'Don't be nervous, they are all the same age as you ok?' The homeroom teacher said while trying to reassure Ethan but it did nothing to alleviate the bundle of nerves coursing through him.
He hated this
Hated it so much but there's nothing he can do about it.
Being the center of attention,being noticed by people….
It was currently the middle of the semester and a new student was totally unexpected but it wasn't his fault. His mom got a promotion that would keep her away from town most of the time so she decided to send him to Westbridge High, a boarding school against his will. Packing up his essentials and dropping him off after meeting with the homeroom teacher with a promise of sending the rest of his stuff later, not like he needed much since the school provides most of the things they needed.
He walks behind her, shoulders stiff, his small bag being held tightly by the straps.Luckily its currently class time so the hallways are empty but that doesn't make it better because he could see some curious glances being sent his way from the class windows
"Can't they concentrate on the teacher? Why look at me? Never seen a new student before?" He thought nervously while tugging at his clothes.
"We are here!" the teacher announced, stopping in front of class with a small nameplate on the top with GRADE 12 ELITE inscribed on it.
She pushed the door open and then he felt it
The pairs of eyes shone upon him like a spotlight and he let out a small eep while they stared at him. It was a class of about 20 students or so seated in neat lines with notebooks open.
They were dressed neatly in their crisp white shirt,dark trousers for the boys and skirts for the ladies ,ties well knotted with their blazers, the same colour as the bottoms draped behind their seats. They looked exactly like model students and he felt a bit more conscious while standing in front of them. Was his uniform properly ironed? Is his tie well knotted? He thought.
The teacher gestured to the students "Everyone meet our new student. Please introduce yourself to the class"
He stepped a bit forward, still feeling the weight of their eyes with his heart pounding and hands shaking 'Hello everyone My name is Ethan Wells, nice to meet you all' Surprisingly his voice came out steadier than he felt.
'Nice to meet you too Ethan' The class greeted him back while he flashed them a small smile.
He scanned the classroom nervously. Most desks were taken except a single one collecting dust at the far back of the classroom. But backrows were impossible for him given his height. He wasn't short per say, somewhere around 167cm.
"Alright then, We would be having a slight change in the seating arrangement in the middle row order to accommodate Ethan since he's a bit on the shorter side and can't stay at the back."
There is a bit of grumbling as that would mean losing a seatmate while some are a bit happier to get a chance to seat closer to a friend or crush.
There are some sounds as the teacher instructed them to where to place their desks and shuffling as people dragged their desks to a different space
"Lucas please help bring the desk a bit forward." The teacher asked,nodding towards the desk at the back of the class.
The student stood up from the last row and Ethan noticed him. He was tall, taller than most of the class and walked to the desk,dusted it with a rag and lifted it like it weighed nothing
Ethan's eyes shone in awe as he watched as he walked to the middle row with the desk.
"Wow, so strong". He thought while observing him. He was dressed like other students but it seems like he wore it better than others. The shirt fitted him snugly, neatly tucked into his trousers,The tie hung straight with the knot properly centered. He was sporting a neat hairstyle that gave him a clean,youthful look. He seems to be around 180cm,lean but athletic,broad shoulders and long legs with dark hair and sharp brown eyes with defined jawline, straight nose and nicely shaped pink lips.
"Ok Ethan, you can go sit over there." The teacher said, pulling him out of his observation. He cringed at himself for being occupied observing someone's appearance without noticing that the other already dropped the desk and seat. He nodded at the other slightly, making a mental note to thank him properly afterwards.
"Ethan, after class come to my office so we can get your class schedule and books you need.Lucas u can escort him to help him get familiar with the school". She instructed
"Alright ma'am."They answered in unison
A flurry of noise fills the classroom as they all crowd around him all asking him different questions and introducing themselves in the same breath.
He was overwhelmed by their enthusiasm but he tried to answer to the best of his abilities. Soon after the class bell indicating the next period saves him.
He looked back to see Lucas but shifted his gaze instantly as their eyes met. That was a bit awkward…..he thought
Back at his seat Lucas dragged his hand through his hair.
"Fuck, he's so pretty" He thought.
He never imagined he would use the word 'pretty' to describe a guy but when he saw him that was the first thought that came to mind.
He was around 170cm or maybe lower, he wasn't sure. A bit on the slimmer side but not too thin, he seemed to be the shy type which he found a bit cute , soft brown hair, large brown boba eyes, softer features and fair skin that suits him perfectly.
Soon after the Physics teacher stepped into the class and everywhere quieted down. He noticed the new face and made a bit enquiry about him and a comment about him needing to keep up so as not to drag the class down and told him to meet with the class president for notes of previous classes
The teacher's voice filled the classroom while the students scribbled in their notes. But Lucas' attention drifted back to the new student. He watched him take out a small jotter from his bag and blue gel pen and started taking notes looking all serious and attentive. But he quickly turned his attention back to the teacher and started taking his own notes.
After 45 mins of lecture, the teacher finally wrapped up his class and scribbled some questions on the board as an assignment and left the class. The bell rang indicating the beginning of a short break,chairs scraped against the floor, students slowly filed out of the class and Lucas stood up and waited by the aisles as the new student closed his jotter and then they walked out together.
"Hi" Ethan greeted."Thank you for helping me with the desk earlier".
