Kingston's Academy

1

"Do you have your sanitizer?"

"Check."

"Antibacterial wipes?"

"Check."

"Pencils, and erasers?"

Dan zipped his book bag closed , "Mom don't worry, I have everything, and they have a store in the school."

His mom wiped a stray tear that was running down her cheek. She looked over at her son from the road for a minute and studied his face, his mouth was pulled up at the corners as he smiled to himself.

"Dan you have to promise me you'll write to me whenever you can."

"I will mum."
"And be safe, you're only 16."
"I'll be 20 when I get out."

This makes fresh new tears come across her face. She had tried to drive very slow to make the time go by slower but she could already see the tops of the large pillars and pointed rooftops of the academy.

Dan turned his head to see and he smiled brighter. He had gotten excepted into Kingston's Academy just a year ago and couldn't wait to see what it looked like inside, to see how challenging the courses really were compared to your normal high school and college.

The building gets bigger and bigger, and he gasps as his mother turns a final corner and the whole school comes into view. The burgundy school stood proud, 150 feet and 15 stories tall. Windows were plastered almost everywhere, and different year students were filing in from the grounds, different colors badges pinned to their chest according to what rank they were.

Dan felt the car come to a stop and he immediately jumped out, slinging his back pack on his shoulders.

"Dan wait!" His mom cried. She got out, and hurried around the car.

Dan opened his arms as she threw hers around his neck. She cries into his crisp burgundy blazer, and he hissed but continued to hold her until she let go, wiping her nose.

"Please stay safe Dan, you're a very smart boy, that's why you were chosen."

Dan nods, his throat goes dry as he watches his mom come undone. He promised he wouldn't cry, he would see her again, after 5 years of learning and experiencing new things. He pulls her into her another soft hug and stepped away.

"I love you mum." He says.

She was crying so hard she couldn't respond. All she did was sniffle before opening the trunk to pull out Dan's suitcase. Dan takes it and starts walking away, but at the last minute he turns back and kisses her on the forehead.

Just then a boy walked by with coal black hair and snorted at the teary eyed departure, he was wearing a black leather jacket, instead of his Kingston's uniform, with black skinny jeans and shoes.

Dan turns again and walks right past him, not noticing him at all. But the boy keeps his eyes trained on him as he hurried across the large wide greenery. He licks the inside of his mouth, tasting the metal from the snake bites and smirks.

"Phil get over here and say goodbye!" His correction officer yelled.

He looks over at his family, and waves at his mother, flicks off his father, and spits on the ground to his officer.

"See you later fuck bags!" He yells and half runs to the front steps where Dan had just disappeared through.

"Someone grab his suitcase." His dad sighs.

—

Dan heads over to a table where a lady was handing out schedules and dorm room sheets. "Daniel James Howell, top 5 student in the accelerated learners division."