Senior year of high-school. Form XII.
It didn't matter what country you were in or what your hierarchy of class was addressed as. It is said that seven billion people live a single day differently.
Obviously that was not true. Everybody went through the first day of school in two ways - either like the ten girls that were whining about their crumpled Gucci tops and misplaced Armani bags and what sort of manicure they got done the day before to look 'senior year material'
their words, not mine
or me -who was not even fully up yet.
My first step inside the assembly hall landed at exactly 8:05. The first thing I did was look around for my traitor of a sister who one, conveniently ditched me at the dorms and two, was now smirking in my direction. I swear I knew she was making fun of me.
I narrowed my eyes at the evil twin of mine and she just laughed at me. That's the worst part of having a twin - you'd let them get away with murder too.
St. Theodore School of Higher Secondary Education and Boarding. Fondly called St. Theo's. Our principal - Sir Jonathan Poloski Sr. was already at the podium, testing the mic once, twice, thrice before his "SILENCE!" echoed through the walls and that was an indication that students supposed to be in assembled in perfect files in less than three seconds.
He was a strict man, Polly was. Short, stout, a french beard and a voice so loud he probably didn't need a mic in the first place. Never seen in anything less than a three-piece-suit. At the age of fifty six, where most people thought of retirement and spending the rest of their lives on the hills amidst fresh air and the beauty of nature, Polly loved being in control of his life. He was one of those people who would never let their age decide what they should do with their life. At least we knew he has no plans of retiring this year. Not that I minded him; he was pretty chill like that.
"Good Morning Class of 2018. I, Sir John Poloski Sr. officially welcome you to this institute as the senior-most batch of the year 2018. Please stop hooting, Mr. Vas. It does not make a gentleman. Now as I was saying, there are a few things I need to announce in the first assembly of this year. So let us get to business. This year is going to be a little different from..."
I took my liberties with Polly all the time. Like now, for instance - I had no idea what he was speaking. I had zoned out long ago, while standing in the last file right at the back, next to Daniel Bass who gave me a soft smile that I returned. Since no one was standing to my right, I was technically the last person.
The Assembly Hall was named after the Founder of our School, Sir Stephan Arling Trollope. History had it that he had set the foundation brick of this hall, where the first ever class in the history of our school was held. To put it in a simple way, it looked somewhat like The Great Hall of Hogwarts, minus the dining arrangement and the magical roof.
No.
Our roof was high no doubt, but had beautiful, elegant chandeliers that made a prolific pattern mid-suspension. The crystals that hung in those gold chains were so pure that when light shown through them we didn't need any electric bulbs running.
The walls had scripture on them. Ancient scriptures which were difficult to decode but this very hall was UNESCO World Heritage Site so I could imagine the literature and architecture and history that this name and place carried with it.
Just as a storm gushes through the window, I realised wasn't the last one anymore. I could feel the vacant space to my right being occupied. My head snapped in said direction, only to be stupefied by a pair of mesmerising, grey eyes.
Feeling the Harry Potter vibe yet?
You'd probably never hear me admit it out loud, but they were the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen. Even though they looked away from me all the time. It was all in the past though, and it didn't hurt anymore.
"....finally, we have the national under-twenty soccer league, sponsored by our alumnus organisations, which will take place at the end of this academic year. This has to be discussed in detail so I expect the coach and the captain of the team to meet me in my office after classes have ended. Am I clear?" Polly folded the little chit in his hand before putting it back in the pocket of his jacket, but not before looking pointedly at the figure next to me, a direct indication that he was probably invited for evening tea with Polly too.
Not that I cared.
After a final command, we were dispersed and I must say, if Zeus were here, his lightning bolt would have some real competition with the way he scrammed out of the hall - not stopping, not turning around. Just running away.
I emerged through the doors a few minutes later and Lia was already there, waiting for me since we had to walk to the office to collect our new schedules for the year. The office which was at least at a fifteen-minutes walking distance from where we were presently.
"I saw you finally made it in time, huh?" Of course she'd tease me about my tardiness. My sister sucked.
"Yeah I did. No thanks to you," I sassed back. Honestly, I was glad that she hadn't waited on me - our bickering would've made us both tardy.
"So..."
"So?" I retorted back. I was trying my best to not sound defensive but there was not much I could do if the person I was trying to evade was my own twin.
"He was standing with you. I saw you two," she whispered, obviously so that people walking ahead of us didn't get new rumours to supply the mill. It was the beginning of the year and no one wanted that sort of drama so early on in the year.
"He wasn't standing with me Lia. He was standing next to me. And he left before I did, so it's not like it mattered," I brushed it off coolly. I tried.
"Okay then...” she trailed off lightly as we finally reached the main office desk. Our school was so huge that the teachers used bikes to make it from one building to another.
The lady who sat at the desk, Janice has been here for the last twenty-two years or so. She had seen lots of students walk in and out of the gates of St. Theo's. Some nice, some not so nice. But how she managed to act like she loved her job was beyond me really.
"Hey, Janice," Amelia smiled at her and in return, she beamed at me.
"Hi, Harts. Let me get your schedules from the drawer, just sign here please, if you will." She handed out a pen and the entry register for us to fill, wishing us a good day ahead. So much niceness in one person was a miracle around St. Theo's.
"Thanks Janice, you too." I hollered back and obviously you can guess since how I was a magnet for all things awkward, I bumped into a brain-dead jerk.
"Of course I had to bump into the leech. Are you blind? Can't you watch where you're going?" His voice growled.
