Wonderland Boarding School

Alice stared at the large, red brick building in front of her, a growing feeling of dread filling her. Gripping the handle of an extremely unwieldly suitcase, she took a deep breath like the doctor always told her to do, and turned to face the man behind her.

"I think I'll be alright now, Brenton," she said, her voice so soft it disappeared amongst the rustling of leaves in the slightly chilly air. The man adjusted his tie and gave her a look that obviously didn't display the faith in her that she had tried to portray.

"Are you quite sure, Miss Conner?" he asked, a voice as deep as the owner was old, grey hair glinting in the weak autumn sunshine. His face, wrinkled as a walnut, creased in concern. "It's ok to be scared, Al- Miss. Your experiences of school have been... disconcerting, at best."

She turned back, her eyes flicking from the large bay windows to the ivy climbing up the walls, then back to her butler and dearest of friends. "Yes," she gulped, nodding rapidly as if by rattling her brain she'd rattle up some courage. "I'll try."

Brenton moved forward, engulfing the petite brunette in his arms, then just as rapidly moved back. Clearing his throat, he stuck out his hand. "Good luck, Alice. It's only boarding school... and an all-girl's one at that. What could go wrong?"

She took his hand and shook it, all the while thinking 'Everything.' Aloud, she said, "Goodbye Brenton, I'll see you at christmas, all right?" He smiled reassuringly in reply, and left her alone in front of her 16th school since she hit double-digits. Not that this was, of course, her fault.

Biting her plump lower lip, she turned around and dragged the only possessions she considered of value towards the entrance of Bruckner Vale Academy for Girls, trying to hold back her tears. Having never had a brilliant relationship with her parents, she wasn't likely to miss either of them, but the hired help, in particular Brenton, had done their best to do what her parents were too selfish to attempt, and raise her. This resulted in her missing the few people that loved her despite being on an insultingly low payroll enforced by her father, and her wondering how she was to cope on her own. At 16, she wouldn't have been able to take care of herself even if she was completely stable, and yet here she was, being shipped off to boarding school. As far as great ideas have been, this wasn't the highlight of her mother's... unless, of course, the idea was to get rid of her daughter, Alice Conner, the embarassement.

The wheel of her suitcase popped off, allowing gravity to topple it back down the stairs. Cursing softly, she bent down again to check the damage, and cursed louder when she saw that not only had the wheel broken, so too had the zip. All of her stuff, both mentionable and otherwise sprung out as if a time bomb had been detonated underneath. Feeling a lump rise in her throat, she fumbled for her stuff, thanking God and anyone else up in heaven that everyone was in class and therefore not around to see this grand entrance.

"Nice suitcase you got there."

Oh damn.

Alice turned around and met the brownest pair of eyes she had ever seen twinkling at her behind a pair of thick glasses. "You need some help?" The girl offered, smiling brightly. Alice's heart skipped a beat and she nodded dumbly, unable to speak.

The girl skipped down the stairs, pausing only to pick up a few stray items that had managed to fly further than the rest. "You must be the new girl," she added, kneeling down next to Alice and handing her the pile. "My name's Cooper, but everyone calls me the Mad Hatter. Pleasure to meet you!"

"Why does..." The questioned died on her lips as Cooper flicked her wrist and a trilby appeared. Jamming it on her head, she winked. "How did you do that?" Alice gasped, shyness forgotten as she stared at the girl, whose school uniform left very few places to hide anything larger than a pencil.

"Trade secret," Cooper grinned, getting up. Dusting herself off, she continued to pick up Alice's possessions. "We'd better hurry. I don't think you want the entire school seeing what you wear to bed." She wrinkled her nose as she scrutinised Alice's underwear. "Granny panties, much?"

Alice gasped and grabbed them, stuffing them into the broken suitcase. "Shut up!" She squealed, turning as red as the aforementioned undies. "Can we just get on with this please!!"

Having finally retrieved all her stuff, Alice and Cooper managed to drag her battle-worn possessions to the Principal's office, where she was to report in as a new student. Standing outside the impressive double doors, she gave her new friend a terrified look. Cooper patted her on the back and gave her 100-kilowatt smile. "Don't worry, Minty's not going to eat you. Just go in there and do what you gotta do... oh, and tell her I'll be you tourguide, mkay?" Nodding, Alice nervously pulled the door open.

The room was lavishly decorated, with dark green carpeting and sandalwood-panelled walls. A humungous desk, or so it seemed to Alice, who felt like she was rapidly shrinking at every step, was the only thing separating her from the blonde middle-aged woman with the similarly humungous chest who was eyeing her.

"You must be Alice Conner. You're late. By a whole month." The woman spoke sharply, golden eyes like a hawk's gaze reducing the already reserved girl into a fieldmouse. "Have a seat. Where's your things?"

It took Alice a while before she realised that she was being spoken to as opposed to being spoken at. "Oh, erm, it's, ah, outside, Ma'am," she stammered, feeling her bladder rapidly approach bursting point.

"I see. Careless." Before Alice could correct her, she stood up abruptly, buttoning her blazer over her already straining blouse. "I am Ms Minton, the headmaster of this establishment, as you should already know. We pride ourselves on being the best the country has to offer in terms of education for young women, and are well-known for producing well-bred, polite young ladies that are skilled in every walk of life. You, my dear, are student number 29,786 of those lucky enough to be accepted by us because of intelligence and/or other redeeming qualities since 1890, the year of the school's inception. I hope, as do your parents, that you will blossom into an educated woman despite your... unsavoury past. Here you will make friends with girls from all walks of life and you will be part of the welcoming family known as Bruckner Vale. Your tour guide will be-"

"Oh no," Alice squeaked, pushing jet black hair out of petrified cobalt eyes. "A-a-a guh-girl, erm, Cooper, offered to show me around." The principal gave a small smile and walked around the desk.

"Miss Nyathi. A trustworthy source. In that case, welcome to Bruckner Vale Boarding School for Girls." As Ms Minton said this, she extended a hand. And as Alice took it, a rare flicker of optimism took hold. Perhaps this would be the one place she belonged after all.

Done! Yeah, I know, no action yet, but just wait for chapter 2 ^_~. Please comment, I'm new and would really love the criticism!