“You ready?” Asher asked me.
“Yes!” I couldn’t contain my excitement. I had my trunk packed, and I was just wearing regular clothes.
“Okay, let’s go get Toby.” he grasped my hand and spoke the spell. We landed at the sidewalk outside my house and we walked up to the door, hand in hand.
I knocked on the door. No answer. “Let’s just barge right in.”
I opened the door with the key, and Toby was sitting on the couch, watching television. “Toby! Let’s go!”
“Who are you? And how did you get in?” Toby seemed frightened. How could he not remember me?
Asher stepped forward. “I hope you remember your dear older sister Meghan. And it’s me, Asher, your guide to the Academy.”
“That’s you Megs?” Toby frowned, “Why do you look so different?”
I turned to Asher, who shrugged, “What do you mean little bro?”
“Your hair is longer, you’re dressing a lot nicer, and yeah.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know what you mean,” I replied smoothly, and glanced at Asher who nodded. It wasn’t the right time to tell Toby we were dating. “We should get going.”
Toby picked up his trunk, which was still partially open because he couldn’t fit everything in it. He stared in awe at my trunk, because it was perfectly neat, and he knew I had bought more than him. Asher winked at me, for he knew what happened. Asher took our hands and casted a spell to get us to “Academy Station.”
When we arrived, it was like a hot air balloon attraction. Nobody would suspect anything - I guessed that was how they hided the magical properties of the stone. I saw Professor Cix at the front of the line, collecting tickets and directing some customers one way and some another way. “Asher! Where are our tickets?” I almost panicked.
“Don’t worry. I have them,” Asher answered, producing out three tickets labeled “Academy Riders.” He beckoned us to follow him, “I want to show you my friends, and then we’ll say good-bye until we get to the castle.”
Asher walked over to a gorgeous yellow-haired girl, a red-head boy, and a black haired boy. “Hey Asher!,” the girl came up and tried to kiss my boyfriend, but Asher pulled away.
“Maddie, I told you: we are over. We’re just friends now. Meet my girlfriend Meghan.”
I stepped forward, “Hi, I’m Meghan, and you are…”
“I’m Maddie Woods,” the girl answered shortly.
“I’m Ryan Buckley,” the red head extended his hand, which I took.
“I’m Wesley Wang,” the black haired dude reached for a hug, which I returned.
“Ryan,” I asked curiously, “Who are your parents?”
Ryan perked up at being asked, “Owen Buckley and Elizabeth Bellamy-Buckley.”
I looked at Toby who stared back at me. Toby explained, “Our parents are Luke Buckley and Elizabeth Bellamy-Buckley. We would be cousins if we didn’t have the same mom.”
Asher looked shocked, “You guys can ask Professor Cix when we get to school. If I could have a word alone with Megs, Tobs.”
I nodded and moved over to Asher and Toby nodded and moved to the side. “Megs, Maddie is acting mean to you because we dated last year. I broke up with her before the term ended but she isn’t over it yet. If you get to know her, she can be really nice. Ryan is very nice, so what ever he is to you, you should hang out with him. Wesley is the smartest guy in my year. If you need help, just go to him. I’ll miss you a lot - we’ll be in separate dormitories. At least I’m a prefect - I don’t have a curfew. Make good friends - avoid the Magnus family. Let’s go - we won’t want to keep your brother waiting.”
He grabbed my hand and Toby tagged along. We made it to the ticket booth. “Hey, Asher and Megs!” he exclaimed cheerfully, “Nice to see you! Could I see your tickets?”
Asher handed over his ticket and I handed over mine while Toby grumbled, “Do I even exist?”
Cix pointed us to the left and said, “Find any balloon with your year on it and board it. When you can see a castle, you should change. into your lab coats There can only be four to a balloon.”
Toby stepped forward and handed over his ticket. “You two go ahead,” Cix pointed to the bay. “I need a word with this young man.”
Ash lead me away and I could hear Cix scolding my brother. “I guess this is goodbye. See you later, I got to go get to the prefect balloon.”
He kissed me and then left me. I picked the lazuli blue balloon with a number “1” on it. There was a boy already on the balloon. “Hi! My name is Peter. What’s yours cutie?”
He moved closer to me and took my hand. I moved away. “I’m Meghan.”
“Your cute. Do you want to be my girlfriend?"
I stared at him in disbelief. I didn’t even know him. He then kissed me fiercely. I pulled away and said, “I’m taken. I have a boyfriend.”
