Adrian rested his head on the window of the car, looking up at the blending colors of the sky. The clouds gave off a warm glow, in hues of gold and peach. It felt like a work of art comparable to ones in a museum. He smiled softly, snapping a photo with his phone. The sight itself was enough to calm him down after feeling trapped back home for so long. It was a new beginning. Though he was exhausted, he couldn’t close his eyes and miss how the colors changed second by second. By the time he knew it, the sun had already set and the night was approaching. But he was restless. The excitement of starting a new year and seeing all his friends again, he struggled sitting still.
Finally, school started again.
Those were words Adrian never thought he’d say. But compared to his family, anything was ideal.
He recently turned 18 and yet his parents still refused to buy him a separate apartment. He wanted desperately to leave and start a new life. But he figured they wouldn’t let him go so easily. After all, he was the family’s disappointment. He could tell they didn’t want to waste any more resources on him. Adrian was their biggest regret. They told him themselves.
But that was all over. He was finally back at the academy and far away from his problems. He didn’t need to worry about it anymore, at least not for the time being. In fact, he couldn’t wait to put it all behind him and go back to being his usual self. Confident, happy. Like nothing was ever wrong to begin with.
Back to the present - Adrian lagged behind a bit in getting to the auditorium. He insisted on immediately sorting all his clothes and belongings, alongside putting small decorations on his desk. A few photo frames, a notebook and a scented candle. Though it seemed minimal, it helped the room feel less bland.
Adrian left the room, locking the door. He picked up the pace, catching up to his roommate. “Lorenzo!” He waved. “Did you miss me?”
Killian
“It was pretty good honestly. I spent a lot of time with my mom and brothers which was good to catch up with them. I also had some doctor appointments and spent some time trying out a few clubs.” I say as I nod at him. “Let me show you what my brother dressed me in when we went to a club and I felt so stupid man like that was a rough night we drank so much.” I say as I giggle and pull my phone out to show him pictures of me in a mesh shirt and leather pants with my usual combat boots on. Every single picture I looked so uncomfortable. @ChayChay05
Aria had enjoyed a surprisingly relaxing summer back in Chicago. Doing some research work, attending some social gatherings and she had even partaken in some social activism, but for Aria, with how much she was running around back at the academy, it had been a welcome change to not do anything for hours on end. She entered the auditorium alongside her brother Owen. No matter how much she loved her brother, Aria had felt an urge to be more independent of him. Truly be her own person. So, she gave him a hug and said: “We’ll catch up later, O. I know you’ve missed your friends, go spend time with 'em.” After the siblings had separated their paths, Aria walked over to where more kids from her year were seated, she sat down next to Liv, someone she had come to consider a friend, yet she had not seen her yet since she returned for her sophomore year. She gave the girl a friendly smile and said, “Hey, Liv. How are you, how was your summer?”
Victoria had found herself having mixed feelings about the move she had made over the summer. It was a big change, from the posh London life she knew, to now being here living in dorms in a boarding school. She couldn’t help but feel somewhat alone. Her parents had just dropped her at this school, sure she would be travelling to Washington back and forth every weekend, but she still felt abandoned in a sense. Not that is was something new for her however, even back in London her parents had never given her their undivided attention. She felt some excitement however about being able to make all these international friends and step out of her comfort zone, have a fresh start. She had already signed up for the volleyball team, sure Victoria was not the strongest player, but she enjoyed the game and hoped it would be a nice way to socialise. This far, she had not spoken with many people, mostly just focused on unpacking some of her belongings and sorting out some organisational matters.
As she walked into the auditorium for the opining speech of the year, Victoria was quite uncertain where she was supposed to be sitting. She was walking into a school as junior, but it felt like a freshman year, not knowing anyone, not knowing the school. She saw an empty seat next to a girl who looked friendly enough, so with her posh Londoner accent she spoke: “Pardon me, but I was wondering if this seat is currently occupied?”
