2

I hate new schools

We drove for a long time. Right for a very long time. I managed to take a nap, and when I woke up, the road went deep into some unrealistically dense dark forest. Tall pines interspersed with shaggy firs, creating a surreal picture. Spirits, or dragons, or, for example, werewolves, must certainly live in this forest. I shrugged my shoulders, driving away stupid thoughts about fairy-tale characters. But the road didn't end there. “Here's a fool, I believed unknown peasants who take me to a dense forest,” - only then the whole danger of the situation dawned on me.

“Hmm,” she cleared her throat, her voice trembling with fear, “are you taking me to my own father?”

- Not.

Not? And that is all? Will he say no more? The man silently stared at the road.

"S-sorry, then where are we going?"

- Home.

Somehow not very informative. I gently tugged at the handle of the car. Jumping at full speed, of course, is stupid, and even in a dense forest ...

"You don't have to worry," the man looked at me from the rearview mirror, "I've locked the doors for safety."

- Mmm... so I'm safe? - Stupid question, of course. But fear filled all my thoughts, it was impossible to think coherently.

- Of course, you are the bride of the master, we will protect you at the cost of our own lives.

I gasped in surprise. What the hell? What other bride? No, no, no, at sixteen I don't want to be anyone's bride! Didn't they tell me they were taking me to my real father? What did they say there? "Take home" - that's how it sounded. What makes me think that home is to my father?! I fiddled with the edge of my autumn red jacket, my heart was pounding so that my throat was dry. Here I got stuck!

I have already managed to imagine dozens of times how I run away from the “groom”, whatever he may be, and wander through the forest all these hundreds of kilometers. Perhaps I will die without finding a way back. Yes, we have been driving for seven or eight hours in a direction unknown to me. Of course I won't find the way! Well, let. I'll still run away.

- We've arrived!

I woke up from my gloomy thoughts and looked around. The car drove through high wrought iron gates onto someone's private property. Groom? Ugh, why do I call him a fiancé… Trees were still flashing outside the window. But the dense thickets noticeably thinned out and, finally, disappeared completely, revealing a majestic structure, similar to an old fairy-tale castle.

- What is it? I whispered. The building was amazingly beautiful.

"School," the bodyguard informed.

School? I stopped understanding anything at all.

- You don't need bodyguards on the school grounds, but outside... Don't go outside the school! - the man added sternly. Indeed, the rest of the cars seemed to magically evaporate somewhere, while I gazed at the magnificent building in fascination. Curtains twitched in the windows of the upper floors and shadows flickered. I didn't like it at all. Are they spying on me? Why is the yard so deserted? Who even studies here?

The man pulled my suitcase out of the trunk and stopped in thought in front of the school's white marble staircase. Suddenly, the high white doors creaked, letting in an old gentleman in an expensive gray suit, with gray hair, round glasses and a good-natured smile on his face.

- Alicia Kedano! I can't believe my eyes! So you returned home, - the gray-haired gentleman gave me a fatherly hug, and I noticed how a tear sparkled in the corner of his eyes.

I sighed heavily. With a thousand questions swarming inside, my head was about to burst like an overripe watermelon. But the old man understood my sigh in his own way.

- I know, dear, it's very hard for you. I sympathize with your grief. It's so terrible to lose your mother...

Well, why did he say that? My nose really tingled, and my heart sank with anguish. Traitorous tears rolled down my cheeks, and I quickly turned away.

His gaze caught on movement. I looked up and through the veil of tears I saw a tall figure leaning against the trunk of a wide spreading oak, not far from the school building. The guy looked straight at me. I couldn't see his face because of the tears and hurriedly began to wipe them with the sleeve of my jacket. The gray-haired gentleman was explaining something to my bodyguard in a whisper. I looked up at the guy again. There was no one under the tree.

- We'll have to put you in a hostel for a while, - the bodyguard called me apologetically, - Your room in the house is not ready yet. By the way, call me Patrick. I am your personal assistant and bodyguard.

