The Sorceress's Tree

Chapter 3

It was the first day of school and nervousness racked Riley's brain as she drove to school that morning. As part of her dad's promotion, she had been provided with a full ride scholarship to the prestigious private school known as Blackwell's Academy for the Gifted where he now taught.

She felt awkward in her uniform, not a big fan of skirts or maroon sweater vests and white button up blouses. Her petite frame only made the skirt even more awkward as it hung at her knees instead of a couple inches above like it would on a normal person. She studied the students walking by, self conscious that her uniform did not fit perfectly as it seemed to appear on everyone else.

This was not the time for her to be nervous. It was her senior year. Even if she was in a new place, she should try making friends for once and make it memorable.

Back in California, she didn't have any friends she was particularly close too. They had just been acquaintances she would hold small talk with at school but never was invited nor she invited them to hang out outside school walls. 

This was a time for her to start over and change the way she had done things in the past. She vowed that this new her would be more confident and extroverted instead of hiding her nose behind a book.

"Ok Riles, you got this," she muttered to her reflection as she did one last makeup check before exiting her car.

As Riley approached the school's entrance, she noticed everyone was already in respective groups gossiping with each other. Her father had informed her that Blackwell's didn't accept many transfer students, so it was an honor that the Headmaster had allowed her to attend.

All these students were all long time friends with each other. A few looked over in interest at the new girl, curious of the first new student in over three years.

Riley's hands nervously shook as she studied her class schedule. Her backpack half hazardly hung over one shoulder as she struggled to find her first period class room or someone that was willing to help her. So far, the cliques she had approached looked at her with cold and suspicious eyes.

She paused, contemplating on approaching a tall girl with wavy shoulder length black hair and sky blue eyes who was talking to a shorter, auburn haired girl with hazel eyes. One look from their cold glances quickly deterred Riley as she stumbled backwards, knocking into a dark haired boy wearing a black hoodie over his uniform.

"Watch it," he snapped.

"Sorry!" Riley mumbled as she quickly averted her gaze from his cold gray stare.

She glanced back up to see the boy had disappeared. Without second thought, she continued on with her blind search not noticing a familiar red head as she passed by her.

Chelsea was standing over by a row of lockers laughing with her friends as they caught up after the long summer. She had rolled her skirt up a couple of times so it didn't hang awkwardly over her knees and towered over her friends in a pair of black heels with giant bows right above the opening across the crown of her foot. Her face lit up as she saw Riley walking around with a lost look on her face.

"Riley!" Chelsea called out waving at her.

Riley jumped at the sound of her name, letting out a sigh of relief at the sight of Chelsea. She quickly walked Chelsea's way letting out a small smile.

"Hey, you left without saying goodbye the other night. What happened?" Chelsea asked in a concerned tone.

"Oh, my parents were ready to leave," Riley mumbled, "sorry, I didn't get the chance to run back up the stairs to say bye."