THE HANDS OF the large, antique clock hanging in the abyss of the dark green wall hadn't move since the last time I had glanced at it. Which I swear on all things good and cheesy was at least twenty minutes ago. 

I groan under my breath, reclining further back into the very uncomfortable leather chair and gaze around the small Admissions office. It was the very first room of the stone structure I was guided to by wooden street signs. If it wasn't for the modern twist such as the large glass doors, I would've assumed I had relocated to Hogwarts. 

Across the rather spacious room was a woman perched behind an antique, wooden writing desk. Her hair was pulled as tight as physically possibly to the back of her head while a pair of thin framed glassed balanced near the tip of her turned-up nose. The only time she has verbally acknowledge my existence was when she had asked me for my name. 

Even that seemed to annoy her. 

The silence was suffocating as was the tiny chair against my thighs. Was this chair made for fucking four year olds? 

Caldwell Academy sat on the outskirts of Maddison, a small but vibrant town that was three hours and fourteen minutes north-east of Seattle. Trust me, after my phone battery died all I could do was count the seconds. It was a boarding school for troubled, dysfunctional youth. In more simpler words; me. 

During my trial, my lawyer had encouraged me to enter a plea deal that indicated I was to spend my senior year at Caldwell Academy, a boarding school in Washington state and in which my case will be reviewed at the end of the year. Or other wise I would be sent to prison for defacement and vandalism, endangering the life of a faculty member and...oh, that's right, blowing up a whole fucking high school cafeteria. 

Or so I assume. I wasn't paying attention at all during my court hearing. I just sat there staring at the judge because I swear she looked like Meryl Streep and I kept trying to spot hidden cameras, assuming I was being pranked.

I mean, it wasn't my exact  intention to set the fire that ultimately lead to the poorly timed explosion of the cafeteria. But Mr Jacob's testimony sure made it sound like he. He obviously has never heard the term snitches get stitches because if I die in this hell whole, I'm am coming back to haunt the fuck out of him. 

My little bitch of a cousin Spencer wasn't trialed because his stupid ass didn't get caught on the security cameras that the school installed without my knowledge. 

I sigh out, exasperated and glance down at the pamphlet in my lap that had been folded in to a paper swan and unfolded many times. Caldwell Academy, the school for troubled kids. That bullshit was printed on the front page, under the school's crest.

Resting my head back against the wall, I allow my eyes to flutter shut. I didn't get any sleep at all on the plane ride because a; there was a piece of metal from my chair sticking into my hip bone and b; there was a man two rows in front snoring who sounded like his respiratory system was failing 

Just as I was on the verge of peaceful slumber, a loud, cherry voice startled me, "Hayden Jones." 

My eyes burst open as I bolted to my feet in fright. I glance across the room at a large male in a navy suit walking through a dark oak door with a large smile plastered across his aged face. He ambles over to me and I awkwardly shift my weight from leg to leg. 

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I'm Headmaster Sullivan." When he reaches me he extends on hand and my gaze quickly darts down, "I hope I didn't keep you waiting long." 

"Not that long." I lie through a overly sweet grin as I latch my hand to his and firmly shake it, hoping he could hear my inward rage scream through the brief contact. 

"Rachelle, can I please have Miss Jones' items." Headmaster Sullivan orders the receptionist who implies to his demands instantly, unlike the fifteen minutes she took when I asked for a tissue .

"I was hoping I wasn't late, my plane was delayed." I like through a smile once again, retaining full knowledge that I spent a twenty minutes devouring two burritos at a Mexican restaurant on the way here. 

"It's completely fine, Hayden. I had a feeling something like that would happen." Headmaster Sullivan explains as Rachelle scurries over in her black kitten heels and passes a folder to him. I glare at her back as she returns to her desk, attempting to unlock some mutant-like power in which I could light the bitch on fire. "This is for you." 

I take the folder off him, gazing down at the school crest on top of the card package. It was incredibly formal for such a school.

"Inside you'll find everything you need. Your class timetable, your dorm details, keys, a school map and I do believe there is a menu for the school dining hall in there. He explains as if he's done it a million times before because he most probably has. "Dinner is served at six on weekdays in the Radcliffe Dining Hall. The school library is open from eight in the morning until ten at night. And if I can recall, the school gym and pool is open just a little earlier than that."

I bend down, picking up my bags and pulling the straps onto my shoulders. I then give the metal handle of my floral suitcase a jiggle and a swift kick before it pops open and I raise it to it's full height. I smile even though I deeply cringing at the fact that Headmaster Sullivan had the unfortunate pleasure of witnessing my awkward wrestling match with my suitcase.

"Oh and I'd appreciate it if you swing by my office tomorrow whenever your free." Headmaster Sullivan questions as I glance up at him from the folder, as if I was mesmerised by it. "And other than that, welcome to Caldwell Academy Hayden. You may go settle into your dorm now." 

"Thank you, Headmaster, and I will." I smile at him as I head towards the glass door and push it open.The autumn air was crisp unlike the warm sea breezes in southern California, but the sun was shining proudly in the cloudless sky. It brought a delicate warmth however I dreaded the inevitable, knowing it's going to become increasingly colder in the months to come. 

I wander around the school, noticing the emptiness of it.  The school grounds were really quite beautiful and the gardens were lavish and manicured as well as the lawns. It was identical to the pamphlet. 

