What It Means To Be On Top

Chapter 1

I stared at the building in front of me, it was huge.

The campus stretched over to the coffee shop in the middle of the city, to the library. That was at least a 2-mile stretch. 

The school I was going to was the center point of the city, they called it 'The Institution'.

The brick structure in front of me loomed and was Very intimidating. I gulped and walked over to the entrance, it stood out.

The giant steel doors were guarded by armed military men. They held M16's by there side, they looked like statues. I walked toward them, my yellow striped backpack swished side to side as I walked. 

Their eyes snapped and laser-focused on my small frame, I smiled.

"Hello! I was looking for 'The Institution'  am I at the right place?"

They exchanged looks and sifted their stance into a more relaxed one rather than a alert one.

"Badge." One guard held out their hand as they spoke. 

"Oh, Yes. One moment."

I swung my backpack off my back and gently lowered it onto the ground. 

I rummaged around and pulled out a metal badge. It was shaped like a shield and had the capital I in the center. 

I handed it to them ignoring the glances at my arms, They were bandaged up to my first knuckle on both arms. The bandage's disappeared into the striped sleeves of my shirt, I wore my favorite pair of black overalls and purple converse. My dyed blonde hair was bright, completely contradicting the purple hues in my eyes. My hair was braided into pigtails that flopped over my shoders. If I didn't dye it people would get suspicious. 

I can't have that.         

They scanned my badge and nodded, "Go ahead."

I smiled as they handed it back, I reached to take it but was pulled forward instead.

The guard leaned in and whispered something into my ear, I just smiled and nodded.

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I walked into the big double doors, waving goodbye to the soldiers. The gave me a quick nod and they took resumed their former alert position. 

Inside the doors, I found a large courtyard. Trees were scattered around the vast rectangle lot, it stretched a very long way for a courtyard. 

Around the courtyard were buildings that probably led to classrooms. The office... I had no idea where that was.

"Maybe if I roam around enough I'll find it..." 

I began walking around the large courtyard glancing right and left. Looking for the massive sign that says, 'Office.' 

I didn't find one. 

I ended up lost in one of the buildings, I entered a long hallway and it had doors that probably led to another couple thousand hallways. I sighed and opened the first door I saw.

I tiredly glanced inside expecting another hallway, but instead, I found a classroom full of students. Their desks were placed vertically to the window facing the teacher that was now staring at me. 

"Uh, hi?"  

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Well... I made it to the office.

It was to my right when I walked into the courtyard. 

"Woops, Hehe." 

The secretary looked down her nose through her glasses at me, looking at me with a critical eye.