Color coordinated ties, and water with a hint of lemon.

Chapter song: Holiday - Green Day

Walking in front of the large building that seemed to tower over the masses made the poor Julius who barely got any sleep pale.

East Laurence Preparatory School stood as a grand testament to old-world charm, resembling a Victorian castle with its crème cobblestone walls and imposing black gates. The entrance was marked by a pristine white fountain, and fresh green grass stretched invitingly across the front, adding a touch of vitality to the austere beauty of the school. The air was thick with a sense of prestige, making the building appear both majestic and formidable.

As Julius approached, he observed groups of students standing by the entrance. They were dressed uniformly, though the older students sported different colored ties, which lent an air of sophistication and intimidation. Each student looked impeccably dressed, their appearance exuding a certain refined elegance that left Julius feeling conspicuous and out of place in his own attire. Despite knowing rationally that no one was paying him any attention, the overwhelming impression made him wish he could disappear. However, he had no choice but to continue on and enter the school.

Inside, the building was just as striking, but with a warmer, more personalized feel. A large display case by the entrance showcased various trophies and medals, highlighting the school's achievements.

Lockers lined the corridors, providing space for students to store their belongings. Julius turned off his headphones and wasted no time, heading straight to the school office to announce his arrival.

The office was staffed by Ania, a gracious and warm secretary with light brown hair styled into a chignon. She greeted him with a welcoming smile and, without waiting for him to speak, asked if he was the new student. Julius, feeling his face flush with nervousness, nodded in confirmation.

Ania introduced herself and informed Julius that two students would soon arrive to escort him to his living quarters before classes began.

Julius settled into one of the comfortable chairs provided for visitors, and Ania offered him a glass of iced water that had a faint lemony taste. After a short wait, the office door opened, and Julius was struck by the sight before him. Two students entered, their presence almost otherworldly. The first was a tall boy with shoulder-length black hair, pale eyes, and an exceptionally attractive face. The second was equally striking, with white hair styled back and deep purple eyes.

Their uniforms differed from Julius's, each of their ties with a hint of red on them, prompting him to glance down at his own attire with confusion. Did his mom mess up and order the wrong uniform?

The boy with white hair noticed Julius's unease and chuckled softly, the sound pleasant and soothing to the ears. 

"No need to worry," he said, his gaze steady and reassuring. "Everything will be explained shortly."

The black-haired boy beside him seemed less patient and nudged the white-haired one, who cleared his throat and introduced themselves.

"Apologies for the oversight. I'm Epaphras Kane, and this is Agares Montgomery of House Ares. Welcome to East Laurence, Mr. Loriana."

Julius, still feeling out of place, stood and extended his hand. "You can just call me Julius. Thank you for having me."

His composed demeanor impressed the two boys, though internally, Julius was a bundle of nerves. 

"Let's not waste time," Agares interjected, his voice cool and reserved. "We'll give you a tour of the school so you can get acquainted."

Nodding in agreement, Julius followed the two boys as they led him through the school's corridors. He noted Agares's coldness in contrast to Epaphras's warm and friendly demeanor. Julius couldn't help but wonder if he had somehow offended Agares, but quickly brushed off that thought since he wasn't looking to form any friendships during his short time here. 

The tour took them an hour as they traveled through the halls, the two showing him the various rooms that were allowed to him as a third year and where most of his classes would be taking place. Epaphras took out a sleek tablet and scrolled through the device as he searched through Julius' schedule making sure they hadn't missed a single class. 

"It doesn't look like you have physical education on your schedule this semester but it wouldn't hurt to show you the fields just in case." He turned to look at Julius who hadn't said much since the tour. 

He then glanced at Agares who also hadn't spoken much and directed a question his way. "That's fine right? Since the field is near the dorm rooms anyway." 

The fields were the size of a football field if not bigger and were blanketed with fresh cut green grass. Since classes hadn't started yet, it was devoid of anyone making it a nice and peaceful place to relax and take a breather. 

Just as Epaphras had said, the dorm rooms weren't too far from the fields. And they were unlike the dorms Julius was expecting, in fact, Julius considered it a serious offense to call them dormitories since they basically looked like houses. It was made from the same material as the school but had some red designs that adorned the building.

What caught Julius's eyes the most was the name plate and insignia that was displayed in front. "House Ares" was written on the plaque and the insignia had the symbols closely associated with the Greek god of war and battle. It was fascinating to look at, and Julius finally understood why Epaphras mentioned the house name in his introduction. 

"Here at East Laurence, our dormitories are divided into houses. Agares and I are the leader and vice leaders of this house, as well as the other houses associated with Ares," He began to explain. 

"Each student is selected to a house upon enrolling and is chosen largely by their academic and athletic standings in the school. There's also the matter of interests that largely contribute to which house you are assigned to as well. Those who excel in athletics usually end up in the Ares house. Those with more creative talents and are good with their hands belong to the Hephaestus house, those with intellect and critical thinking belong to the Athena house, those with musical talents in Apollo and so on." He finished. 

Julius was amazed. He was not expecting the school to categorize students in this way and he was strangely intrigued. He turned to look at Epaphras with slight astonishment. 

"That's an interesting way of doing things." He remarked. 

"It is. No matter who you are or what talents you may have, there will always be a place for you here." 

"Well that's normally the case." Agares added, his tone was a little strange, as if he was insinuating something. 

Julius gave him a quick glance before turning his attention to the white haired boy. Though he didn't say anything, just by looking at his eyes, Epaphras could tell what he wanted to ask. 

"It's just as Agares said. Normally upon enrolling, the students are selected to their respective houses but since you aren't a first year and are enrolling here in the middle of the school year, the administration had a hard time figuring out where you should belong." He explained calmly. 

"...I see. So I'm basically homeless." He said seriously but it was intended to be seen as a joke which made Epaphras hesitate a little. 

"Uh, in a sense. But don't worry, since we are the leaders of the school, we will be in charge of you for the time being until you get situated." 

Agares, who was standing on the side, glanced at his watch and cleared his throat. Epaphras looked at his tablet and gracefully pulled out a piece of paper which he handed to Julius. 

"This is your schedule Julius. Unfortunately we have a student council meeting soon so we need to head over but please don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions or are in need of some assistance. The other students in the dorm have been made aware of your arrival so feel free to go in and make yourself at home." He said before giving Julius a light pat on his shoulder. 

Julius gave him a genuine smile as he was grateful to Epaphras who had been very patient with him. He gave Agares a quick glance who seemed like he was itching to leave as quickly as possible. 

He gave the two a quick nod before watching the two walk away. It looked like Epaphras was reprimanding Agares and the latter looked like he couldn't hear him at all. 

Julius shook his head and wondered if Agares was having a bad day or if he was always like this. 

As he approached the house, he took a deep breath and turned the handle of the door as he walked in.