by B C Morgan
Permitted Areas for Luna Carter
The small swimming pool
Gardens
The maze
Mess Hall
Kitchens when not in use
Basic gymnasium
Library
I am more than happy with that, to be fair they could forbid me from entering every room but this one and the kitchen and I would be more than content. What am I saying, I wouldn’t even need this one, as long as I can bake when things get too much I know I’ll do just fine.
“Get that moronic smile off your face, you may be happy being second best but I’m not.”
“Fuck off Carly, don’t be a bitch all your life,” says Melissa, the only one who has said nothing this entire time.
“Go back to Vegas and sell yourself the way everyone else does,” is her retort and I really wish I didn’t have to stay in here for the rest of the night.
“Do you two know each other?” Millie asks and everyone turns to the pair who are staring with equal amounts of hatred written all over their faces.
“We’re cousins unfortunately, not of the close variety. Never know what you’ll catch off her mother’s side,” Carly throws it out with a smirk right before Melissa slams her fist into her face and a loud crack fills the air.
“It was worth it,” she says with a serene smile as she turns to the door and walks out, even though we’re not allowed to leave.
What the fuck just happened?
“She’s going to get in trouble,” Caitlyn’s soft voice fills the air as she looks worriedly at the door.
“She won’t be back, it says in the pack. Any unauthorized violence between the reserves will result in an immediate expulsion,” we all turn to look at Millie at that. Unauthorized? Who in their right mind allows people to fight other than boxing and wrestling, but we’re eighteen-year-old girls. What do they think we’re going to do?
“Things are about to get interesting bitches, enjoy your month here because I don’t plan on being the next to leave and I’ll mow down all three of you to get my spot,” Carly looks over her shoulder at us before disappearing into the connected bathroom.
“I don’t think I will make it, I don’t have anything special to offer,” Caitlyn sinks down onto her bed and buries her face in her hands.
“Right there with you girl, this place belongs to people like Carly, not us,” Millie says as she throws herself into reading the welcome pack from cover to cover.
I should really do the same but I feel sorry for Caitlyn, I just don’t know how to help her. Standing up, I move to the breakfast table, drumming my fingers across the top before walking over to her bed and awkwardly perching on the edge.
“For my entire life I have felt like a stand in, not because of my mom but it’s how I viewed myself. The adopted daughter, with a perfect sister who was amazing at everything she tried and I couldn’t even get higher than a D in most of my grades. Be that as it may, being a reserve isn’t nothing, don’t you see. They clearly saw something in us otherwise they would have picked one of the other girls they turned away. No, I suck at a lot of stuff but I’m great in the kitchen and I’m sure you have something that you do better than everyone else here. Find what makes you who you are and you’ll be fine,” she peers up at me through her fingers before wiping her eyes and launching herself at me.
“I don’t do hugging,” I say weakly as my body goes stiff and I can hear Millie laughing at us.
“I’m sorry, I guess I’m not used to having a girl like you be nice to me and try to make me feel better. Thanks Luna,” she says with a smile as she pulls back and settles back down.
“A girl like me, what do you mean?” My defense mechanism is kicking in and I’m waiting for the insults to be thrown.
“You're beautiful and exotic, I’ve never seen a girl with features like yours. They are unusual but they work for you. I think the only thing that could make it even better is a little more weight on your bones,” she blushes at her words but I don’t feel insulted, I think the same thing myself.
“I know we’re not here to make friends and we are all out for ourselves but that isn’t me, you need someone to talk to then I’m here,” I give her a smile which she returns right as someone scoffs and we both turn to look at Carly.
“You girls are going to make this so easy, I’m not even going to have to break a sweat to get the better of you,” she laughs loud, a dirty husky sound.
“Are you done with the bathroom?” Millie asks, standing up but shrinking back down as Carly sets her attention on her instead.
“I sure am, I hope you like ice cold showers. I felt I deserved the hot water more, seeing as you are used to living in these conditions,” she throws herself on her bed, pulls on some ear plugs and goes to sleep.
Searching through my things, I check to see what items they let me keep, and I want to smile and cry all at once. I’ve still got my picture of Poppy and mom, my favorite apron that Poppy brought me for my last birthday we celebrated together and that’s it. No phone - no one has the number anyway - no MP3 player and no comfy jumper. Yep, it sucks but at least I’ve got the things that matter.
I sit back down and grab my pack trying to find the rules that Millie had read from, I need to familiarize myself with everything it seems. I mean, I haven’t even got started on the list of clothes I am permitted to wear tomorrow.
Rules for a Reserve
No authority is higher than the Harkwright men - other than SIR HARKWRIGHT HIMSELF
No unauthorized violence - including self defense
Refusals of any orders issued by the Harkwright’s will be grounds for dismissal - the offended party will make this decision.
You must always make yourself available to a Harkwright
Your door will never be locked to a Harkwright
No entry to non-permitted areas - unless invited by a Harkwright
You will leave your room if a fellow zero brings a Harkwright back - unless your presence is requested then refusal will not be permitted
Learn the dossier by your first morning, no Harkwright should have to introduce themselves and you should never confuse them.
