~

I'm shocked. Very shocked. I hated being sent here. No, hated was an understatement. I screamed, I thrashed out, I kicked and punched at whatever I could when they forced me to come here.

But now, I don't feel the same. I feel like I can actually survive.

I was surprised when Olivia smiled at me. Nobody ever really dares to do that; my face usually consists of some of my dark red hair falling in front, mouth kept in a thin line, never really turning up at the corners to smile. And then there were my eyes, it's shade of dark brown leaving me with a penetrating stare.

Olivia was a genuine person. And I already knew I'd protect her with everything in me.

As for the other girl in our dorm, I hadn't really seen her. I'd gotten a glance of her when we were collecting our timetables, and then when she entered the dorm. After that, she'd sneaked off somewhere.

Now, everyone in the dorm was seated in the living room: a big semi-circle of comfortable couches and fluffy pillows. In the middle of it, there was a glass coffee table, and behind that against the wall, was a massive TV.

I look around. When you enter the dorm, you're greeted with the living room and a massive gold chandelier. On the left side of the wall is a door, symmetrical to the one on the right. We were yet to find out where they led, but I assumed it was where we were sleeping.

I turn around and stare at the boys, who were opposite of us girls. Newt, as Olivia told me was her brother, was looking around, as Minho, the Asian kid, was talking loudly with Thomas.

Olivia is now speaking to Fawn, probably to introduce herself like she did with me. Bless her, she was such a positive person.

Since nobody was doing anything, I sigh, and get up. I walk towards the door on the left wall, smoothing my black cargos down. I notice, now that I'm closer, that there's black lettering on the door. It reads: Girls. I assume this was where me and the girls would be sleeping.

I open the door, and walk into a hallway, with 3 other doors. I open the one closest to me and-

Wow! It was a like a hotel room, but way larger. There was a king-sized bed in the middle, filled with more fluffy cushions, a walk-in wardrobe on the wall farthest away from me, a large desk at the wall next to the door and a vanity perpendicular to the desk.

I walk in shock. Glade Boarding School definitely treats their students well.

Next to the vanity was another door, it's windows blurry, making me unable to look through. This was probably the bathroom.

I don't bother looking in, and then exit the bedroom, shutting the door quietly behind me. I leave the hallway and also close that door behind me as well.

I turn around. Everyone's staring at me. I stare back blankly, until Olivia speaks up.

"What did you see?" She asks, smiling. I don't know how a person could be so positive.

"Bedrooms." I shrug. "You should check it out yourself."

"Okay!" Olivia jumps up excitedly. I watch Newt roll his eyes. 

I walk over to my suitcase, a rich, dark purple. I pull up the handle, and begin to turn back around to the hallway, until someone decides to interrupt me.

"Oi!" Someone shouts. I turn back around, and see that the Asian boy, Minho was the one who spoke. "What's your name?" He asks, leaning back on the couch. I notice his muscles tensing, perfect outlines through his black shirt. (Credit to mazewriterrr for this, it was in her writing tips and prompts book, definitely check her books out, they're high-quality and so entertaining!)

I mentally shake my head. I shouldn't be noticing these things.

"Lyra." I state simply, crossing my arms. What did he want?

"Are you not going to ask for my name?" Minho smirks, leaning forward.

"I already know it." I say, pushing back my red hair so it's behind my shoulders.

"Oh really?" Minho says sarcastically, raising his eyebrows.

I don't know what he wants from me. I just sigh, and then take my suitcase by the handle, red nails clicking against it. I turn around and drag my suitcase to the hallway in the door marked Girls.

"Ah, there you are Lyra!" Olivia exclaims. She moves to shut the door behind me, and then stands in between me and the other girl. I don't remember her name.

"Right, which room would you both prefer?" Olivia asks us, smiling brightly. I don't know if she ever stops smiling.

"The one at the end." I say quickly. I look at the brunette girl, who seems to be sighing in relief.

"And you, Fawn?" Olivia turns her head to the brunette. Fawn. That was her name.

"The one in front of the door, please." She says awkwardly, almost like she's scared of having the choice.

"Alright!" Olivia claps her hands. "That's settled!" She says, and then opens the middle door to drag her suitcase inside.

She then closes the door, so I'm left outside with Fawn.

"Hi." She says, very quietly I nearly miss it.

"Hey." I say, looking at her. She's dressed in a light pink dress, her hair pushed back by a matching headband.

I could read her well. She was a soft, innocent girl.

"You're Fawn?" I ask her. She nods her head. I stick my hand out. "Lyra."

Fawn gives me a small smile, and then shakes my hand gently. I smile back, and watch as she takes her pink suitcase to her bedroom.

When she's gone, I also drag my luggage to the room right at the end. I open the door, and notice the room has the same floor-plan as the room I checked out earlier. I dump my suitcase on my bed, and click it open. I stare at my array of red, black and purple clothing, and then my toiletry and makeup bags (two separate ones), in the netting at the top half of the suitcase. Not forgetting my shoes, black trainers I was currently wearing, and then 3 pairs of heels: black, purple and red.

I stare at them, my feet aching with a desire to slip a pair of heels on. I loved dressing up: the fun in picking out an outfit, matching heels, doing hair and makeup.

That's what I wanted.

Although, it was probably unsuitable for a boarding school.

I zip open the netting and take my toiletry and makeup bags out. The toiletry one is a plain cream colour; the makeup one a vast contrast, with a bright red. I take it to the vanity and place it there, and then walk to the bathroom.

For some reason, the door is already open, but I don't focus on that. The bathroom is massive; all the walls and floors were tiled, with a scaled-down version of the massive gold chandeliers in the entrance hanging at the top. There was a shower and very large bathtub at the far end of the room, and a toilet and wide sink.

This was very fancy.

I place my toiletry bag in a drawer under the sink, and then leave the bathroom. I stare at my bed, and then kick my shoes off to collapse on it. I immediately sink into the soft mattress, and I breathe in its fresh smell.

Maybe I could actually enjoy the next months here.

~
A/N

Another update! This is kind of a filler chapter if I'm being honest 😭 I kind of just wanted to publish something, so it might be a bit rushed. I promise the next chapter will be more eventful!

That's all from me, thanks for reading <3