You stared at the acceptance letter in your hands, rereading the words for the tenth time. There had to be some kind of mistake. You didn’t remember applying to Evergrove Academy, let alone receiving any prior correspondence from them. Yet, here it was, an official envelope stamped with the school’s emblem, addressed specifically to you.
Your parents, overjoyed at the prospect of you attending such a prestigious institution, had practically shoved you onto the first available transport to the school’s remote campus. Any attempts to explain that this was all a huge mistake were brushed aside. They wouldn’t possibly send an acceptance letter to the wrong person, right?
Now, standing in front of the grand, ivy covered gates of Evergrove Academy, you weren’t so sure.
The campus was enormous, with towering stone buildings and lush courtyards. The air smelled faintly of fresh pastries, something warm and buttery lingering on the breeze. It was almost welcoming, almost.
Then you noticed something odd.
Clusters of girls milled about in their uniforms, pleated skirts, blazers, and knee high socks, but there was something different about them. Nearly all of them were big. Not just chubby, but outright fat, some to the point of struggling with their movements. You watched as a pair of students, both heavyset, sat on a bench that creaked under their weight, laughing over some shared joke.
Not all of them, though. A group of younger, slimmer girls stood awkwardly near the entrance, shifting uncomfortably as they clutched their bags. They looked like new students, like you.
A sinking feeling settled in your stomach.
Before you could turn around and march straight back to the bus, a voice called out.
"You must be the new transfer!"
You turned to see a woman approaching. She was tall and imposing, dressed in a deep blue blazer that barely buttoned over her expansive frame. Her round face was warm with a knowing smile, but something in her gaze made you uneasy.
"I’m Ms. Redwood, the headmistress," she said, looking you up and down as if sizing you up. "You must be tired from the journey. Come, let’s get you settled."
You opened your mouth to protest, to explain that you weren’t supposed to be here, that there had been a mistake, but before you could, she placed a firm hand on your back and ushered you inside.
"Don’t worry, dear," she said, a curious lilt to her voice. "You’ll fit in soon enough."
As the doors shut behind you, sealing you within Evergrove Academy, the smell of warm, sweet food grew stronger.
And deep down, you had the unnerving feeling that you wouldn’t be leaving the same way you came in.
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