The Quarters

The Morning After

My favorite time of the day is the moment when you first wake up. This is because you are still a little groggy and for a split second it's possible to forget about what was troubling you when you fell asleep. For that quick moment, you can bask in the feeling of being carefree. 

I woke up and recognized the white popcorned ceiling of Lauren and Eliza's room. I turned to see Eliza still asleep next to me. I usually didn't sleep in her bed unless there was a problem. Fuck, I mentally cursed. Yesterday was not a dream, I did not imagine that and I'm about to be thrown out. I'm really about to get kicked out of Crest. 

Butterflies fluttered in my stomach as I tried to push away the thought. I started to get angry with myself, for what had happened. How did I let it come to this? It wasn't supposed to happen. I was supposed to graduate from Crest, go to a good college, get a good job, and then marry a nice guy and die happy. Now my life plans were compromised by a stupid mistake. Or six weeks of stupid mistakes. I don't know how I could live with myself if I got kicked out. 

  I leaned down to check the time on Eliza's phone which was still plugged into the charger. It was 6:48 am. I usually had to be dragged out of bed, and now I was wide awake at this hour of the morning. We all had the same free period which meant our first class on Friday's did not start until 10:15. However, I had to be at my disciplinary meeting at 8 am sharp. I knew I was not going to be able to go to back to sleep, so I slipped out of bed and left the room quietly, careful not to wake Lauren or Eliza. 

Now in the shower, I let the hot water run down my body. It was so hot that it burned my body, but this time of day is around the only time you get hot water in this dorm.  The shower was pretty much the only time you were ever actually alone at boarding school. 

I fought the urge to break down. I was almost hysterical. I was so extremely angry, but with no one to blame except myself. I tried to reassure myself. There were plenty of people who had gotten busted for drugs and still went here. But that was usually for people doing drugs, not delivering them. I assumed the punishment for that was worse. And I definitely was not curious to find out. 

Stepping out of the shower, I dried myself off and walked back to my room being extra cautious not to wake Chloe up. I put on my Crest Hill uniform, which most people despised but I honestly didn't mind. It consisted of a navy skirt, white button up shirt, navy and red striped tie, with a navy blazer with the Crest Hill crest on it. I usually let my tie hang loosely around my neck, but today I decided to tighten it all the way. I checked my watch and was surprised to see that it was only 7:11. I still had some time. I sat on my bed scrolling through my Instagram feed, paying pretty much zero attention to anything but the fact that I could be the next to join, one of the many, on the long list of expelled students of Crest Hill Academy. 

I didn't know if they would let me get a chance to say goodbye so I decided that I should probably say bye to Mike, worst case scenario. I didn't know what to do about Chloe, Eliza, and Lauren, however. My question was answered by the familiar five knocks on my wall, which I lightly responded to with two, letting her know I would be there in a second. 

Lauren sat on her bed waiting for me with sad eyes. I didn't know what to say, or how to fix this. I could tell she was scared. I knew she most likely was not going to voice her concerns, being the reserved person that she is. Which left me to say them. "Good morning," I said, "good morning," she said softly, "How are you?" "Surviving, barely. I'm scared, Laur. I don't know how I got into this mess, my life is upside down because why? Because I could use a couple of extra bucks and I liked talking to the hot seniors. And now, my success in life could be compromised because no other school will ever take me after my transcripts show that I was expelled for being a drug dealer." 

I paused to take a breath, and before I could continue she spoke up. "I'm sorry P. I'm not going to sit here and say this isn't your fault,  you should've come to me when you saw how deep you were in this mess. This really is on you, and I don't mean to sound harsh. I know you're sad to leave, but what about the rest of us? Or me even? You're scared that you won't get into college and I'm scared I'm about to lose my best friend. I could've helped you fix this before it was too late." 

A fresh wave of guilt hit me. How could I have been so selfish? I could feel myself start to tear up, "I'm sorry" was all I could choke out before   I slumped back onto the pillows of her bed. It was weird to think how much time I had spent in this same spot, and it was highly possible that I would never set foot in here again. My thoughts were interrupted by the five-minute warning alarm for my meeting. I took a sharp inhale, "walk me over?" I asked Lauren. She simply nodded in response. 

The walk over was mostly filled with her telling me to be honest, and do everything thing in my power for another chance. Soon, we were in front of the french doors.  I knew Mr. Howard, the dean, and Mr. Prescott, the headmaster sat waiting for me just behind them. The rest of my "jurors", Mrs. Goldman, the assistant dean, Ms. Carrigan, the academic dean, my counselor Mrs. Miller, and Mr. Van Sant, one of the chairman would be arriving shortly. I wiped away the tears, as I hugged  Lauren, promising her that this wasn't goodbye and took a deep breath before knocking. "Come in" Mr. Howard answered, and I took a step through the threshold to see what fate I would be subject to.