~•~

"Father, are you sure Mr. Nolan said it was alright for me to attend classes at Welton?" Sixteen year old Gwendolyn Keating nervously bit the inside of her cheek, "Why didn't the both of you want me to continue school in London? Aunt Lucy told me many a great things about Sinclair Academy and the University of London...I also heard of a well-known university in New Hampshire, only the next state over."

Her father, John Keating gave her a look, his eyebrows raised. Gwendolyn blinked, on the cusp of spewing "I don't belong here". Really, she didn't belong anywhere. She felt like the black sheep and that she would never fit in with anyone.

John leaned towards her and whispered, "Gwen, your mother wanted you to come back to Vermont and it just so happened that I got a teaching job here. Just because you may be different then everyone you see here, doesn't mean you don't belong. Keep your differences Gwen, they're what make you who you are." Gwendolyn nodded and took a breath, fiddling with the white ribbon around her wrist. "And yes," John smiled, "Mr. Nolan has allowed it. I have special papers and everything."

She didn't even get to reply because the bagpipes had started and were marching down the aisle, boys holding the banners displaying the four pillars of Wellton, high in the air. Abruptly the bagpipes stopped and Mr. Nolan's loud voice carried throughout the church, "Ladies and gentleman, boys, the light of knowledge," he gestured to the an older man holding a candle. As organs played, the old man lit the candle of the first boy. People clapped as the candle light spread. "One hundred years ago, in 1859," Mr. Nolan continued, "Forty-one boys sat in this room and were asked the same question that now greets you at the start of each semester. Gentleman, what are the four pillars?" Mr. Nolan asked.

In response, all the Welton boys stood, "Tradition, honour, discipline, excellence." They chorused and then returned to their seats.

"In her first year, Welton Academy graduated five students. Last year, we graduated fifty one." Mr. Nolan stated proudly. "And more then seventy five percent of those went on to the Ivy League." More applause erupted. "This kind of accomplishment, is the result of fervent dedication to the principles taught here. This is why you parents have been sending us your sons. This is why we are the best preparatory school in the United States!" People clapped once again, Gwendolyn joined in, quietly clapping.

"As you know, our beloved Mr. Portius of the English Department retired last term." Gwendolyn's ears perked. This is where he would mention her father. "You will have the opportunity later to meet his replacement, Mr. John Keating. An honours graduate of this school," John stood up from the pew, softly smiling while Mr. Nolan continued, "And who, for the past several years, has been teaching at the highly regarded Chester School in London."

Mr. Nolan paused waiting for applause to die down, "I would also encourage everyone here to give a warm welcome to our new faces this term, as well as Mr. Keating's daughter, Miss Keating." Gwendolyn stood up, keeping her shoulders square and her chin up, like her mother had taught her. The audience murmured distastefully. "Miss Keating will be our first and only female student." Mr. Nolan said, making the audience quiet down. Gwendolyn sat down, flicking her chestnut hair out of her eyes, mentally reading lines of poetry to calm her down.

I celebrate myself, and sing myself
And what I assume, you shall assume
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you

She repeated the lines over and over. By the time she'd calmed down, the ceremony was over and she had to get up and leave.

***

"Neil! Study group tonight?"

Neil Perry hadn't even put his suitcases down and people were already asking questions.

"Yeah sure."

"Business as usual huh?" Richard Cameron asked mockingly. "Hey I heard you got the new kid. Looks like a stiff!" He exclaimed, laughing before noticing that the new kid, Todd Anderson was right behind him. "Oops." He said and turned to leave letting Todd enter.

"Listen, don't mind Cameron. He's born with his foot in his mouth. You know what I mean?" Neil slapped him on the back with a piece of paper.

"Rumour has it...you did summer school." Three boys had now appeared at the door. The one who had spoken, Charlie Dalton, had pointed his finger at Neil.

"Yep. Chemistry. My father thought I should get ahead." Neil walked towards them. "How was your summer Slick?"

