Chapter One

Dark Side Manor
For my real life Inika Assad, Claire Vince, Carla Santos, Adeline Silk, Miranda Lain, and Ecrin Mose. Special thanks for changing my life.

Chapter One

§Dark Side Manor Academy§

Dear Mr. and Mrs Gladel
We are pleased to inform you that your son Peter has been specially selected to attend Dark Side Manor Academy this coming fall. The academy is a prestigious boarding school for young gifted students. The school is located in Askren, Blackpool, England. The term begins September 10th we expect your letter no later than August 20th.

Adeline Silk
Dean of Dark Side Manor Academy.

“Apparently the school is one of the best boarding schools in the world.” Mr. Gladel stated while reading the second page of the letter. “They also have a lot of interesting extra curricular activities, horse back riding, hiking, photography..” A silence fell over the family of three as they read the letter that had been dropped off, special delivery, in a rose colored envelope with a wax seal composed of a capital D and M intertwined and surrounded by stars, that sealed the envelope shut. The kid mentioned in the letter, Peter, breaks the silence.

“May I go?” Mrs. Gladel’s head snapped up, she slowly turned her eyes to look at her son.

“What?”

“May I go to the academy?” Mr. and Mrs Gladel exchange a look, then turned back to their son, Peter Gladel, a handsome boy of 15 years, with dark brown hair, a stocky build, semi tan skin and deep blue eyes. Now shining with excitement, and anticipation.

“I don’t know Hun. I mean England.” Mrs. Gladel shook her head slightly

“He got in on a full scholarship and this school sounds very, what was the word they used in the letter? Prestigious, don’t give me that look Greer,”

“England, David, England.”

“I am aware of that. Why don’t I look this school up so we can learn more about it before we decide.”

“But Mom, Dad, its August 15th, they expect our letter no later than the 20th”

“Just give us one night to discuss it Peter,”

“One night!” Mrs Gladel’s shriek could have broken glass. But Peter didn’t hear her, because his cell phone went off, he had a new text.

Hey Pete, I just got accepted to some boarding school, in England! Wild huh? My parents say I can go! So sweet.

Peter quickly texted his best friend, Hayden, back.

Dark Side Manor Academy?

Whoa, how did you know? Unless………. you got in too?!?!?!

yep

this is epic! We’re going to have so much fun in England! Especially since Phillip, Jerald, Terrence and Aden got accepted too!

I don’t know if I’m going.

: (

Mom totally freaked out, “England David England”

: D dude, I can imagine your mom saying that! But you have to go! All of the boys are going! It wouldn’t be the same without you.

“Peter who are you texting?” Mrs Gladel’s voice cut into his train of thought.

“Hayden… he, Phillip, Jerald, Terrence and Aden all got accepted into the same school as me. And they’re all going” Peter had never seen his parent’s heads snap up so fast.

“Cynthia Russel is letting her only son go to England!” Mrs. Russel had always been uptight about Phillip, since she has 6 kids and Phillip was the only boy.

“Maybe she’s letting him take a break from all those females at home. After all the school is only for like what, 3 years?”

“David,” Great, her angry tone. Peter thought. Mr. Gladel ignored his wife and turned to Peter

“We’ll discuss it son,” he handed Peter the letter. “Why don’t you go for a walk while I talk with your mother?” he gave his wife a look that plainly said I will speak and you will listen. Peter took the letter, nodded, and without another word walked out the front door.

It was a normal crisp sunny day, until a mysterious vibe came crawling through the light of day, it seemed to be heralded by being accepted at Dark Side Manor Academy. A gust of wind blew by, howling as the sun began to hide behind the clouds. Standing by the river near his house Peter pulled the letter out of his pocket and reread it, and along with the list of extra curricular classes. “I’ve never heard of Dark Side Manor Academy, must be very exclusive,” had been his last thought before he suddenly felt a large, heavy, furry force push him to the ground and settle itself on his back. His face to the dirt he heard a voice shout.