“Well who will know? We can date in secret!”
“No! Have I not made it clear enough? I don’t like you. I don’t want to date you."
He stared at me in shock. I guess he had never been rejected before. “Fine!” he screamed and stormed of the balloon to a bright pink one. A couple walked in and soon after an Asian girl.
“Hey! I’m Ashley Wang! Who are you?”
“Hi! I’m Meghan! Do you want to be friends?”
“Sure!”
Ashley took the seat next me and the couple took up the other seats. “And your names are…?”
Ashley looked at them. They separated their faces from each other and the boy said, “I’m Jamie and this is my girlfriend Pansy,” and went right back to snogging Pansy.
“Are you excited to go to the Academy?” I asked Ashley.
Ashley smiled. “I’m really excited, because my brother is there! Also, my mom teaches math while The Academy is in session. When it’s summertime, she works at Aqua Supplies.”
“I think I met your mum! She’s very nice! Do you know anybody yet?”
“I know Wesley, Asher, Maddie, and know you! Don’t you think Asher is soooooo hot?”
“Yeah, he is,” I agreed, thinking of my boyfriend. “He was my tour.”
“He was? That’s amazing! I’m sure he was awesome!”
“Yeah, totally! He let me stay at his house for the summer.”
“OMG that’s amazing! What is he like? What’s his favorite color? What’s his favorite candy? What his ——?”
“Whoah… stop there! Why do you want to know all this stuff?” I asked warily.
“I like him —- duh! Do you think he’ll notice me?” she giggles excitedly. “I hope he’ll ask me out.” Ashley smiled.
I explained, “Ashley, I’m sorry. He won’t ask you out. He—-”
“Why not? Am I not his type? Do I need to wear fancier clothes? Do I need to wear more make up?” she questioned me.
“He has a girlfriend,” I explained, suddenly defensive.
“He does? She’s probably trash.” Ashley mumbled sadly.
“You’re calling me trash?” I didn’t yell, but I was going to.
Ashley looked up and smiled sadly at me. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were dating him. I thought he would be dating someone like Pansy’s type.”
I calmed down a bit. “I guess. He dated Jamie’s sister last year. I assume that went badly.”
She nodded. “Oh look! I can see the Academy! We should get changed.”
I nodded in agreement and brought out my trunk. She stared at it in amazement, “How did you fit everything in so neatly? I bought everything I could find.”
“I did too,” I explained, and tapped my trunk. I said, “Lab coat,” and it came flying out.
She gasped. “Wow! You’ll have to show me how to do that!”
“Professor Cix did it for me,” I explained.
She smiled, “That makes sense.”
Suddenly, curtains separated the hot air balloon into four spots and I could hear Jamie and Pansy yell. I slipped into my white pants and white shirt and put on the white coat on top. I shut my curtain and it disappeared. Ashley already had changed. “Where are all the second years and above balloons?” she wondered out loud.
“Attention ladies and gentlemen of the first year at The Academy,” a voice boomed. “We will be landing at the Entrance Hall shortly. You will be asked to write down your name on a piece of parchment so that you could be sorted into a dormitory. Each dormitory has classes together. Please take all your belongings on you as you exit the vehicle. Thank you.”
I smiled at Ashley. “I hope we’re in the same dorm. I wonder how they sort us.”
“The five dormitories are called: Owl’s Nest, Arrow Auditorium, Thunder Street, Mirror Room, and Blood Dungeon. The Owl’s Nest is dedicated to Athena, and therefore is for the smarty pants. All of the jocks and musicians dedicate themselves to Apollo and therefore reside in the Arrow Auditorium. Thunder Street are for the leaders and speakers who believe in the God of Justice, Zeus. The girls who want boys go to the Mirror Room and hang out with Aphrodite. Finally, the Blood Dungeon are for Ares’ bad boys and girls.” Jamie explained.
Pansy then explained the way the dormitories work, “There are about 540 kids at The Academy. There are five dorms. Each dorm has nine levels, one for each year. Each year has 60 kids. Each dorm houses 108 kids, 12 per year. There are 3 rooms in each level, four kids to a room. Each house represents a certain personality, kinda like Hogwarts.”
I whispered to Ashley, “I hope I’m in Owl’s Nest. You?”
Ashley smiled, “I want to go to the Mirror Room. I want to meet some hotties,” she explained.
