The Transfer Student

Chapter 18: Vacation Victims

Slowly, winter pulled in, drawing with it the winter holiday spirits. By December, everyone was already talking about what presents to get, their wish lists and most commonly, the Secret Santa program.

"I wonder who my Secret Santa will be?" a girl asked her friend as they walked down the halls.

Liz huffed, "That's number fifty-seven...wait, I think I've counted her before" she said thoughtfully.

I laughed, "I'm more excited about not having to go to school for two weeks!".

"Hey yeah! That reminds me!" Liz perked up and pulled out a brochure from her bag, "Come with?" she asked, showing me the paper.

I read the front:

Welcome to Yukimania!

Carve our slopes with your skis while you stay at the beautiful Mt. Yotei with us! Enjoy food, natural hot springs and pure nature with us!

Special Holiday Deal! You can stay with four friends for FOUR days, all access V.I.P passes and lodging for only 45,000 yen in total! Hurry up! The deal only lasts for three days! Starting the 5th of December and ending on the 8th! Contact us for more information!

I let my jaw drop, "That's like...9000 yen each!" I exclaimed.

Liz shrugged, "It's worth it! They're the best slopes you could hope for in Japan...in most of Asia if you ask me" she said matter-of-factly.

"And who're you planning to ask?" I raised my eyebrow, "No one in Grade 9 of high school will be willing to pay that much money for a ski trip".

"This is like ninety percent off the original price! How much more could you want?!" Liz burst out.

"The price is great in general but it's not very great for kids in high school. We're all poor" I said harshly.

Liz pouted, "Not true".

"Okay then" I shrugged, "Prove it. If you can convince three other people to come on this ski trip by the end of tomorrow, I'll come without a fight" I smirked, "Up for the challenge?".

She smirked right back, "Hell yes. You realize you're going to lose?".

"I think my bet is the best. You can go right ahead" I motioned for her.

She took the lead to our next class, "You don't know who you're messing with" she said haughtily.

I rolled my eyes, "No matter how persuasive you are, even you will have a hard time convincing three people to pay 9000 yen each for this trip" I said with conviction.

"We'll see about that" Liz persisted and entered our Science classroom.

I sighed and followed her in.

"That's all for today. Don't forget to hand in your lab reports next day" Orochimaru-Sensei dismissed us.

I packed up my binder and turned to leave when he called out to me and Liz.

"Elvira. Liz. Could you stay for a minute?" he asked, his hands interlocked and staring at us with content.

"Sure, Sensei" I turned back around and walked up to his desk with Liz right behind me.

"You two, as you know, have the top two marks in this class" he started, his coal black eyes never leaving us.

"Uh, yeah" Liz followed along.

He pulled out a brochure from a drawer and pushed it towards us. The brochure looked terribly familiar.

"When I was teaching in America, I started up this academy with a good friend of mine. He is the principal over there now" Orochimaru explained.