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“Oh no, no trouble in all the time I’ve been here. Nothing for you to worry about there, Miss Kenzi.”
“Just Kenzi, please. So, if there’s no trouble, what do you do out here? It must get pretty boring.”
“Oh there’s plenty for me to do,” he replies with a chuckle. “This place is full of privileged rich kids who don’t think the rules apply to them and are forever trying to sneak out. I’m kept pretty busy. They believe mummy and daddy’s money will be able to get them out of any trouble, so there’s nothing to stop them from doing what they want. Well apart from me, of course."
“Wait, how do you knowI’mnot one of those spoiled rich kids you’re speaking so fondly of?” I ask with a laugh.
“Well, the first thing that clued me in was your hair. I wasn’t lying before. There really isn’t anyone here with hair like yours. And secondly,youare having a conversation with the ‘lowly gate guard’. None of those rich kids have ever tried to talk to me while they were waiting, unless it was to snap at me to hurry up and go faster.”
Ugh, fucking rich people. Those over-privileged arseholes have got no bastard manners.
I realise I’ve spoken aloud when the guard lets out a loud bark of a laugh. “I think we’re going to get along great, Kenzi.”
“Thank you,” I reply, giving him a small smile. “What’s your name anyway? I’m not going to just call you guard, or whatever these dickheads call you, every time we see each other.”
“I’m Duncan,” he says, still laughing as he hands me back my licence and a gate key. “I like you kid, you’re different from the rest of them. You don’t hesitate to let me know if you ever need anything, you hear?”
“Thank you, Duncan. It was really nice to meet you too. And you’re right, I am different from the rest of them. I’ll see you around.”
“See you around,” Duncan replies, still chuckling as I start up the truck ready to move through the gates.
I drive up the road and park my truck in the lot in front of the girls' dorm building. I look around and see the wealth of the people here in the cars they drive. Porsches and Bentleys, and even a couple of Lamborghinis surround my truck.Who the fuck sends their kid to school with a fucking Lamborghini? Fucking rich people, that’s who. Way more money than fucking sense.I hop out of the truck and make my way to the front of the large university building.
I walk through the large doors of the building and go to the reception desk through a set of doors directly to my left. The woman sitting behind the desk watches me walk in. I can feel the disdain in her gaze as she rakes it over me slowly, down and then up, stopping first on my shirt that says ‘Nerd?!’ I prefer the term ‘intellectual badass’. Then she stops on my hair and stays there.
“May I help you?” She asks, with a look like she smells something bad.
It’s time for me to play my part. I can’t speak freely with this woman, or anyone in this school, as I did with Duncan the guard. They will see me every day as I go through the building, so it’s time to start blending and becoming invisible.
“Uh, yes. I hope so. My name is Kenzi Scott and I’m starting here on Monday. I need to pick up my schedule and room key, please.” Nice and polite. My eyes shift to the floor, my voice is quiet and I sound timid.
She walks over to a door on my left before knocking. When the person behind the door calls out, she opens it and tells whoever is behind it that I’m here. After a few more words from the person behind the door, the woman turns and starts to walk back behind the desk while telling me I can go through.
I walk through the door into a large office and take a quick look around. Large windows are covering the wall straight in front of me, with bookcases full of books covering the wall to my left. I take a couple of steps into the room and turn to my right. There is a large desk taking up the majority of the space covered in papers and a computer on the left. There’s another bookcase and some filing cabinets behind that.
“Miss Scott, please come in. Take a seat.”
I sit in one of the chairs facing the desk and get my first proper look at the Dean of WinterHill University. He’s an older man, possibly in his early fifties, balding with a little grey hair and glasses. He’s well dressed, however, his suit doesn’t hide the fact that he’s overweight. He opens the file he has in front of him and clears his throat before looking up at me.
“Miss Scott, I am Dean Marks. It is unusual for anyone to transfer here for their last year, but I've read your file and I’m highly impressed with your grades from both secondary school and the online college and university classes you’ve taken. Add to that the fact you excelled in the entrance exams, and I believe you’ll have no trouble keeping up with your fellow students.” He smiles and looks back down at the file. I am pretty certain the two hundred and fifty grand I paid to skip the waiting list helped just as much, if not more than my grades, but I keep my mouth closed and wait for him to continue. “There were no instances at your last school that required any disciplinary action. It seems like you were the model student, Miss Scott. I have no doubt you are going to fit in here just fine.”
“Thank you for the opportunity, Dean Marks,” I reply with a small smile. “You have no idea how much it means to me to be here.” It’s the absolute truth and I mean every word. It’s essential to the plan that I graduate from here because the students of WinterHill University get their pick of the most prestigious jobs in the country.
“Well, I think I might have some idea,” he says looking back down at the papers in front of him. “I have your schedule here and a map of the university so you don’t get lost while you settle in. The lectures here run on a three-tier system and you have been placed in the top tier due to your grades and entrance exam scores. All students are reviewed at the end of each term, and their tiers change accordingly. We want to help our students to succeed here, so please tell your lecturers if you are struggling with anything. We also run a tutoring program, should you feel the need to make use of it. You can pick up all of your books from the library on the second floor. The librarian will be able to set you up with everything you need to use the library’s resources.”
I give him a small smile. I should have no trouble keeping myself in the top classes for the year and I have no intention of letting my grades slip, so I definitely won’t be making use of the tutoring program.
“I also have your room number here,” he continues, “it’s number two-one-six and is on the top floor. It is a single room with an ensuite bathroom, and the uniform you ordered should also be in there. If there is anything wrong with it, come down to reception and let them know. Should you have any problems at all, just come and see me, or speak to your lecturers.”
“Thank you, Dean Marks. I’ll be sure to speak to someone should I have any issues. I’m really looking forward to starting on Monday,” I say as he hands me all of the papers and the key to my room.
“You’re very welcome, Miss Scott." He flicks his gaze to my left and I notice we're not alone. A girl is sitting in the chair next to me with a big smile on her face. "This is Poppy. She has been assigned as your guide for the first week. You have the same schedule so she can assist you in getting settled."
I take a better look at her. She has wild curly brown hair and a sprinkling of freckles across the pale skin of her nose and cheeks, which seem to highlight her hazel eyes. She's looking at me with a smile that says she wants to be friends.Shit! That's all I need.
Before I can open my mouth to tell Dean Marks that a guide won't be necessary, the girl, Poppy, starts speaking.
"Hi, I'm Poppy. I'm in the room next to you, so I can show you where to go. I can also show you around so you know where everything is, and when meals are and stuff…" She trails off and when I don't say anything her face starts to drop like I've just kicked her puppy. She looks like she’s seconds away from bawling and something twists inside my gut.I'm going to have to watch this one. Making friends isnotin the plan.