Always be prepared, always be courteous and always show them the respect they deserve
You must keep personal items within your room
No unauthorized attire is permitted to be worn outside of your room
Clothing within your room is only your choice when a Harkwright is not in attendance
I pull out said dossier, and each page has a different face, name and basic description. It will take a while to associate these names with the correct faces, but time isn’t on my side. So, I spend all night looking over the photos, with the various ages and names that go with them. By the time I have it straight, it’s five in the morning and there isn’t any point in me even trying to get any sleep. Guess I might as well select the appropriate clothing for today instead.
I go through the sheet and see that I have to wear the lace bra and matching panties, I’m not even allowed to pick the color. A royal blue satin top with a cowl neckline and a black, knee length pleated skirt with stockings and kitten heels. I duck into the bathroom and have a quick shower - unlike Carly I ensure there’s enough hot water to go around - before climbing out and sitting in front of the small vanity that we have in our bathroom. I don’t even know where to begin, I don’t have a lot of skill with makeup or hair and I definitely need to do something so I don’t look like a reject from the Living Dead.
“Hey, can I use the bathroom please,” comes Millie’s voice and I call out, “yes,” I may as well give up while I’m ahead.
“What’s wrong?” She asks as she takes in my face and flinches.
“I can’t do this girlie stuff,” I sigh and feel it work its way through me and then she’s standing before me with a brush in her hand and a smile on her face. “Let’s get to work.”
Our escort arrives right on time and we’re ushered out and led back through the hallwa
ys and past the doors where the ‘true numbers’ live. We don’t meet anyone else on our way which is strange, surely we should see at least one person. Are we the only ones being forced to take the tour at six sharp?
We’re shown the library, swimming pool, small gym and the mess hall. It’s not much of a tour and yet I still don’t really know where the library can be found or which gym I’m allowed to go in. My sense of direction has always been poor so I really hope they give us a map or something.
“Because there are four of you, the assignment of Zero may get confusing. Nevertheless, the Men will not bother to learn your names. So should they call a Zero, I suggest you take the risk of being turned away and hurry over to whoever summoned you,” says our escort and we still don’t know her name.
She opens the door to the mess hall and leads us inside, to a table with a Zero marking it. I guess this is where we’ll be sitting for the next month, at least we won’t be dining alone.
“Breakfast is usually served buffet style, select what you want from the card and a waiter will collect the food for you and bring it back to your table. You can serve yourselves, but it isn’t done,” she looks down her nose at us before flicking her straight blonde hair over her shoulders and walking away.
No goodbye and no map, thanks bitch.
The doors open once more and the rest of the attendees fill the space and claim their tables, no numbers for them. The only table off limits is the one sitting on a platform with a crystal chandelier hanging directly above it. Clearly, that table is for the guys, the pretentious assholes.
Not a single girl goes to get her own food, as the waiters rush around collecting orders from the fifty plus girls waiting to be fed. This is ridiculous, I don’t miss the looks Caitlyn and Millie shoot me as I push to my feet or the smirk on Carly’s face. I just think it’s a good idea to be self sufficient. Surely getting my own food can’t be that bad and I hope that having one less demanding girl in this place will be seen as a positive thing.
Walking over to the buffet station, I can feel my mouth pooling at the sight of French toast, pancakes, perfectly crisp bacon and creamy scrambled eggs. I claim the largest plate I can find a take my fill. I know I’ve chosen more than I would ever eat on a normal day, but I can’t choose and if I have to be the plaything to fifteen men, then I’m eating whatever the fuck I want.
“We have waiters for that,” says the man with the voice that haunted me when I was taking my shower. The dirty voice who nearly made me come undone with nothing more than a flower.
I don’t want to look up, if I put a face to the voice then the illusion will be shattered and I can no longer pretend it was all the figment of an overactive imagination.
“I like choosing the best bits,” is my quiet reply as my hair falls across my face, shielding me from him.
“Bullshit reason, but I’ll let you have it this time Zero. Maybe if you're so good at selecting food I should have you gather mine for me. Every morning, have you select my food and bring it to me, how does that sound?” His voice drops another octave, sending goose bumps across my arms.
“Of course, if that is what you wish,” I all but whisper in reply as my hands tremble. He’s talking about me being his waitress and I’m quivering, I am beyond screwed.
“Look at me Zero,” I feel a glide of fingers down the column of my neck and my breath hitches as he sweeps my hair over my shoulder and his fingers linger on my shoulder blade.
I look up into a pair of hazel eyes, surrounded by dark, long lashes and a face so sharp it could split my skin and it is chiseled to perfection. A slightly crooked nose, plump bottom lip with a hoop piercing running through it and a tattoo sneaking down beneath the collar of his shirt. Aeron Harkwright, one of the few pictures that I couldn’t stop returning to, why does he have to own that voice? It isn’t fair, this guy is built for sin and I bet he fucks dirty.
“What’s my name Zero?” His eyes are sparkling and I can’t help but feel that he knows the exact effect he has on me.
