Emily stood in the hall turning in a slow circle. The school was huge! It seemed bigger on the inside. Huge stone walls, the walls were a weird greyish colour. Emily could see halls branching off this main corridor. Each wall was covered in lockers and flyers, notices for everything and anything. Emily stepped to the big notice board. Trying to figure out if there was a map.

"Good morning. Can I help you with something?"

Emily jumped. Turning around she came face to face with a tall and skinny man. He had a slightly creepy smirky smile, a long skinny nose. His greying hair was combed over an obvious bald spot on his head. His beady eyes were looking Emily up and down, like he was trying to x-ray her. His long skinny fingers were clasped together in front of him. He had white pants and white turtleneck sweater under a white suit jacket.

"Oh good morning, sir. I'm actually looking for the administration office." Emily said, looking down the hall again.

"Well, I'm the Head of the school. I'm sure I can direct you to the office."

Emily's eyes lit up, "Oh! That would be helpful, thank you sir!"

"Please. Call me Director Janson." He gave her a thin lipped smile, "please, follow me."

He indicated with his head and Emily fell into step beside him.

"So, what are you looking to do in the Administration office?"

Emily twisted the cuff of her sweater sleeve, "well I'm a new transfer. My uhh, sister said you offered an advanced program."

"Oh yes yes. You must be Miss Emily Fitz. I was just reading your file. You and your...sister?"

"Step sister, sir."

"Indeed. Your step sister and you have transferred from our rival school, Crankland High."

"Yeah. My step mother got a new job at that big company in town."

"Ah yes, WICKED."

"That's the one. She moved us closer to the office."

"Indeed. Well, after reading your records and your general GPA I don't have doubts you will do well in that program. Any particular reason you want to do the advanced program? It's not for the faint of heart."

"I want to get into the top school for nursing. And I enjoy a challenge."

Janson's beast eyes were watching her intently. He sniffed and nodded.

"Well here we are. I'll leave you with the secretary to get it all sorted and a new class schedule. When you are done please make your way to the auditorium, the school assembly will have started."

"Thank you Director." Emily smiled. He nodded his head curtly and left.

The secretary smiled kindly at her. It took twenty minutes to get a new schedule, and rearrange her class schedule. The bell had rung five minutes ago, and it took her another six to find the stupid auditorium. The school was huge and was a total maze. Even with a map she got lost. There was no one around to ask for help either. Which was a wild contrast from the outside lawn before the bell.

She finally found it, the auditorium. Pushing the door open just enough she could slip in, she stood at the back of the huge room. It was huge, rows of seats all facing a stage. There were hundreds of students all sitting around, waiting for the assembly to start.

Feeling slightly panicked with the amount of kids, her eyes flicked around trying to spot the least conspicuous seat to slid into. She spotted an empty one by a tall blond boy.

"Hey, uhh, sorry to interrupt your reading, but is this seat taken?"

He looked up, his big brown eyes matched his smile.

"All yours Love."

She smiled back and slid into the seat. She pulled her coffee out of her bag and looked over her schedule. She had to figure out where all these classes were in this giant maze of a school. She ran a hand through her long blond hair and flip it out if her face and sighed in frustration.

"Doesn't sound like a buggen' happy sigh." The boy beside her said, looking up from his book. "It's not even first period."

"Well...new school, new classes...no idea what the shuck is going on." Emily replied, still frowning at the times table.

The boy closed his book and looked up again. She realized it was the blond boy with a baby face who rode a motorcycle this morning.

"Let's bloody see this schedule, Love." He held a hand out.

With her eyebrows pulled together she handed over her schedule. His big brown eyes flicked over the paper. A smile spread on his face and when he looked back up at her his eyes were bright and gentle.

"Well, looks like you're in the advanced accelerated  Math and Science program...the advanced AP English...and the mandatory gym, business...I'll be your bloody buddy!"

"Umm..." Emily stuttered.

"I'm in the advanced program for English and History. My buggen' little sister is in the general advanced program-"

"Would you stop saying that? Your fifteen minutes older! Were bloody twins!" A girl with slightly redish hair leaned over from behind them. She popped her head in-between Emily and the blond boy. She took the schedule from her brother and scanned it. She chuckled.

"Hey Jeffy! Looks like you got a new Science partner!" She handed Emily's schedule to the dark skinned boy beside her. Emily recognized him from this morning, greeting the blond.

"So, my idiot brother never bother to introduce himself. That's Newton-"

"Please just call me Newt."

She waved a hand dismissively. "I'm Sonya, this guy, " she jabbed a thumb to the boy beside her, "is Jeff and beside him is Clint."

"Nice to meet you guys. I'm Emily."

"So, Em. Where ya from?"

