It was the first day of senior year for Giada and she was really excited as she got ready for the day ahead. She pulled on the skirt of her black and white uniform for her school Thrive Academy, and the matching shirt for it, tucking it in around the waistband of her skirt. Giada goes to her closet to pick her choice of shoes for the day, simple low block pump heels, with gold detailing, which she slips on over her long white socks pulled just over her knees and grabbing a belt. She pulls the belt on around her waist as just an accessory before grabbing her blazer. Her precisely altered tan blazer, the fit crisp and perfect to tie together the whole look and she examines her outfit, making sure not even a hair is out of place.

She's a perfectionist in that way.

"Scott!" Giada yells, leaving her room in search of her younger brother. Today was also going to be the day when her and her brother stayed in their dorms and this year would be Scott's first time since he just started eighth grade.

"What?" Scott says, coming out dressed in his own uniform as well, not wearing a blazer, but instead opting for his own style of jacket, a camera bag slung over his one shoulder along with his backpack.

"Are you ready to go?" She asks him and he nods.

"Yeah, and all our stuff is in the car, so we can go." He says, pushing past her and jogging downstairs and Giada smiles at how much he's grown in just a year before she goes and grabs her Thrive Academy book bag, holding it over one shoulder before heading down to the kitchen.

"Morning Miss Nubia." Tati, their caretaker says and Giada waves and grabs her to-go cup of tea.

"Morning Tati. I have to go." Giada says in a rush, grabbing two breakfast bars before walking out to their awaiting car, a sleek black Lexus, the latest model, climbing into the back next to her brother. She tosses the breakfast bars to Scott and he murmurs an almost inaudible thank you to his sister.

Scott and Giada are frienemies in every way possible. Always there for each other, tell each other everything, but never want to be around each other, and hates when the other buts into their business at the same time. Their older sister Baylor has recently gone to attend college so it's just the two of them and their workaholic parents who are barely present, so it's just the two of them.

"Are you excited?" Giada asks her brother as she fastens her seatbelt and he shrugs.

"Sure. I haven't seen my friends since the holidays, if that's what you mean." Scott says, not bothering to look up from the game on his phone and Giada laughs.

"Whatever you took it as Scott. That's always one thing to be excited for I guess." Giada says, watching as their large house starts to disappear behind them as the car moves.

"You know, if you ever need me at school, you can call or text because I'll just be on the other side of campus." Giada tells her brother sweetly and he slips some bluetooth wireless earphones in his ears and nods.

"Good to know, I'm gonna listen to some music now." He says and Giada smiles, not even a bit fased by her brother's distant behaviour. Tough love.

Giada glances down at her phone and finds a hundreds of notifications and text messages from friends. Truth is, Giada has a lot of friends, all from different groups, but that's how she rolls, never a boring day with her.

Giada looks at all of the pins and patches on her blazer and proudly admires all of her achievements over the years. She's always been the smart one in all of her grade and this year, she looks forward to big things, definitely feeling how exciting everything will be, especially with college on the way.

Just a few more hours drive, and then they'll begin school.

*****

"GIGI!" Teyana yells as she barrels towards her best friend at full speed. Teyana Luksa is probably the only person Giada can say she hangs out with on the daily, after all, the girl gets around, but you can't deny a best friend who she's known ever since they were small kids.

"Hi Tey." Giada laughs when her friend gives her a hug and spins her around.

"I just found out that tryouts start in two weeks! Meaning that you still have time to change your mind about extracurricular this year." Teyana says and Giada nods as her way of showing that she's listening as they start to walk forward and to the large hall for the first day assembly.

"Tryouts for what...exactly?" Giada asks, not sure what sport her best friend is going to be obsessing over this year and Teyana laughs.

"All tryouts dude. They'll be extended over the course of that whole week. I'm mostly gonna do gymnastics though. I told you it's my main focus for High School this year. But we can do something together." She tells Giada as they walk in sync, Giada's heels clicking against the floor in a proper glide, while Teyana's sneakers put a fun bounce in her already energetic step. The two girls have been friends for the longest of time, being part of the students who started at the Thrive Academy Pre-School and continued on through Junior Phase and now, High School .

Giada bumps shoulders with an unfamiliar male and apologises. "Sorry." She throws over her shoulder before catching up with Teyana. The guy she bumped into looks over his shoulder and nods, stuffing his hands in his pockets before continuing his way in and out of the shadows of the school, watching everyone and participating without being seen.

The two best friends keep talking amongst themselves about what the school year may hold in store for them, excited about the buzzing energy they already feel within the school walls, so deep in conversation, they don't pay attention to the senior jocks that they pass.

