Maddox Academy: Grievous Beginnings - Wattys 2022 Shortlister

Chapter Two - First Morning at Maddox Academy

The next morning, I awoke before anyone else in the dormitory.

Outside, the sun had yet to rise and darkness coated the entire room, clouds blocking out any chance of moonlight. A soft breeze travelled through the partially open window; a strange occurrence for January but not something I intended to dismiss. My eyes adjusted to the darkness and I pushed the blankets off my legs, throwing them over the side of the mattress and onto the cold, wood floor.

Soft snores from the bed across from my own reached my ears as I tiptoed over to the window and glanced across the vast grounds, still embedded in the early morning darkness. In the distance, a running stream passed under a stone bridge and I could hear the sound of the water in the early morning silence. Everything was more peaceful than in London. Absent were the sounds of motor vehicles or those on their way to work.

I tapped my fingers on the window ledge, moving from foot to foot to try and contain my energy. The tapping grew louder, a little more frantic.

Before I woke anyone up, I pushed myself away from the window and tip-toed to my trunk. I pulled out a pair of shorts that had once belonged to my cousin and a while pull-over with three buttons leading to a small collar.

After closing my trunk, I crept across the room to the bathroom and changed, creeping back to my own bed. Across the room, someone moved. I stuffed my pyjamas under my pillow, grabbed my shoes off the floor and lightly jogged to the door, exiting the room just as someone sat up and looked directly at the door. I hoped they hadn't spotted me.

The entire school was silent as I made my way through the hallway and down the main set of stairs. Darkness encased the entire entranceway, not even a slither of moonlight could break through the clouds that covered the sky. I stopped on the bottom step and quickly put my shoes on, tying the laces and slipping out the front door.

Outside, the wind rushed past me. Small goosebumps formed on my arms as I stood on the main steps and tied my hair back. I stood on the steps and stretched my legs and arms out, moving my neck to try and relieve the stiffness that had set in overnight. Once warmed, I set off at a slow jog around the grounds.

Not being familiar with the area, I stuck as close to the driveway as possible and simply ran laps across the grass in front of the school. It was roughly the same sized area that I used to run at home with Michael and after twenty-minuets, I stopped to catch my breath. The temptation to tap my fingers on something had faded and my head felt clearer than it had been when I first woke up.

I stood by the trees for a few moments longer before making my way back across the grounds and up the steps into the school. I stepped through the door and almost ran directly into someone heading towards the door.

"Sorry," I said, catching myself before I fell over.

"It was my fault; I wasn't paying attention," the girl said. She pushed her dark brown, curly hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear.

"You're Felicity, right? The scholarship winner?"

"How did you know that?"

"I know everything." She laughed. "I'm Katie, head-girl. This is Jo, my deputy head." Katie gestured to the blonde-haired girl beside her who offered a slight wave.

"The allow nicknames? Mrs Maddox said things were formal here, and the girls in my year refuse to call me anything other than Felicity. Apparently, Flick isn't appropriate." I rolled my eyes.

"The teachers don't like them, but the girls don't mind, usually. You're in Victoria Havisham's year. They'll do whatever she says.

I laughed. Her sharing her last name with a Charles Dicken's character who went insane after she was jilted at the alter amused me more than it should have. Not that I couldn't see the similarities. Even after spending less than a day in her presence, I knew she was the controlling, obsessive type.