Caspian : The New Kid

The echoing chime of an old clock resonated through the empty corridors as I hurried through the labyrinthine halls of Willowbrook Academy. With each step, I wondered if I had once again lost my way in this maze-like school.

The grand staircase wound its way to various floors, and the uniform lighting fixtures only added to my confusion. Lost on the very first day of school-what a promising start indeed.

Had it not been for the vivid plum and golden colors adorning the surroundings, I might have believed myself to be the only student present.

As I reached the north wing stairs for the fifth time, my eyes caught sight of a broad balustrade overlooking a corridor. Faint sounds drifted from a poorly closed door within.

Voices fell silent as I stepped through. A boy with black hair and a red-haired girl met my gaze with puzzled expressions, studying my face intently.

The girl spoke first, gesturing for her friend to straighten up.

"Are you new?"

Seated at separate rows of tables that resembled long counters, they eyed me expectantly.

"Y-yes,"

"I'm Nissa, and this is Rula-uh, Rhys. Welcome..." Her sentence trailed off as her gaze fixed on my collar.

"Welcome to the blues!"

Rhys leaned back, a smirk playing on his lips. "Looks like you've rehearsed that speech for ages."

Nissa playfully tousled his hair before pulling me toward an empty spot on the wooden bench.

"And you?"

It took a moment to grasp her meaning.

"I'm Caspian. I got in on a scholarship."

Rhys grinned , turning to face me directly.

"Congratulations, Caspian? Welcome to the slaughterhouse. If I were you, I wouldn't mention that scholarship. Actually, if I were you, I wouldn't talk at all."

"Ignore him, Caspian. We're glad you're here. It's not every day we see one of our own."

"Our own?" I echoed, recalling Nissa's earlier glance at my collar.

"Yes, you're a blue, like us!"

" Is it the tie? The principal insisted I wear it every day throughout the year, but it's always been blue."

Rhys turned away with a sigh.

"Explain it to him, Nissa."

"Explain what?"

"At Willowbrook, students are sorted by colors, identified by ties that change according to their group. Some skip the ties altogether, but there's always another way to tell."

Nissa took out a red marker, waving it in front of me.

"The Reds are kinda rough; they jump into action with their fists at the first sign of trouble.

Some are wild, others downright nasty. They can easily get under your skin and snap if you play tricks or say anything sneaky. The Reds are super proud, so don't mess with their ego.."

Her marker traced invisible lines in the air as she spoke.

"The Purples, they're the ones with big ambitions. Super diplomatic, they love bossing people around. They're sneaky, sometimes petty, lurking in the shadows and striking when you least expect it.

They're all about compliments, get real jazzed about gifts, and can get real twitchy if they don't get enough attention.

Usually, they're all about being the center of attention. Watch out for them like the plague."

She set the marker aside, her expression serious.

"The Greens, well... they're quite unique, to put it politely. They're intense, hypersensitive, and very playful.

Their emotions are always heightened: if they're happy, they'll be incredibly kind, gentle, and attentive. But when anger blinds them, it's best to move your way.

Greens are true romantics: if they feel loved, they'll go to any length for that person. And if they're in a dark place, they might just try to end it all."

"Has it happened before?" I asked cautiously.

"More times than I can count," Nissa replied softly, glancing around as if worried someone might overhear.

"Emotions run high among Greens; they're drawn to extremes, sometimes drugs for the thrill."

She cleared her throat, suddenly cheerful again.

" And we're the only Blues in the whole school, the altruists. We care about others and usually don't expect anything in return for our efforts.

Blues focus on individuals, beyond themselves. Empathy is one of our main traits, where we can feel what others feel."

Nissa nodded toward Rhys with a teasing grin.

"He doesn't look like it, but he's a nice guy deep down."

"Quite... intimidating," I admitted, overwhelmed by this new world.

"Don't worry, stick with us, and you'll be fine. We watch each other's backs," Nissa assured me, tucking away her markers.

"You mentioned a scholarship?" she probed gently.

I hesitated, then nodded.

"My dad's been working in the cafeteria here for years. Last year, the principal offered a spot for one of his kids. I passed the tests."

"Congratulations! Scholars tend to end up as Blues, like me. But not Rhys," she added, nodding toward him.

Rhys shot Nissa a suspicious look.

"Do you always spill your secrets to strangers?"

"We're Blues, Rhys. No enemies here, only friends, right, Caspian?"

Nissa nudged him playfully, and Rhys grumbled, settling back into his seat.

"Scholarship students aren't really well-regarded here, you know? It's kinda different. No one knows I'm one, and I'll keep your secret safe with me, so don't sweat it.

Rhys, he's not on scholarship; he's the principal's kid. He's the exception to the rule, as you can tell."

" I see... "

"Do you have any other questions?"

My eyes wandered over the antique decor and the sky-blue velvet curtains adorning the windows.

"Will it just be the three of us until we graduate high school?"

"That's right! Unless there are new Blues by then. We don't mix much with other colors, except during meals in the cafeteria or at the library. Unless they're family or... friends, which is rare for us."

Rhys cleared his throat and shifted in his seat.

"And how do the colors manage if we're all separated?"

"We don't get along, despite my hopes otherwise. The others, they have Championships every year to maintain some order, I suppose."

"Championships?"

"Kickboxing! There's no better extracurricular activity for high schoolers, I promise!" Rhys mocked.

"Don't worry, Blues aren't allowed to participate. Our principles prevent us from fighting. We haven't won a single tournament or match in over a decade, so the principal banned us from competing."

A foreign voice interrupted our conversation.

"Welcome to another year at Willowbrook! Nissa, Rularen, and... oh, we have a newcomer!"

"Caspian, ma'am."

"Caspian... welcome to environmental management class. I'm Mrs. Riverblessing, and I'll be delighted to have you with us this school year."

She peered at me over her glasses with curious blue eyes.

"And hopefully next year too."

Nissa opened her notebook, mimicking the teacher playfully.

"Why'd she call Rhys 'Rularen'?"

"His twin, he's here at Willowbrook too."

She teared a small piece of paper, jotting their first names and last names.

"Rhys Yularen and Zander Yularen. We use their first initials as nicknames."

"'Rularen, Zularen'?"

"Yeah, that's it! Those are their nicknames."

"But he's also the principal's son?"

"Yeah, a Purple, the school's pride. Well, that's what they say, but reality's different."

Nissa crumpled the paper, stashing it in her pencil case. She looked at me with concern.

"Watch out, Caspian. Looks aren't always what they seem."

The air tightened around me as I nod.

"I'll be careful "