Yuki felt somebody nudging her softly, she opened her eyes slowly.
“Wake up sleepy head, we’re here.” said Robert grinning.
Yuki rubbed her eyes and sat up straight. The door opened and she stepped out. Her mouth hung open at the huge building that was before her.
“What is this?” she asked.
“Welcome to Washington.” He said grinning at her shocked expression.
“What is this place?” Yuki asked.
“This is a special boarding school for special people like yourself. I think you will like it here, it’s better than where you came from anyway.” He said casually.
Yuki stared at him in disbelief.
“Wait, I will be attending this boarding school?” she asked.
Robert nodded once and checked the time.
“But I thought-”
“That I would use you right away.” he said
She nodded.
He smiled and put his hands on her shoulder.
“Yuki, the House is a horrible place. You didn’t have time to have a pleasant childhood, you were just forced to grow up and take care of yourselves. I want you to get proper and right education and finish your studies. After that, you can get into action.”
She stared at him. “But, I’ve already killed-”
Robert immediately put a finger on her mouth making her stop talking.
He chuckled once. “I know. You’re a perfect assassin Yuki and any agency would be proud to have you. But that’s what you’ve always been, an assassin and never simply, a child or a normal teenager. Think of this as a chance to experience all that you’ve missed out.”
She thought for a while and then, nodded.
“If that is what you want then I will not object.”
Robert smirked and punched her arm playfully.
“Boy, I wish all eighteen year olds were was obedient and disciplined as you.”
Yuki suddenly felt a strange urge to smile but she ignored it.
“Noreen, register her in. Tell Scott I send her myself.” Said Robert.
The lady riding with them the whole time nodded once. “Yes, sir.”
The chauffeur opened the door for Robert and just as he was about to get in, he turned around and looked at Yuki in the eyes.
“I suggest a fresh start, leave all your old ways and learn new ones.” He said winking.
Yuki stared at him.
“Noreen, register her as Snow and not Yuki.” he said smiling.
“Yes, sir and sir, the last name?”
Robert thought for a while and a slowly grin formed on his lips.
“White. Snow White.”
Snow White, that name sounds familiar, thought Snow.
She watched as the car drove off in another direction. Snow found herself wondering if this was how having a father felt like. Then, she turned around and went inside the school with Noreen.
Snow stared at the numerous students that filled the student’s lounge. They all seemed talkative and happy. Snow couldn’t help but feel a strange ache inside her.
“Here you go.” Said Noreen smiling.
Snow took the keys in her hands and stared at it wondering what it was for.
“This is your room key, room no.302.”
Snow stared at her not believing what she heard.
“There are that many rooms here.” she asked softly.
Noreen grinned.
“Yes and a lot more.”
Snow stared at the keys in shock.
“Unfortunately only students are allowed in the hallway so I can’t show you your room. Anyway, I will send you a box of clothes tomorrow. Take care Snow.”
She bowed once and watched Noreen walk off.
Snow suddenly felt nervous as she looked ahead. Then, Something caught her eye, a strange box with doors. The door opened by itself and when it did people would step out of the box, and each time the door opened different groups of people would step out. She stared at it in shock.
“It’s called an elevator.” said a voice behind her.
She swung around and found herself looking into a pair of green eyes. Snow stared at her, the girl in front of her had golden hair like many of the girls she saw in that place called ‘airport’ and on the way here. Her eyebrows scrunched up in confusion as she stared at the bits of purple hair on her. Golden and purple, she has odd hair, thought Snow.
“And these are called highlights. Are you Ok?” asked the girl giving her an odd look.
Snow nodded once and continued staring.
“Oook…uh, my name is Amelia.” She said.
Amelia extended her hand out to her. Snow simply stared at it, wondering what she was suppose to do with it. Amelia looked at her like she was crazy.
“You’re suppose to shake it! Are you for real?” she exclaimed suddenly, half-laughing.
A tinge of red appeared on Snow’s fair cheeks. She slowly shook the hand in front of her.
“My name is Snow.” She said meekly.
Amelia smiled. “Cool name!”
Again, Snow was lost. What does that mean? How can a name be cool? A name has temperature? She thought.
Amelia saw the key in her hand.
“What room are you in?” she asked.
“302.”
Amelia’s eyes widened and she smiled broadly. “No way! We’re roomies! Thank god! I thought I was going to end up with an air-head bimbo.” She said excitedly.
