~•~
"Father, are you sure Mr. Nolan said it was alright for me to attend classes at Welton?" Sixteen year old Gwendolyn Keating nervously bit the inside of her cheek, "Why didn't the both of you want me to continue school in London? Aunt Lucy told me many a great things about Sinclair Academy and the University of London...I also heard of a well-known university in New Hampshire, only the next state over."
Her father, John Keating gave her a look, his eyebrows raised. Gwendolyn blinked, on the cusp of spewing "I don't belong here". Really, she didn't belong anywhere. She felt like the black sheep and that she would never fit in with anyone.
John leaned towards her and whispered, "Gwen, your mother wanted you to come back to Vermont and it just so happened that I got a teaching job here. Just because you may be different then everyone you see here, doesn't mean you don't belong. Keep your differences Gwen, they're what make you who you are." Gwendolyn nodded and took a breath, fiddling with the white ribbon around her wrist. "And yes," John smiled, "Mr. Nolan has allowed it. I have special papers and everything."
She didn't even get to reply because the bagpipes had started and were marching down the aisle, boys holding the banners displaying the four pillars of Wellton, high in the air. Abruptly the bagpipes stopped and Mr. Nolan's loud voice carried throughout the church, "Ladies and gentleman, boys, the light of knowledge," he gestured to the an older man holding a candle. As organs played, the old man lit the candle of the first boy. People clapped as the candle light spread. "One hundred years ago, in 1859," Mr. Nolan continued, "Forty-one boys sat in this room and were asked the same question that now greets you at the start of each semester. Gentleman, what are the four pillars?" Mr. Nolan asked.
In response, all the Welton boys stood, "Tradition, honour, discipline, excellence." They chorused and then returned to their seats.
"In her first year, Welton Academy graduated five students. Last year, we graduated fifty one." Mr. Nolan stated proudly. "And more then seventy five percent of those went on to the Ivy League." More applause erupted. "This kind of accomplishment, is the result of fervent dedication to the principles taught here. This is why you parents have been sending us your sons. This is why we are the best preparatory school in the United States!" People clapped once again, Gwendolyn joined in, quietly clapping.
"As you know, our beloved Mr. Portius of the English Department retired last term." Gwendolyn's ears perked. This is where he would mention her father. "You will have the opportunity later to meet his replacement, Mr. John Keating. An honours graduate of this school," John stood up from the pew, softly smiling while Mr. Nolan continued, "And who, for the past several years, has been teaching at the highly regarded Chester School in London."
Mr. Nolan paused waiting for applause to die down, "I would also encourage everyone here to give a warm welcome to our new faces this term, as well as Mr. Keating's daughter, Miss Keating." Gwendolyn stood up, keeping her shoulders square and her chin up, like her mother had taught her. The audience murmured distastefully. "Miss Keating will be our first and only female student." Mr. Nolan said, making the audience quiet down. Gwendolyn sat down, flicking her chestnut hair out of her eyes, mentally reading lines of poetry to calm her down.
I celebrate myself, and sing myself
And what I assume, you shall assume
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you
She repeated the lines over and over. By the time she'd calmed down, the ceremony was over and she had to get up and leave.
***
"Neil! Study group tonight?"
Neil Perry hadn't even put his suitcases down and people were already asking questions.
YOU ARE READING
𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐑𝐈𝐁𝐁𝐎𝐍 ~ 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲
Fanfiction𝕿𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖘𝖍𝖊 𝖘𝖙𝖔𝖔𝖉, 𝖆 𝖜𝖍𝖎𝖙𝖊 𝖘𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖓 𝖗𝖎𝖇𝖇𝖔𝖓 𝖜𝖗𝖆𝖕𝖕𝖊𝖉 𝖙𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙 𝖆𝖗𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖉 𝖍𝖊𝖗 𝖜𝖗𝖎𝖘𝖙 There were no female students at Welton Academy. There never was and, most likely, there never would be. That is, until, a...