“Already? It only just started.” Eve nodded along, “you don’t even know the half of it.” She let out a sigh, but still smiled at Hope. She was lucky to have her, and the complaining could late till later. It’s not like her problems would disappear in the meantime anyway.
“Of course, Eve,” Evelyn couldn’t help but grin at Hope. “My summer? It was very eventful! … I attended several swimming tournaments since the weather was ideal! My private coach took me across Europe, the sights were amazing,” As Evelyn listened her mind raced back to wonder back to the summer when her parents had made the drastic decision to send her all the way to North Carolina. It was a decision they had very dramatically and definitely shouldn’t have made, and Eve still couldn’t understand their thought process.
The whole ordeal had been overwhelming for Eve. The separation from her familiar surroundings and friends had left her feeling a deep sense of isolation. North Carolina, with its unfamiliar landscapes and unknown faces, had felt like a different world altogether. I mean, yes her aunt lived there, but it never really was home. Eve had struggled to adapt, her heart longing for the comfort of her real home.
However, as she walked alongside Hope now, a sense of relief washed over her. She no longer had to face the loneliness that had consumed her during that unwanted summer excursion. Eve reflected on how grateful she was to have someone like Hope in her life.
Hope’s question about swimming brought Eve’s mind back to the present moment. Swimming had always been Eve’s passion, her escape from the stresses of life. She had hoped that her time in North Carolina would offer her new opportunities in the swimming world. However, the reality hadn’t lived up to her expectations. The swimming programs were mediocre, and Eve had sorely missed the dedicated coaches and competitive environment back home. Plus, she had too push pouting to actually try and couch herself.
With a sigh, Eve responded to Hope’s inquiry. “Swimming hasn’t been the same as it used to be, Hope,” she admitted, her voice tinged with disappointment. “The facilities in North Carolina were quite underwhelming, and I really missed the level of competition we had here in Delaware. But, I’m glad to be back now, back to familiar waters. I’m glad your season was good though.”
@idiot.exe • Hope • Did I write enough to work with?
Brex
I had been at this god forsaken school for about two days now and it was already not just boring but generally just sucked. I had gotten my room set up and I was trying to distract myself before I had to go to this stupid assembly thing. I couldn’t drink or use here which took away a good chunk of my distractions and that left music or people and people were always hard to understand and often unreliable so I pulled my guitar out and strummed a few cords. I knew I would have to leave to go to the auditorium soon so as soon as I had my guitar tuned I set it back in its case and headed towards the auditorium.
"Delusional as always, I see. Ya know, they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery actually, no wonder those parrots from that class zoo trip kept their mouth shut around you.” Kendrie turned around to give Ethan a nice and perfectly timed uncomfortable glare. Kendrie had turned, heading towards the door talking over her shoulder. “We’re going to be late if you don’t start moving. You can gawk at me during assembly, Ethan.” Ethan laughed, “You wish, Witchy. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have more important things to do.” He turned the opposite direction and entered the main office, at first Kendrie hadn’t even noticed he left.
As Kendrie continued on her way to the first day speech of the principal, she couldn’t help but roll her eyes when she realized Ethan hadn’t followed her. At least I hadn’t tried to talk to him. Typical Ethan, always finding some way to mock her. She shook her head, focusing her attention back on the task at hand. Entering the packed auditorium, Kendrie scanned the room for a familiar face but saw no sign. Good riddance, she thought to herself. She could handle this assembly perfectly fine without him. She had always prided herself on being independent and strong-willed. Ethan’s absence only confirmed that she didn’t need him by her side. As she spotted the principal near the stage, Kendrie’s mind began to wander. Despite her snippy interactions with Ethan, there was always a part of her that secretly enjoyed their banter. It added a certain thrill to their conversations, and she had come to appreciate the sharpness of his wit. But of course, she would never admit that out loud. Ever.
