Between You and Me (A Brinkley Academy Novel) Book 1

Chapter Two: Ulterior Motives: Welcome to Brinkley Academy

Earphones plugged, volume at its' MAX, and Emery Winters could still hear her dad talking about Brinkley Academy.

"Ems, you are going to love it! The classes, the teachers, the dorms. All of it is top-notch and wait until you see the architecture. It is truly a magical place." Gabriel Winters was beaming as him and his daughter drove down the highway. Emery has never seen him happier than when he is talking about Brinkley Academy. He is a former alumni and loves to reminisce any chance he can get. He even visits the campus a couple times a year, which Emery has recently found out the 'real' reason why. Emery and her dad have a great relationship. However, a little late night sneak-a-peak into her dad's computer led her to some sour information. As soon as she gets to this prissy-ass school--

Her thoughts are interrupted by the earplugs being pulled from her ears.

"Emery, are you listening to me?" Her dad says, yelling a bit.

"Of course, of course. Brinkley equals awesome." She gives him a thumbs up.

He exhales. "You have no idea how proud I am that BOTH my children are attending the same school I did. First your brother enrolled, and now you want to. You could make an old man cry."

Emery became nauseous at the thought of being subjected to that kind of horror.

"Dad, of course!" She says with faked enthusiasm. "Ya know, the classes, the teachers, the dorms! I cannot wait. I am exploding with excitement." She looks out the window before he could see the lies all over her face.

Truth is, there is only one reason she am attending Brinkley Academy, and it has nothing to do with dorms or architecture.

Through the gates, they pull up to a round-about that is front of an enormous brick building.

Brinkley Academy.

It really is a beautiful school, thought Emery. She remembers the brochures her dad has shown her throughout the years, and the pictures do not do it justice. It was a red and white brick building faded from age that stood over you like an enormous castle. The doors were tall, and the grass surrounding it was pure green.

"Brinkley Academy." She say on an exhale as she takes it all in.

Her dad smiled at that, "You're going to love it."

They step out of the car, and Emery can see other families doing the same, escorting their children into the castle. She grabs her bag from the trunk, and is immediately greeted by a young guy with blonde hair in a shirt that says "STAFF" on the back of it. He gestures for him to take her stuff, and smiles, "Welcome, Miss, to Brinkley Academy. We will have your bags taken to your room as long as..." He looks at the handle of the luggage. "Aha, yup! You have your luggage tag with your room number on it. Your bags will meet you there in just a sec. Right now, all students are to report to the auditorium." He flashed another brilliant smile, and off the bags went in his toned arms. What a guy, thought Emery.

The interesting exchange was interrupted by her dad, "Okay kiddo! Why don't you go to the auditorium, and I will meet you there in a minute."

"Where are you going?" She calls out after him while guessing the answer already in her head.

"I just want to catch up with some old friends who never left this place." He laughs as he places a hand on her shoulder and quickly shakes the guy's hand before strutting off in the opposite direction. He yells over his shoulder, "Try to find your brother, he should be inside!", as he ascends the steps to the giant doors.

She glares at his back the entire way up. 'Old Friend' huh?

Emery tries to follow him, but the guy who took her bags intercepts the path.

He flashes that smile, "I believe I told you all students need to go to the auditorium, which is right through there." He points to a path alongside of the building that is flooded with incoming students. Inside Emery is rolling her eyes, but on the outside, she flashes him a smile back. "Thank you. I heard you the first time. I just want to take a quick detour with my dad. If you'll excuse me." She tries to move past him, but he moves with her.

"Sorry, sweetheart. I have been given two jobs today: To collect bags, and to make sure every student gets to the auditorium safely." He puts his hands in his pockets and sits back on his heels, clearly not going to move out of the way.

She lets out a breath, and sizes him up. His hair was lightened artificially as well as shaggy enough to look effortless. He almost looks like he just rolled out of bed. His tanned skin made it obvious he spent a lot of time in the sun or in a tanning booth. Now up close, his chocolate brown eyes became apparent and she noticed a tiny birthmark above his upper lip. She felt her face flush as she realized she was staring, worse of all at his lips which were full and glistened. Emery told herself to snap out of it, and reminded herself why she was there. She looks up and behind the guy to see, but saw no sign of her dad. Accepting the defeat, she turns back to this "staff-member" and flash a smile of her own. "Fine. Are you going in there, too?" She asks.

He folds his arms across his broad chest, "Eventually."

"So, you're a student here?"

"Uh, no. I'm the homeless guy who hangs around the school. I try to steal from the bags I collect but was interrupted by a pretty girl. Now, if you'll excuse me." He winks at her, and turns around. As she watches him continue to complete the two jobs he was given today, she looks down to notice a plump of a peach this guy has in those "school approved" trousers he was wearing. What a guy, again, she thought.

Emery smirks, and hatches an idea. She makes sure to walk right pass her new friend to one of the other guys with one of those "staff" shirts. He asks her for her name, "Emery Winters." He goes down his list, and onto the second page. He makes a mark listing that she is here, and tells her that she should follow the path up. At the end, someone will hand her the welcome packet. She turns around and looks back at her "staff-member" and sees him looking at her. She smirks a little and turns back to the "sign-in guy".

"Ya know, I'm glad I saw you over here. That staff-member over there was not very good with directing me on where to go. He almost didn't even take my bag, I had to remind him. Funny guy though."

"Really?" He raised his eyebrows and looked over at him. "That guy over there?"

She follows his gaze, and sees her "staff-member's" eyes narrow in our direction. She turns around swinging her long, blonde hair and replies with a, "Yup!", as she starts the path. She doesn't wait around for the aftermath and walks past the "sign-in guy" toward the path alongside the building.

He shouldn't get in much trouble, she thought. They were probably friends, but Emery needs the practice getting back at people who are going to stand in the way of her goal: Destroying the life of her father's mistress.