by S C Thomas
Snatching up her map, her eyes searched until she saw the headmaster’s office, tucked away in a corner. No doubt to keep nosy teens out of there and to keep away from all the chaos that ensued with a school and classes, and with a castle full of chattering teens, it was no surprise he wanted his space. What if he wasn’t the headmaster though? What if he was just a janitor who had a scholarship in behalf of her name just to get her out of foster care? It could explain why she couldn’t find him. He was hiding from embarrassment so she wouldn’t find out.
Her growling stomach alerted her to her current situation. She probably wasn’t even thinking rationally due to being so hungry. Despite the crummy foster homes, she had been shipped in and out of, there was always a plus with them; she was always fed. Never in her life had she gone so long without eating. She could feel herself caving, eyes snapping to the pile of uniforms, and finally gave in. She stepped over to them, snagging one and quickly changed. It wasn’t exactly the most comfortable outfit; she would have to get used to it. But it would allow her to blend in, less people would stare at her. That was the goal, to get attention off her.
And Emma was good at blending in, given the proper tools of course.
Tossing her street clothes aside, she crossed to the door where a full-length mirror hung on the back of it and pulled her hair out from having caught in her shirt. She smoothed the wrinkles out and looked at the plaid blue and black skirt with a matching shirt. She looked like one of those schoolgirls who came from the private schools of money worshipping towns she and her mother had passed through many times in her life. She had always wondered how someone could afford such prestigious schooling, let alone the uniforms that made them all match. She still couldn’t understand, because she wasn’t here on her own money-based entrance. She was here because, she had to believe it until she saw different, her uncle claimed to be the headmaster. She really hoped no one knew she was related to the headmaster. If they got wind, they could think she got in on special treatment while they all had to pay and that wasn’t the type of attention she needed. In fact, it was the exact opposite of what she needed. She just wanted to blend in, not have anyone look at her twice, and figure out this whole school thing. If Marcus kept to his word, she was here for the whole here, not just three or five months. An entire year for school sounded thrilling and, in her heart, she really hoped he would keep his promise. She had learned long ago not to trust adults and promises of sticking to one place for too long. It didn’t always work as planned.
Taking in a breath, her fingers brushing over the necklace she wore, clasping it tightly between her fingers, she exhaled slowly. Her eyes flickered around the room, taking in the fact she had it all to herself. Relishing in that fact really. She hadn’t had her own room in a long while. Even with her mother having been alive. They generally bunked in one bed motels and shared a bed. There were times they got an apartment, but it never lasted long. They were never able to get comfortable for having to get up and run away yet again. Every foster home she’d had so far was always filled with other girls, whether it be just one or even three, she always had to share. It felt so good to have her own room, her own space.
Pulling open the door, she slid out of her room and closed it behind her, glancing up at the number on the door as she pocketed the map. She was pretty certain she knew where to go, but it was still there for safety. Just in case she somehow did get lost and in a big castle like this, she wouldn’t put it past her own self for having the ability to get lost.
Descending the stairs, the chaos of hundreds of voices hit her ears. Emma grimaced at the cacophony of noise, biting her tongue to keep herself from turning around and going to hide in her bedroom. If she did that, she would just look like a wimp and defeat the purpose of coming here. If she was going to hide, she might as well go back to her foster family and never speak a word of this again. That mere thought made her suck in a breath and force her to turn, walking towards the sound and let it grow louder. She would rather deal with them all at once instead of going back to her foster family. There was no way in hell she was returning to that place.
Another kid darted through large oak doors, and she pushed through them, having to press her shoulder against one to slip on in. What would’ve been the dining area for a royal family had been transformed into a cafeteria-based room for the students who attended the school. There were three rows of tables, each one long and rectangular, each row housing at least four tables. People were crammed in, shoving playfully at one another, laughing cheerfully. Food articles zoomed past her, a bark of a warning hit her ears and she knew someone was telling whoever it was to stop, but with all the chatter she couldn’t make the voice out. There were groups of students even standing around, crowding the corners and leaning against the tables. It reminded her too oddly of all the high schools she had been to and the one she had left behind. They were teens, of course they were going to mess around and find their groups they belonged to. It was natural for them to do so. Drawn to certain people, not one of them could help it. She felt small against the crowd and so badly wanted to shrink down and escape, to go back to her room where she was far more comfortable and not so freaked out by the large body of students.
But she forced herself to join the line to her left. Craning her neck, she saw the metal like island that lines from one end of the wall to the other. A few older women were behind it, guiding the students or even just watching to make sure they either didn’t take too much or just to make sure they didn’t screw around. She guessed it was most likely the latter of the two. They didn’t exactly seem to care that some students were piling their trays so high, it took both hands and slow walking to keep hold of them. Her stomach twisted, but this time it wasn’t in hunger.
“Emma!” Her name rose above the crowd.
Exactly how it had reached her ears, she wasn’t sure, but Emma looked up anyways. She forced a tight smile on her lips when she saw Kelyn waving merrily towards her, pointing to an empty seat next to her. Emma hesitated for a split second and then nodded to agree sitting next to her. If she really was going to stay the entire school year, she might as well take what friends she could get.
