Chapter 13
Chapter thirteen
Age fourteen
Knock knock knock.
“Lizzy, come on kiddo you’re going to be late!” My uncle shouts from the other side of my bedroom door. I groan and shove my face into my pillow.
Knock knock knock.
“Elizabeth. Let’s go! We have to leave in twenty minutes.”
I raise my head off the pillow, “Okay, I’m up!” I shout back and swing the covers off of me, and pull the hair that is stuck to my drool covered cheek off and sit up. Rubbing my eyes, I stare at the uniform that’s draped over the foot of my bed and sigh.
It’s nothing special, just your ordinary private school uniform. A pleated black knee length skirt and a white collared button up shirt with the school emblem sewn onto the left side. Next to that are burgundy colored knee high socks and on the floor are a pair of black Mary Janes.
Today is the first day of my freshman year.
It’s also the first day at an entirely new school all together.
I have been going to private schools all of my life.
They’re all the same. They start at kindergarten and go all the way to senior year, with different buildings on the same campus for different ages.
I spent kindergarten through eighth grade at Monroe Prep School, by where I used to live.
But now that my life has completely changed, so will the school.
I’ve been living with Uncle Nick since Mom and Dad passed away two years ago. He let me stay at Monroe to have a sense of normalcy. He didn’t want me to have to lose my friends on top of my parents, and I’m so thankful for that.
The truth is, I know Uncle Nick would have let me finish out school at Monroe Prep, but it was a forty minute drive from our house, and I could tell it was starting to become exhausting.
And I’m okay now. As okay as a girl can be after losing both parents on the same day.
So when the topic of school came up at the beginning of summer, I told him that I would like to try going somewhere closer.
He was surprised but said “If you really think you’re ready, then that’s what we’ll do.
We can always go back if you don’t like it. ”
He never tried to push me to move on and was patient with me when I didn’t want to come out of my room for days at a time.
He sat and cried with me, and whether he will ever admit it or not, I know he’s stretched himself thin and tired himself out to keep me comfortable.
If changing schools will take some of the burden off of him, I will do it.
My parents named Nick my Godfather when I was born, and I’m so lucky that they did.
I have always looked at him as a second father.
He’s been to every school play, dance recital, Christmas dinner –you name it–Nick was there.
I think, or I hope at least, that I’ve helped him as much as he has helped me; Dad was Uncle Nick’s best friend.
I’m not the only one who lost them that day.
Sliding out of bed to grab my uniform, I walk into the bathroom to get ready for the day.
Once I’m dressed, I brush my long, wavy hair and put it into a half up-half down style.
Then I brush my teeth and step back from the counter to examine myself in the mirror; flattening the pleats of my skirt with my hands.
Once I’m satisfied with how I look, I walk back into my room and slip into brand new black shoes.
Grabbing my backpack and cardigan that matches my socks, I sling the bag over my shoulder and head down stairs.
The smell of eggs and bacon lingers in the air as I make my way into the kitchen where I’m greeted by Marie’s warm smile.
“Good morning, Lizzy. How did you sleep?” She asks cheerfully.
Marie is the housekeeper that worked for my parents for years before they passed.
Except Mom loved cleaning and caring for her own home, so Marie mostly cooked.
Uncle Nick hired her after they passed away and she lives here in the house with us.
He hired her to make sure she didn’t lose her job, but also to make sure that I had as many familiar people around me as possible.
She’s a short woman, maybe five feet tall with shoes on, dirty blonde hair and warm, dark brown eyes and perfectly straight white teeth. She is in her fifties now, but to me she looks exactly the same as she did when I was little.
“Pretty good.” I unceremoniously drop my backpack on the ground and flop down on a stool at the island where she cooks on the stove.
“Great. How are you feeling this morning? Are you nervous about starting Remington Academy?” She prods.
“A little bit. I’m just ready to get the first day over with.” I say, crossing my arms on top of the island and lay my head back down.
“That’s to be expected, dear. I think it’s going to be a good thing to start somewhere new now that you’re ready,” She plates some scrambled eggs and three pieces of bacon onto a plate and slides it to me.
