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Westridge Academy, Part Six
🕑 Added 2025-02-05 03:56:50 +0000 UTCAshley walked Amelia outside, then led her to a bench that was a ways off from the dining hall. Once they were both seated, Ashley let go of her hand and gave her a smile, “So, what’s up, Millie? Enjoying your new school?”
Just like that, Amelia felt hesitant about her game plan for this conversation. What she wanted to say was that enough was enough, that she passed the aptitude test, and that she had already stayed here way longer than she should have. However, one little question from Ashley was a reminder that she was supposed to be playing along with the concept that she was a transfer student. If she didn’t, then Ashley might launch into another whole thing about Amelia’s maturity, or lack thereof.
On the other hand, acting like a student and not standing up for herself in the slightest came with its own set of problems.
For the time being, Amelia tried to split the difference. Starting with the news that should prove her intelligence, insulting as it was to be on the hook for that from a pair of girls who were actually younger than her. “I passed my aptitude test,” Amelia said, “Every section.”
“Great job, Millie!” Ashley exclaimed. She leaned in and kissed the blonde’s cheek, pulling back and looking just like a proud older cousin would, “I knew you could do it.” Only then did she clarify, “Fully passed, right?”
Not exactly. Amelia had been worried about Ashley asking, considering that Ashley worked in the main office and/or probably had a friend or a friend’s younger sister who had to spend a little extra time on a section or two in the same way Amelia was told to do this week.
Apparently the look on Amelia’s face was enough, as Ashley’s excitement instantly faded. “Millie. Which sections?”
“History and Religion . . . ” she mumbled. There was no avoiding the question when Ashley clearly knew what Ms. Song had tasked her with. “But, I passed!” she pushed forward, “You said I had to pass my aptitude test.”
That was one of many things Ashley had said. Now that a full week had passed, that one-sided negotiation with Ashley and Claire was a little bit blurry. Amelia had mostly been focused on studying and not getting in trouble.
“I said you needed to develop intellectually,” Ashley said, “Wouldn’t an intelligent little girl do well on her tests? Passing is the bare minimum.”
“I’m not a little girl!!” Amelia protested, raising her voice for the first time in a while. Being treated like an untrustworthy schoolgirl for a whole week had really done a number on her. Thanks to what her file said, every teacher and prefect viewed her way differently than what Amelia was used to when it came to authority figures, not to mention the constant humiliation of being perceived as a young teenager.
But also, a week of reading and rereading the student handbook and doing her best to abide by the academy’s rules had made it so being a ‘proper Westridge girl’ and avoiding write-ups was becoming more and more of a habit. In this case, Amelia blushed and quickly glanced around to see if a prefect was nearby. She knew full well that yelling was bad, not to mention the memory of Summer and company getting her in trouble for snapping at the end of class.
Ashley wasn’t a prefect, though she was more than capable of chastising a younger girl. “Millie!” she hissed, “That is not how proper young ladies behave. Apologize. Now.”
“I’m sorry- I’m sorry for shouting, Ashley.” Amelia’s blush darkened, both from how Ashley was talking to her and how naturally the apology slipped from her lips. At this point, Amelia had also been conditioned to respond fully about whatever she was being reprimanded for. Just another Westridge method of getting girls to internalize a lesson and to not act out in that way again.
With a judgmental sigh, Ashley said, “Look, I know it’s a big adjustment from your old school. But you’re doing so well, Millie. Give it another week, and I bet you’ll ace those two sections. Maybe I can even come over one of these nights and give you some pointers. How does that sound?”
It sounded . . . confusing. Even though it was just the two of them, Ashley was committing to their relationship as ‘cousins,’ and referencing the transfer student thing as if it were reality. While Amelia hadn’t been at Westridge long enough to actually believe the lies that Ashley was spinning, every blow felt softer than it had the previous Friday.
Another week. Such a suggestion should have made her freak out. The time she had already spent as a student was mortifying, awkward, inappropriate, and so much more. And yet, pushing back this time around felt so much more daunting. She had made so much progress, and Ashley had definitely pushed the right buttons in terms of mentioning the ‘bare minimum.’ That’s not the kind of girl Amelia was.
Then there were all the subconscious layers that Amelia could only identify so well amidst the rigorous private school schedule that she had. Treat someone like a student long enough, and she’s bound to start acting like one eventually. Even Ashley and Claire were pretending that she belonged most of the time, which meant that Amelia only got to be herself when she was alone and not busy with homework/studying.
Sensing her weakness and pouncing on her silence, Ashley said, “By the way, you’re not going to be the new girl for much longer. Your grade has another transfer student coming early next week. Isn’t that exciting?”
It would be nice to have the negative attention focused towards a classmate. Whether the new arrival was a good student or not, chances were she’d suffer the impossible task of trying to keep up with all the rules and nuances that Westridge had. And maybe Summer’s focus would be drawn towards that girl as well.
Amelia snapped out of it, realizing that she was thinking more like a student than a young professional. “Umm, yeah,” she muttered, if only to say something.
Speaking of Summer, was now the time to seek her out? Amelia had been avoiding the mean girl until now. However, desperate times called for desperate measures. While part of her was instinctively trying to be a good student, the part attached to reality knew that another full week of getting tangled in Ashley’s game would only complicate things further.
“Anyway, my food is getting cold,” Ashley said, “Like I said, I can swing by your room one of these nights when I have more time. Okay?”
“ . . . Okay,” Amelia quietly said.
Biting her tongue about so many things, and knowing better than to raise her voice again in public, Amelia simply sat there and let Ashley walk away after another patronizing kiss on the cheek.
Just like that, she was going to be a student for another week. And, through her silence, Amelia had indirectly agreed to that.
Comments
liljah
Can’t wait for Part 7 this is one of my new fave Obsessions
liljah
I sense a twist on the horizon for Millie