"Not a problem"He answered calmly.
They walked steadily through the hallway,and a few students greeted him casually.
"Morning Prefect" They greeted and he nodded in response without breaking stride.
"Are you the school prefect?" Ethan asked curiously.
"Yes I am," he answered.
"That checks out," Ethan thought. He carries himself with the aura of a leader relaxed and composed.
They passed tall windows overlooking the courtyard, sunlight spilling across the floor. For a moment neither of them spoke
"Here is the admin building," Lucas said, breaking the ice pointing to a tall building painted in brown. "The staff building is the next one staff building"
"Okay," he replied. His voice sounded quieter than he intended.
When they got to the admin building, they entered the elevator to the 3rd floor, 3rd office by the left,then knocked briefly and then entered
A staff member from her computer when they entered "Lucas you are here , I guess you must be the transfer student, Please give me a few moments". Ethan wondered if she was always this enthusiastic towards students.
She opened the small drawer beside her and pulled out a small blue booklet embossed with the school emblem. "This contains the school rules and regulations and everything u need to know
Ethan opened the handbook, divided neatly into sections and skimmed through the contents. Classes,dorm rules,curfew,extra curricular activities…..muttering under his breath. Curfew at ten….breakfast by seven….dorm inspections every saturday morning.
After a while she gave him a small card with 367-A printed on it and a small sheet. "This is your dorm key and class schedule too and then to the bookshops to collect your assigned books and stationary, you will meet the dormitory manager for your sheets and pillows, since Lucas is the School Prefect u can ask him questions on things you don't understand and he will take you to the male dormitory after school." She said " Welcome to Westbridge high, i hope you will enjoy your stay here"
"Thanks ma'am" he replied.
They left the office and walked quietly side by side
'I will show you the basics and then we will continue after school later, ' Lucas said, earning a small breath of relief from Ethan.
They walked out of the admin building and continued walking straight. This is the staff building. Our class teachers are on the fourth floor"
They passed the library,the bookshop, the sports building, school field and the cafeteria
"Meals are strict on time" he added "So need to be there early" To which Ethan nodded and committed to memory.
They turned around a corner, the buildings opening up to the male dorms. It was a tall quadrangle building divided by sections.
"The female dorms are at the opposite side of the schools, and the rooms are usually separated by classes so be rest assured you will be rooming with classmates. It is usually 2 in a room and has its own private bathrooms, study desks and wardrobe. So that concludes our mini tour". Lucas said, stopping near the main path "The next period begins soon so we need to get back".
For a second,neither of them moves.
"Thanks for….all your help"
"No problem" Lucas nods "Now lets get back to class then. Will show you a shorter path"
"Yes…yes"
They walked back quietly,watching as students were hurrying back, their slow pace like they are in a different world, Ethan has the urge to walk a bit faster, the silence was a bit deafening but he doesn't know what to say to him to make the situation not feel awkward.
"Can you give me a brief rundown about the school?' He asked quietly
Lucas glanced over, a little surprised, then shrugged "The school is above fifty years or so, it used be smaller, started out as a private school then boarding came after and more expansions to be able to keep up with the number of students"
"Woah….the school is a bit older than i imagined" Ethan thought
"Yeah, but they are big on renovation to make it look more trendy" They both laughed
"Is it strict?"
"Depends…They are keen on students keeping the rules, as long as you keep then you would enjoy your days here."
"That's good."
"You will get used to it eventually, besides we are almost in senior year, they are usually not hard on seniors."
They passed a notice board cluttered with faded posters and club announcements. They slowed slightly
"Those changes every semester" he explained "Most people put them up and forget to take them down.."
"Are you in any clubs?"
"Student council,Maths club,Basketball."
Ofcourse, the height checks out.
"How do I apply to be in one?"
"Which club do you want to join, I am in contact with most club presidents, can open a backdoor for you" He joked
Ethan smiled at the words and nodded slightly "Will hold you to that"
They were close to the classroom now. Voices drifted out through the open door.
"In case you get lost, just ask anyone, they will direct you,ok?"
"Okay" Ethan replied "Thanks again"
They entered the classroom, the room was already settling, chairs scrapping softly as people reclaimed their seats. A few students glanced over. Some are curious. Some are uninterested.
When they got to Ethan's seat, Lucas patted him slightly on the back encouragingly and walked back to his seat.
Ethan slid into the seat, still a little stiff but a bit excited. Maybe a boarding life won't be as bad as he imagined. He pulled out the handbook before he could think much about it. He flipped it open,leafing through the pages and reading them thoroughly as though he would get tested on it afterwards. School maps,Bell schedules,Dorm rules,Meal times.
Lights out by ten.
No phone during class hours if caught will be confiscated
No wandering during class and meal times
All meals must be had in the dining halls
Students must be gathered during assembly times no later than 7:30am
No bullying etc
That's new…. He thought.
He paused on a page titled Student Conduct, then closed the booklet halfway, closing his eyes briefly.
"Hello class" The teacher for the next class entered, dropping her bag on the podium "Sorry i am a bit late, can we begin now?."
"Yes Miss Owens" The class echoed. There were slight noises as students brought out their books and pens.
Ethan looked up, booklet forgotten for now and tried to focus on the teachers words instead of the strange feeling that this place was already starting to feel.....real.