“Hurry on up and eat, you have only a few minutes left before he comes in and rushes you out the door.”
Sitting up, I take the fork from her hand and begin eating my eggs while Marie starts to clean up the kitchen. She hums quietly as she goes around the kitchen, and I watch her silently as I eat. As I pick up the last piece of bacon, Uncle Nick steps into the kitchen.
Today he’s wearing a dark grey suit that stretches over his broad shoulders, black leather shoes and his dark brown hair gelled lightly to push it back from his face. He adjusts the watch on his left wrist and then looks up as I stand from the stool and grab my bag.
“Good morning Princess, are you ready to go?” He asks with his signature warm smile and sparkling chocolate brown eyes.
“Yeah I think so.” Slinging my backpack over my shoulder, I walk over to where he stands and then turn to say goodbye to Marie. “Thank you for breakfast Marie, see you after school.”
She shoos me with her hand and smiles. “Go have a great day Lizzy. What would you like for a snack after?” Marie has always had snacks sitting on the table waiting for me to come home and would sit at the table with my parents and I to hear about my day.
She has continued the tradition since being here.
“Hmm,” I tap my chin with my forefinger, “Can we please have some fruit salad and iced tea?” I ask.
“Of course. Now off you go. Don’t want to be late.” Her smile widens and then she turns to continue loading the dishwasher.
Ten minutes later Uncle Nick's driver, George, pulls up to the front of Remington Academy. My head rests against my window and I crane my neck to look up at the building. It’s so much bigger than my last school.
The main building used to be an old catholic church that they turned into a school.
There are three steeples across the front side of the building that look like they’re touching the sky.
The one in the middle is just a little bit taller than the others and it has an old clock in the front of it, just above the main entrance.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this, Princess?” My uncle's voice breaks me out of my trance and I turn to look at him. “We can always go back to Monroe. The drive is not a problem.” He smiles and grabs my hand reassuringly.
“No, I’m ready. I think it will be good. We won't have to wake up as early, and George won’t need to drive as far.” I look over to George, who shoots me a wink, then looks back out the windshield.
“George will go wherever we need him to so don’t worry about that. I just want to make sure you’re really okay.” Uncle Nick states, his expression softening as he searches my face for any hint of a lie.
“I promise I’m fine. I’m going to go in. I want to make sure I find my first class.” I reassure him then lean over to kiss him on the cheek, as George steps out of the front seat and comes over to open my door. I step out of the car onto the sidewalk and turn around to look at Uncle Nick.
“Call me if anything happens, or if you just want to leave. I’ll come get you immediately.” He says with a worried look in his eyes. It would be a lie if I said I wasn’t nervous too, but I think he is more so than I am. I smile and shake my head.
“Of course. I will. I’ll see you later. Love ya!” I say and turn to walk into the building. George gives me a pat on the shoulder and a thumbs up, then returns to his position behind the wheel, and the car takes off.
The rest of the school day passes in a blur. I found all of my classes just fine, and during lunch I sat outside underneath a big shady oak tree and texted Uncle Nick to check in.
The final bell rings and I grab my things then walk out my last class down the hallway towards the front door. I pull my phone out of my backpack to see that I have a lot of messages from my friends at Monroe.
Wish you were here.
Come back, we miss you.
How’s Remington? Have you make any friends yet?
The last question makes me frown. The answer is no, I didn’t make any friends today. I pretty much stayed to myself and kept my head down.
I’m in the middle of responding to the texts when I walk straight into a locker and fall right on my ass, dropping my backpack and phone on the way to the floor.
Embarrassment washes over me and I squeeze my eyes shut, holding my breath.
Please tell me no one saw me. Slowly cracking my eyes open, I glance to my right to see a group of five staring at me and trying to hide their snickers.
God, let this floor swallow me up right now.
Great. Just what I needed.
Doing my best to not make eye contact with any of them, I reach forward to grab my phone when the hand of someone else grabs it and crouches down to look at me. The hand belongs to a boy who has golden blonde hair that is cut short and piercing blue eyes. He’s so cute.
