Lyra sat in the backseat of her aunt's black SUV, gripping the straps of her backpack as the wheels drove along the driveway.
The building before her was huge, it had tall iron gates, stone walls and was giving the impression of a castle more than a high school. Ravencrest Academy. Her new home for the next year.
"Here we are," her aunt said, pulling the car to a stop. "Don't worry, Lyra. You'll be fine."
She wasn't sure what "fine" meant in a place like this, a school she'd never seen and didn't know anyone at.
She stepped out, dragging her suitcase behind her. Her aunt put a hand on her shoulder.
"I'll help you get checked in. Then I have to go back to the city."
Lyra forced a smile, lifted her suitcase and followed her aunt toward the main entrance. Everything was going to be fine. Fine? Nothing about this place felt fine.
A pair of uniformed security officers stepped forward, blocking the path.
"Excuse me, ma'am," the taller one said. "Visitors aren't allowed beyond this point. This is as far as you can go."
Her aunt frowned. "I'm her guardian. I need to help her settle in-"
"I'm sorry, ma'am. Rules are rules," the officer interrupted.
"Okay, I guess that's fine. Don't worry about it. Just… be careful, okay?" Her aunt gave her a tight hug and hurriedly went back to her car.
The car drove away, leaving her standing alone with the suitcase.
"Follow me."
The security officer led her to the director's office. Inside sat Director Valen, a middle aged man with a toothpick stuck in his mouth.
"Miss Hale," he said without standing, his gaze sizing her up and down. "Welcome to Ravencrest Academy. We've been expecting you. Follow the assistant, and do try to settle in without incident, understand?"
"Yes sir."
Finally, she arrived at the dorm, slightly smaller than she expected but it was neat enough.
"Room 1208. Here." Taking a deep breath, she turned the door knob and walked in.
The room was spacious with two beds at both sides of the room. There was a locker and a table just by it.
A voice came from the other side of the room.
"Hi, you must be Lyra."
A petite girl with round rimmed glasses and a friendly smile, she was unpacking her own things.
"Oh, hi. I am."
"Name's Sienna. I've been here a year, so if you need any tips about surviving Ravencrest, I'm your girl."
Lyra set her suitcase down by her bed, glancing around nervously.
"I'm not really used to dorm life."
"Don't worry, you'll get used to it. I was terrified my first day too. Everyone here might look perfect, but most of us are just figuring it out like you."
"Okay."
Sienna nodded, adjusting a stack of books on her desk. "So… why'd you switch schools? If you don't mind me asking."
"My aunt and I moved… long story. She thought it would be better here. A fresh start."
"A fresh start, huh? I like that. Sometimes a fresh start's exactly what you need. I moved here too, sort of by choice, sort of… not." She shrugged.
"Which year are you in?"
"Oh, I should've asked first! I'm in Year 2, class 12B. You?"
"Year 2 too… and same class, actually."
"No way. Well, that makes it easier. You won't have to navigate everything alone. And you'll be in classes with me, so I can show you the ropes."
"Thanks… I'll need it." Lyra felt a small wave of relief.
"Don't worry about it, you'll survive. Just… learn the rules. That's kind of the hardest part."
Lyra raised her eyebrows. "Rules?"
Sienna leaned closer, lowering her voice. "Okay… now the serious part. Ravencrest isn't like other schools. You've got normal students like us, who just do homework, and attend classes. Then you've got the high-class students." She paused, "The richest families, the ones with everything handed to them. They live in special dorms with attendants, have private meals, and they take classes too. Most of us… we just stay out of their way. Seriously. Don't mess with them, don't attract attention. That's rule number one."
Lyra blinked. That wasn't what she'd expected it to be.
"Think of it like… they have everything handed to them. Classes, meals, laundry, everything. They can't really mingle with us normal students, not really. And trust me, it's better if you just keep your distance. You don't want to be on anyone's bad side here."
"I'll… keep that in mind."
"Good. Some students… they don't follow the rules. They're always around trouble, but somehow, nothing ever touches them. If one of those types takes an interest in you…" Sienna's smiled slightly. "Well, you'll just have to be careful is all."
"Oh."
Sienna grinned, returning to unpacking. "You'll meet them. Don't worry, you'll see. For now, just settle in, get your things organized, and remember…the less attention you draw, the better."
It took about an hour before Lyra finished unpacking and arranging her things.
"Alright, time to stretch your legs. I'll show you around the campus, just the normal student areas. High-class dorms are off-limits, obviously. Even I haven't and don't want to be inside."
"Okay… lead the way."
"So, here's the plan," Sienna began, walking beside her. "Cafeteria, classrooms, library, a couple of places you might need for clubs or study groups."
The place was beautiful, nonetheless. With students walking around, some laying on the field and some beside the fountain.
"This way," Sienna said, leading her down a corridor lined with lockers. "First, the classrooms. You've got 12B's room down here, right across from the chemistry lab. That's where the smart kids hang out, so if you want to keep a low profile, it's a good place to be at. Try not to sit too close to the windows, though. Some of the higher-ranked students like to observe."
"Observe?"
"Nothing to worry about," Sienna said with a shrug. "Like I said, don't draw attention."
Next, they passed the cafeteria. Students sat in rows, some chatting and others eating silently. Lyra's stomach growled slightly.
"Wow."
"Wow indeed, girl. But this is nothing. The richest students have their own dining hall, with attendants and everything. Trust me, you don't want to mix with them unless you're invited...rule number one, remember?"
"Got it." Of course she did. She wanted a peaceful year at the school, she wasn't the type to go around attracting trouble to herself.
They moved on to the library, a massive room with rows and rows of towering bookshelves.
"This is where I spend most of my free time."
"I like it."
"And that's basically it for normal areas," Sienna said as they walked back toward the dorms. "The rest is mostly off-limits... staff rooms, high-class dorms, administration offices, and some… other places I don't even go near. Follow the flow, and you'll survive your first week without getting noticed or in trouble."
"Right."
She had been expecting a normal school, but she could tell it was far from that. Had it been a wrong decision picking this school?