Five Months Later

Blaine adjusted his uniform blazer while taking a step through the mahogany door of the prestigious Dalton academy, his parents close in tow. Orientation was mandatory for the newly enrolled freshmen the Sunday before the fall semester began. He glanced around nervously, feeling the TiMER implant on his wrist as he stroked it with his thumb. He watched the line of families inside the lobby, already well into conversations about their children and their future ambitions—most likely the parents ambitions for the child.

He felt like a sheep being added to a brand new flock as the neighborhood farmers gathered them together in a cramped enclosure. Actually, a sheep would indicate he was naïve and stupid. He wasn't stupid; he was just doing as was expected of him. Perhaps a trained pup with a pedigree would be more accurate of an example; a pup with a pedigree and a personal dog tag that indicated how he should plan his life.

"Now, dear, stand up straight. And please, don't fidget. These are important people you're around and you want to make a good first impression." Mrs. Anderson sighed and brushed off her son's shoulders, tilting up his chin so she could inspect her work. "Oh dear, perhaps I should have added more gel. I can see some strands falling out of place."

"Leave the boy be, Gloria," Mr. Anderson gruffed behind his wife. He was never one for crowds, and this was no exception.

"Oh, I just want him to look handsome today. First impressions mean everything, you know," she smiled to her husband, although Blaine could see her grin didn't nearly come as close to her eyes as it usually did. She instantly turned her attention across the lobby and raised her hand in the air for a short wave. "Oh, look, it's the Scarlottans. Old money family; come on dear, let's go introduce you."

And that's how the day went: Blaine being shuffled around from family to family. He shook so many hands he felt as if his arm would either give out or completely fall off if he had to greet anyone else. He noticed some of the boys he came across were just as enthusiastic about the whole ordeal as he was. Blaine also noticed how many of them had a TiMER implanted on their wrist as well. He could tell some of them were fairly new by the way the boys fiddled or poked at them with their thumb.

After the families shared their own stories of wealth and success, it was onto the dormitories for those interested in staying within the campus: the set up of the separate houses, the layout of the rooms, how curfew was strictly implemented. From there, a handful of professors discussed the experiences each student could expect while attending the school as well as a brief explanation of their lesson plans. Blaine only perked up momentarily at the mention of a glee club; perhaps Dalton had some perks after all.