“Whoa, are you okay?” He asks and his lips tip into a half smile that causes butterflies in my stomach. He stretches the hand with my phone to me, and I slowly take it back from him, unable to stop staring. Get it together Lizzy.
“T-thank you.” I stutter. He lets out a soft chuckle, his eyes looking at the ground then back up to me, offering me his hand.
“I’m Preston. Here let me help you up.” Tentatively I reach out and he gently brings me to my feet then leans down to grab my backpack and tugs it over his shoulder. The group to the right of us has stopped their giggles, but they’re still staring.
“Don’t worry about them, they just have nothing better to do than laugh at other people's expense.” He says the last part a little louder so they can hear him, and they all quickly turn and walk away from the scene. “Come on, I'll walk with you outside.”
“Oh, that’s okay. I can walk by myself, but thank you for helping me up and getting my things.” I say quietly and reach my arm out for him to hand me my backpack. I’m so nervous. The butterflies won’t stop and every time he talks they flap their wings harder.
“We’re going the same direction and I won’t take no for an answer.” Preston offers me another sideways smile and I feel my cheeks heat. We begin walking to the front doors again when he asks, “So, I’ve never seen you before. Are you new here?”
“Yeah. I used to go to Monroe Prep but I had to change schools.” I don’t offer details as to why.
I’d really like it if kids didn’t look at me as the girl with dead parents.
That’s another reason I wanted to change schools this year.
I couldn’t escape the jokes and the fake smiles of pity people offered.
No one knows what to say when you lose someone and losing both of them made people look at me like I was ruined.
“Nice, well welcome! Hopefully you like it here. What grade are you in?” Preston asks.
“Freshman. Are you a freshman too?”
“No, I’m a senior this year.”
“Oh.” My chest deflates. I was kind of hoping we would be in the same grade. It would have been nice to see a familiar face in a class or even at lunch. Guess I’m not that lucky.
We step out onto the sidewalk and I see Uncle Nick’s car already parked along the curb out front.
“There’s my car. Thank you for helping me.” I say and he hands me my backpack.
“No problem. I’m sorry. You never told me your name.”
“Lizzy.”
“You’re welcome, Lizzy.” He says with a soft smile and we stare at each other for a long minute before I hear my uncle call my name from the back seat of the car.
“I gotta go. Maybe I’ll see you around.” I say before taking a step towards the car.
“You will.” Preston declares. “I couldn’t possibly not see a girl as beautiful as you again.” He says and I feel my skin heat up and my heart start to race. A shy giggle escapes me and I put my hand over my mouth to shove it back inside.
Why am I so embarrassed right now?
“Elizabeth! Let’s go!” Uncle Nick’s voice booms across the front courtyard, causing me to wince. Elizabeth–not Lizzy–means I’d better hurry
“Okay. Bye, Preston. Thank you again.”
“See you tomorrow, Lizzy. Have a good night.” Preston gives me one last sideways smile before he walks off to the student parking lot, twirling his keys on his finger.
Running over to the car, George meets me at the door, opening it for me to step inside.
“Who was that boy?” My uncle asks, his tone firm and shoulders tense. Very Dad-like, Uncle Nick. Good job. The thought makes me smile.
“His name is Preston. I kinda walked into a locker and he helped me up then walked with me outside.”
His shoulders relax and he releases a breath I didn’t realize he was holding. “Well that was nice of him.”
“It was.” I say and blush again.
“Lizzy, I can see you were affected by that boy and I saw the way he was looking at you. Just be careful here Princess. Take some time to make some friends before you go worrying about some boy.”
“I’m not worried about him, Uncle Nick. I promise.
He was just being nice.” I reply and George, who has been watching our exchange with hardened eyes in the rearview, puts the car in drive before pulling away from the curb.
I place my head against the window and stare out at the sea of students making their way into their cars.
Uncle Nick’s hand squeezes my shoulder before he goes to make a phone call.
As we pass the student lot, I see Preston standing with a group of guys. He’s laughing with them and looks up as we pass by. When he sees the car, he smiles, as if he can see me through the tinted windows. And the butterflies continue their chaotic flapping inside my stomach.