October Academy

Chapter 3

"Gladys," I interrupt her, "I know."

She pauses for a moment before changing tactic, "I'm going to miss seeing you around the house," she says as we start moving to our separate cars.

"You'll still see me at school," I say.

"I know, but it's different when I'm in principle mode," she says, giving me a small smile.

There's silence for a moment.

"Jade, I think we should talk about Tim," Gladys says.

"I don't want to talk about it," I don't need this before I have to drive to school.

"I think there's something you should know-"

"I already saw – know – too much," I snap.

Gladys knows to stop. It's too hard to talk about it without visualising what happened to him. I'm not ready to talk about it yet. Even though it's been months.

"Ok, another time," she says.

We get into our respective cars simultaneously. Then, there's silence.

.

.

.

Gladys' house is only ten minutes from the academy, like most of the teachers. But a healthy chunk of them still live on the school grounds with the students. The scenery starts to change from suburbia to thickening greenery as we start ascending Mt October. October Academy is about a five minute drive up the mountain, surrounded by a thick forest, especially at the back.

It doesn't take long for the ominous, tall iron gates to approach me. I drive behind Gladys as we make our way into the academy parking lot. I park my car – a dark purple 67 Ford Mustang coupe. I take an extra minute to appreciate it. My dream car. The car Tim surprised me with for my sixteenth birthday. The only thing I have left of him.

It's mostly beat up and barely running. It makes clanky noises as I drive, rust covers the crevices and the gearbox is stiff and awkward. It's my favourite thing in the world.

I walk from the car park to the centre courtyard where the rest of the students are gathering to see their dorm assignments. The girls are always in the West wing, while the boys take the East. Unlike regular boarding schools, all the dorm rooms are singles. Most likely because every students parents have to be rich to send them here. Unless they're like me and were 'lucky' enough to get a scholarship.

I notice Perry's bright bobbing head through the crowds. She notices me too and we make our way towards each other.

"Did you see our dorms?" Perry says to me, excited. "We hit the jackpot this year. We're both on the second floor in the corner next to the stairwell. We're like three rooms away from each other."

"No kidding," I say, happy for once. The stairwell is the furthest away from the common area. I, for one, never go to the common area. It's noisy and chaotic. Since it's the only place with a microwave, there's almost always someone getting a DIY coochie wax on the table. Especially before swim season.

Luckily it's Autumn.

"And guess what," Perry says, "We're in the same homeroom! With Xander too!"

Now I'm starting to think it's too good to be true. "Really?" I ask.

"I know right? C'mon, let's leave our suitcases in our dorm and head to homeroom."

I follow Perry to the East wing of the academy. Sometimes I forget just how large October Academy is. It's your typical haunted looking place: tall brick walls, stone angel statues covered in ivy, creepy water fountains.