"Adonis." T says, bringing his best friend in for a one shoulder, half hug bump thing as they start conversation about the Christmas break from the year before.

"My mom was literally just on my case about not spending enough time with her before school this year." T tells his best friend and Adonis laughs.

"You knew she'd come through tho. We all know she's busy and enjoys reminding us, but we also know she's family first all the way so you would have spent time with her either way. Plus there was no way we were gonna miss that meet and greet in Spain." Adonis says and T nods with an easy smile on his face, his eyes drifting to Shayla, the senior head cheerleader as she greets her friends with a bubbly, almost obnoxious aura before looking away again, paying attention to his own friends.

"Anybody heard about training and tryouts yet? I've been on the coach's case, but he keeps telling me the same thing. Nothing is confirmed or whatever which is unfair when everybody else's tryouts begin in two weeks." T tells his friends and the guys groan as they complain about needing a new coach who takes their respected sport soccer, very seriously. It's a new season after all. A senior beginning at that, and they're off to a bad start already.

"Students, teachers, ladies and gentlemen, girls and boys, please report to the great hall for the new year assembly. Everyone report to the great hall for the new year assembly."

The guys all look at each other and make their way to the hall, grumbling about why they have to go through this every year.

"I wonder if the principal is gonna be leading the assembly today." Teyana says and Giada nods, looking behind her at the students who are entering the hall late. She turns back around and looks at the now occupied podium where the vice principal has just taken his place. The principal only ever comes to an assembly if it's something important, and I guess welcoming new students isn't on that agenda.

"Students, teachers, welcome or welcome back to our cherished school, Thrive Academy." The vice principal says and everyone applauds.

T and his friend Adonis are also part of the students who have been at Thrive ever since Pre-School times, so they're used to being bored and zoning out during the new year returnal assembly, just like Giada and Teyana.

*****
Giada is with a group of new freshman kids and was told by the vice principal to show them around since the first day is focused to settling in and making sure all books are in order. "So, the great hall was built directly in the middle of the school so, if you're ever lost, you can track your way to the great hall and head left, left is where you'll find the freshman and sophmore dorms, offices and classes. I doubt there'd be a reason you'd need to head right, so refrain from doing so, because you'll find the juniors and seniors and that part of the school isn't meant to be disturbed. Now, before we continue, any questions?"

Giada looks around at the group of students and a young girl with a pixie cut, big blue eyes and round rimmed glasses raises her hand. "Yes, what's your name?"

"Christina."

"What's your question Christina?" Giada asks with a friendly smile.

"What if, I have someone I'd like to see on the junior and senior side of the campus?" Christina asks shyly and Giada nods in understanding since she'd go and visit her sister when she was younger.

"Well Christina you can always go to the left wing offices and ask for the person to be called, then you meet up around here at the hall. Sound good?"

"Mmhmm." Christina hums and a dark haired, dark eyed freshman also raises his hand in question.

"Name?"

"Kyle."

"Okay, what's your question?"

"When's the curfew?"

"Any questions regarding your time table will be handed out to you by your dorm officer. At the moment, that's gonna be your teacher, but by the time the second term starts, it'll be a chosen prefect." Giada says, looking around at everyone, making sure they understand before nodding, satisfied that everyone is following. "Alright, let's continue on to the left wing where I'll show you all the classrooms, introduce you to your dorm officers then all your schedules will be given to you." Giada continues walking, the new students following after her.

Giada waves at a few other students, even stops to greet a few friends before getting to the left side of the school and handing the freshmen students off to their dorm officers. "Everyone thank Miss Giada Nubia." The dorm captain says and Giada tells everyone goodbye before she makes her way back to the right wing, her task complete and now she can get all her books in order.

*****
The first day at Thrive Academy is buzzing with varieties of different emotions.

From nerves to excitement, thrill to dread. If you've returned for another year at the Thrive Academy, then excitement will most probably be what you feel, especially for those who are reconnecting with old friends and roomates.

At Thrive, you find many different varieties of people. You have geeks and genuises, soccer jocks and cheerleaders, leaders and followers, outsiders and the in crowds. No matter where you group yourself, all the people all have something in common. All the students are extremely talented and come from a place of wealth, whether that means money wise, or success wise, it's just the group of people you'll find at the school.

You cruise down the hallways and spot eye catching shoes and purses, sometimes coats or accessories but none the less, it's all there, and it'll all almost always be made by the kind of brands you find unreasonable amounts of zeros on them.