Placed Above The Rest

Set in London, Placed Above The Rest is an adventure story about thirteen-year-old Emily Maxwell and her younger sister, Jade. 

When the Maxwell family moves to London from their home in Oxford, Emily has to start all over. She leaves behind her glamorous lifestyle and high school status to starting at the bottom of the food chain.

Everything is as terrible as usual until Emily wanders to far for her own good. Emily and Jade now have to run for there lives, their mother and father left behind. 

Chapter 1: Before It Happened

"Em! Em! Em! Em!" Jade shouted from the botom of the stairwell. 

Emily Maxwell rubbed her eyes and looked around at her surroundings. Bright pink walls with not a single stain on it. A calendar hung on the left of Emily's fluffy pink bed. 

Heart-shaped, the pink covers helped give it something that Emily called "a string of gold". It had flufy, pink covers and two heart-shaped pillows.

Emily yawned a got out of bed, her feet slipping into matching slippers. Another day of school.

"EM!" Jade called slightly louder than the last holler. "WE ARE GOING TO BE LATE!" Jade said.

Emily rolled her eyes. Children were so predictable. The ten-year-old had only learned how to multiply by twelves three days ago and she thought she could push Emily around. She scoffed.

"I'll be there soon" Emily replied cooly running her fingers through her long jet black hair.

"Father does not like contractions." Jade reminded.

Emily rolled her eyes once more. Contractions were considered "slang" to Sir Maxwell who abhored any use of any of the contractions especially "ain't"! Emily felt they were helpful when you were saying something quickly, but Sir Maxwell disagreed.

"I know that Jadeth!" Emily called back a sly smile creeping over her lips. Jade's long name was the best way to call the pest. She hated it too, so it was perfect.

"I do not wish to be called that." Jade snapped.

"I do not care what you wish" Emily said heading towards her desk where she had  her laptop, paper, pencil, and pen.

"Father says when someone says "no" you should stop." Jade reminded once again reminding Emily of Jade's other nickname "Rule-Keeper".

"You did not say "no", Jade" Emily said and took a seat in the pink chair opening her laptp in the process.

"Well, it is already 6:24" Jade called for the last time before spinning ajnd walking away.

Emily typed in her password and the computer logged her into it. Opening the browser, Emily typed in the URL box:

http://www.schoolofyoungwomen.org

This was her dream school! The boarding school was from highschool to th end of university. Of course, however, it was very expensive and only good families could afford to attend the school and even follow the curriculum. The pencils at School of Young Women had gold lining the outside and diamond bags. Emily thought it all very exceptional and enjoyed looking at the website.

The page started loading but stopped in the process. Emily thought of reloading it when she heard Jade.

"Mother says she will punish you!" The pest called.

Emily jumped up from the chair and walked daintily into the bathroom where she planned on having a two hour shower, which would not be possible due to the deadline that was posed for school.

Coming out wrapped in a pink towel with a similar one on her head keeping her hair and the floor perfectly dry. On her bed was her schol unifrom laid out and perfect. She picked up the gray checkered skirt, white blouse, grey vest, white socks, and black pumps. It was all sp drab and boring, yet, criticle.

After getting changed into her unifrom, Emily walked downstairs to see Jade in her wrinkled, children uniform. A white tee-shirt and blue skirt. 

"Have you not ironed your uniform?" Emily asked outraged. She would NOT walk with someone who had such a ghastly outfit. Not in a million years.

"Mother is suppossed to do it!" Jade defended.

"She isn't your maid, Jadeth! She is your mother, and as your mother she is suppossed to take care of you, not iron your clothes. That is your responsibility. You are ten, not five." Emily said and walked towards the front door followed by the childish footsteps of Jade who was struggling to keep up with her annoyed sister.

"Can....you...listen?" Jade asked panting. 

"To what?" Emily asked not even looking a her sister who was trying to straighten her outit. "To how childish you are? I would rather not." Emily snapped.

"No, mother said she would iron my shirt." Jade protested.

"But she obviously did not. You should have seen it and corrected  the mistake." Emily said just a she turned to the school.

Students normally would bstle around, but at Pinkertons All Girl School everybody was quite calm. Holding their books to their chest and walking straight to class or to their locker. Some would stop and quietly catch up with friends. 

Emily came inside and disappeared into the crowd away from Emily. Once far away enough from the pest, Emily sat down on a bench and opened a Chemistry textbook.

"Miss Emily Maxwell!" A cheery voice sung out.

Emily lifted her head and saw Cassandra Murray. She was obviously looking for attention, becuase Cassandra had absoulutely no friends, nor did Emily want to become friends with her.

Even so, Emily was polite and greeted the girl with a lighter tone. "Miss Cassandra Murray" Emily said and nodded her head slightly before going back to her book.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. I have heard that you were expecting to get inside of the School For Young Women." Cassandra said a strand of her blonde hair falling from it's messy bun.

"The pleaure is all mine. Yes, I am intrigued by the place. A good education is important." Emily said with a hint of annoyance in her voice. She closed the text and put it in her lap.

"Well, if it is not a bother to you, I would like to tell you that I have been accepted to the School For Young Women." Cassandra said practically jumping.

The words blasted into Emily's ears. However, after repeating the words in her head a few times her disappointment faded.

"You liar!" Emily said raising her voice slightly. "You don't get accepted in the School For Young Women, you pay the board, they look at your records, and if they like what they see the allow you in. And you can't pay until the end of the eigth year." Emily was astounded. How rude!

Cassandra's smile faded and she left sulkily not saying a word. A smile played on her lips.

A tall lady wearing a black business suit walked up to Emily. Her brown hair was in a tight bun with not a hair out of place. 

"Emily Maxell?" the lady asked, her voice cool and calm.

"That is I." Emily responded standing up.

"Please follow me."