A/N: This is an idea I’ve had for a long time and only just got round to writing. And when I asked you guys if you wanted a fic about this, the response was very positive, so here you go! The first chapter. I really hope you like it, and feedback would be greatly appreciated!
Summary: Dan has been thrown into a completely new environment as he joins a popular boarding school, Blackwood Academy, as a new student. After meeting Phil, a ringleader of the most infamous group of students in the school, Dan realises there’s a lot more to him than the man-made definition formed by other people’s opinions
Chapter One
There’s no going back now.
The only audible noise in Dan’s surroundings is coming from the engine of his mother’s car, driving further and further into the distance. His stomach drops as he tightens the grip of all his bags, staring at the high gates. He still can’t quite comprehend, after months of preparation, all building up to this very moment, that he is actually here. Outside the gates revealing his new home for the next 6 years- Blackwood Academy.
The building itself actually looks pretty. Well, pretty as opposed to the prison cell-like surroundings he had left behind in his old school. At a first glance it had kind of reminded him of something that had been pulled out of the early 1900’s, so he hopes the inside won’t resemble some kind of Victorian castle.
Against his will, he forces himself to continue his reluctant pace over to the main reception, which takes about 10 minutes to actually locate, as even the simplest tasks here looked as if they’d need about 10 maps and a compass to complete. He stops at the large door, nibbling his lip as he reads the ‘MAIN RECEPTION’ sign over and over again as if ensuring this was actually the right place and he’s not about to interrupt some kind of lesson.
He also subconsciously hopes the receptionist hasn’t noticed him through the window yet; staring motionless at a sign in a similar fashion to a lost Sim certainly wouldn’t be the first impression he’s hoping for, although it doesn’t help him with collecting the courage to hurry up and push open the door and brave the inside.
The usual worries of 'What if I’m hated by everyone, again?’ 'Am I wearing the uniform right?' and 'Oh, god, what if fringed haircuts have gone out of fashion here?' attacks his mind, which he tries his best to push straight out before they could affect him enough to make him feel like a powerless year 7 again. Plus his mum’s probably already on the main road by now, so he missed any opportunities of screaming and running after the car.
Okay, shut up and focus. He tells his mind, frowning at the door as if he could open it using sheer psychic willpower. Which, being no Matilda, is obviously unsuccessful, leaving him with no other option than to grip onto the iron door handle sitting in front of him and give a vigorous twist, sending the door groaning open as he quickly hauls in every heavy bag he’s followed by inside, behind him
“Can I help you?” The receptionist turns in her revolving chair to face him, peering at the boy through her small, rectangular glasses where green eyes behind the lenses glitter with judgement. She’s a fairly old woman, Dan can’t estimate her age, with silver-grey hair scraped back into a tight bun secured with twisted hairgrips peppering her neat scalp and wearing clothes that a vintage charity shop would be proud of.
“I-I’m Dan. Dan Howell, the new student.” Dan stutters, his palms already beginning to sweat with the nerves he despises.
She flicks out a sheet on her desk, tilting her glasses up to read through a list of names, humming under her breath. “Howell… ah. Here you are. You’re in Block 3, your dorm’s one on the top floor. Now, if you’d just wait here, I’ll get your Dormitory guides to take you to where you need to go.” She skims several other papers in some unknown filing cabinet before picking up the desk telephone, dialling 4 numbers.
“Mrs. Willow? Can you tell Christopher and Perry to report to Main Reception? The new student has arrived.”
She thanks the teacher on the other end of the phone, before hanging up and swivelling back around to Dan. “They’ll just be one moment.” She gives him a warm smile to which he nervously reciprocates, sitting himself down on the edge of one of the chairs.
She seems pleasant enough, Dan thinks, but he’s unsure of what to make of her 'overly formal’ attitude. He appreciates her politeness, of course, but he can’t help thinking she seems to unintentionally give off too much of a 'false hotel receptionist’ image.
