Chapter 7: first day at Aldania
As I sat on the bus, the air slowly started to feel more breathable the further we drove from the buzzing chaos of the city and deeper into the countryside. A peace washed over me as cane fields, cow crossings, and hidden hiking trails flickered past my window—little snapshots of the countryside I hadn't realized I missed. I felt at home. And for a second, I thought maybe this wasn't gonna be so bad after all.
If only I knew what the next five years had in store for me.
It took about an hour to get to school, including all the stops the bus had to make to pick up kids. No civilians were allowed on—only students in uniform rode for free. Those without uniforms had to show ID, and the few adults who boarded were either parents or people who worked in education. They had to show ID too.
To be honest, it was a pretty solid system—at least for me. Especially if it meant I got a seat. There were so many kids that standing was basically inevitable, and I don't think my osteoarthritis would've let me stand in a moving vehicle for an hour every day for the next five years. So, the fewer people allowed on, the better. Or at least, that's what I thought at the time—because eventually, even I had to stand.
As we got closer to school, I saw buildings perched between the hills, peeking through the trees. It was beautiful—different from the countryside I once knew, but still beautiful.
We deboarded at the school gates. I had missed orientation, so this was truly my first day. A sign hung over the entrance, welcoming us. As I walked in, I was met with an astonishing sight—it was much larger than I expected.
There was a massive tree standing between the staff room, the second-year classrooms, and the food and nutrition block. It felt like an ancient guardian rooted at the center of the school. Beneath it were benches filled with students from different forms. Somehow, it felt like they were all staring at me—judging me, or maybe just curious about who the new girl was and what she had to offer.
The campus was big, with separate buildings for each grade. All painted in the schools colours, The buildings weren't old, but they didn't feel new either—just lived-in. The staff room was spacious enough to hold all forty teachers and their appliances, but not much else.
The uniform wasn't bad either. First- to third-years wore white shirts with navy-blue overalls and a tie in the school colors—red, blue, and gold. Fourth- and fifth-years wore white shirts, navy-blue skirts, and the same tie. Sixth-years wore tailored navy-blue skirts, white shirts, and a slightly fancier version of the tie with the school crest in the middle.
I was still a little annoyed about not being at Caltech, but this place didn't seem so bad. Still, first-day nerves kicked in hard. I became hyper-aware of my surroundings... and the fact that I didn't know a single soul here.
So I sat on one of the empty benches under the ancient tree, pulling out my phone—trying to look occupied, anything but like a lonely first-year.
"Hey," a voice said. "What's up?"
I looked up. "Alfred? Hey! How are you?"
"I'm good. You?"
"I'm good too," I said, already relieved to be talking to someone. "I didn't know you got into Aldania."
"What bus did you take?" he asked.
"Dans Jackson route," I replied.
"Really? That one comes super early. You should take the Checker Valley route—it comes a little later but still gets here on time."
He said it like he'd been here for years, like this wasn't also his first day. And I knew he was right. Checker Valley did come later, and I wouldn't have to wake up at 3 a.m. anymore. But something about it felt wrong. The goodie-two-shoes in me couldn't handle the idea of not showing up 2 hours early—even if it meant 30 more minutes of sleep.
"Hey!!" another voice said. James. I had seen him earlier but didn't start the convo—I wasn't too sure where we stood.
"Hey, James," I said. "What's good?"
"This is crazy," Alfred cut in before James could answer. "I can't believe we're all here. I didn't think I'd know anyone."
"Yeah," I replied awkwardly.
James and I weren't that close in middle school, but it was refreshing to see a familiar face. Alfred and I had been on a call the night before and were decent acquaintances. But still, this was a whole new environment, and I wasn't sure where any of us stood anymore.
I could already tell Alfred had made a few new friends, so I knew we might not be as close as before—but hey, this was high school. A fresh start. I was excited for whatever adventures were coming.
We agreed to sit together at lunch, then went to assembly which—like most assemblies—was boring and uneventful.
My first class was English. I sat next to a girl named Yasmin. She was Gaaynarias, had long hair, and skin a light brown shade, like mine. Our classroom was also our form room, so I knew we'd be seatmates for a while. She was super cool, and I could tell right away we were going to be really good friends.
English went great. Our teacher, Mr. Wilson, was also our year head. He had a laid-back, cool vibe, and I already knew his classes were gonna be chill. I brought Yasmin to lunch with Alfred, James, and me that day, and soon enough, we became a little trio.
James eventually got busy with his own group, but Yasmin, Alfred, and I were inseparable. We were that one group teachers worried about when one of us was absent. I loved my friends.
We made our own little traditions. Every morning, Yasmin and I bought orange juice from the canteen, and every lunch—like clockwork—it was chicken and chips under the tree with Alfred while we gossiped about the latest happenings.
My first day was actually really good. I had five classes: English, Spanish, Math, Religious Education, and Integrated Science. All the teachers were nice and genuinely excited to meet us. My form teacher, Mrs. Creg, seemed sweet—like she really cared. None of them felt as cruel as Mr. Coward or as warm as Mrs. Bryant, but still... it felt like these next five years might not be so bad. At least, not on that front.
There was a boy in my form named Shawn—basically the class clown. And honestly? He was great at it. Always doing something to make us laugh, whether it was falling out of a chair or pulling faces behind the teacher's back.
I might enjoy it here after all. Maybe God knew exactly what He was doing. Perhaps.
The day ended well. First-years got first dibs on bus seats, which was great news for me and my osteoarthritis. The ride home was fun, a little freeing, and filled with a quiet kind of hope. I was excited—for the stories I'd make, the people I'd meet, and everything in between.
Five years. Five years to come.
Going into my first day of high school I had 6 main goals for the next 5 years.
Join the Leo Club.
Become first-year representative on the Student Council.
Become a sub-prefect in fourth year.
Become Head Girl in fifth year.
Make the Principal's Honour Roll.
And most of all—have a drama-free, uneventful high school life.
That was it. All I had to do was keep my head down and keep my grades up.
But... watch me try.