HIDE (Boys Of Darlington Academy Book 1) Read online

  “Adelaide, my darling daughter,” his words drip with sarcasm. He doesn’t move an inch from where he stands. His dark eyes scrutinize my form, his lips pressed into a thin line as they move back to my face. I take a step closer, unsure if I should go in for a hug or shake his hand. A whiff of his scent blows in the surrounding air, the leather and cigar aroma which I always hated.

  “Daddy,” I reply, standing before him, my palms getting sweaty from the nerves. We walk into the mansion, where he leads me straight to his study, my heart beating against my chest as my anxiety peeks - I guess I won’t be receiving a tour.

  He takes a seat behind the large mahogany desk stationed in the middle of the room. To my left is a large bookshelf, filled to the brim with leather covered books. In the far-right corner is a little bar where crystal decanters sit in perfect size order, filled with golden brown liquids and two crystal glasses. He gestures for me to take a seat directly in front of him and I automatically obey. I rub my sweaty palms on my jeans, waiting in anticipation, as I feel breathless as my chest tightens for what he wants to talk about. As if knowing that I’m waiting for him to speak, he takes his time, lighting a cigar and takes a few puffs, before taking a sip of his whiskey already sitting on the desk.

  “Darling, how have you been? I haven’t spoken to you since the day of the funeral,” he asks, concern edging his voice, but also a hint of irony.

  “I have been coping, but I am glad to be here,” I say, my voice raspy from the lack of hydration. I clear my throat, trying to get rid of ashy feeling as the little white lie rolls off my tongue. Am I happy to be here? I think to myself as a sudden feeling of nostalgia hums through me. A mere few hours ago I was home, now I am sitting in a mansion looking into the eyes of my father.

  “Yes, about that. You will be a resident at Darlington Academy, but you can come home on weekends and holidays. I do have one condition which you must obey though,” he says, sounding more serious as his eyes meet mine.

  “Well, I don’t want anyone to know who you really are you see, so you will be joining the school with a different last name. I hope you understand.”

  He takes another puff of his cigar, waiting for me to respond.

  My pulse quickens, the harsh words offending me. I stuff my anger deep down, feeling sceptical. Clearing my throat again, I nod before questioning him. “Can I ask why?”

  “Let’s just say…’’ He starts, but pauses before carrying on. “I don’t want my reputation damaged. You know my world revolves around business and if you misbehave, it will reflect badly on me. I hope we are clear?”

  I nod to my father’s order, my lips pressing together, slightly taken aback by his demands. Clearly, we will not be building a relationship anytime soon. I deflate, disappointed as bile rises up my throat, feeling rejected once again by my father. My heart sinks, and I have to hold onto the cry that wants to burst free from its cage. I need to be strong.

  “Now, Steve will escort you to your bedroom where you will go change into your uniform and then he will take you to your new college. This is a very prestigious college, Adelaide. You will keep your head down and study.” His tone becomes more serious and he looks up from the whiskey in his hand. “I do not want any trouble. Do you understand me?” he barks, the order sounding a lot like a threat. The grey in his eyes turn dark as he stares at me, waiting for me to comply.

  I hold back my anger, forcing a smile.

  “Of course, what will my last name be whilst I am there?”

  “You will be going as Adelaide Adams, your mother’s maiden name. It’s easier for you to remember.” He doesn’t even meet my eyes whilst telling me this.

  I leave and shut the door to his study before taking a deep breath, tears forming in the corner of my eyes. My chest aches at the thought of using my mother’s maiden name, and my body starts to tremble at the thought. My mind feels hazy, as if a dark cloud has just formed and the sadness takes over with the shock, he decided to go with my mum’s maiden name. Is he doing this on purpose to hurt my feelings?

