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“So, what should I expect on my first day at WinterHill University?”
“I’ve got no idea. We’ve never actually had anyone new come in like you. It’s usually just the new freshmen at the beginning of the year… and you’re a fourth year.”
“You’ve never had someone new here? Like,ever? How is that even possible? This university is the best in the country. There is a waiting list at least a mile long.”
“There is a very strict entry process, and even if someone leaves, there has never been anyone who takes their place. I really don’t know how you managed to get a place so late.”
Shit, in all of my research on this schoolthatnever came up. The Dean was more than happy to take my money and let me bypass the waiting list to come here for my last year.
Fuck! What the fuck was I thinking? There’s no way to stay invisible when you’re the new girl in an exclusive university that has never had a new girl. What fucking school never has anyone new start? And how the fuck did I manage to get in this late if no one else has?
I take the few minutes it takes to get to the school building to think about how I’m going to be able to stay invisible in a situation that puts me right out in the fucking spotlight. Then I remember what Xavier said about trusting Poppy.
I stop at the doors and turn towards her.
“Okay, so maybe I can’t be completely invisible.”Fucking overprivileged arseholes thinking their school’s so fucking special that no one can come here.“But I’m the quiet nerdy girl who no one wants to get to know, and when they realise that’s who I am, I will be practically invisible anyway. I just have to stay out of everyone’s way until that happens and I need you to help me do that.”
She looks at me and then starts walking again, not saying anything. Fuck! I knew this was a fucking mistake. I follow her down the corridor, and she doesn’t say a word until we get to the dining hall doors at the other end.
“Why is it so important that no one notices you? You may be the new girl but you could be popular here. You’re just as pretty as them and you’re really cool too.”
I push the doors open and try to come up with a response that doesn’t require me outright lying to her as we walk towards an amazing breakfast spread.
“I don’t want to be popular, Poppy,” I tell her as I pile my plate with pancakes and bacon. “Look, I’ve always been alone. It’s a long fucked up story that doesn’t have a happy ending, but if you decide to stick around I just may tell you about it one day.” I grab a coffee and turn around spotting the perfect place to sit.
We walk over to the back corner of the room, the table right next to an exit, where no one will be able to come up behind me, in the perfect position to see the whole room. I try to figure out how to continue as we take our seats and start to eat, but it’s clear Poppy must be able to sense how hard it is for me when she tries to change the subject to something safer.
“Okay, let’s shelve that for now. Of course I’ll help you, Kenzi. You’re the only person who has been nice to me. How could I possibly not do the same? So, where are you from anyway? I bet your parents were excited when you got accepted here.”
I let out a sigh, feeling as though a weight has been lifted off my shoulders at not having to explain everything yet, and potentially have my first friend in nearly six years run screaming for the cops before school’s even started. This is a line of questioning I can answer without having to really lie.
“I’m from London. It’s a five-hour drive from here and I’ve never left London before coming here. My parents are both dead… but my brother was pleased for me. It’s what we have always worked towards.” Not quite a lie. Xavier is like a brother to me.
“Wow. I’m so sorry, Kenzi. I had no idea.”
“Don’t be. My mother died when I was a baby so I don’t actually remember her, and my father died a few years ago but he was an arsehole. My brother is the one who has always taken care of me.” I take a sip of my coffee and start to make a dent in my mountain of food.
“My mum died when I was younger too, it has just been me and my dad since. I haven’t got any brothers or sisters. I was born in WinterHill and have never been anywhere else. What’s London like?”
I let out a small chuckle.
“The part of London I’m from is not anywhere you want to visit, believe me. The streets aren't a safe place to be-even during the day-what with all the crime and gang violence.” I look up from my plate and laugh at the shock on her face.
“Wow, so your brother must be really proud of you then.”
I smile as I think of how Xavier has always asked how my grades are, and how he was always happy when I told him I had aced another test.
“Yeah, he really is. I never would have been able to get this far without him.”
We finish our breakfast and make to leave as the first students start to arrive. Poppy places our trays down at the station next to the doors and puts her head down as a few curious glances are aimed our way. I pay them no attention and follow Poppy out of the dining hall and towards our first lesson of the day.
* * *
The morning’s lectures are pretty uneventful. We have accounting and business and manage to get to the rooms first, sitting in the back of the classes.
No one notices us with our heads down as we sit, taking notes. It’s a good start to the day and I’m looking forward to lunch. Poppy takes me through one of the lesser used corridors after I convince her that getting to the dining hall first will be better than getting there when it’s full. We’re able to make it down and grab the same table we had at breakfast before anyone else enters for lunch.
I’m taking a bite out of my cheeseburger and watching everyone else around me interact while Poppy fills me in on the afternoon’s lectures, when all of a sudden the room goes silent and all eyes go to the door. A group of students saunter in. Poppy immediately stops talking and ducks her head like she’s trying to look smaller.
