Chapter Text
It was early September, still far from the cold winter that would freeze over the line of trees Will watched empty-eyed and idle. It was nice, not too warm and not too cold, sunny. Fishing weather, Will thought from the passager seat.
“This will be good for you, kid.” they must’ve had this conversation a thousand times now “They said the school is big enough, so no crowds, that the teachers are specialists, the food is good, and the children are all artsy and shit like you.” at least a hundred this month alone “You will fit in great.” It hadn’t been Robert’s idea to mix a dishevelled half-poor kid from Louisiana with the uppty-nose rich children of Maryland and yet he seemed very keen on it. Will had said no, listing the multiple reasons why this idea was shit; it was expensive, he’d miss his dogs, it would change his routine, he doesn’t like strangers, he’d be trapped in an unknown place, he was against the academicism of arts, this was stupid… Robert didn’t care.
Will had been hopping schools ever since his mom died two years ago, and he started living with his father, which didn’t leave much room for forming friendships. That was fine by him, but according to his father, Will needed friends his age, he was only ever social with adults and pets and Robert was starting to worry. He vented one day at work, a coworker heard and in less than three months Will had his bags packed to move into some fancy boarding school in a state outside his father’s work rotation. If Will thought too much about it, it would seem like his father had gotten rid of him the first chance he got, so he didn’t think about it.
“I’ll come to pick you up on holidays, it will be the same, just a little different.”
“I don’t like different.”
“It’s only one year, Wiliam.” so he shut up. He had given every argument already, he lost.
His father was right in one thing, the fucking place was huge. Will was right in another, he would feel trapped here. The metal fence was high enough that Will had to look up from under the car roof, with a big gate that seemed to scream 'Abandon all hope he who enters here’ but actually read 'Saint Luke Art Academy'. Will thought his quote fit better. There were vines climbing the bars of the fence, trying to come in or get out Will couldn't be sure.
There was a woman at the gate, with tight curly hair and bronze skin, with a smile sincere-looking enough but terrifying.
"Do you want me to come in with you?" his father asked, half parking the car on the sidewalk.
"No." he opened the door and the woman immediately brightened her smile and offered to help carry his bags. Will refused.
The school was intimidating. The main building was a repurposed monastery, with a very tiny concrete building next to it, in the middle of a giant field.
"Well, Mr.Graham, my name is Bella Crawford, I'm the guidance councillor here at the academy and will be responsible that your stay is as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. Shall we start with the gardens?” she was still smiling “Built in 1853, Saint Luke..." Will wasn't listening, he was lost in the trees that surrounded those gardens, beyond the fence, the ones he had been staring at for the past hour and a half. Deep woods of red maple and black oak that went on and on, further than his eyes could hope to reach. He wasn't listening when she told him about the variety of flora and the occasional animals that visited the grounds. He wasn't listening when they went inside, too busy staring at the eyes on the ceiling that followed the way he clenched his calloused fingers into fists, or when she pointed in the direction of the classes. He also wasn't listening when she showed him the cafeteria or the washrooms, and he certainly wasn't listening when she told him the name of the guy who would share his living space for a year.
"Hey?" Dude? he startled back into his senses, only to be confused "You are staring." the person warned
"I'm sorry, I thought this was an all-boys school?" the person in front of him had long black hair and an amused smile "You are a girl?"
"I am. Now to convince my mother." she laughed "Beverly, call me Bev."
"Will."
"Yeah, I was actually paying attention during our introduction." there was no venom in her words, just sass "What specialisation you doin'? If you are a sculpting kid I'm changing rooms."
"No, no, I'm in music spec"
"Uuuuuh, a musician, you are my first musical roommate." without mentioning it she grabs one of his bags and drops it on top of one of the beds "You know, I was gonna try music," she grabs the other one "but my voice literally attracts cats, no joke. Shoes off. Painting is more my thing" this is awkward, Will feels awkward. She is aggressive in her approach, not giving him time to analyse and react accordingly. He takes his shoes off "You get the two bottom drawers and the left side of the closet, the room isn't huge but honestly, I don't spend much time in it, our neighbours are noisy and the lighting here is shit, so you can go off and bring whatever booty calls you fish out."
"I don't-"
"Or not, none of my business. But seriously, before curfew, the room is all yours." and just like that she leaves, petting his shoulder before disappearing into the corridor, finally giving Will room to think. He started to unpack.