After a few silent minutes of staring at the framed art covering the walls and letting his eyes skim observantly along the line of trophies and other certificates or valuable ornaments the school had apparently been awarded, two lanky students of about eighteen and nineteen burst through the door.
“Dan Howell?” One of them asks the receptionist in a voice that reminds Dan of a dentists waiting room (the amount of social discomfort he’s in right now resembles that of the waiting room, to be honest) while the other boy’s eyes flicker across the room until they fixed on his.
“He’s over there.” She flicks the tip of her fountain pen over to the general direction of where she senses Dan’s sitting without looking up from the work she’s apparently consumed in.
“Hiya.” The tall one with dark brown hair and matching eye colour beckons him with a swift motion of his hand, and Dan manages to grab all of his bags without embarrassing himself by dropping anything and hauls himself up from the seat, apprehensively following them out of the reception and into the corridor of an intimidating size.
“So, Dan… welcome to Blackwood Academy.” The other boy confidently grins down at him as if he’s introducing him to one of the world’s most valued museums.. “I’m Perry. But call me PJ.”
“Hi, PJ.” Dan chuckles timidly. “So, that makes you Christopher?” He switches his glance to the boy on the other side of him.
“That’s me. But call me Chris.” He nodded.
“Chris, and PJ.” Dan nods, differentiating his glance between the two taller boys either side of him as they continue to pace down the corridor.
“So, what block did she say you’re in?” PJ peered at the unfamiliar map the receptionist had thrust in the younger boy’s clueless hands.
“Er, 4. No wait, 3. Block 3.” He squints at the sheet, and judging by the amount of blocks and paths and buildings that were sketched onto the map, it looked as if Block 3 was block 3 of many. He gulps. “Could you guys take me there, please?”
“That’s what we’re here for.” PJ chuckles, his green eyes gleaming with a friendly emerald glitter. “So, do you like the look of this place?”
Apart from the corridor, Dan hasn’t really had a chance to look around enough to base an proper opinion on his surroundings. By sticking to his first impressions, it’s really looking more and more like a situation that would feature in an award-winning movie. The kind of picturesque building that would’ve been absolutely perfect for a film set. The corridors were intimidatingly tall, and long, with polished floors; the kind that produces squeaks from shoe soles with every step, with similar dark wooden banisters and staircases winding in numerous directions up to several floors and levels above his eyes. The sheer amount of buildings that according to the map are not short of a considerable walk down the path outside is something Dan can’t really comprehend right now. In fact, considering his limited experiences, he knows he’ll probably never fully come to terms with all of these blocks and dorms when the most he’s used to is a standard high school, about half the size of just one of these blocks. Emphasis on standard as opposed to the size of a fucking palace. Before only a couple of months ago, he hadn’t even been aware school like this even exist.
“It’s… very different.” He comments, nibbling down on his thumbnail thoughtfully. “How long does it take to find your way around?”
Chris chuckles. “You get used to it pretty quickly. And I guess you’ll be paired up with someone in your block with the same lessons as you.”
They carry on walking out of what Dan supposes is the 'main block’ and emerge into what PJ had described is the 'campus’. The campus pretty much fully fitted his expectations, with a maze of giant stretches of neatly cut green grass along with wide paved paths, an expensive looking stone fountain standing in the middle of the situation and only increasing the believability of the description of being a stately home in the 1900’s/film set of some sort. If Dan’s honest, he can’t really believe a prisoner of twelve years of education in the same depressingly dull building could suddenly transport into royally expensive surroundings in the way he had apparently done.
“Block 3.” PJ gestures proudly to the door once they’d finally reached a block within many others, surrounded by decoratively clipped trees.
“Oh… okay.” Dan swallows, giving the door an uncomfortable stare as if he could open it using sheer willpower (He’d thought he’d have learnt his lesson concerning that after the receptionist situation.) He gulps, turning back to the two guides and giving them a shy smile. “Thanks.”
“Come on.“ PJ returns the grin and reaches out for the handle of the door, giving it a violent shove until it creaks its way open.