As Kendrie scanned the crowded auditorium again, her eyes landed on a familiar face. There, standing towards the back, was Ethan. A small jolt of surprise coursed through her, but she quickly composed herself, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of knowing she would eventually go to him. She clenched her fists, determined to stay rooted in her spot. No matter what, she refused to make the first move. Ethan could come to her if he had something important to say. But… The thought of their usual banter echoed in her mind, tempting her to go over and engage him in a snarky exchange. But in that moment, she decided against it. She would prove to herself that she didn’t need him or his constant presence in her life. Plus, they had hardly spoken this summer. Why did that have to change?
However, as she continued her gaze across the room, something caught her eye. Or rather lack off. There were no spots left… or at least not any acceptable choices. Except…A vacant chair next to Ethan. Her curiosity piqued, she tried to disregard it, reminding herself that it was none of her concern. With a subtle sigh, Kendrie reluctantly made her way towards the empty chair. Thoughts raced through her mind, wondering why that seat was unoccupied. Could it be that Ethan had purposely saved it for her? She laughed at herself.
“Done flirting with the office ladies?” It was an educated guess, but what else would he be doing? Obviously not changing. “And of any choice of cloth on the earth, what are you wearing? Okay, we get it. Uniforms are hot. But people are gonna think I’m sick or unstable or whatever if a paramedic keeps tailing me.” Kendrie promptly sat, not looking at him. She hoped he wouldn’t pick that up.
—
@Bluecookies • Ethan • Someonw teach me to write rp first I go good, then super short, and now really long, I need that middle ground
Owen had entered the room with his sister, he took her in for the embrace. “Thanks Ari, hey, try and focus less on school this year, let go a bit, ya know, friendships and fun are important too!” he encouraged her sister to be a touch less serious this year, let loose a bit. After all, these years, even if they were in this fancy school, these were the least restricted of their life possibly. Away from their parents, in school, not everything was supposed to be taken as seriously as his sister did.
He went to greet some of his team mates from the basketball team. But then, a certain someone caught his attention. Lila had always caught his interest, being exactly his type physically. Yet, there was something about the girl that made her mysterious, tough to approach. Owen got the feeling she always had her walls up, however, he felt a pull to be in her life, to be there for her. So he walked over to her, “Hey Lila, what’s up?” he looked at her with a gentle smile on his face, “Joining some sport teams again this year?”
As Jasper was walking towards the auditorium for the opining of the academic year, his second year as freshman, something stopped him in his ways. He heard some tones from a guitar, which he followed. He had enjoyed the emotion he could feel was put into the music. Just as he reached the room the sound had come from, the sound had stopped and a guy left the room. Jasper had not met him before, but felt somewhat intimidated by the guy, yet there was a certain intrigue too. He didn’t show his intimation, at least not in more than avoiding direct eye contact with the guy, his voice however, was confident and his demeanor with a sense of certainty in approaching the guy, even with the intimidation he feels. “G’day mate,” he spoke, a twinge of curiosity woven into his tone. “Couldn’t resist the pull of those guitar strings. That was something else, a ripper performance. Serious talent you’ve got there.”
“Oh good,” Phoenix blew out a breath, a smile creeping across their face as the boy giggled. Phoenix couldn’t help but chuckle too, feeling a flicker of warmth spread through their chest. It was refreshing to encounter someone who could take an unexpected situation with humor. And it’s not like Phoenix had planned it—so again, not there fault. “Hope that didn’t mess up anything.” Phoenix tried to shut there mouth, but one more sentence escaped anyway. “Not that I could ever mess anything up, but you know.” They shrugged, dragging their chain back in line with the chair in front of them. “Phoenix. Who are you?” It might not have been traditional, but it would definitely help speed things up. Phoenix extended their hand for a fist bump, this would be the final moment of truth for artists boy here.