Jeffery Parker, the second most annoying human being on this planet had bumped into me. Or should I say that I had bumped into him. Guilty as charged. But if he was being an ass about it then I was not going to hold back either.
"You were looking straight buddy, and you still bumped into me. I wonder who the blind one now is? “I shot back.
If there was one thing I was not having on my first day back here, it was foul attitude and freaking Jeffery Parker. He was the whole package. Flirted with my sister. Was a major ass to me. But still expected her to hook up with him. Told you, complete package of waste.
"You bi—," he stopped mid-word, so suddenly you'd think he was having a stroke, but we all heard it. Another person from behind us clearing their throat - oh God, was it Polly?
"Nate...” Jeff stammered.
Nope, not Polly. Just him.
"Nathaniel for you, Parker," his smooth voice had just belittled pain-in-the-butt Jeffery and yet, I could only focus on him. Him. Him. Him. He was defending me against Jeffery Parker. Holy shit!
My heartbeat was getting erratic and I was pretty sure my cheeks had turned an unusual tone of pink.
"Your bickering is blocking my way, so if you don't mind verbally bashing each other elsewhere, that would be great. Now move."
I guess I spoke too soon.
#####
First class, English Lit.
My favourite subject. Probably because it was the only one I was good at. I was obviously not at the top of my class but I was not dumb either. I actually liked to pay attention in class and I'd say I faired okay in all my classes, at least most of them if we didn't count trig. Passing trig was a struggle last year and I had it this year too. Great.
And of course he was in my Lit class this year. I thought he hated English and anything to do with it? This was Advanced Placement English, the only AP class that I took. It's the only one I was eligible for really.
All this time, he hadn't looked up once. Not that I'd cared about whether he kept stealing glances at me with those lovable grey eyes that would make anyone weak. Uh, get a grip, Thea. It's been years.
It was only the first day back and I was already feeling the stress. Class after class had gone by and soon enough the first half of classes had ended. We had a free hour between the first and the second half of our classes. It was almost lunch time but most girls called it 'touch up time'. Make-up reference. Not that I didn't wear any but I liked to keep to my mascara and gloss and occasional blush.
Like every year, my free hour on the first day was spent observing the people around me.
Lia had picked up our meals from the cafeteria on her way from class and we sat under the big, banyan tree which was made into a small outdoor cafeteria of sorts by putting up some chairs and a couple tables. That was our spot. Mine and Lia's.
It's the one and only place on the entire campus from where I could see everything - eat, observe every clique, eat some more, listen to some kickass mashups that Lia made in her free time. Think, wonder, and eat.
And while we're at it, let's brief you up.
I'm Thea Hart. My middle name is Esme but let's forget I have one.
I have a twin sister, Amelia Chester Hart or Lia.
She is exactly seven minutes and forty two seconds older but still holds the 'older-twin' thing over my head. I am seventeen and one of those kids who is born on Christmas.
My birth mother and father met when they were in school - St. Theo's to be specific. They fell in 'love' and then happened Lia and I when she was just nineteen. But obviously, she didn't want the responsibility of carrying a single, much less two kids at the ripe age of nineteen.
So one day, she dropped us off at my dad's when Lia and I were about six weeks old. Said she had some errands to run and then probably ran off into the ocean or to another continent. I wouldn't know since she never came back or kept in touch.
Ever since then, my father had been bringing us up. Until we were old enough to be sent to boarding school, at five years of age. My guess was he didn't exactly want us around since we reminded him of our runaway mother. It's okay though, we meet him once or twice a year. Good enough for us.
Though we lived twenty minutes away from the campus, we weren't allowed to spend school nights at home. Home was home strictly during every other weekend and vacations.
Lia and I - we're opposites. She was more our mother than I. From what our ex-neighbour could recollect, she shared mom's slightly tanned skin tone, her honey brown hair which Lia always kept short, her height - a towering 5 ft 8" where as I was a little paler, had a 5 ft 5" stature and dark brown hair with golden hues and some soft waves, although straight for the most part right upto my waist.
The only feature I had of my mom's were the eyes - soft hazel colour that looked like Nutella caught fire.
She was easy going, Lia was. Outspoken, fun, but could break your confidence within a single minute of a stare-me-down contest. She cared like a mother and had a knack of shipping people like the Titanic.
Exactly - it sank.
In my direct line of vision was the Prada Parade. Shantel Archibald and her minions. She was the result of the union of the Wicked Witch of the West and Lucifer. Born to rich parents, lived in a mansion, drove around in an Aston Martin, spent every weekend in Vegas and had a hidden talent. She could spot fake Prada and second-hand Christian Louboutin faster than I could sneeze.
Shantel had a new target every month, and considering how happy she looked, I figured she had already found the first one of this year.
Duncan's Loafers scored girls but failed pop quizzes like it's nobody's business.Their leader Duncan, is a piece of meat in the cheerleading community: the Prada Parade were all cheerleaders, Shantel being their head if it wasn't already obvious. She had legs I'd die for but a stinky attitude people die of.
The Scholar Collars were scholarship students. St. Theo's offers scholarships every year to students who are failing to support their education provided they keep up their grades all year round. The Head Nerd - Samuel Reed was the cockiest nerd to have ever walked this planet.
This one time he asked me to do a project with him in English Lit, his reason being - he felt like doing charity and preventing me from failing was probably it. As if.
Finally, when lunch hour was almost over, they entered my field of vision. The biggest wanna-be scandal of st. Theo's - The Broody Brothers - Lucas, Noah, Caleb and him.
Nathaniel Knight.
