𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓭 𝓼𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭 of bagpipes filled the church and ricocheted off the walls when the two back doors opened. Here we go

The beams across the roof looked to be in pristine condition and had it not been for the wooden pews that creaked and groaned with every slight movement, you would hardly believe that it had been standing for over 100 years.

The chapel was filled with family's and new faces, the first 3 rows consumed by first years eagerly awaiting for the moment they would finally be accepted as Welton students.

My heart ached for them knowing within a week their little smiles would be turned into permanent frowns and their bright eyes would be darkened by the bags that would lie beneath.

Sitting beside my father, who had a stern look on his face, I watched my brother walk up the middle isle with the banner held high. My Mother, who was sat on my fathers other side, was wearing a proud smile with little glistens in her eyes as the boys reached Mr. Nolan, head of Welton, at the top.

   The banner that my brother held read the word excellence and I couldn't help but chuckle to myself as I read it. Had it not been for the fact that my father was sitting beside me the whole time I would have assumed he marched right back and shoved that particular banner in Neil's hand.

   At the top of the opposite row stood Richard Cameron, one of Weltons finest students, and judging by the proud but slightly stern looks on his parents faces it was clear why.

   I kept my eyes trained on him waiting for his to catch mine. Once they did, His face brightened a bit and in response to the straight face he held, I slightly stuck out my tongue at him.

   The corners of his mouth quirked up before he subtly shook himself looking forward again, his stoic expression now returning. I smiled to myself and faced back to the front. Haha gotcha.

Mr. Nolan made his way into the middle beside a man who was holding the candle for the new boys.

"Ladies and gentlemen. Boys and girl" he said, his eyes meeting mine as I put my head down "the light of knowledge" The four boys who had been stood like statues, moved to put the banners into the holders before taking their seats beside their families.

A round of applause rang out in response to one of the young boys candle being lit. Great. After being to three of these ceremonies you would think that I'd have remembered how boring they were. I put my hand up to my mouth to cover a yawn that was coming on. From beside me, my father looked down at me, allowing his stern look to slip into a smile before looking forward once again serious.

"One hundred years ago, in 1859, 41 boys sat in this room and were asked the same question that greets you at the start of each semester. Gentlemen, what are the four pillars" like soldiers preparing to go to war, all the students in the church, apart from me, stood to attention. A boy, about my age, a few rows ahead of me, caught my eye when he hesitated to stand but was pushed up by his father.

"Tradition, honour, discipline, excellence" In unison the boys took a seat. I looked up to my brother, a grin on my face as he elbowed me slightly smiling aswell.

"In her first year, Welton academy graduated five students. Last year we graduated fifty one-" I zoned out after that. I already had a headache coming on at the mere thought of having to listen to mr Nolan speak about how amazing Walton was and why it was such a privilege to be here.

I looked around trying to see if I could catch a glimpse of any of my other boys. Out of the six id already seen three, one being my brother. I subtly tried to crane my neck to look for the remaining three and after scanning back and forth, a flash of curly ginger hair caught my eye. Meeks is here.

"Retired last term-" Nolan words pulled me back into the present moment as I listened to hear which terrible teacher was going to be replaced with another "you will have the opportunity to later meet his replacement, Mr. john Keating, himself a graduate of this school" a smaller man stood up behind Nolan. Everyone moving in there seats trying to get a glimpse of him. The man looked out to the crowd, wearing a friendly smile "And, who,for the past several years, has been teaching at the highly regarded Chester school in London" the crowd broke out into applause again.

I looked to Neil as we finished clapping "should be interesting" I said, my mouth curving into a smile.

     After 40 more excruciating minutes and enough elbow nudges from my brother trying to get me to move over into the non existent space beside me to last me a lifetime, we were lining up waiting to leave while everyone stopped and shook hands with Mr. Nolan on their way out. Ahead of us was the boy I had seen earlier and me being as nosy as ever tried to listen for a name before turning back to Neil

   "Didn't you say your new roommates last name was Anderson?"

    He stopped for a second, thinking, before nodding his head "yeah why?" He asked, his eyes widening "fake smile time"  he turned me and pushed  me forwards when the line moved.