  Steve rounds the corner, just as I manage to wipe away a tear from my cheek. He escorts me to the grand wooden staircase which leads to two other stories. The steps are covered in plush cream carpets, and the walls are painted in a sage green matching the style of the foyer. Pearly white skirting boards run along the bottom, matching the staircase. A large French window the size of two floors brightens up the area, the sunlight hitting the crystal chandelier above us. Steve takes me to the first floor, where the same style filters through. The hallways screaming elegance and style but simplicity. We end up at the last white wooden door on the right.

  “Miss, this is your bedroom. It has an en-suite and a walk-in wardrobe too,” Steve says as he opens the door and gestures me in. My mouth forms the perfect ‘O’ shape as I take in the large room. In front of me to the right is a queen size bed facing an amazing view of the rear garden. The room is rather plain, with everything decorated in neutral colours. My mind formulates how to make it better. I’m sure I can add my own twist to it. To my far left is a beautiful dressing table, with a few expensive perfumes and make-up. Next to it are double doors which I am guessing is the walk-in wardrobe. Seeing the doorway straight ahead, parallel to the entrance, I go straight to the bathroom which has a massive shower and luxurious whirlpool bath, all fitted in expensive marble.

  I could get used to this.

  As I take in my surroundings, a hard knock on the bedroom door startles me. I turn around as a lovely looking old woman enters the room, a clothing bag hung on her arm.

  “Miss Adams, I am Mrs. Blossom, the housekeeper. I brought your uniform all ironed and ready for you.” She smiles at me, her dimples showing, and lays the bag on the bed ready for me.

  “Please Mrs. Blossom, call me Adelaide. I am not into formal names, especially if it is a fake one.” I smile back at her, trying not to bite at the fact that she called me by my new last name. Apparently, father is even getting the staff around here to use it. Shaking my head, I draw my attention to the bed and stare at the clothing bag the nerves tremble through my veins. Well, I suppose I better get used to it too.

  “Sorry dear, Mr. Vaughn wants us to start to use that name. He said it was so that you could get used to it,” she says, her cheeks tinting into a soft red from embarrassment.

  “That’s okay, I understand you are under my father’s orders. So am I.” I scoff, rolling my eyes.

  ‘’So, tell me what the college is like,” I say in an attempt to make small talk. She seems nice and I’d love to get to know her. I also want to make sure she doesn’t think I’m like my father.

  “Well, Darlington Academy was actually originally Darlington Castle. Duke Darlington transformed his home into a college over a hundred years ago. He was obsessed with education and had a vision that all privileged children should attend his prestigious academy,” she starts whilst patting down the non-existent creases in the duvet.

  ‘’Nowadays, it’s the only college made into a university in the United Kingdom that educates students up to twenty-two years of age. They say that it’s to prepare the elite for the real world. It’s an amazing place, I’m sure you will love it,” she smiles.

  “Well, I hope you settle in quickly dear. You are expected to leave in twenty minutes, so I would get a move on if I were you,” she says with a stricter tone, waggling her finger at me. Before she closes the bedroom door, she gives me one last pitying look and then leaves.

  I unzip the bag to reveal my uniform. I’m facing four years at the prestigious school that my father is shipping me off to. He has always been strict when it comes to education and ensured that I receive the best tuition possible. That was the deal my parents made. If I left with my mum, I still had to go to private school.

  I discard the outfit that I’ve been wearing for nearly two days whilst traveling and change into my new identity. My hands smooth over the fabric. I kind-of like this uniform. A blue and black tartan skirt, white button shi
rt with a black pussybow tie, finished with a black blazer with blue trimming on the collar and the academy crest adorning the right breast. To finish it off, a pair of black knee-high socks and shiny black loafers. The academy even provided a black satchel bag to complete the look.

  I stare at myself in the mirror, eyes wide in trepidation. This is my life now. One week and my life changes completely.

  I snap a quick photo of myself to send to the group chat with all my old friends, showing off my new look. Before I put my phone down, I stare at my screen saver.