@bpalmer • Mateo • Honestly still learning how to write Phoenix
He rolled his eyes at her and her comment. He wasn’t sure if that was true or not. “That’s what you say, but you have no idea.” he winks at her. Little did she know he already had a kissed a girl. They went a little further than that but didn’t go all the way. “I mean, maybe you even liked it.” He joked and smiled.
I was walking down the hall towards the auditorium when I heard my name by a familiar voice. I didn’t even have to turn around to know who it was. We had been roommates since my freshman year so no surprise that I recognized the voice. “hey Adrian, of course dude. Did you miss me?” I asked as he caught up to me. We then fell into the same steps as we kept walking towards our destination. “how was your summer?”
I look at the pictures on his fun. He looked so uncomfortable and it didn’t suit him well. I mean it wasn’t bad, just not his style. “wow. I can’t believe Danny did that to you.” I said as I looked back at him. I smiled at him. [color=cyan] “I mean it wasn’t too bad but your normal style is better and suits you more to be honest.”
I was sitting in the auditorium with most of the students. I was drawing on my phone on ibis paint. Then I heard a voice I knew. It snapped me out of my doodling. I looked up and smiled at her as I tucked away my phone. “hey Aria, my summer was pretty good. Just did a lot of conditioning for volleyball of course. Practice practice. And spent some time with my brother and sister back home in Auckland. How was yours?”
I was sitting in a chair. Waiting for the headmaster to make her speech. I just couldn’t believe how lucky I was to be here and not at home. The summer was horrible. I wish I could have went anywhere else for the summer to be honest. My dad… once again… gave me to men. I mean yes I was older now but if I fought the guys, they would beat me. So it was just better to not fight them. I mean they were always on some kind of drugs. I hated this life but I loved school because it was an escape from the life my dad handed me. I was thinking about everything when I heard Owen. We had meant my freshman year. And still 3 years later in my junior year, we didn’t really know each other all that well. Who would have thought you could know someone for 3 years yet still not know much about them. Part of me wanted to change that this year, but at the same time I was so scared to let anyone in. I mean what if they judge me. What if I tell them anything about myself and they feel sorry for me. What if they look at me differently because while I’ve never actually dated someone and willingly had sex. I’m technically not a virgin. What do they found any of this out. The kids here would bully me and pick on me and be ugly and mean about it all. So it’s best to keep to myself. I then remembered that Owen talked to me. “Hey.” I said then looked at him. “I’m just waiting on Ms McGrath to make her speech, and I’m on a field hockey scholarship so I’m definitely playing that sport. And we will see, probably one more. What about you?”
“How was your summer?” Enzo merely put himself back into character, pretending he was narrating his life. “Ah Jade, my summer was an absolute marvel. An aventura filled with memories that will last a las toda la vida (last a life time). I had the privilege of returning to my beloved, Italy, basking in the warmth of the sun and the rich history I immersed myself in the vibrant culture, indulging in delectable cuisine, and exploring the breathtaking sights that grace the streets of my beloved city. It was truly a summer to remember.” Enzo dramatically clasped his hands together, pretending to dream about his own life.
“But enough about me, my pata. It seems you had quite the eventful summer yourself," Enzo said with a sly grin. "Drinking, hmm? If I recall that’s not a usual American habit for under… what age do you guys that here? Eighteen? Care to enlighten me?” He winked at her, knowing exactly what he was doing. Enzo’s tone carried a playful yet slightly… suggesting undertone, his words enticing Jayda to share her experiences while leaving room for him to further converse—plus, Enzo was never one to shy away from a challenge - especially when it came to capturing Jayda’s attention.
Rodney’s genuine smile made Kenneth’s nerves settle a bit. The way Rodney seemed to brush off their accident put Kenneth at ease, and he felt himself warming up to this tall stranger. Rodney’s next question about a nickname caught Kenneth off guard again. He hadn’t expected the conversation to turn in that direction, but he found himself intrigued by Rodney’s interest. “Yeah, sure. You can call me Ken,” he responded, his voice a touch softer than before. “Or, uh, some people call me Birdie.” Kenneth offered both possibilities, unsure of what Rodney’s reaction would be.