“Aeron Harkwright, you’re twenty-six and this is your second time attending this Academy,” I reply, my voice shaking but at least I didn’t stutter.
“Do you know who I am outside of this Academy?” He asks and my face must show my confusion because he laughs and even that’s dirty and I think I may need to abandon my food, just so I can change my panties.
He leans in close, his breath is whisper soft against my skin, which is great. Because I’ve forgotten how to breathe. “Enjoy your breakfast Zero, I’ll be seeing you,” he drops me a wink before walking away and there isn’t a single set of eyes not watching either me or him.
I return to my table, my food all but forgotten as I look at my fellow Zeros, Carly is looking at me as though I’m a piece of shit on her shoe, Millie looks shocked and Caitlyn looks damn right awed by me and I hate it.
“I think I’m going to go back to the room,” I say as the French toast leaves an ash-like taste in my mouth.
“Don’t do that, eat your breakfast and then we can check out the library,” Caitlyn says and I almost agree.
“Don’t encourage her Caitlyn, let the freak go back to her bed where she can wallow in the misery and the fact that no guy will choose her. She’s only good to play with,” Carly snaps out as she looks down her nose at me.
I stand up, give Caitlyn and Millie a weak smile and leave the mess hall. It’s bad enough I’m not worth more than a stand in but to have Carly treat me like this, is more than I can take. That girl needs a good slap, hopefully someone will get permission to do it soon enough.
I open the door to our room and come up short when I see a guy vacuuming the floor. His head shoots up to meet mine and we both just stand here, looking at one another.
“Shit, sorry. I didn’t think anyone would be back this soon,” he says as he switches it off and I just stand here with my mouth ajar.
“Are you okay?” He asks as I drop my eyes to the floor and walk inside, shaking my head and wishing I could just be alone for a little while.
“I’m great, couldn’t be better,” I say, before I throw myself down on my bed and bury my head in the pillow.
“I can see that,” he says with a laugh, before the hoover starts back up and a growl slips between my lips.
“Do you have to do that now?” I all but shout as I sit up and glare at him, not acting like myself. I’m never this rude to people. Whether or not they deserve it and this guy certainly doesn’t deserve this much attitude.
“No offense but yeah I do, I’m not supposed to be in here when the girls are. It’s my ass on the line and I can’t risk coming back and finding more of you,” he snipes out as he looks me up and down, assessing me.
“I’m sorry, look it isn’t you and usually I wouldn’t even be talking to you right now but I’m having a bad day already and no doubt it’s going to seem like a cake walk by the end of the week,” I drag my fingers through my hair before assessing him in turn.
Dark washed jeans, a black Henley and a pair of Timberlands on his feet. He’s tall, must be over six foot easy and he’s got a nice tan going. The sort that screams he spends a lot of time in the sun. He has dark brown hair, cut short on the sides and slightly longer on top and his eyes are a mossy green. His arms are sporting muscles as is his torso, but it isn’t over the top.
It all works well for him in all honesty, but it does nothing for me. It’s not that I’m immune to the way he looks, it’s more that I need more than that to stroke my interest. Someone like Cole who has the entire package, but I shouldn’t even be thinking about him right now.
“You're an academy girl, you’ll do fine. I’m sure your days will get better,” he says as he shuts off the hoover and starts wiping down the one window this room has.
“I’m a stand in, one of four to be precise. My days here were numbered before they even began, I’m not like the rest of them,” I mutter as my fears threaten to crush me under their weight.
I’m scared I won’t
make it for the month and my mom will have to pay back any money they may have sent to her or the hospital. If I don’t make it, I’ll be burying my entire family and there won’t be a shovel big enough to dig us back up.
“Do you know what most of those girls have in common?” He asks and I shake my head even though I already have my suspicions. “Half of them are ruthless and have very few morals while the other half act as though they care so they can use your weaknesses against you. They are all capable of the same thing, but only a few of them wear their true colors openly. You want to last here, then be different. Show the Harkwrights that you have something only you can give. You never know, you may even become a Harkwright when all is said and done,” he smirks at his last few words but I don’t return it.
“Unlike the other girls, I don’t want to bag myself a Harkwright. I just want to make it to the end and ensure a future for me and my family. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m here for the money, but I’ll use every cent to improve my life and once I’ve made it, I’ll pay it all back,” for once I feel strong as I look him in the eyes and I don’t care if he believes me or not. The thing is I mean every word.
They may get me for the next three years, but if I keep the money, then they’ll own me forever. I’m just not willing to pay that price.
7
Cookies, Brownies and Midnight Trysts
He cleaned the entire room and changed the bedding before finally giving me the solitude I desperately needed. I never asked him his name just like he would never ask me mine. We’re nameless now, I haven’t even heard my name mentioned since I awoke this morning. I knew it would happen, but it doesn’t make it any less surreal.
Caitlyn and Millie return a couple hours later and their gossiping filters through my sleep addled brain. I didn’t plan on falling asleep but I guess my body had other ideas.
“What’s going on?” I ask, mid yawn as I stretch my arms above my head and pry my eyes open.