“Yes!” I couldn’t contain my excitement. I had my trunk packed, and I was just wearing regular clothes.
“Okay, let’s go get Toby.” he grasped my hand and spoke the spell. We landed at the sidewalk outside my house and we walked up to the door, hand in hand.
I knocked on the door. No answer. “Let’s just barge right in.”
I opened the door with the key, and Toby was sitting on the couch, watching television. “Toby! Let’s go!”
“Who are you? And how did you get in?” Toby seemed frightened. How could he not remember me?
Asher stepped forward. “I hope you remember your dear older sister Meghan. And it’s me, Asher, your guide to the Academy.”
“That’s you Megs?” Toby frowned, “Why do you look so different?”
I turned to Asher, who shrugged, “What do you mean little bro?”
“Your hair is longer, you’re dressing a lot nicer, and yeah.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know what you mean,” I replied smoothly, and glanced at Asher who nodded. It wasn’t the right time to tell Toby we were dating. “We should get going.”
Toby picked up his trunk, which was still partially open because he couldn’t fit everything in it. He stared in awe at my trunk, because it was perfectly neat, and he knew I had bought more than him. Asher winked at me, for he knew what happened. Asher took our hands and casted a spell to get us to “Academy Station.”
When we arrived, it was like a hot air balloon attraction. Nobody would suspect anything - I guessed that was how they hided the magical properties of the stone. I saw Professor Cix at the front of the line, collecting tickets and directing some customers one way and some another way. “Asher! Where are our tickets?” I almost panicked.
“Don’t worry. I have them,” Asher answered, producing out three tickets labeled “Academy Riders.” He beckoned us to follow him, “I want to show you my friends, and then we’ll say good-bye until we get to the castle.”
Asher walked over to a gorgeous yellow-haired girl, a red-head boy, and a black haired boy. “Hey Asher!,” the girl came up and tried to kiss my boyfriend, but Asher pulled away.
“Maddie, I told you: we are over. We’re just friends now. Meet my girlfriend Meghan.”
I stepped forward, “Hi, I’m Meghan, and you are…”
“I’m Maddie Woods,” the girl answered shortly.
“I’m Ryan Buckley,” the red head extended his hand, which I took.
“I’m Wesley Wang,” the black haired dude reached for a hug, which I returned.
“Ryan,” I asked curiously, “Who are your parents?”
Ryan perked up at being asked, “Owen Buckley and Elizabeth Bellamy-Buckley.”
I looked at Toby who stared back at me. Toby explained, “Our parents are Luke Buckley and Elizabeth Bellamy-Buckley. We would be cousins if we didn’t have the same mom.”
Asher looked shocked, “You guys can ask Professor Cix when we get to school. If I could have a word alone with Megs, Tobs.”
I nodded and moved over to Asher and Toby nodded and moved to the side. “Megs, Maddie is acting mean to you because we dated last year. I broke up with her before the term ended but she isn’t over it yet. If you get to know her, she can be really nice. Ryan is very nice, so what ever he is to you, you should hang out with him. Wesley is the smartest guy in my year. If you need help, just go to him. I’ll miss you a lot - we’ll be in separate dormitories. At least I’m a prefect - I don’t have a curfew. Make good friends - avoid the Magnus family. Let’s go - we won’t want to keep your brother waiting.”
He grabbed my hand and Toby tagged along. We made it to the ticket booth. “Hey, Asher and Megs!” he exclaimed cheerfully, “Nice to see you! Could I see your tickets?”
Asher handed over his ticket and I handed over mine while Toby grumbled, “Do I even exist?”
Cix pointed us to the left and said, “Find any balloon with your year on it and board it. When you can see a castle, you should change. into your lab coats There can only be four to a balloon.”
Toby stepped forward and handed over his ticket. “You two go ahead,” Cix pointed to the bay. “I need a word with this young man.”
Ash lead me away and I could hear Cix scolding my brother. “I guess this is goodbye. See you later, I got to go get to the prefect balloon.”
He kissed me and then left me. I picked the lazuli blue balloon with a number “1” on it. There was a boy already on the balloon. “Hi! My name is Peter. What’s yours cutie?”
He moved closer to me and took my hand. I moved away. “I’m Meghan.”
“Your cute. Do you want to be my girlfriend?"
I stared at him in disbelief. I didn’t even know him. He then kissed me fiercely. I pulled away and said, “I’m taken. I have a boyfriend.”