I just looked at him trying to read him while he talked. He said one word I wasn’t sure what it meant since it might have been Italian. my pata I thought as I listened closely and waited for him to stop talking. I giggled when he said the drinking age was eighteen. “actually the drinking age here in America is 21. However my parents buy my alcohol. They love me and give me everything I want. Which you already know.” I giggled again. I loved having rich famous parents that didn’t care what I did as long as I wasn’t killing
anyone. It made things so much more fun and exciting. I then look at him. “what age can you drink in Italy Vince? I’m sure it has to be at least eighteen.” I then stuck my tongue out at him. I knew he hated it when I called him Vince and that’s what made it even more fun.
I smiled as I listened to him talk. I was intrigued honestly. He seemed kinda shy which just made me want to know more. “May I ask why birdie? Like what’s the story there? I mean if I’m gonna call you it I gotta know the story. So when people ask me I can be like there is a story there. Ya know what I mean?” I smile again as I keep watching people walk by us since we were still standing by the door but not in the way.
What Eve said piqued Hope’s interest. Though she knew she shouldn’t intrude, her curiosity got the best of her. She needed an answer. “What don’t I know?” She tilted her head. “Of course, I don’t mean to push you if it’s private. But I’m here if you need someone to talk to.”
Evelyn was an outcast, but she still held connections to her wealthy family. Any information on her could give Hope a leverage. She was prepared to closely listen to her words, making mental notes of her tone and which aspects seemed to affect her the most. And as her father taught her - detach herself from the subject. It’s easier to manipulate them that way.
But still, something felt off about her method. Even if she’d been doing that since she arrived at the academy, it made her feel a way… that was hard to put into words. An emotion she couldn’t quite pinpoint.
“Swimming hasn’t been the same as it used to be, Hope,” Evelyn continued speaking about her experience, her voice showing disappointment. Hope nodded along.
“I’m sorry to hear that. But I have to say, I’m glad you’re back as well,” she looked ahead, checking how far they have until they reach the auditorium. “I have to say, the competition is my favorite part. I get to compare myself to the very best swimmers of this academy. It’s a great way to learn.”
This was my first year here even though I was a junior. I started to slack off in school and quit my sports which isn’t like me. My parents always wanted me and my sisters to be perfect and they are but I was tired of following what and who they wanted me to be. I knew my good friend who I used to date goes here but I figured I would meet him later. As I was walking I saw a girl who was right outside the auditorium but didn’t go in. “Hey you new here to?”
I had stepped back outside the auditorium since it was taking so long. All the people kinda had me nervous. I was standing outside and a girl walked up to me. “it’s my first year here. I’m a freshman.” I answer the girl. I smile shyly at her
I smile at her as she asks me this question. The one thing I’m not shy about and I love to talk about is my art. “I’m on an art scholarship. What about you?” I ask really kinda curious.
“Oh that’s awesome so you must be really good art art then. It’s really a long story but short story is I’m not here on scholarship. I could be but I didn’t really try the last year or so. I mean there’s more to it to but it’s not important. What’s your favorite thing you drew or paint”
I listen to her. Then she asks me what my favorite thing is. I had to think. what is my favorite thing to draw. I don’t even think I know. I smile when I finally think of something. “it’s really hard to think of just one favorite but honestly it would have to be sunsets.”
I listen to her and nod my head. “Oh those can be pretty cool and nice” I smile at her. “Oh by the way I’m Chloe sorry I forgot to mention my name earlier”
I smile as I think about drawing and painting and all that stuff. Then she says her name and I realized I didn’t say mine either. I don’t usually really talk to people. I’m so shy normally. “I’m Camila, nice to meet you.” I smile at her, I was kinda nervous. “I’m a little nervous about being here.”
first I go good, then super short, and now really long, I need that middle ground 
