradually directed towards a moderately large car park of which many other, more stylish cars were stationed. It quite quickly became clear that Liam wasn't one of the youngest children after all.  He was certain that quite a few kids he could see in the parking lot were thirteen at most, which was a year younger than he was, however the majority of people were seemingly sixteen and seventeen year olds. Despite their ages, almost everybody Liam saw were busy unloading stacks of baggage from the backs of their cars, some with so much that their parents were assisting them as they hauled tons of suitcases from their boots and dragged it into the academy entrance. Have I under packed? Liam wondered tensely, watching as a tall black-haired boy heaved about five bulgy cases onto the tarmac floor, clearly struggling to work out how to carry them all at once. The most noticeable thing about him was his cold, icy blue eyes which stood out  in contrast to his dark hair. His hair was thick, short and scruffy in a way that seemed to have been done intentionally. He had a slim build, and his face had chiselled features and high cheekbones. The boys parents leaned against the hood of their white Tesla, having a polite conversation with each other.  They were completely ignorant to their sons trouble as he gripped two smaller suitcases and a large bag in one hand and, using his free hand, closed the back of the car and wheeled the two largest cases along the gritty car park and towards the large entrance into the school.

After much slow searching, Liam's parents cautiously backed into a free parking space with cars cramped at either side, making getting out of the car difficult. Liam opened his car door ajar, and slipped out gingerly to avoid hitting the van next to him with the car door. His mum and dad squeezed out of the ever-so-slightly open doors, even clumsier than Liam had done. He trotted to where his parents were waiting around the back of the car, helping lift his suitcases down one-by-one. At least my parents help me out, Liam realised, thinking back to the boy from earlier. I really am going to miss my parents.

"Can you carry that suitcase, Liam, and I'll wheel the other two?" Liam's mother piped up, holding the other two of the suitcases as Liam gripped the smaller one firmly in his hands.

"Yeah, that'll be useful," Liam agreed willingly. "Are you coming into the academy with me? Because I don't know where I'm even supposed to go."

"Of course I'm coming with you! You didn't expect me to leave without saying a proper goodbye, did you?" His mother reassured him, making some of the butterflies in his stomach go away. At least he wouldn't have to be completely alone at first.

"I'll stay back in the car." Liam's father added, walking up to Liam with a faint smile. "You enjoy yourself. You go and make some friends, won't you?"

Liam suppressed a bored sigh of hearing this same thing on repeat. His father had been like a stuck record; Worrying about whether Liam would make friends. In reality, Liam wasn't going to go out of his way to talk to new people, because true friends seemed to have a way of just edging into your life, whether you like it or not. "Of course I'll make some friends, dad." Liam promised warmly. "I won't go a whole year without any."