Alpha's Stolen Mate

Chapter 5

The entrance of the admin block was huge, and the gallery was unending. There were several artifacts from different eras. If someone was to tell her that this school would be a college of history and ancient studies, she wouldn't contradict them. Everything in this school spoke of an interesting and probably mysterious history.

Walking side by side with Delphine, Thea stood tall with her head held high, trying to appear more confident than she felt. In the hall, were the old woman she saw earlier today, the man owning a Porsche, two other men and another young woman, in her late twenties, with short, curly hair and a warm, approachable demeanor. She was smiling at them as they approached the group. Thea and her sister looked at each other, each feeling a little bit of tension dissipating, and they relaxed.

"Welcome, girls. My name's Nathaniel Hawthorne, HOD of science." The man in a white cotton shirt with blue jeans said.

Thea and Delphine nervously nodded.

"This is-"

The man that asked them to come to the admin block raised a hand, and Mr Hawthorne stopped talking.

"I'm sure they have plenty of time to know who is who," he said, looking at him. "What you're here for is to actually let you know that Ashford welcomes you, and we're hoping to see you excel with us. You must have read the history of the school, and if you haven't yet, that should be my first homework for you two. We don't regard a D or a C as a pass. The minimum grade we expect from our learners is a B. That's one of our academic disciplines. Another thing is, manners are very important to this school. Lack of manners is punishable and I don't give second chances. Lastly, Ms David will let you know about the available clubs and societies that you can join," he said, coming to a halt in front of Thea.

"Is everything clear, Dorothea?" He asked. Thea blinked rapidly, clearly taken aback by the mention of her full name before she nodded.

"I want to hear your agreement," he said, folding his hands behind his back.

"Yes, sir," Thea replied audibly.

Turning to her sister, the man said, "Delphine?"

As if understanding the unasked question, her sister jovially answered, "Yes, sir. We'll put in our best to meet all the school's requirements."

Everyone burst into laughter. Except for the man talking to them. He seemed to be antisocial. Or maybe he was just in a foul mood today.

He left the hall after he was done with their briefing, and the woman, probably the headmistress, followed. Mr Hawthorne and Ms David walked towards them and led them out of the hall, explaining to them why it would be wise if they could join clubs in the school.

Of course, they were eager to join. They had already teased about it. Now it was time they put it into action.

After the talking was done, Thea and Delphine both left for their classes.

Thea stood in front of her class, took a deep breath, her mind racing. "This is it, Thea," she thought. "A fresh start. Just be yourself, and everything will be fine."

As Thea entered the classroom, a group of students near the window started whispering. "Have you met the new girls?" one asked. "I heard they are from the capital," another one said.

Acknowledging their curious eyes with a nod, Thea darted her eyes around the classroom trying to locate an empty seat. And she did so. Just two seats away from her new rich friends she met that morning. Cain and Ryan waved at her, and Conrad beamed at her with a broad, genuine smile. Kai just looked at her.

What was his problem? She wondered.

In front of her, a girl with hair brushed into a low pony, twirled to look at her. She grinned, her big round white eyes beaming at her.

"Hi, I'm Isabella, but you can call me Iz," she said, extending her hand, which Thea took with a newfound sense of camaraderie and welcome.

"Nice meeting you, Iz. I'm Dorothea, but you can call me Thea," she answered.

The two giggled.

"Nice to meet you, Thea. I hope you're finding Ashford very welcoming?" She asked, still smiling.

Thea looked at the back benches at the five boys, specifically at Conrad with his easy smile, his manful designer stubble, bristly eyebrows, defined cheekbones and his strong chin and chiseled jawline.

"Very welcoming indeed," she said, and turned back to her new friend.

"Mmmh, I see." She said, winking at her, before she faced the front again.

Just then, the teacher entered and so it began.

The rest of the classes went on smoothly and so fast. They found themselves at break already. Thea, with her new friend Iz, walked to the school canteen, where they were going to meet Iz's other friends.

The school canteen buzzed with the lunchtime rush, learners chattering and laughing as they moved between tables. In one corner, Thea and Iz sat at a table near the large windows that overlooked the school's lush green fields. Sunlight streamed in, casting a warm glow over the bustling room. Every now and again, other learners came to say hi to the new girl in school, even Delphine's new classmates came to greet her. As they sat down, more students began to gather around, curious about the new girl who had quickly become a topic of conversation.

"I wonder if my sister is going through the same thing. These people are doing too much." Thea whispered to Iz after another group of learners left their group.

"Enjoy it while it lasts, girl. After a week, you're no longer the center of attention," Iz teased.

Thea smiled. When last was she ever the center of attention? Probably when she was at her father's funeral. The sympathy and attention she was getting from her cousins and aunties and uncles had made her strong during that time. But the attention she was getting there made her feel she belonged. That feeling embraced her heart and filled it with satisfaction.

"You'll love it here, Thea," Iz said, her green eyes sparkling. "Everyone’s really friendly,"

Yeah, I can see that. Thea thought to herself.

"When are your friends coming?" She asked, changing the subject.

"In a couple of minutes. Let's get our trays while they're coming," she said, jumping to her feet.

While queuing up for their trays, Iz continued filling her in with the school traditions and history.

"The meal plans include a wide variety of options for all tastes and follow UK Government healthy eating guidelines. There are daily choices of Western, Asian, Vegetarian and allergy-friendly options, as well as grab-and-go snacks that are baked in-house. It's meant to accommodate everyone in the school. You know, there are a lot of internationals here, including me," she mentioned.

"What? You're..."

"Yea, I'm Angolan," Iz said, skipping the trays of burgers with meat, vegetable and lentil patties and salad fillings, lentil and vegetable hotpot, and opting for lasagna with fresh tomato, reduced-fat cheese with pita and reduced-fat yogurt. For the drink, she chose apple juice. Thea chose the same, but instead of apple juice she took an orange and a glass of water. They strolled back to their table. They took their seats, and waited for the other girls.

"So, Iz, what do you do for fun?" Thea asked, her voice tentative yet eager.

Iz, her long black hair cascading in loose waves over her back, leaned forward, a bright smile on her face. "I'm the captain of the cheerleading team," she said proudly, her green eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "And I swim. It’s a great way to stay fit and focused."

Thea's eyes widened with interest. "That's amazing! I've always been interested in cheerleading. I did some back at my old school, but I’m also really into painting. It’s like my escape."

Iz's smile grew even wider. "That's so cool, Thea! We definitely need more artistic people on the squad. You should totally try out for the team. And painting sounds like such a great way to express yourself. I'd love to see some of your work."

Thea blushed slightly, her cheeks tinged with pink. "Thanks, Iz. That means a lot. I’d love to show you my paintings sometime. And I’d definitely be interested in trying out cheerleading."

As they chatted, Iz reached over to grab her glass of juice, her movements graceful and confident. Thea mirrored her action, taking a sip of her own drink, feeling more relaxed with each passing minute.

The canteen’s noise seemed to fade into the background as they continued their conversation, their laughter and shared interests weaving the beginnings of a strong friendship.

Iz glanced around the canteen, then back at Thea. "You know, I think you're really going to like it here. The team is like a family, and I can already tell you’ll fit right in."

Thea beamed, her earlier nerves melting away. "I hope so. Thanks for being so welcoming, Iz. I’m really excited about what’s to come."

Thea would give anything to keep this going for a really long time. Because she missed that. She missed talking to people of her age about things not concerning how to run a house. But break time was gradually coming to an end. And soon, the bell would ring.