“Well who will know? We can date in secret!”
“No! Have I not made it clear enough? I don’t like you. I don’t want to date you."
He stared at me in shock. I guess he had never been rejected before. “Fine!” he screamed and stormed of the balloon to a bright pink one. A couple walked in and soon after an Asian girl.
“Hey! I’m Ashley Wang! Who are you?”
“Hi! I’m Meghan! Do you want to be friends?”
“Sure!”
Ashley took the seat next me and the couple took up the other seats. “And your names are…?”
Ashley looked at them. They separated their faces from each other and the boy said, “I’m Jamie and this is my girlfriend Pansy,” and went right back to snogging Pansy.
“Are you excited to go to the Academy?” I asked Ashley.
Ashley smiled. “I’m really excited, because my brother is there! Also, my mom teaches math while The Academy is in session. When it’s summertime, she works at Aqua Supplies.”
“I think I met your mum! She’s very nice! Do you know anybody yet?”
“I know Wesley, Asher, Maddie, and know you! Don’t you think Asher is soooooo hot?”
“Yeah, he is,” I agreed, thinking of my boyfriend. “He was my tour.”
“He was? That’s amazing! I’m sure he was awesome!”
“Yeah, totally! He let me stay at his house for the summer.”
“OMG that’s amazing! What is he like? What’s his favorite color? What’s his favorite candy? What his ——?”
“Whoah… stop there! Why do you want to know all this stuff?” I asked warily.
“I like him —- duh! Do you think he’ll notice me?” she giggles excitedly. “I hope he’ll ask me out.” Ashley smiled.
I explained, “Ashley, I’m sorry. He won’t ask you out. He—-”
“Why not? Am I not his type? Do I need to wear fancier clothes? Do I need to wear more make up?” she questioned me.
“He has a girlfriend,” I explained, suddenly defensive.
“He does? She’s probably trash.” Ashley mumbled sadly.
“You’re calling me trash?” I didn’t yell, but I was going to.
Ashley looked up and smiled sadly at me. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were dating him. I thought he would be dating someone like Pansy’s type.”
I calmed down a bit. “I guess. He dated Jamie’s sister last year. I assume that went badly.”
She nodded. “Oh look! I can see the Academy! We should get changed.”
I nodded in agreement and brought out my trunk. She stared at it in amazement, “How did you fit everything in so neatly? I bought everything I could find.”
“I did too,” I explained, and tapped my trunk. I said, “Lab coat,” and it came flying out.
She gasped. “Wow! You’ll have to show me how to do that!”
“Professor Cix did it for me,” I explained.
She smiled, “That makes sense.”
Suddenly, curtains separated the hot air balloon into four spots and I could hear Jamie and Pansy yell. I slipped into my white pants and white shirt and put on the white coat on top. I shut my curtain and it disappeared. Ashley already had changed. “Where are all the second years and above balloons?” she wondered out loud.
“Attention ladies and gentlemen of the first year at The Academy,” a voice boomed. “We will be landing at the Entrance Hall shortly. You will be asked to write down your name on a piece of parchment so that you could be sorted into a dormitory. Each dormitory has classes together. Please take all your belongings on you as you exit the vehicle. Thank you.”
I smiled at Ashley. “I hope we’re in the same dorm. I wonder how they sort us.”
“The five dormitories are called: Owl’s Nest, Arrow Auditorium, Thunder Street, Mirror Room, and Blood Dungeon. The Owl’s Nest is dedicated to Athena, and therefore is for the smarty pants. All of the jocks and musicians dedicate themselves to Apollo and therefore reside in the Arrow Auditorium. Thunder Street are for the leaders and speakers who believe in the God of Justice, Zeus. The girls who want boys go to the Mirror Room and hang out with Aphrodite. Finally, the Blood Dungeon are for Ares’ bad boys and girls.” Jamie explained.
Pansy then explained the way the dormitories work, “There are about 540 kids at The Academy. There are five dorms. Each dorm has nine levels, one for each year. Each year has 60 kids. Each dorm houses 108 kids, 12 per year. There are 3 rooms in each level, four kids to a room. Each house represents a certain personality, kinda like Hogwarts.”
I whispered to Ashley, “I hope I’m in Owl’s Nest. You?”
Ashley smiled, “I want to go to the Mirror Room. I want to meet some hotties,” she explained.