Air-head bimbo, what’s that? Snow thought, frowning.
“Let’s get to our room then. Where’s your luggage?” she asked searching the empty space next to her.
“I don’t have any.” Said Snow.
“What?” Amelia asked.
Snow suddenly felt relieved that Robert bought her some clothes to change into in the airport. The simple tunic she wore from The House earned her many stares in the airport. Robert sensed her discomfort from all the odd stares she’s been getting and and so bought her some clothes to change into. She was wearing simple blue jeans and a plain black T-shirt that emphasized on her pearly skin.
“How can you not have luggage?” Amelia asked cocking an eye at her.
“Noreen said she would be sending a box of clothes tomorrow.’
Amelia looked at her. Strange girl, she thought.
“Alright then, come on.”
To Snow’s surprise, Amelia pulled her inside the mysterious box she was staring at. As soon as she did, she looked around. The box was not too big. Snow’s eyes was glued to the numbered buttons on the side the whole time. Then, suddenly the door opened and everyone stepped out. Snow was shocked to see she was on another place.
“This way Snow!” Amelia called out in a distant.
Snow followed her and were soon in their room. She gasped at what she saw.
“Welcome to your new room.” Amelia said disappearing behind a door.
She stared at the big black screen in front of her. Her hands touched the soft material of the huge couch. This room was spacious and something she’s never seen in her life. Amelia walked into the room again with a phone in her hand, her fingers busy typing in a text.
“You like it?” asked Amelia, her eyes still glued to the phone.
Snow looked around her room.
“Where’s the bed?” she asked.
“Oh, you mean your room? The door to the left.” Amelia said absentmindedly.
Snow followed her instructions and slowly stepped inside her new room. She found herself immediately liking it. The furniture was minimum and the dark wooden floor was bare. What she liked most about the room was the huge window and a bench just below it. She went to it and stared outside the window.
Robert is right, I should start afresh, Snow thought to herself. She knew it would be very difficult to adapt new ways but she would try and learn. She sat down on the bed and found it soft, back in The House, everyone had to sleep in futons. It uncomfortable but they got use to it.
She couldn’t believe this was happening to her, is she finally free from The House and their constant hostile stares? She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Then, slowly she opened her eyes and saw that the room was still around her. She had half-expected this to be a dream and that by the time she opens her eyes, she would still be in The House, cleaning the pots or fixing the furniture or whatever household duties they were assigned to.
For the first time, a small smile played upon her lips but she was scared. Sacred that all this would be taken away from her as quick as it came to her. She clenched her hands into a fist. Although she did not show it, she was happy she was finally away form The House but she had an uneasy feeling that she would be seeing Madam Sayuri soon. Snow suddenly shook her head pushing that unpleasant thought away. However, that feeling was still there telling her that this would not last long. She closed her eyes refusing to believe it.
“Please, don’t let this end.” She whispered softly.
Amelia’s phone vibrated in her hand. She sighed seeing who the caller was.
“What?” she said impatiently.
“WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU??” screamed the voice on the other line.
Amelia immediately distant the phone away from her ear.
“That hurts!” exclaimed Amelia.
“Lily! Where the hell are you? The party’s already started! You promised me you’d be here!” said the voice angrily.
“Agatha, I told you I’m not coming to that stupid party! Josh is going to be there remember!”
“God! Are you not over him?! He’s a total asshole! Fuck him, just come.”
“I’m sorry, I can’t be there. Plus, I have a test tomorrow.”
Agatha snorted. “We all do!”
“Look Agi, I’m sorry. I really can’t come. I swear I’ll make it up to you!.”
“I want that black dress you bought last week.”
“What?!”
“Give me that and I’ll forgive you.”
Amelia groaned. “Fine! All yours!”
“Yay! Thank-you!”
“God, if you weren’t my sister, I would have murdered you long time ago.”
Agatha laughed. “I love you too sis.”
“Yeah yeah.”
“Oh! Has your new room mate arrived, is it one of ‘those’ girls that you were dreading”
“She’s in her room now. I like her, she’s far from those ir-heads. She’s kind of quiet.”
“Ah, what’s her name?”
“Snow.”
“Snow?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s…unique.”
Amelia laughed. “I kind of think that’s a cool name.”
“You would.”
“Get this, she hasn’t cracked a smile ever since she got here. Not to me or anyone.”