"Keen." He replied smirking. "Meeks. Door. Closed."

"Yes sir." Steven Meeks said mockingly

"Gentleman?" Neil said in an impression of Mr. Nolan, "What are the four pillars?"

"Travesty, horror, decadence, excrement." They said simultaneously.

"Ok, study group." Charlie took a cigarette and a lighter out of his pocket, "Meeks aced Latin, I didn't quite flunk English. So if you want, we got our study group" he leaned back on Neil's bed.

"Sure, Cameron asked me too. Anyone mind including him?" Neil asked.

"What his specialty. Boot licking?" Charlie asked teasingly.

"He's your roommate."

"That's not my fault!" Charlie lit his cigarette and put it in his mouth. "Has anyone seen the new girl around? The English teacher's daughter?"

"Saw her in the library on the way here. Reading a book or something." Knox Overstreet supplied.

"She's pretty hot. From what I saw anyway." Charlie said slyly.

"I wonder if she's smart." Meeks tilted his head. "Do you think she's smart?"

"Doesn't matter if she's smart, she's hot." Charlie emphasized.

"Is that all you're focused on?" Neil laughed to which Charlie mumbled something sounding like "pretty much". "I hope she's nice. Imagine, the first girl at Hell-ton and she's a complete and total bitch!" Everyone laughed except Todd, who continued unpacking.

Just then there was a knock at the door. Charlie swore and stamped his cigar while Meeks opened the door and moved to the side.

On the other side was a girl with long chestnut hair, wearing a Welton uniform except instead of trousers it was a skirt and a slightly off-white blouse instead of a shirt. There she stood, a white satin ribbon wrapped tightly round her wrist. She clutched a thick book to her chest, a lacy pastel pink ribbon sticking out of the pages, "Hello. I thought I heard people in here." She said in a soft velvety voice, that held a slight English accent. "Sorry to bother you. I was just wondering where my dorm room was. I'm afraid I've gotten a bit...lost coming back from the library. Um..." she fished the a slip of paper out of her skirt pocket, "Could point me in the direction of this number?" She asked as she handed the slip to Meeks. He pushed his glasses up his nose and read the number.

"Oh that's just down this hallway, take a left and then the room should be five doors down that hallway, on the right." He mimed the directions and handed back the paper. "Should say your name on the door."

"Thank you so much uh..." she fumbled while putting the paper back in her pocket.

"Oh I'm sorry, my name is Steven Meeks." He shook her empty hand. She smiled flashing a row of white teeth, creating a dimple in her right cheek.

"Thanks Steven." She nodded and went to leave before she was stopped by a voice.

"Hey!" Neil shouted, catching her attention. "If you need guides to...you know get around the place. My friends and I can help." He raked a hand through his hair.

"Oh, why, that's extremely kind of you..." she hesitated once again.

"Neil. Neil Perry." He nodded politely, "Nice to meet you."

"Thank you...Neil, but I'll be fine, my father will help me if I've lost my way to the classes. It's very kind of you to offer though." She smiled at each of them, even catching Todd's eye who was trying very hard to continue unpacking and organizing. "I don't think I've  caught everyone's name. Uh...Steven," she pointed to Meeks, "and Neil." She pointed to Neil.

"Knox Overstreet." Knox stood up to shake her hand. By then, Charlie had made his way to the door. "Pleasure."

"Dalton. Charlie Dalton." He smirked, taking her hand and bringing to his lips. Her eyes widened and she let out a breathy laugh.

"And this one here!" Neil clapped Todd on the back who went ridged. "Is Todd Anderson." Todd's cheeks turned a light pink as he felt her eyes on him. He had never seen many girls, but he thought that she had to be the prettiest one.

She tilted her head and smiled again, "Nice to meet you Todd."

Todd nearly choked. He had never heard someone say his name so wonderfully. He coughed, clearing his throat, "Nice to meet you too." He flushed a deeper red as he heard his own voice.

"Welcome to Hell-ton." Meeks said.