“Whitby!” Hayden’s dog Whitby was on him. Hayden G. Lanter, Peter’s best friend….. ginger, strongly built, light blue eyes, funny and always making a joke out of everything. Suddenly the weight disappeared from Peter’s back and he was being pulled into a standing position by strong hands. “Sorry ’bout that Pete, I don’t know what’s with old Whitby. Oh did you know that Whitby is a city in England? I just looked it up, cool huh?” Hayden’s grin might as well have been a mouth full of mirrors.

“Yeah that’s neat. Too bad you won’t be able to take him to England.” Hayden gave Peter a look that said, are you serious?

“Right now I don’t care about Whitby not coming with me. I care about you not coming with me.” Hayden’s Oklahoma accent drew out his exasperation as clear as a map. Peter rolled his eyes.

“Yeah I know but,”

“No buts, butts are for seats,” Hayden snapped back, giving Peter a stern look.

“Technically buts are for arguing, butts, that’s with two t’s by the way, are for sitting.”

“Whatever Mr. Sassy Man,” Hayden’s annoyance seemed to deepen as Peter started to laugh. “You know what, fine. Let’s forget this whole school, England situation for the time being. I actually came to ask you if you wanted to come throw the ball around at the park with me and the boys.”

“Sure, I don’t have to be home until dinner. Let’s go.” The whole time they spent at the park Peter couldn’t concentrate. Boarding school, England, Hayden, the boys, mom, dad, England, leaving his photography club, England, England, England. It was a lot to think about, apparently all the boys were thinking the same thing because none of them played very well. At least two of them went home with a bump on their heads’ the size of a small apple.

Peter walked into his house to be greeted with stony silence. “Ma?” He called, no answer. He walked into the kitchen, the window was open, letting in the cool Connecticut breeze. There was a note taped to the blue fridge, the paper crinkled as Peter untaped it. He instantly recognized his father’s scrawly handwriting.

Had to take your mother to dinner . Trying to get her to let you go to that school. You’d better love me if this works son. (There is lasagna in the fridge)

Peter chuckled a bit as he put the paper down on the oak table and opened the fridge. He found the container of lasagna and put it in the microwave. He knew his mother would give, and he would get to go. His father could be very convincing when the situation called for a firm hand.

Peter was right. It was late when his parents got home, with his mother’s face the color of ash and her voice sounding like shrapnel, and his father told him the good news.

“It looks like you’ll be going to that school of yours after all,” Peter smiled, how could he not? He was excited, and a bit nervous. He must have had been staring off into the distance because his father had said.

“Son?”

“This is,” Peter searched for the right word. “Amazing” he finished.

“My only son going to England, no supervision, no one to keep him from bad things, no one to tell him to go to bed, no one to help with homework….”

“Greer” Mr. Gladel stopped her mindless babbling cold. Mrs. Gladel glared at him.

“What? I’m just,” she sighed. “I’m just being a mother.” it was Peter who had answered her.

“I appreciate that, but its not like I was going to live here forever.” His mother had then turned her glare on him.

“Don’t you think I know that? But your my only son what am I supposed to do?”

“Have more children?” Peter suggested.

“Whoa whoa!! That is not going to happen!!” Mr. Gladel protested. Peter ducked his head embarrassingly.

“I know, I know, I was joking.”

“You know…..” Mrs. Gladel said thoughtfully. They all laughed as Mr. Gladel’s jaw dropped.

“Very funny,” he said, adjusting his sleeves and looking at his watch. “Hey, its late.” this stopped his wife and son’s laughing, “We should all get to bed.”

They all traveled to the upper floor of their two story country house. The black and tan cat named Winston watched the hands on the clock move as he waited for Peter to emerge from the bathroom. He purred and jumped on Peter’s bed as the bathroom door opened.

“I wonder what England will be like,” Peter said aloud as he came out. He paused to give Winston a scratch under the chin. When he sat down on his bed, the acceptance letter rustled in his jeans pocket as he set them down. He took it out and looked at it, the term began September 10th, it was August the 15th now so….. 25 days until he would start school. September 10th couldn’t come fast enough.