    When I turned back, father was gripping Mr. Nolan's hand while mother stood on his other side "Gale"

   "Tom" Mr. Nolan responded, shaking my fathers hand firmly.

    "Good to see you again" Neil and I nodded to him in greeting.

"Mr. Nolan"

   "Hello Mr. Nolan" Neil said behind me as Mr. Nolan shook both our hands

    "Neil, Sophia. We expect great things from you two this year" he said holding onto my hand a moment longer, a smile on his face

   "Thank you, sir" I said, earning a smile from our father who looked back at the two of us.

    "Well they won't disappoint us. Right you two?" I smiled up to my dad, glancing over at Mr. Nolan.

    "We'll do our best sir" Neil said, putting a hand on my back and moving me forward as we finished.

We had only gotten to the bottom of the steps when father announced him and our mother wanted to go talk to Mr. Overstreet. It was that awkward moment where we had to say goodbye, although none of us were actually leaving yet, so there was the off chance that we would see each other and have to do it all over again.

    Our mother turned to us with tears in her eyes as she pulled Neil into a hug and father did the same with me except without the tears. When it was time to hug the other, mother pulled me in while father shook Neil's hand.

   "Be safe please" she said holding onto my face before wrapping an arm around me as father clapped Neil on the shoulder

    "Look after your sister" I rolled my eyes looking between the two males

    "Of course I will" mother squeezed my shoulder as her and father excused themselves leaving Neil to our own devices.

    "Excited for this year?" Neil asked me while we looked around at all the children's wailing for their parents

    "Am I excited to be surrounded by hormonal teenage boys for the next nine months? That's a really good question Neil, ill get back to you when I have an answer for that" I said earning a laugh from him. We made our way towards the car grabbing our bags and making sure we had everything.

    I walked towards the building and went to go up the stairs, only getting so far when a hand grabbed onto the back of my blazer and pulled me back, causing me to stumble a bit "Neil wha-"

    "Phi, is that the Anderson boy you were talking about" he asked pointing towards the glass doors to where the new boy was standing on his own awkwardly moving out of the way as boys moved through with their bags.

    I followed where he was pointing to before pulling down his hand, giving him a small slap

     "Neil manners, it's not polite to point" I told him imitating our mother. He smiled sarcastically before we both looked back at the boy "Yeah that's him" neil nodded thankfully, bouncing on his feet

     "I'm gonna go introduce myself. Are you okay to go up to the rooms??" He asked as I rolled my eyes

     "Yes, I'm fine. Go" I said as he walked away from me putting out his arms

"Just fulfilling my big brother duties" a smirk cross his face when mine dropped into a scowl

    "Neil, i know sometimes you forget, but we were born on the same day"

    "Yeah but, Who was born first?" I shook my head annoyed as he walked away with a smug smile.

     I made it up the last flight of stairs and began towards my room as the crowd of boys parted like the Red Sea. I smiled in thanks walking by them until I got to my room.

   It was at the bottom of the hall between Knox's and meeks'. It was big enough considering I didn't have to share. There was a double bed and because It had once been a headmasters room, there was a bathroom included meaning I didn't have to share with the boys. Thank god for that.

    I opened the door, the old, but fresh, smell beginning to feel familiar again. The windows were drawn shut with white curtains from the end of last year on either side.

     The double bed in the corner sported a white comforter with flowers at the bottom. My room hadn't been touched since I'd last lived in it and that was made visible by the dust that coated the desk.

     I walked over to the window pulling the drapes apart as the sunlight flooded through the window, the glisten from the lake reflecting towards me.

    "Well would you look who decided to turn up" I smiled to myself before turning on the spot and running towards the boy in the doorframe who caught me with ease.

     "Knox!" I could feel the vibrations of his laugh as he squeezed me tighter

    "Hey Sophie" he let me down as I smiled up at him "how have you been?"

    "I've been good, and you? How was your Holidays?" I asked as he smiled down at me

    "Yeah it was good" he looked around the room, rocking back and forth on his heels "any of the others been in yet?" Squinting up at him I shook my head before a grin crossed his face and realisation crossed mine

"Are you serious?"