"Hell-ton?" She asked, her eyebrows creased.

Meeks coughed, "Just a joke."

"It's every bit as tough as they say," Charlie crossed his arms, "unless you're a genius like Meeks. Are you a genius like Meeks?"

Meeks scoffed, "He flatters me. That's why I help him with Latin." He said to the girl, who nodded understandingly.

"And English, and trig. Well are ya?"

She laughed, shaking her head, "You're quite funny. I wouldn't call myself a genius, but I can hold my own. Well thank you Steven for the help,"

"Meeks. Call me Meeks."

"Oh, Meeks okay. Thank you Neil for the kind offer to assist me and thank you Charlie for being funny."

"What are Todd and I? Chop liver?" Knox joked.

She giggled again, her laugh sounding like a light melody, "Ok, let me think. I'll give you two a compliment each. I...really like...your nose Knox. It's a very nice nose."

Knox looked confused, glancing over at Charlie who had his fist in his mouth. She then moved onto Todd who's cheeks betrayed him once again.

"I think you're hair looks nice Todd." She smiled softly before turning and leaving the group. A white ribbon, matching the one on her wrist, was intertwined within her shiny locks.

Charlie turned to Knox and scrutinized his face, "She's right y'know. You have a very nice nose Overstreet." He punched his shoulder.

"Oh shut up Charlie." He rolled his eyes, "She's very nice hey Neil? Just what you wanted.

"Yeah." He glanced at Todd who was still staring at the open doorway, until Meeks shut it again. He smiled to himself but said nothing. "She has a bit of an accent. British I'm assuming. It's nice...different...wait, guys, did any of you catch her name?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"She never said it." Meeks stated.

"Well, we'll just have to make one up won't we?" Charlie flashed a smirk.

Neil rolled his eyes, "Knowing you, it'll probably be something very inappropriate."

Charlie shook his head with vigour, "No, not this time. It's actually relevant. Okay? Listen."

Everyone listened.

"Ribbon."

"Ribbon?" Meeks questioned.

"She had a ribbon on her wrist." Charlie pointed to his wrist, "one in her book, and another one in her hair. Come on guys, admit it it's good!" He threw his arms up.

"Since when are you hyper-aware?" Knox teased.

"Since always."

Neil snickered along with Meeks, "Yeah. Ok we'll call her Ribbon until we find out her real name." Neil said.

Outside in the hallway, Mr. Perry had been watching and listening intently, silently glaring disapprovingly at the controversial student attending Welton this year.

Miss Keating.

***
Gwendolyn yawned, flinging her now empty suitcase off the foot of her bed. Her dorm room looked exactly the same as the one she had. The one where she met Todd and Niall...or was it Neil. Charlie, she had remembered Charlie and Meeps...no Meeks! And the other one, the one who she said had a nice nose. She furrowed her brow, concentrating, slowly untying the white ribbon from her hair, letting it fall in whatever way it wanted to.

She kicked off her flats, grabbed her book from the nightstand and curled up, placing the open book on her thighs. She began to read, tracing her fingers over the fragile pages as she did so.

***

Todd blinked up blankly at the ceiling.

He didn't like it at Welton. Of course, there were some exceptions, like how nice Neil and some of his friends were and the mysterious ribbon girl who he was curious about.

I think your hair looks nice Todd.

That's what she had said. He never thought about it ever looking nice before. His mother often styled it up for him but he hated when she did that. She made him look like Jeffery. Well...he wasn't Jeffery, he was Todd. Sadly, no one saw it that way. They all had expectations, ones that were set by his older, better brother. He had to somehow meet the standards, exceed the standards, and he loathed it. Little Todd Anderson, always overshadowed by his "Valedictorian and National Merit Scholar" brother.

But when the ribbon girl had looked at him. It was almost like she saw him for the person he is, not the person everyone expects.

It was different.

Todd liked it.

***

A/N: The blurb in italics is from the poem Song of Myself by Walt Whitman. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter!
-B