The Salem Institute - Chapter One

"Urg!" I leaned against a tree in the schoolyard of Salem Witches' Institute. 

"When will she get here... We're going to be late for class!" My friend murmured, tapping her fingers against her knee

Finally our friend jogged up her backpack jumping up and down on her back with every step. She looked a bit messy, one of her sneaker's wasn't fully on and her sweater (which was pulled hastily over her collared shirt) was slightly lopsided with part of the collar under it. I knew she didn't care though.  

I hadn't done anything special for the first day either. This morning I had just slipped on my uniform and pulled my hair back into a ponytail, nothing special. 

Our uniform was comprised of an annoying long sleeve white button up shirt which made me feel like a stiff, starched piece of cardboard, a blue sweater that itched a lot and made all of us look like we had fleas, how ferociously we scratched. We also had to wear jeans or shorts that were as long or longer than your arms fell.   

My other friend, Mayzie (Or crazy Mayzie as we affectionately called her) had a matching blue headband holding her long dark brown hair back and a ponytail sprouting from her head.  

Mayzie laughed, making the ponytail shake furiously "There you are! Ready for our second year at the prestigious Salem Witches Institute?" She said putting air quotes around prestigious.

Jamie grumbled, "My alarm clock failed me."

I internally face palmed. Jamie was a beast in the morning and it took her half an hour to get out of bed. 

"Crazy, Jam, we need to get going!" I said as I began to fast walk. 

"Don't call me JAM!" Jamie screamed as she fast walked up to me and gave me a small shove.  

Mayzie jogged up to us and rolled her eyes at our cat fight. She was used to this, we did it all the time. 

A few minutes later Mayzie had beat us up the steps (she can run like no one's business) and we were still trudging along. 

Suddenly Jamie poked me and said "Race you!"

And we were off. After 30 seconds of running we were still neck in neck and the school steps were right in front of us. It was a tie. 

Once we were through the doors I checked my watch. 8:21, 9 minutes before classes started. I, along with my friends took out my schedule and hurriedly scanned it. 

There were three groups in each year: the ones who had been born in the first four months of the year, the second four months of the year, or the third four months of the year. You just had to be born in the year 2015 to get into the second year. We started school at the age of 11, and went on for 8 more years. 

We were all in the same group because I was born in October, Jamie was born in late September, and Mayzie was born in the middle of December. 

We had history first. As Mayzie grumbled and groaned about it I quickly reviewed the summer homework. I was going through it because our formidable teacher, Mrs. Abernathy, had threatened to give us a quiz on our homework. 

Sighing I leaned against a locker outside Mrs. Abernathy's classroom "That stupid quiz. Why would she assign one at the beginning of the school year."

"I don't know, but it's horrible. That homework was terror." Jamie agreed

"I did it last night... Gosh it was annoying." Mayzie said

When I glanced at my watch again it was 8:27. "We better go in, guys."

One hour later the torture was over and we left the classroom our bags were alot heavier because of the intense homework. 

A few classes later Jamie, Mayzie and I were sitting at lunch along with the other kids in the 3rd section. As I picked at my gross sandwich, gulping down two mouthfuls of water with every bite, Mayzie picked up one of her fruit snacks and flicked it at me. Soon we were in a full fledged food fight I throwing cheese puffs, Jamie launching grapes, and Mayzie constantly flicking fruit snacks with deadly accuracy. 

Soon Crazy May was all out of ammunition and Jamie and I teamed up, waging war on our friend. Suddenly Jamie turned on me and threw a grape right at my face. I quickly retaliated and soon I was out of missiles and had joined Mayzie behind a tree, taking cover. After we had called truce and recess had ended we had our last two classes of the day: transfiguration and divination. 

Transfiguration was hard, but not too bad and divination was a snooze as usual.

Precisely at 2:30 the bell rang and we all fled the school, quickly hopping on the Appa-Bus (Apparition Bus) or walking home if you lived in the area.

I HOPE YOU ENJOED! 

~Lauren