“Potatoes dear?” A wheezy voice shot Emma’s head around in surprise.
She hadn’t even noticed the line moving forward, let alone her own feet following suit. She blinked at the pepper haired woman, then down at the ladle she held with mashed potatoes oozing over the edges. Her stomach gurgled and she nodded vigorously, picking up a tray from the pile next to the barrier, shoving it beneath the glass that kept them separated but with only a slot for the trays.
“Thank you,” she said softly and moved forward once again.
She was able to pick mostly what she wanted. The cooks behind the bar offered food, some of which she declined. Most because she didn’t even know what they were. Green food that screamed color dyed but didn’t exactly seem like it, and things that looked like truffles but couldn’t be placed as such lined the area. There were so many different kinds of food, most of which she knew nothing about. More food then she had ever seen in her entire life. Food she knew was piled onto her plate and things that looked oddly similar to chicken or anything else but didn’t seem like that’s what they were, were also piled on. She would eat everything at this point, her screaming stomach was beginning to be fed.
Turning, she spotted Kelyn waving to her again and once more, pointing to the empty plastic seat next to her. To assure her she had seen and was on her way, Emma raised a hand with a slight nod, stepping around a boy whose mouth was full as he walked (of course he was eating and walking), Emma stepped forward to make her way towards the girl who had helped her. The only person in this chaotic mess of student she truly knew.
Her foot hit something hard and sent her sprawling forward, tray slipping from her hand. As she crashed to the ground, she heard the loud clang of the tray hit the wooden floor and felt the spray of food fly onto her face. Her breath was momentarily knocked from
her, but the laughter – while it sounded from a distance for the moment – was heard in her ears. She pressed her palms to the ground and pulled herself to her feet, reaching up to wipe as much of the mess off her face as she could. When her eyes were clear of mashed potatoes, she looked down at her uniform and her heart dropped at the sight. It was a mess, covered in food and drink. She would have to go change before doing anything else, which included officially getting to eat. Was she allowed a second tray?
“Oops, looks like the new girls is a teeny bit clumsy.” A gnarled voice, one she instantly recognized, sang. Laughter rang out, the rest of the dining area had gone quiet at her fall and the voice talking.
Wiping at her face once more, Emma turned to face the girl who had found her quite hilarious earlier. Her eyes dropped to the extended foot, taking note it was what she had most likely tripped on. Heat flushed her cheeks, embarrassment rolling through her.
“Oops,” she copied in that sing-song tone, tilting her head to the side. “Looks like your feet got under my clumsiness.”
It was a lame comeback, but the girl gawked at her for a moment, lighting Emma’s insides for a split second. The girl got up, putting her hands on her hips and even the whispers that had started to fill the air went quiet, all eyes on the two of them.
“Do you even know who I am?”
“Should I?” Emma cocked an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest. “Are you someone famous I haven’t heard of?”
The girls face faltered, trying to not light up in the anger that her lips were obviously twitching in. “I am Sherice Camden,” she said matter-of-factly, throwing her head back, letting her hair flip over her shoulder.
Acting quickly, Emma’s hand flew up to her mouth, gasping in astonishment. Sherice smirked, as if thinking she had gotten Emma and was about to receive an apology. “Oh my god! Your Sherice Camden?” Emma said in a high-pitched voice, pretending to feign over the girl. “Oh, my heavens!” She threw up her hands and then dropped them, her face dropped as well. “I have no idea who you are.” She said flatly, enticing a round of laughter from those around them, choked laughter heard being emitted from coughs as others tried hard not to laugh.
Sherice’s face lit up in anger, cheeks blistering red. She held up a hand and silence ensured, her fingers curling into fists that she planted on her hips. “You think your pretty funny, don’t you?”
Emma rolled her eyes dramatically. “I don’t think I am,” she paused for a hot moment. “I know I am.”
Snorts of laughter behind her lit her insides up, pushing for her to keep going. Her eyes flickered behind Sherice though, the curious boy who had been with her earlier watching her with full interest, eyes glazed over in delight to see what she was doing.
Angered even more by the laughter that was for Emma and the attention fading from her, Sherice twirled her hand and shot it forward. A wind hit Emma in the chest, knocking her from her feet in surprise and hurled her into a table, where the edge slammed into her back. She gasped as she crashed to the cold ground, body trembling as she pulled herself to a sitting position. She shook her head, trying to gather herself together from the initial shock, her eyes shooting to the girl who had raised her hand again, her eyes blazing in intensity to go at her again. Instinctively, Emma held up a hand to shield herself and a scream from Sherice made her look up, just in time to see her slam into the wall opposite them, a nasty crunch echoing in the air. She grimaced at the sound, eyes widening in horror. She looked wildly around. There were pairs of eyes on her, most staring at her in surprise, some reflecting the horror she felt. She met Kelyn’s eyes, who were watching her in amazement, awe, and possibly even terror. She tore her gaze away from the girl who was trying to be her friend and looked back towards where Sherice had landed, a gaggle of students crowding her – no doubt her friends rushing to her aide.