  It’s a picture of my mother and me. I look like her twin, both with dark brown hair that softly curls. Although, mine is rather long and she always had hers cut short. We also shared the same big blue eyes, so when I stare at myself in the mirror, I see her looking back at me. I choke on my tears, as my hand hovers over my mouth to silence the gasp so no one hears. Tears start to stream down my cheeks, staining them red. I quickly put my phone on my dressing table and wipe away the tears before someone comes up and notices the emotional wreck that I am.

  I can’t imagine what it’s like for my father when he looks at me. I still wonder if he is upset by all this. He has shown no emotion towards her death and now I’m here, a constant reminder.

  Chapter Two

  The car stops in the courtyard of Darlington Academy. My mouth gapes open as I stare out the window. This place is huge. Plain fields of bright green, well-kept grass cover most of the fields outside of the castle, which is situated on a hill and adds to the overall aesthetic.

  People aren’t kidding when they say this place is a castle. Four broad, square towers are situated on all four corners, clearly built at the time for defence, connected by high strong walls in a stone so light it must be limestone. Large tracery gothic windows adorn the light stone, placed evenly on every floor level. The entrance is raised, and stone steps surround the large wooden gothic door, which has been renovated but still sticks to the theme.

  As I climb out of the car, I rub my sweaty palms against my plaid skirt, biting my lip as I spot an older gentleman wearing a horrid dark brown suit, with a young girl who looks like she is a student here. Maybe she’s my guide for the day?

  I slam the car door shut and the man turns around, a bright smile on his face.

  He rushes down the few steps to meet me. “Miss Adams, welcome to Darlington Academy. I am Headmaster Valentine,” he takes my hand and gives it a shake before introducing me to the girl standing behind him.

  “Please let me introduce you to Blaire, she will be your student guide and will assist you with anything you need. I need to head back inside for a meeting, but I assure you that you’re in good hands.” He gestures towards Blaire.

  Headmaster Valentine seems to be full of cheer, which is unlike any headmaster I have met. In my old school they were strict as hell. As the headmaster leaves, Blaire strides towards me, inspecting me with big brown eyes. She is stunning; mid length wavy black hair resting on her shoulders, pale skin paired with big brown eyes, and the most immaculate bushy eyebrows I have ever seen. Most girls would pay for eyebrows like hers.

  “Adelaide, it’s so good to finally meet you. I must admit you are not quite what I was expecting.” She chuckles to herself.

  My eyebrows raise. I’m not sure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult. “Oh really, well what were you expecting?” I snort with a wry grin.

  “I just mean that for a foreign exchange student, you seem so… English?” she says with a question.

  Hm, okay then.

  What did Blaire expect? That I was going to be a dumb bitch because I wasn’t raised here? Already I can tell that it’s going to be tough to blend in here. In my old school, I was the popular girl and had many friends. I pretty much ruled my school, but I doubt I’ll be fitting in that easily here.

  “I’ll give you a tour of the grounds, but first let’s head over to your dorm room and put all your bags away!” she says cheerfully, grabbing my hand and dragging me up the stone stairs. I am slightly taken back by how friendly Blaire is as she grabs my hand as if we have been friends for ever, but I am sure I could get used to this.

  As we enter the building, I can’t hide my surprise. My eyes go wide as I stare at the ornate furnishings. The ceilings are so high that I’m left wondering how on earth they manage to clean up there. The walls are original brick work decorated with massive portraits of which I am assuming previous headmasters. As we walk down a corridor towards the dorms, shining suits of armour are placed on either side, proudly holding their swords. Red carpet runs down the hall in all directions and original chandeliers hang from the ceiling, dimly lighting the area.

  “This place is amazing, I can’t believe it’s a college,” I say to Blaire, still dumbfounded.

  She turns to face me, chuckling. “It’s amazing, you’ll have a lot of fun here I’m sure. I can show you the ropes’’ she says excitedly. We reach an old, dark wooden staircase that goes up to the three main floors. Sconces, spaced evenly on the walls, dimly lit the way.

