Matt paced in his room fiddling with his neck tie and collar. He begged for this and now he was nervous, he was a wreck! He looked at the mirror straightening the necktie that he made cockeyed due to his anxiety. He buttoned his vest and shirt buttons. When he looked appropriate (again) he exited the room.
When Matthew entered the dining room, Gregory nodded in approval. when Matthew turned towards Emmeline, her smile seemed less than genuine as if she were trying to mask something.
This would be the first time in years that Matthew would to step outside the gates of the Octagon House. His state of being was in chaos; a mixture of anxiety, sadness, and glee.
Breakfast was placed. He could feel all eyes on him. The atmosphere in the room were heavy and was choking him. He quickly ate and when he was done Emmeline whisked the dishes away before he even had a chance to stand up.
"I will be taking you to school today, I have to finish your registration and class schedule in person."
"Thanks papa" he bowed his head.
Emmeline came out with an old cigar tin, "your lunch." her voice Curt.
"Thank you Emmy." What was going through her mind thought Matt
Ania came running back into the room with a leather knapsack, "your supplies" and handed it to him. "Papa, can I go too?"
"Yes, as long as you stay invisible."
"No problem!"
As Emmeline listened to them her heart kept sinking. She was being left all alone. She watched the three get into the car and head down the drive. Emmeline grabbed the saucer he had used for tea and threw it on the ground. Her anger bubbling up. but really it was more of an isolated feeling mixed with frustration and loneliness. So much pain and the feelings of abandonment surfaced which just came out as anger.
As Gregory drove the to the highschool he spoke, "Some ground rules. Your name is Matthew Casper. I am your father, it is just the two of us. You were homeschooled and just moved to the area. Any questions?"
Matt thought about it for a second and shook his head, "No sir."
"If anyone asks you anything that may be, well that may be too personal, make something up, understand."
Matt nodded, "yes sir."
Gregory shifted his view to the rear view mirror, "and you miss, you are absolutely not to be seen!"
Ania nodded, she was happy that she was going to school with Matt, she didn't care if she couldn't be seen. She would follow the rules so she could continue to spend time with Matthew.
The school wasn't that far away and they had arrived shortly after Gregory had finished with his instructions to the two children.
Matt observed the children exiting from the buses, he could vaguely recall in his previous life when he did this. He exited the car and followed Gregory into the school. Matt noted that Ania was walking beside him her eyes moving quickly to assess the new environment. Schools sure have changed in a hundred years she thought to herself.
Matt also noticed the weird looks he was getting from many of the other students. He looked down at his clothes, he was far more presentable than the children around him, what were they looking at?
He held is lunch pail and knapsack and he gripped them tight. Matt wanted this, he was the one who wanted to attend high school, he was starting to get more nervous the more he walked. For the last couple years his life revolved around his second family and this was a little overwhelming he hadn't see so many people in such a long time. They entered the main office, while Gregory was handing the the forged documents (not that the secretaries could tell) to the women. A separate man came out of an office within the office.
"Hello Matthew Casper, your first day?"
"Yes sir." He responded politely as he had always been instructed.
The man chuckled at his reply, "my name is Principal Dwyer." The principal handed the class schedule to the boy, "I hope I don't ever see you in this office." While the content was serious he said the line as a joke.
Matt's eyes met the principals and the his brows raised, "I'm sorry sir, but I don't understand."
The boy's manners were impeccable, and he really didn't think he would see the boy in the office. "Students that come to the principals office do so because they are in trouble. You won't be causing trouble, will you?" He said with a smile, the boy clearly uncomfortable.
Matt's posture straightened, "No sir, absolutely not! Papa would be displeased!"
The principal raised his brows, this was a weird kid. But he seemed like he wouldn't cause trouble and that was good in his books. The principal turned and looked at Mr. Casper who was chatting and setting things up with the secretaries, but upon hearing the boy speak he turned to Matt, nodding his head in approval.
"I am leaving now, if there are any problems or if you want to give up and come home, just let Ania know and I will come right over and pick you up."
"Papa, I don't think that is necessary. I want this." he said to himself as much as he did to Gregory.
Gregory nodded, "I'll pick you up today, but tomorrow, they have instructed the bus be taking you to and from the house. Be good, son."
"Yes sir." He then looked at his schedule. "Excuse me ma'am, would you be able to show me to my classes?" Matthew asked, he would be lost otherwise.
"Actually, another student, Erin will be taking you around." replied the woman.
Matthew nodded and sat on the bench. When the door to the office opened, he glared over and it was a beautiful girl, with blonde hair and honey brown eyes. She walked over to the desk and when the secretary pointed at Matthew, he stood up and slightly bowed his head when she walked over.
"Hey, I'm Erin, I'll give you a tour and help you today?" She looked at the boy, she tried to maintain a neutral expression, but he was dressed from the 19th century. "Can I see your schedule? Matt, right?"
Matthew blushed and handed the paper to Erin, "Yes, Matthew. Matt is fine too."
Algebra I
History
Science
Lunch
English
French
Gym
"Oh, we share a couple of classes. Its nice you have gym the last of the day!" Erin looked at the clock on the wall "We have a couple minutes, I'll take you on a super quick tour of the building and then to your first class. I'll come after each of your classes and take you to the next one, kay?"
"Yes, I understand."
"Okay, lets get going."
As they walked towards the door. Matthew walked ahead and held the door open for her. Erin gigged, "So formal, no doubt you'll be a hit with the girls!"
Matthew blushed. "Mm."
The tour of the high school was indeed fast. She took him to his locker to drop off his weird tin and bag. He grabbed his notebook and pencil and she led him to his first class, Algebra I. Matthew gulped when he was the people already sitting at there desks.
"Who's the dweeb."
"Nerd." Somebody else replied.
"I think he looks dashing" a girl giggled.
Matthew could feel his cheeks burning. He did his best to ignore them. Waiting towards the front of the class off to the side waiting for the teacher to enter.
"Ah, you must be the new student, Matthew, right?"
"Yes sir. Matthew Casper."
"Great," the teacher looked up, "the desk over there is empty, take a seat."
Matthew did as he was told. So this was highschool?