"Transfered." Was all she said.

"Well that's mysterious!" Sonya chuckled.

"Slim it Sonya! You're gonna scare the poor Greenie!"

"So...can I have my schedule back?"

Jeff handed it back with a kind smile. "After Rat Man is done I'll show you were to go. We're in most of the same classes. English with Newt and gym with Sonya."

"Oh...thank you." Emily smiled, but it slipped, "who's Rat Man?"

The guys snickered. Just then Director Janson walked out from the wing of the stage to the podium.

"That's Rat Man." Sonya whispered in her ear.

"Director Janson?"

"That's him, you meet him?" Newt leaned over whispering.

Emily nodded. Newt frowned, and gave her a look she couldn't direct. But she sat quiet listening to Director Janson give a speech about rules and regulations, how the school expected them to run, why they were all there...she eventually stopped listening, and her eyes scanned the crowd. She spotted a dark head of hair. Teresa was sitting beside a girl with kind dark brown hair, that must be Brenda, the school Cheer captain. They had their heads together whispering and giggling.

Emily's stomach twisted. She had no idea what kind of trouble she was already plotting. Hopefully they wouldn't see too much of eachother, this school seemed bigger, and Emily was in the advanced program, Teresa was in the regular stream.

One can hope.

Her eyes kept going, just in front of her a few rows down was the big group of guys she had almost been trampled by. The huge Asian guy sat in the middle. He was clearly the leader. He had his feet propped up on the chair in front of him, his hands folded behind his head, showing off his muscles. The brown haired guy beside him was drumming pencils on his knee, like he had to keep his hands busy. There was a tall blond on the other side. He turned around and said something to someone. Emily saw his short blond hair and watery blue eyes. He looked like trouble. He had a devious smile.

Emily's musings were cut short when Janson stepped away and a tall dark haired boy with messy black hair and dark rimmed glasses stepped to the podium. Along with a dark skinned girl with dreadlocks.

"Thank you Director Janson! So, Glade Academy, I wanted to welcome all the new grade Eight kids and any new transfers. I'm Nick! Your Student Class President! This is Harriet, my Voice president. We look forward to serving you again this last year! I'll be in the student government office as often as possible, come see me if there is anything you need, or suggest-"

"I suggest this assembly come to a shucken end!" The blond boy with watery blue eyes yelled.

The auditorium bust into laughs.

"Hilarious Ben." Nick rolled his eyes from the podium.

He stood waiting for the laughter to die down. He readjusted his glasses and continued.

"This week is sign up for any extra classes or activities. That's it for me and Harriet. Welcome, Gladers to Glade Academy."

"Day one Greenies, welcome to the Glade!" A huge blond ox of a boy yelled, making the group of guys howel with laughter.

"Well that was bloody pleasant. Come on, Love. Let's go find your locker." Newt said and stood up.

Emily stood up and went to leave. Teresa and Brenda were coming up the stairs just behind the group of huge muscular guys. Teresa was already batting her eyelashes and flinging her hair, trying to catch their eyes. This huge leader hooked his thumbs into his backpack straps and wasn't really saying anything. His face was set and looked hard. His eyes flicked around and landed on Newt, a small smirk broke across his face.

"Hey Shank."

"Minho." Newt nodded his head. "Have a good buggen' summer?"

"Was alright. Training, training camps...worked on the car, that's about it." He shrugged.

Emily stood awkwardly beside Newt, Sonya stood slightly behind them. It was the first time the Asian guy looked at her and actually focused on her. She felt her face heat up slightly.

"Who's the Greenie?"

"Transfer. She's in the advanced accelerated program. By the looks of her schedule, she's a smartie. Minho, this is Emily. Emily this is Minho. The puffed up bloody arrogant quarterback and Captain of the football team."

Emily looked down at her feet, she hated when more attention was drawn to herself. She felt his eyes drilling into her. She glanced up. He was still looking at her, a smirk on his face. She heard a Humm.

"Whatever ya heard about me is all wrong." He smirked, and winked. "I'm way better."

Emily only had a chance to bite her lip trying not to smile, or roll her eyes.

"Oh don't worry about this group of nerds!" A voice floated over. Emily's stomach dropped. She knew Teresa had caught up. Emily clamped her jaw and looked at the floor.

"Come on, let's go." She tried to turn around, but she was trapped. Minho in front of her, Newt beside her, the auditorium chairs and Sonya behind her.

"Shuck." She mumbled under her breath.

"This is the group of book worms...if you need your homework done for you, this is who you go to." The brunet girl said extra loud, and flung a hand out to Newt and the group.

"Oh I know. Trust me." Teresa sneared, her blue eyes flicking over Emily and the rest of the group.

