Under The Murky Water

2

[chapter 2]

The next day she woke up with her head pounding and the urge to empty her stomach out. "Ms. Presley breakfast has been served," a voice called out, she assumed it was one of the maids.

Estrella uttered out a thank you before stumbling out of bed and into her bathroom. Today would be the first day of their last year and Estrella was looking forward to it.

Fortunately the dress code wasn't enforced on the first day and Estrella found herself changing into a white tweed dress and long white heeled boots. 

With her makeup on and bag in hand, she made her way downstairs and into the giant breakfast room. The opulence from the glittering chandeliers and the impressive spread of food on the golden table was glamorous, yet it was Estrella alone again.

She pulled out her phone and unsurprisingly saw the text that she received every year from her mother, that she was sorry she couldn't be at breakfast and a wish of good luck.

Estrella was sure that the wish had lost its meaning a long time ago and was now only a way to close the text. She grabbed a bagel and shoved it down her throat before leaving the majestic palace that she called home.

Unfortunately she had come to the consensus Shakespeare was right, all that glitters is not gold and that glittering palace was nothing but a cold home, made only to be awed at.

***

The ride was a long one, almost two hours in a limo with the trunk packed with her suitcases. She could've opted for a flight but she oddly found it relaxing.

She found it relaxing to drive, throwing the driver in the passenger seat, Estrella drove the large limo to the boarding school.

Jones, the driver, had been there since Estrella could remember, he had become a prominent figure in her life.

"So little miss, are you excited?" He asked. "Why would I be excited, Jones? It's hell in there," she muttered, the dread spewing from her voice.

"Now now, you're an extremely privileged person who gets to go to a private school with excellent resources, focus on that part."

She glanced at him, quickly looking away from his disappointed eyes. "I am aware of the privilege Jones but this society doesn't care about education, it's about survival. It's about beauty and your parents' annual income, kill or be killed."

"And fortunately for you, you rule over all of them."

The conversation had ended there and after a long two hours they had arrived. Estrella parked a block down and quickly entered into the backseat, letting Jones take the driver.

The car slowly approached the large iron gates of Kingston Academy, guards rushing to open it so the limo could join the throngs of limo already there.

The campus was buzzing with people outside, nobody seemed to want to go in. The castle-like school building towered over everything and everyone, appearing more daunting each year.

As soon as she exited the limo, with the help of Jones, a sudden hush fell over the students until small whispers erupted.

Estrella shot an I-told-you-so look towards Jones before keeping her head up high and walking towards the entrance building. Jones followed with suitcases behind her.

The school hadn't changed at all, it still had a medieval interior and the colors, gold and crimson, were everywhere.

Estrella handed her dorm keys to Jones, hugged him goodbye and made her way down to a special commons room that was largely abandoned except for a few people.