"Hey I haven't gotten first hug in ages"

     Ah, first hug. The small competition the five boys had always played a part in. At the start of every semester there was a challenge to see who could get to, and hug me first. Neil was excluded since he won the first time and all the boys had given out saying he had an unfair advantage.

    "And here I thought you were excited to see me" I chuckled as he pulled me into his chest again

   "I did miss you though" he said a knock came at my door. Pitts stuck his head in, his smile deflating when he saw Knox's had gotten to me first.

   "Dammit" he said under his breath, straightening up.

    "Nice to see you too pitts" I laughed as he trudged his way into my room.

     "I never get first hug" Knox began snickering beside me as Pitts met me and pulled me into a hug before scowling at Knox, turning and walking out the door.

    "What a nice way to say hi" Knox's said as he put his arm around my shoulder making me shake my head. We got into the hallway and ahead of me I saw Pitt's clapping Neil on the back.

    Neil went into his room as we passed the door. Knox's continued on towards pitts as I stood at Neil's door "You talk to your roommate?" I asked him, still not knowing the guys first name.

    Neil turned to say something to me as someone came up to my side "hey sophie" I turned to Cameron with a smile

"Hey Cameron"

    "Neil. Study group tonight?" He asked looking into the room, I turned to lean my back against the side of the door.

    "Yeah sure" Neil said putting down his suitcases. Cameron smiled at me before something clicked in his mind and he pulled me into a hug

"Am I first?" I smiled against his shoulder shaking head

    "Knox's beat you to it Cameron" he pulled away sighing as Neil scoffed from in the room

     "Business as usual huh?" He said focusing back on Neil. "Hey I heard you got the new kid" I looked by Cameron to see the new guy coming towards us, I pinched him shaking my head "Looks like a stiff" he said laughing as said new kid passed by us and walked into the room "Oops" my pulled my lips between my teeth to try stop a laugh

    "Cameron have you ever heard of this thing called thinking? Most people do it before they speak. You should give it a shot " I told him as he backed away. The new kid smiled towards me before he dropped his bag onto the bed across from Neil's.

I shook my head smiling and went into the room earning a disapproving smile from Neil.

"Phi your only here five minutes, lay off him yeah?" Neil asked laughing abit, I looked at him bewildered

"What did I do?"

"Listen don't mind cameron, He's born with a foot in his mouth. You know what I mean?" Neil said, hitting the new guy across the back with his paper.

"Yeah and if he doesn't learn to cop on, he'll be leaving with a foot up his ass" I said to the new boy, who smiled. "Ow Neil!" I looked up at him rubbing my shoulder where he'd hit me with the paper.

"Phi, manners" Neil said,

"I was joking" I defend before Neil gives me a look "mostly" he shook his head when footsteps caught my attention.

"Rumour has it you did summer school."

Leaning against the doorframe with a smirk that was permanent on his face was Charlie Dalton. And boy was he gorgeous. Would I ever let him know that? No. He doesn't need his ego being blown up anymore. Do I probably give it away by the way I look at him? More than likely. He has been Neil's bestfriend since they had been younger since our mothers were best friends growing up.

Knox, him and Meeks stood at the door when Neil nodded and spoke up "Yep. Chemistry. My father thought I should get ahead" he told them as he walked over to the them, shaking Charlie's hand "how was your summer slick?"

"Keen" he said, earning me to roll my eyes. Charles Dalton was what most people would call a ladies man. Okay everyone would call him a lady's man. The boy could get any girl just by looking at them.

They laughed making their way into the room. "Meeks, door, closed" Charlie ordered pointing back at Steven

    "Yes sir" Meeks said, turning to close the door when Charlie stopped infront of me.

"Darling" he smirked down at me, lifting my hand and kissing it

"Charlie" I greeted back as he raised his eyebrows

"Miss me?"

"Like a cold" from my left meeks snorted as i kept my eyes on the boy infront of me.

Charlie smiled, dropping my hand. "Always a delight"

"Always a charmer" He winked at me taking a seat on the bed next to me while Meeks sat on Neil's desk chair and Knox's sat on the other one.