"Oh I forgot! Your step sister is a nerd!"

"Unfortunately. Don't remind me, Bee! I don't know what my mother ever saw in her father. But I'm now stuck with her."

Emily felt a stab to her heart. She could take all the insults and bullying, but when they took shots at her father it took all her self control not to slam her fist into the girls jaw. Everyone around her had their eyes flicking between Teresa and her. Newt was frowning, Minho had a face of stone, his smirk had disappeared, crossing his huge arms his dark eyes flicked back and forth. The whiskey brown eyed boy frowned.

"Wait...your sisters?"  He asked, pointing between Emily and Teresa.

"They're step sisters, shuck face." Ben rolled his eyes, didn't you just hear? Which is odd, they don't share the same DNA. Look how hot both of them are!" He grinned at them.

Teresa giggled and flung her hair, laying a hand on Ben's arm. Emily just shivered.

"I have to go." Emily said so quietly. She tried to get around them.

"Ahh where ya going darling?" Ben called.

Sonya came behind Emily, and not gently shoving through, "wherever you're not."

She rolled her eyes. Minho snorted slightly. Sonya looped her arm through Emily's arm and together they climbed the last of the stairs. A minute later Newt, Jeff and Clint followed.

"Well that was..."

"Awful?" Emily finished for him.

"Your seriously related to her?" Jeff asked.

"No. No relation at all." Emily said quietly. Sonya was guiding her through the halls which was now full of students.

"Are ya gonna bloody elaborate?" Sonya asked, raising her eyebrows at Emily.

Emily sighed. She hated having to explain everything all the time.

"Her mother and my father were married."

"Were?"

Emily nodded, "yeah. He passed away two years after they were married."

"Can you not go live with you mom..." Jeff suggested.

"She also died, when I was a baby."

"Dang. Your an orphan, living with a step sister ..and step mom....wait! Let me bloody guess. Both are evil and sinister?" Sonya raised an eyebrow.

Emily snorted and tried not to smile.

"I'm gonna take that as a yes. Your living in a shucken fairy tale! Ha! We have ourselves a princess in our mists."

"Oh shuck no. Don't start calling me that!" Emily groaned.

They laughed.

"No, Love. We won't."

"My idiot brother will call ya Love. He's weird like that. And no, not cuz he's buggen' interested or hitting on ya. If ya know what I mean." Sonya talked waving her hand and shoving through the crowd.

She was very different than her brother. Newt seemed quiet and peaceful, gentle. Sonya was sweet and kind as well, but more of a mess with me and find out kind of girl. She had ripped jeans, dirty convers sneakers, a band t shirt cut into a crop top and a flannel shirt tied around her waist, a long messy pony tail. Newt was well put together; wearing quite fitted jeans, t shirt and now that his leather jacket was off he wore a cardigan sweater. He seemed quite the inigma. Rode a motorcycle and in the accelerated program for English, reading Shaskpear.

Jeff wore jeans and a hoodie, his backpack slung over his shoulder and a coffee clutched in his hand. Clint hardly said a word, but his eyes were gentle. But these four seemed to have taken her under their wing and she decided, for now, before Teresa took them away, or drove them away, she would take their help. Because why the shuck not?

Sonya stopped in front of a locker.

"Here ya go, Love. This is your locker, mine is three down." She pointed, "Newt's is right beside mine, siblings ya know." She rolled her eyes. "Jeff and Clint, behind ya, opposite wall."

"Thank you guys. I appreciate your help."

"We gotta ya Greenie!" Clint nodded.

"Guys, I have a name. Emily." She rolled her eyes and unloaded her backpack of the books and things she didn't need for Biology.

"Alright Emy, we got you, Love. You have bio all morning with Jeff, and Clint. We'll meet ya here at lunch." Newt grinned.

"See ya Em." Sonya smiled at her and was swallowed up by the crowd in the hall.

She felt her phone buzz. She pulled it out.

How was the first hour? Do I gotta come knock some heads?

Emily smiled. Alby was always so protective, or just liked a good fight, flexing his muscles. She shook her

No, Al. I'm good. Also you're at university, weirdo!

First hr was some boring assembly. Made some friends in the AP program. I think. 🤞 Well until The Chancellor and her minion try & drive them away.

She waited for a second, the three little dots indicated he was texting back.

Good. No one messes with my baby sister.  You coming to the gym after?

Yes, wouldn't miss it! See ya at 4

Later Squirt.

"You ready for Bio? Miss Mary is an awesome teacher!" Jeff said leaning on the locker beside her, his arms crossed.

She dropped her phone into her bag and closed her locker. She nodded. He lead her down the hall and down a set of stairs to the science labs.

Maybe this year won't be so bad.