Excerpt: Flabbergast!

“Have fun,” Jonathan ‘Jack’ Cramer said, a tad sarcastically, as he got out of the car. He slammed the door and started walking toward his uncle without waiting for a reply.

“You know, it wouldn’t kill you to be nicer to them,” his sister remarked as she followed him.

“Yes, it would,” Jack retorted. “They were the ones who sent us away, to a boarding school nonetheless.”

“They didn’t send us away, they sent us to school while they go on their honeymoon. You can’t deny them their honeymoon.” Alli gave Jack a stern look.

“I’m not denying them their honeymoon, I just wish they could have left us at home while they go,” Jack explained, softening a little as he glanced back to the departing car.

“Part of it is your fault, you know. They’re worried about you.” Alli shrugged, looking around the school grounds.

“They shouldn’t be.” Jack frowned and didn’t mention the fact that he thought that Mike shouldn’t worry about him at all. The marriage between Mike and their mom was recent and even though the two had been dating for a year, Jack wasn’t sure about how he felt about the guy.

“Uncle Rob,” Alli called out and started running without looking back at Jack. She paused for a bit, letting her bags slip off her shoulders onto the ground, before running the rest of the way to their uncle.

Jack continued at his steady pace, watching as his sister hugged his uncle in greeting. His uncle returned her greeting before waving at Jack. Jack returned the wave halfheartedly. Rob and Alli walked toward him, mostly to get Alli’s stranded bags.

“Hello Jack, how are you doing?” Rob asked when all three of them reached the bags. Rob gave Jack a half hug while Alli picked her bags up.

“Fine,” Jack replied, returning the hug before moving away.

“He doesn’t want to be here,” Alli added.

“Thank you, Alli,” Jack grumbled.

“What, you don’t want to be near me?” Rob asked, putting his hand to his heart and acting shocked as he staggered back a few steps.

“Would have preferred to stay home, no offense.” Jack shrugged, unconcerned about his uncle’s dramatics.

“I’m sorry to hear that, Jack,” Rob clapped Jack’s shoulder as he hung his head “but, you’re stuck with us now.”

“You’ll send us back, you’ll see, beg our mom to take us back.” Jack stuck his nose in the air and sniffed, acting like a snob. “It’s only a matter of time.”

“We’ll see about that. Now come on, let’s get you settled.” Rob moved forward, leading the way to the main school building.

As they walked, Jack took the time to look around the large campus. There was the main building right at the end of the pathway that they were on, several stories high and large enough to house the staff’s offices and some of the classrooms. Jack stared up at the huge building for a minute before turning his attention to the other pathways branching off from the main pathway. He could see some of the buildings that they lead to, but there were several smaller pathways leading behind the main building and off into the distance. Jack knew that most of the buildings were where the dorms were and where some of the teachers stayed, although he also knew that some of the classes were held in a few of those extra buildings.

“Which one am I staying in?” Alli asked, almost bouncing as she stared at the dormitories.

“The one closest to the main building on the right, I believe,” Rob answered, peering at the houses to their right before pointing out the building.

“You do know that you’ll have to share your room with a bunch of other girls,” Jack pointed out, turning away from the other pathways.

“Yes, which is another reason why I think you should be in a better mood,” Alli answered, frowning at him.

“And why is that?” Jack frowned back at his sister, resisting the urge to make a face at her.

“Because you only have to share your room with one other guy, instead of fourteen other girls.” Alli crossed her arms and shot Jack a look.

“I wouldn’t mind sharing my room with fourteen other girls, actually,” Jack grinned at his sister, even as she scrunched up her nose in disgust. “What do you say we trade places?”

“Now, now, none of that, please. We have rules here, you know, and we do make sure that they are followed,” Rob broke in before the fight could escalate. The stern look lasted all of five seconds before his normal cheery look returned.

“Whatever.” Jack rolled his eyes before settling on looking toward the forest at the end of the school grounds.

“Interested in the woods?” Rob asked, following his nephew’s gaze.

“Just thinking how Harry Potter they were; how Harry Potter all of this is. When we enter the cafeteria will we find a sea of pointy hats?” Jack quipped.

“Maybe once it gets closer to Halloween,” Rob mused.

“So, I should get out my pointy hat tomorrow?” Jack raised his eyebrow and glanced back at his uncle.

“Ever the rebel, huh Jack?” Rob gave him a lazy grin as they reached the large porch of the main building.

“Isn’t that the point of life?” Jack gave the large, wraparound porch an appreciative look as they made their way across it. Looked like a nice place to hang out, if you didn’t mind how chilly it was in the fall weather.

Rob opened the doors and ushered his two charges into the building before shutting the doors behind them. “Put your bags here for the moment while we get your class schedules settled, you can pick them back up on your way to your dorms later on,” Rob instructed, motioning to the side of the door.

Alli dropped all of her bags but her purse with a sigh, rubbing her arms in an attempt to warm up a bit. Jack carefully put his bags down next to his sister’s before shoving his hands into his pockets as he slumped his shoulders. He needed to do everything possible to show that he was not happy in his current location.

“Good, this way to the headmaster’s office,” Rob called out before bounding up the short staircase near the entrance.

Alli bounded up after their uncle, but Jack, once again, took his time climbing up the short staircase that lead to a large landing. At the top of the landing, Rob led the way across the length of floor and knocked on a door. Jack looked up the rest of the stairs before turning back to the door on the landing. As much as he hated being here, certain parts of this school were interesting. Jack made sure that his slightly sullen look remained on his face as the door on the landing opened and they entered the headmaster’s office.