  “Sorry, there are no elevators here. You better get used to the stairs; all girls are on the top floor.” she shrugs her shoulders.

  We finally make it up to the third floor and walk through rustic wooden double doors. As soon as they open there are girls everywhere. They all have their doors open, gossiping and showing each other their phones. I’m quickly spotted by some of them and given weird looks. They stare at me like I’m invading their space, like I don’t belong here.

  “Don’t worry about them, I’ll show you the ones you need to avoid if you want your time here to be easy. If you stick with me, the others won’t do shit.” Blaire gives me a wink before stopping in front of the only closed door in this hallway.

  “I forgot to mention, I’m your roommate!” she squeals in my ear, and gestures for me to walk in. I feel pleased that I get to share a room with Blaire, as she is technically the first alliance I have, and I couldn’t think of anything worse than sharing with someone other than her right now. For once, I feel content.

  “Wow, this room is huge,” I reply in awe, my eyes widening at the huge open space. I walk around to my side of the room. There’s a double bed, a chest of drawers with a matching wardrobe, and a cute little bed side table. All I need to do is decorate it to my liking.

  As I survey the room, another girl strides in with a massive grin on her face. She isn’t as pretty as Blaire, but still has that cute girl next door vibe. Beautiful, long auburn hair, flowing past her shoulders, freckles covering her cheeks, and hazel eyes that go wide when she stands in front of me.

  “Oh, my goodness, Adelaide! I’m so excited to meet you. We haven’t had a foreign exchange student in forever!” she screeches before grabbing me and giving me a tight hug.

  “I’m confused though, aren’t you from Africa?”

  I nod and hum in response.

  “But you’re white? Is that normal?” she asks, cocking her eyebrow at me while she waits for an answer.

  “Wow Maisie, not everyone who lives in Africa is black, you know.” Blaire turns to me. “I am so sorry about her; she doesn’t think before she speaks.” She rolls her eyes and tries to kick Maisie out of the room. “It’s fine, it was nice to meet you Maisie,” I assure her.

  “Come on, let’s get on with the tour and show you the rest of the University” Blaire links her arm with mine after I dump my bags at the end of my bed, escorting me out of the girl’s hallway. We end up downstairs again and through another corridor. Hanging on the walls are ancient shields that look battered and used. I spot one that has the academy coat of arms emblazoned on the front.

  Blaire takes me through the academy and finally decides to show me the dining hall. Thank god, I’m starving. We walk through the double doors and I am in astonishment and my eyes go wide at the opulent atmosphere. This place does not look like a typical dining hall, but rather like a five-star restaurant. All the tables are decorated with royal blue tablecloths that match the aca
demy colours, and in the centre are vases with freshly arranged flowers.

  “Our table is over there,” Blaire states, pointing to a round table near the far end, right next to a giant window. We take our seats and within a few minutes a waiter comes over to hand us a menu and take our drink orders. Wow, I honestly feel like I am on holiday, going in for the buffet.

  “So, tell me about yourself Adelaide, why have you transferred over from South Africa to England?” she politely asks, seeming sincere.

  I fight back tears that instantly rise to the surface at her words. I’m rather sensitive when it comes to questions like this, the memory of my mom still fresh from only a week ago. “Well, it seemed like a great opportunity to not miss, I got sponsored to come over here and attend this college.” I shrug, holding back the truth.

  Steve gave me a lecture in the car on our way up here, reminding me that my father does not want anyone to know who he is. The only reason why I’m being enrolled into Darlington is through a sponsor. For some reason, I just can’t fathom as to why he doesn’t want anyone to know about it. Especially since it has only been a week since losing my mum.

  Blaire grabs my hand and squeezes tight. “Oh honey, I’m sure you will love it here,” she smiles, her words warming me.

  I return her smile, feeling relieved that I have managed to make an ally. I still have reservations, my heart holds back from trusting anyone just yet; no one is this nice to someone they just met.