Preface
This is the fanciful prologue to the actual tale I decided to spin. This is more protracted back story than anything else: lots of set up, not a lot action. So come back to this after reading the actual story if you fall in love with the characters like I did.
FIVE YEARS AND FOUR DAYS -- PROLOGUE (Five Years Ago)
The assembly hall was packed. The new girls were seated in the front rows, their uniforms crisp and new. The deep blue of the school kilts in each row faded ever so slightly from the stage to the back of the hall, where the sixth formers were. Alexandra Mak sat with her fellow sixth-formers, their tired uniforms hanging on desperately to some semblance of conformity. Clare Shepard, or "Clash", her best friend, had perfected the art of wearing a tie without appearing to agree with its presence on her person: It looked like it had been in a fight with itself while attempting to work its way up to her shirt collar.
ALEX
"Poor things, they look terrified," Clash whispered.
I nodded, "I remember
being
terrified. Mostly because you told me that all new girls had to get up and say their names and where they were from. Vintage Clare Shepherd bollocks."
Clash put her head on my shoulder, "You didn't speak to me for the entire first term. Now look at us."
I gave her a squeeze. "9 more months of this place. I can't believe it. Audrey has 5 more years. She has no idea what's coming."
"Audrey's lucky to have you here -- people will leave her alone knowing that she has a big bad sixth-former as a sister."
I nodded, "We'll see. My parents requested that she be assigned a different house, so I basically won't see her all that much."
The double doors at the front of the hall opened and the headmistress walked in, followed by members of staff. I leaned forward when a new member of staff caught my eye as she strolled in with the rest of the faculty.
Miss Wainwright.
That was her name. She was talking to Miss Goode, a teacher in the PE department, as they walked in. Miss Wainwright had been one of the teachers at Greystone Prep when we swam against them last year.
Now she's here? At Halsey?
Clash nudged me, "New teacher."
I nodded, "I recognize her from somewhere," I said vaguely. An understatement, if I ever made one. I suddenly hoped that Miss Wainwright would look up and see me.
She still had her shoulder length dark brown hair. My memories from the Greystone swim meet were easy to grasp: Miss Wainwright was joking around with the girls on the Greystone swim team. She seemed so cool, so fun. I had heard her laugh at something one of the girls was saying and felt envious that I was not in on the joke.
Now, as the headmistress went through her annual beginning of school address, I stared at Miss Wainwright, wondering if she had joined the PE department, and if swimming would be her focus here.
"... We have several new members of staff to introduce to you," Mrs Lincoln droned on.
I sat up straighter.
"Father Michael Burns has joined us," she nodded to a gentleman who stood up and smiled, "he is taking over from Father Richard, whom you know retired at the end of the school year last year."
"Dr. Anne Finch will join the Chemistry department this year, so Dr. Skarstaad and Miss Dewhurst will have some company. She joins us from Northbury School." Dr Finch stood up and waved quickly before sitting back down.
"And Miss Jessica Wainwright will be joining the PE department as head coach of the swimming team. She'll also be heading up our brand new photography effort. Welcome, all of you, to Halsey."
Her name was Jessica
. I immediately wondered if she shortened it to 'Jess', or if there was another nickname she went by. Photography also suddenly became extremely interesting to me.
"They all seem nice enough. The new Chaplain looks much nicer than Father Dick ever did," Clash shrugged, "What do we care, we are almost out of here!"
"Now, will the prefects please stand up," Mrs Lincoln continued.
Clash and I stood, along with about a dozen others in the back of the hall.
"These are the sixth formers chosen by me and members of staff to lead the school this year. Please follow their example. Prefects, good luck. Now, please will the school captains please stand."
Clash sat down, and I remained standing. Five other sixth formers joined in standing with me in the back of the assembly hall.
"Georgia Cohen, Lacrosse; Sarah Blackhall, Squash; Tori Milton, Tennis; Alexandra Mak, Swimming; Antonia Harding, Netball; Edwina Miles, Fencing."
I felt Miss Wainwright turn her head towards me when Swimming was mentioned. I looked away, suddenly shy, but felt a weird tingling sensation knowing that I was in her line of sight.
JESS
"So there is my swimming captain," I thought to myself. Pat McAllister retired from Halsey at the end of the school year, and had exchanged emails with me telling me about the programme and about Alexandra. I remember watching her swim: she was fast, winning every race she was in and absolutely thrashed my swimmers at Greystone. Not surprising that I was quite happy to have the speedy athlete on my team for a change.
Halsey was a larger school than Greystone. The assembly hall itself was easily twice the size. Cathy Goode helped make introductions for me when Pat's positioned opened at Halsey. Cathy and I had known each other for a while: our families have been friends for generations up north. Cathy was like an older cousin I never had, as neither of my parents had siblings.
"So how do I get in touch with Alexandra? What's the protocol?" I asked Cathy as we filed out of the assembly hall.
"Leave a note for her on the Sports Centre bulletin board. There's a section for the school captains there. Or the prefects' board. She goes by 'Alex,' by the way."
"Yes, I remember Pat mentioning that," I nodded, "Quiet and steady, she also said."
"Pat would know," Cathy nodded, "and I agree. I've never seen her ruffled. Still waters run deep, as they say."
I quickly wrote a note to Alex, asking her to meet me during tea to get started on team trials and the competition schedule. I pinned the note on the board, as Cathy suggested, quite liking the fact that Halsey was obstinately sticking to pen and paper communications.
My day passed quickly: a constant stream of new faces and new rules to absorb. Certainly learning the way the faculty eco-system worked was fascinating. Greystone's smaller size meant that everyone pretty much knew everyone else. Halsey seemed to be a bustling world of many different jurisdictions co-existing all at once.
It was clear that Liz Patterson was the top dog as Deputy Head of School. It was also clear that while she was well-liked by many of the staff, no-one underestimated her authority -- or ambition.
"Be careful of that one," Cathy cautioned, "Friendly, but dead keen on climbing the administrative ladder. Has her eye on Lincoln's spot. She's fine as long as she doesn't think you are a threat."
"I teach PE and photography. How much of a threat could I be?"
With Cathy's words in mind, I knocked on Liz's door at 3.
"Come in," came a crisp voice on the other side.
I walked into a sparsely decorated office, filled with books and framed certificates.