"Gentlemen, Sophia. What are the four pillars" Neil asked as we all smirked

"Travesty, horror, decadence, excrement" we said in unison as Charlie pulled out a cigarette.

"God, Charlie, they're gonna kill you one day" I said looking at the cigarette in disgust.

"Oh and wouldn't that be terrible? How would you live without me?" He placed his hand on his heart sarcastically. "Okay study group. Meeks aced Latin. I didn't quite flunk English" he lay back putting his legs across mine making me groan while a smirk crossed his face "Soph is good at all subjects. So if you want, we got our study group" he said lighting up the cigarette.

"Sure, Cameron asked me too. Anyone mind including him?" Neil asked and I rested my forearms on Charlie's legs.

"What's his specialty, bootlicking?" Charlie asked as I smirked at his response before Neil gave him a look

"Cmon, he's your roommate"

"That's not my fault" Charlie retaliated.

"Uh I'm sorry. My name is Steven Meeks" I turned to meeks confused as to who he was talking to before I noticed his eyes on the new guy. I winced realising I hadn't even introduced myself yet.

"Oh, this is Todd Anderson" Neil said as I nodded . Todd.

Neil patted him on the back as he shook hands with Meeks. "Nice to meet you".

"Charlie dalton" he said from beside me. No effort to shake hands with him just that smug smirk across his face as I rolled my eyes at him. "And this gorgeous girl here is our Sophia. Neil's twin" I looked to Charlie shaking my head

"Thanks for that Charlie. I never do know how to introduce myself" I looked to him with a sarcastic smile before turning back to Todd, A smile crossing my face "Nice to meet you, call me sophie" I said shaking his hand as he smiled. Once he had turned his back Charlie poked me in the side making me hit his leg in retaliation

"Todd's brother was Jeffrey Anderson" Neil told us as Charlie handed the cigarette back to Neil.

"Oh yeah sure. Valedictorian. National merit scholar" Charlie listed. Meeks looked to me impressed. 

"Oh, well. Welcome to hell-ton" he said while Todd nodded back to him

"It's every bit as tough as they say. Unless your a genius like Meeks and Soph" Meeks smiled from his seat

"He flatters us. That's why I help him with Latin" Meeks said while I smirked

"And English and trig." I said hitting Charlie's leg making him cough on the smoke before a knock came to the door. I pushed Charlie's legs off me as he dropped the cigarette and stomped it out while Neil and I swatted away the smoke.

"It's open" Neil called out. The door opened and in walked our father making Neil and I stand and from our seats "father. I thought you'd gone" he said, his voice breaking at the end. His nerves showing already.

    The boys stood too and greeted him as he looked around "Keep your seats fellas, Sophia" The three boys and I sat slowly, leaving a clueless Todd to stand alone with my father and brother

     "Neil, I've just spoken to Mr. Nolan. I think that your taking too many extracurricular activities this semester, and I've decided that you should drop the school annual" I looked between the two with a crease in my forehead

    "But he's the assistant editor this year." I told my father as he looked down at me with a smile before looking back to Neil

"Well, I'm sorry Neil"

     "But, father I can't. It wouldn't be fair" Neil started, making me wince knowing what was coming.

    "Fellas, could you excuse us for a moment?" He asked, looking around at us. He made for the door with Neil following behind as I shook my head slightly before the door shut.

"Shit" I said quietly to myself

     "Why doesn't he stand up to him?" Meeks asked from beside me as I scoffed

    "Have you met my father?" I looked to meeks raising my eyes brows as Knox shook his head looking up at me

    "He isn't like that with you though. How come it's just Neil?" He asked.

    I sighed "Fathers trying to turn Neil into him. To give him the opportunities he didn't have. He hold neil to a stupidly high standard" I said sadly.

     "Yeah Knox. It's always been that way. Sophia is Mr. Perry's idea of perfection" Charlie said from beside me.

   It sure did seem like that. Whenever I stood up to father he would turn from angry to understanding. My father wanted me to be a teacher. And I guess because that's what I wanted to be too, we never really clashed.

    "Sophia" I heard from the door making my head shoot to it as my father stood in the frame, smiling and nodding his