“You’re a Charmwood alright.” A male voice commented, a low growl in his words next to her ear.
Her head swiveled, yelping softly at the closeness he was, crouching next to her. She pulled herself away, pushing with her feet to get any amount of distance from him. His eyes were watching her with such intensity, almost as if he were hungry. Hungry for her. Her stomach twisted and fear trickled down her spine at the look he was giving her. She pushed herself back once more, not wanting to be even remotely close to him, but he edged closer regardless of her obvious attempts to get the hell away from him. He held out a hand, full intent to help her. She shook her head in denial, and gripped an empty chair, hoisting herself up with slight difficulty.
He followed her movements, towering a head taller than she was. Her body visibly trembled and she cowered at the look of hunger he gave her, as if she could just be a snack for him. Or a meal. Or anything he could just eat. Regardless, the look terrified her and twisted her insides.
He stepped towards her and she ducked to the side, slipping in a pile of food. Catching herself before she went splat once again, she ran towards the door, leaving the dining hall. She was still hungry, but with everything that had just happened she was pretty sure she didn’t have the appetite to eat in there. Especially not with him hovering around. Had she done that to Sherice? And what did the boy mean by his assumption? How did he know who she was? Did they all know? They had to now, she didn’t think his voice had been all that quiet. They had to know who she was now. What was the big deal? Her uncle being the headmaster? As she slowed down nearing the steps that would lead her to her dorm room, her heart sank at that thought. Of course, it would be because of her uncle! They would know she was related to him and instantly mark her as privileged of some sort. All because of her stupid, stupid name. How was that even fair? She wouldn’t even get a chance to survive if they thought she was all about being her uncle’s niece. This was great, just great.
The tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, hot and fresh so they could roll on out. There was no way to blend in now, not after that fiasco.
Wiping the tears, the best she could, despite being covered in layers of food, she stopped halfway up the stairs, and reached into her pocket. Taking out the crumpled-up piece of paper, her eyes shifted to the corner office she had stared at long enough before. Her feet turned her around and once again, she descended the stairs. And took the opposite turn then she had when headed to the dining hall. She could hear laughter beginning to pool out again, chattering from the many voices starting back up, all returning to normal the best they could after what had happened. She ignored them, listening how it grew quieter the further she grew from them. She pocketed the map once again, tracing it in her mind’s eye. She pretty much knew where to go but was even more confident on her own since she at least had the map in case she did get lost. Zigzagging through a few corners, she finally came upon a solid black door. It was the only one in a hall that had one torch lit, flickering and beginning to die down. It would need relit sometime soon, or maybe not at all. What she had just witnessed, from that Sherice girl and from herself, made her wonder if things were not exactly normal here.
She paused, hesitating to knock on the door. What if she was wrong in approaching him? How could she be wrong though? He hadn’t exactly greeted her upon arrival and he’d yet to show his face since she had entered the building. She couldn’t be wrong for wanting to see him, the only family she supposedly had left. She couldn’t be wrong for wanting answers she had been promised to have with coming here. None of that was wrong and she was going to get to the bottom of things, had to. It was the only way she’d be able to survive.
Especially since everyone seemed to be intrigued with her name. If she was some kind of famous due to him, she needed to know so she could prepare herself. It wouldn’t do any good entering this with people gawking at her every movement and not knowing why. So why was she so hesitant? What was wrong with her? All she had to do was lift her hand and knock, that’s all she needed to do. She just, for some reason, couldn’t seem to bring herself to do it. Finally curling her fingers into her hand, she
raised her fist.
“Come in Emma.” his voice said, muffled by the thick door before she could even knock. “I’ve been expecting you.”
Six
Surprise flickered across her uncle’s face when she entered as a messy blob of food. He stood up at her entrance, wrinkling his nose as his gaze flickered to his otherwise pristine floor and back up to her. He hurried behind her, shutting the door, closing them in with a click of his tongue – a sound disapproval but she figured it was because of the mess she was making.
“What is this place?” She blurted, not even trying to beat around the bush. Straight to the point, she didn’t want vague answers like before.
He gave a small smile to her, rounding her on a wide berth, eyeing his precious floor. “This place?” He echoed.
“The school,” she sighed, exasperation thick in her tone. “What is this place exactly?”
“It’s a school.” He said slowly, which caused Emma to roll her eyes at his statement. “Of course, it’s a school. But what kind?” She groaned as his blank look. “Why did I just hurl someone at the wall and how did they hurl me into a table?”
Surprise flickered over his face once again as he took his seat, folding his hands-on top of his desk. “You did?” The smile that twitched the corners of his lips upwards unnerved her. “You actually did it?”
She nodded, wiping at her face again but it was useless to do so. “She used like wind or something to hurl me at the wall. I was only trying to defend myself and somehow, I did it too, but mine was worse. She went further than I did.”
He blinked. “You need to learn control is all.” He stated simply, as if this were no big deal to be dealing with.