“Oh? That’s kind of weird..”
“No really, she always has this lost look on her face. She just stares at things, you know.”
“Oh my god, is she some sort of psycho?
“Pshh! Please Agatha. I feel kind of sorry for her, I don’t know why.”
“Where is she from?”
“I have no idea, but she looks mix, slightly Asian.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah well, you get back to your partying. See you later sis and you better not get too wasted or I swear I will whoop your ass!”
Agatha laughed. “ok ok! See ya!.”
Amelia hung up and put the phone back inside her pocket. Then, she heard the lunch bell ring. She smiled, she had been hungry the whole day since she skipped her breakfast. She left her room and went into Snow’s. She found her staring out of the window.
“knock knock.”
Snow suddenly looked away from the window and at Amelia.
“Come on, the lunch bell rang. I’m starving!”
Snow said nothing and nodded once. They both got on the elevator and walked to the huge dining hall. The hall was huge, it was noisy and filled with students walking about lost in their own conversations. Snow stared at the huge chandelier hanging on the roof with her mouth slightly parted. Amelia laughed at her expression and playfully patted her back. Then, she pulled Snow to her usual table, greeting her friends.
“Hey guys, this is Snow. All right everybody, introduce yourselves.” Said Amelia sipping on her coke.
“Hi, I’m Cherry.” Said a girl with bouncy strawberry blonde curls.
“Hey, name’s Jace.” Said the boy.
He had chocolate brown hair and visible dimples when he smiled. He had light brown eyes that twinkled.
“Sup’, I’m Nathan.” Said the blonde guy.
His hair was a light shade of yellow, almost platinum. His eye were a hazel and smiley.
Then, they all looked at Snow waiting for her to introduce herself. She suddenly couldn’t breath properly. Her heart started beating wildly. She couldn’t find her voice and found her cheeks getting warm.
I felt like their stares were slowly boring a hole through my face. My cheeks were hot and I knew I was blushing, this is such a strange feeling, I’ve never felt something like this before. Am I finally making friends? Even saying that word makes me feel funny inside. Then, something hit me. They were waiting for me to introduce myself. My breath caught.
“Uh…my name is Snow.”
All three of them smiled and chuckled, eyeing me curiously.
“Snow?” said the girl name Cherry.
I nodded.
“Cool, like Snow White?” said the boy named Nathan.
I gasped and looked at him with wide eyes.
“How did you know?” I asked, clearly impressed.
The boy named Jace chuckled loudly and looked at me.
“Who doesn’t know Snow White. The pretty girl with Seven dwarves.” He said smiling.
I frowned. What is he talking about?
“I mean, how did you know my name?’ I said.
They all looked stunned and stared hard at me.
“Your name is Snow White?”
“Get out! Really?”
“Wow, Snow White.”
“You’re not lying are you?”
They all exclaimed at the same time, their eyes wide with excitement. I thought I had done something wrong so I immediately kept quiet but then I saw the smiles on their face. They weren’t angry, they were genuinely confused about my name. I felt strange inside, like an empty part of me was slowly being filled. It was…overwhelming. What kind of place is this? Does every new student here feel this way or is it just me?
“So, Snow White huh?” asked Jace still smiling.
I nodded.
“That’s a sick name!” exclaimed Cherry smiling excitedly.
“Where are you from?” asked Nathan taking a big bite of something I didn’t know what was called.
“Japan.” I said.
“Cool. Let me guess? Tokyo or Osaka!” said Cherry smiling.
“No, I’m from Kyushu.” I said correcting her.
Cherry frowned slightly.
“That’s where The House is situated right? Have you heard about it or seem it?’ asked Cherry.
“I heard horrible stories about that place, how the children there are disciplined and shit.” Said Amelia.
“Yeah, I heard they use whips on the them man, not cool.” Said Nathan shaking his head.
“I heard it’s run by a woman, the methods she use on the students there is just bizzare.” Said Jace.
I simply sat there staring at them. I was stunned, how did they know about The House? That’s impossible. I took in all the things that they said about The House, from their point of view, The House was like an ultimate torture house and they were right. It’s everything they expect it to be and a little worse.
“So which part of Kyushu are you from?” said Jace smiling .
I readied myself before answering.
“The House.”
All their expressions were identical; Jaws dropped, eyes bulging and a sudden stop to whatever they were doing.
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so what did you think? comment pwese???