Monday came by in a breeze. I mean when you get slapped, bullied and expelled from your school on the same day it's got to keep you busy. Dad and I spent most of the week packing and bonding. I mean I was leaving and he would be all alone in our house.
Apparently dad called sheriff Andrews who was Fred's father and dad's very old friend for a sudden admission. Sheriff Andrews's son go to Thornhill boarding school so he pulled a few strings to get me in. To be honest at this point I don't know what to think.
Monday, early in the morning dad woke me up and asked me to get ready.
We started from our house at around 6:00ishh.
After all we had a kinda long drive to Thornhill.
Thornhill boarding school was in the middle of nowhere at the farthest end of the town of Thornhill. We pulled there at around 8:00. That school is probably the most majestic thing I have ever seen . It was probably as large as half the town of Creekwood. The entire campus was surrounded by rose bushes with beautiful roses. The campus was at its prime state of hustle and bustle. Students running around, teacher's running around, everything felt very alive inside this campus.
Dad pulled up in the front of the main administration building.
A man in his late thirties in a black suit was standing in front of the building along with a girl who looked older than me.
We got out of the car and he came forward to greet us.
"Hello! I am Dr. Alaric Saltzman, headmaster of Thornhill boarding school." He introduced himself.
"Hello! I am Kevin Keller and this is my daughter Catherine" Dad introduced us.
"Thank you for taking Catherine in so late"
"She is only a week late, I am sure she can catch up. This is my student Dana Mosby, your tour guide Catherine."
"Hello" the girl piped up. She had short blonde hair worn in a clean Bob and big doe eyes.
"Dana, please take Catherine to the tour while Mr. Keller and I complete some of the formalities" headmaster Saltzman said.
"Ok! Follow me Catherine" Dana said.
We started walking away from the administration building.
"So, do you know anything about this place?" Dana asked.
"Umm not really." I said.
"Ok. This school was opened in the year 1860 during the civil war so that people can send Their children to a safe space for their education.
Now this school is ran by a board of trustees but the largest part belongs to Mr. Augustus Blossom." Dana pointed her finger towards the extreme left of the campus, where I can see a different gate to a warehouse
" That is the Blossom warehouse. Off limits to us." Dana said.
"That looks creepy" I said
"Believe me when I say, the Blossoms are creepy."
We reached a building which looked like a palace, with huge french doors with intricate carving on them and beautiful coloured glass windows.
" This is the school building" Dana piped up.
"This doesn't look like a school, it looks like a palace." I gasped out.
"This place used to be the residential area of one of the town founders but it has been renovated to the modern facilities needed for a school with a touch of it's legacy."
She pushed open the double doors and entered the school building.
I followed her and my mouth hanged open.
It was huge.
The room in front of me had a giant 'T' the middle of the room. All the walls in this room were covered with lockers. The lockers were smaller than the lockers in my previous school.
" This is entry room. You must have noticed the lockers on the walls. The lockers are smaller because it's a boarding school, you don't need lockers. Up in the front is the auditorium. All the events are held there. " Dana explained. " The rest of the rooms in this building is modified to fit the needs of the school. School starts at about 9:00 that's why it's empty. Come on, let's go to the boarding house."
Dana exited the building pulling me with her. I just oogled at the school building for a while.
Dana took me a building to left of school which looks similar to the this building.
She pushed open the doors and all I could hear was loud music of people chatting.
" Welcome to the centre of life here, the grand lounge" Dana said.
The grand lounge was actually grand.
Big couches and fluffy chairs were placed, along with standard tables and chairs. Students were chatting, scribbling in notebooks, screaming, running around.
This place was alive.
There was a loft a little lower than the first floor. Dana saw me looking at it and said " That is the quiet zone. The walls of the loft have built in bookshelves. Students do their homework there."
Dana started walking towards the left and opened another gaint double doors. " This is the grand hall. We are served our meals here but people also hangout here"
The grand hall looked like the one from Hogwarts. Long, with long tables. Students were hanging out there.
"To the left is the kitchen" Dana explained.
She was explaining me how this place works , the events, compulsory interaction etc etc .
That's when I heard a voice saying " Catherine??? Catherine Keller?"
I knew that voice way too well.
I looked at the person calling my name, same as the last time I saw him.
Tall, lean , a mop of copper brown hair which spends a hell lot of time styling , bright green eyes and that ridiculously infectious smile. A huge smile formed at my lips and I ran into his arms almost knocking him out.
"Freddie!!" I exclaimed.
" I missed you so freaking much Catherine Elizabeth Keller" he said hugging me back.
" I missed you too Frederick Arthur Andrews" I said.
Dana came over to us with big curious eyes, she looked visibly uncomfortable.
" You guys know each other?" Dana asked.
" Know each other?!" Fred laughed
" We have been best friends since we were in diapers" I replied. I couldn't keep that ridiculous smile off my face . Fred was my brother from a different father. He has been my partner in crime since the day we could crawl.
Dana uncomfortably looked at us and said " It's almost time for the morning assembly. We should cut this tour short and collect your assignment, routine,dorm details etc."
"Where are the dorms Dana? " I asked
" Do you see that corridor on the far right end?" Dana pointed out the corridor.
I nodded.
" That leads to the annex right building, the girls' dorm. The left corridor leads to the boys dorm. First floor onwards in this building i.e the main building is the primary dorms" Dana explained curtly. The sudden change in Dana's behaviour really weirded me out and I awkwardly nodded my head.
"Come on Cathy, let's collect your stuff" Fred said.
I nodded.
Dana started to walk towards the exit without telling anything. Fred and I followed. The whole way to the administration building no one said a word. I could feel Dana and Fred have bad blood. Fortunately dad had finished all his formalities with headmaster Saltzman. They were standing outside the building. Dad looked at Fred and broke into a huge smile. Fred went and hugged dad.
"Fred! Wonderful to see you"
" Great to see you too Mr. Keller. Dad told me Cathy broke Alyssa's nose. To be honest she had it coming" Fred gave a light laugh. Dad laughed along with him. He then gave me a folder.
" This has your routine, dorm assignment, locker assignment the whole shebang." Dad said
I laughed and thanked him.
" Cathy, sweetheart take care of yourself, alright?"
" I will daddy" I said
He hugged me and I could feel tears pricking at my eyes. This will be my the first time away from him for this long. All our lives we have been together forever. I could feel he was also on the verge of crying.
He let go of me and held my hand. I could see tears pooling in his eyes. I am pretty sure mine looks the same.
" I love you Cathy. You make me a proud father" he said, his voice already kinda husky
" I love you too dad" I said, my voice immitating his tone. He then kissed my forehead, said goodbye and drove away.
Thornhill boarding school will be my home for the next few months till winter break.
I am sacred but I still have Fred. I know I will survive.
Suddenly I heard a loud bang.