Chapter 1 - Joseph Wright

1..... 2..... 3..... Ugh, counting trees is boring. I wish they would just allow phones there, so I can listen to some music or something! Or mum could have at least let me have it for the car ride, but no. She wanted to talk to me about my 'behaviour' and my 'mental health', but we've been silent ever since we left like an hour ago.

I was expelled from my last high school for getting into a fight with one of the seniors. In my defence, it was his fault. He tried to beat up my friend so I stepped in to back him up. I didn't do anything wrong! The school still found it unacceptable and thought my behaviour was too aggressive anyway. They suggested that I might have anger issues and that I should 'go get checked out'. That's none of your business! My parents took their advice though. I got diagnosed with something. Now I have to take medication everyday. It's annoying because I'm fine. I know I'm fine.

"Joseph, are you listening to me?" Mum finally speaks up from the front seat.

So now she wants to talk?

"Yeah." I respond, annoyed.

"Don't talk to me like that! I am your mother. Your father and I have spent a lot of money to get you into this school. Especially at this time of the year! You are so ungrateful. We just want the best for you!"

Here she goes, on a long lecture.

"I hope that here you will learn how to behave. Maybe it will do you some good getting off that mobile device you're always on."

A phone mum. It's called a phone. If you didn't want me on it all the time, you shouldn't have bought me one.

"The boys that come out of that school become great people. I have no doubts that that will be you as well, so you better study hard and be good. No fights."

Whatever mum....

"Did you hear me? No. Fights."

"Yes mum." I respond monotonously so that she doesn't get mad at me again.

"Good boy."

Dad has been quieter than normal. He's a business man and only talks when it's necessary. I guess he feels that I'm not important enough to talk to right now. He always talks down to me. I'm 16 dad, you could at least give me some advice that mum can't or back me up.

My new school is 3 hours away from home. Why couldn't they just homeschool me? That must be cheaper than sending me to a private boarding school in the middle of nowhere. No one even knows that school exists. How did mum even find out about it? She probably got told by them that whoever goes through their schooling becomes a success. There aren't many students there too so they can't be that great, especially if there's no phones.