I pause by a bench and place down my bags, realising I had no idea where the hell I was going. Nice job, Hayden. 

I open my folder, sifting through the sheets of paper before I come across the school map and my dorm information. Elwood Hall, Dorm 307. I take a quick glance at the map, before slapping myself in the face with it after coming to the realisation that I was heading in the opposite direction

I shove the paper and folder into one of the two duffel bags before I turn around and head back the other way, lugging my thick suitcase behind me. 

Finally reaching the large brick building, I sigh with relief that I can now take a nap once I reach my new dorm room.A dark oak sign sat outside on the perfectly manicured lawns, notifying me that this was indeed Elwood Hall. I continue to heave my heavy suitcase with a wonky wheel behind me as I walk up to the building and push open the weighty wooden doors.

The large foyer is empty when I stumble in side, my bags creating a cacophony as they clash against the threshold. There was a large wooden staircase leading up to the first floor, a few leather benches and a vending machine.

Two halls sat on either side, heading down to what I would assume would be dorm rooms.

So if this is ground floor, then I must be rooming on the third floor. I cross my fingers and desperately hope I have received an above average roommate. She just has to be nice and funny and not one who constantly smells or cuts of pieces of my hair while I'm sleeping. 

Two guys walk casually into the foyer, one eating a bag of chips and the other busy looking at his phone. Both of them glance at me at the exact same time, eyes wide as if they've never seen a girl before.

I watch as they climb the stairs, glancing over there shoulders at me as they stumble up the steps before disappearing into the first floor. Okay, that was definetly weird right?  

I carry on further down the hall heading deeper into the building. There's an elevator, which my lucky ass should be grateful for as well as a laundry room of to the left.

After squeezing myself into the box with all my bags, I press the button for the third floor; the top floor being four. The hall is quiet when the doors finally slide open and I spill out of the elevator. 

Room 307. I remember as I glance from left to right, reading the numbers on gold plates attached to the wooden doors. Different echoes of music quietly filled the halls as I headed in the direction of mine.

I come to a stop in front of my door, breathing a sigh of relief that I finally made it on my own. 

Glancing over my shoulder at the sound of an opening door, I watch as a cloud of steam pours out into the corridor. A guy walks out, a towel wrapped around his fragile hips and not an inch of muscle on the dude. His dark hair was stuck to the pale skin of his forehead.

He smirks as he nears me, "Everett's out at the moment."

Everett?

That must be my new roommate. She must be one of those edgy hipsters. Cool, I can deal with hipsters. 

He folds his arms, leaning the side of his puny bicep against the wooden frame of the door. His eyes shamelessly scale me and my nose screws up in disgust.

"You know, this might just be my opinion but I'm pretty sure you'd have an much more enjoyable experience with me than him. I highly recommend you take the offer. Room 319, baby."

Him? Did I just hear that correctly? 

"Has anyone told you that you look like a woman's pinky finger?" I question, his sly smirk slipping straight off his lips and crashing to the ground like a nuclear bomb. It was the most harmonious music to my ears. "The resemblance is uncanny." 

He pushes off the door frame, arms falling slack to his side and scoffs. He turns but I could hear his slight mutter, "Fucking bitch." 

"Oh, so it's my fault now?" I question loudly, smiling sweetly at his pale retreating back, "Nice chatting with you!" 

I shake it off, shoving my key into the lock and twisting it. I push open the wooden door and stagger through the small threshold of the room. As my eyes raise from the floor to get a first look of my room, my jaw opens wider than physically possibly. 

I have possibly landed myself in the biggest hole of shit with the worst possible roommate in the history of roommates.

And it wasn't in the, they're creepily obsessed with horses type. But in the they have a penis type. 

Well, this is fucking peachy.

His side of the room was incredibly messy. An unmade bed, shoes and various items of clothing scattered over the wooden floors and empty food packets littered across his desk. My bags slip from my shoulders and land at my feet. 

Why is it me that this shit always seemingly happens to? Isn't there some other cranky bitch that karma can fuck over? 

I lock the door behind me, incase Mr Creepy McCreeper from a few doors down returns with his buddies. Crouching to the ground, I dig through my bags and retrieve my dorm arrangement sheet. I then stand and perch on the edge of the mattress, holding the single piece of paper in front of my eyes.

I didn't read it wrong. I was exactly where I was suppose to be; Elwood Hall, Room 307. There must've been a mixup, because I am very much female and this dorm is very much for males. 

Sighing, I dramatically fall on to my back and stare up at the white roof. Maybe if I go back to the administration building, Rachelle might be a little more helpful this time. But then again, she didn't seem to like me much so I highly doubt that. 

But my feet were just so damn sore. I'll go in five minutes...or ten...or twenty...or...

the  "official" first chapter is up. 

sorry it took so long but like i said, i'm going to take this one slow and post when i want to post. 

it's not because i'm lazy—okay maybe it's a little of that—but i also want to be proud and happy of what i post and i hope you feel that too. 

anyway, what do you guys think of hayden?

she's so badass and i love writing her narrative. 

please comment your thoughts because it inspires me to write

also if you have any reading recommendations please message me because i need some good reading material rn. even if it's your own written story i'll read it!