Patrick frowned in displeasure. Maybe he was made to guard me? I shrugged, nodding in agreement. A hostel is a hostel. It's still better than being in a house with a father who doesn't think you're human.

Patrick and I walked around the back of the building, and I got an even more amazing view of the backyard of the school. Despite the autumn, it was still full of flowers unknown to me. Neat paths of fine gravel led in different directions. Behind the school there were two more ancient buildings, hardly inferior in beauty to the school itself.

- These are hostels - male and female, - Patrick explained, - and there is even further, - he waved his hand somewhere deeper into the garden, - there is another house. There lives… ahem, the owner, the head of the Western clan.

Did I not hear something?

- What clan?

- Western. However, he will tell you everything.

- Patrick, I'm embarrassed that you refer to me as "You". I'm only sixteen, and I feel like an elderly aunt ... Let's move on to you?

"I'll try," the bodyguard hesitated.

We stopped at the door of the women's dormitory, and a thin woman with a bun pinned high on her head swam majestically towards us.

- Still, did they decide to put you in a hostel, Mrs. Alicia? - looking at me, the woman asked.

Mistress! It doesn't get any easier from time to time. Next time, I will probably be addressed as “your majesty”.

“No,” the woman whispered dryly, “we don’t have that treatment.

God, what was I thinking out loud?

“Excuse me,” I mumbled, blushing, “could you just call me Alicia?” Or Lisa...

The woman pursed her lips in displeasure, her eyebrow raised. So, in vain I'm swinging my orders here. Let them call it what they want. She led us through wide corridors to the most remote part of the building. My bodyguard put the suitcase at the entrance, he did not go in.

- Settle down and go to school. You will go to Director Rice to fill in all the necessary documents. The training will start from tomorrow. Everyone understands your ... your difficult situation, but you are very behind in your studies, you will have to catch up, - Patrick quickly informed, on the go remembering the agreement to switch to “you”. - If you have any questions, contact Commandant Clara.

I nodded. Commandant Clara and Patrick departed, leaving me to look at my new quarters. By the way, the hostel was unrealistically beautiful. Tapestries hung on the walls. While I was following commandant Clara, I noticed small murmuring fountains, intricately decorated with stucco. Here and there, surrounded by fresh flowers, there were chairs for relaxing. A real castle for princesses. As I understood, my room was almost under the very roof and was the last one along the corridor. This circumstance did not upset at all, but rather, even pleased. I didn't want to meet the local students. Solitude is what I needed most right now.

Arranging my meager belongings on the shelves of the wardrobe, I hurried back to school. The building was as magnificent on the inside as it was on the outside. The hall was decorated with gilded figurines. On the walls, as well as in the dormitory, there were portraits. There were expensive carpets on the floor. I felt embarrassed to step on such luxury with my dirty sneakers, and I hesitated at the entrance. A gentle melody, apparently a warning of a change, made me shudder. The corridor immediately began to fill with students. My hands shook. Damn, why didn't I get out of here before the bell rang?

- Hey, Alicia? - a tall handsome man with blond curly shoulder-length hair and stunningly beautiful green eyes walked straight at me.

I panicked even more.

- It's you, the famous Alicia Kedano? His wide smile lit up the hall.

"Y-yes," she stuttered, nodding her head. About the "famous" I would argue.

- How timid, - he frankly laughed at me, - do not blush! I didn't mean to embarrass you. My name is Tobias. For friends - Toby, - the guy extended his hand to me.

- What should I call you? - Overcoming embarrassment, I asked.

- Well, of course, Toby! We'll be friends with you.

I shook his warm hand and felt calmer. Maybe it's not so bad to make friends here. Especially sunny ones like Toby.

- Would you like to see Director Rice? I'll see you off, - Toby winked and, seeing my confusion, grabbed my arm and dragged me into the director's office.

“I hope I won’t get anything for this later,” I barely heard Toby’s strange phrase as we walked down the corridor.

The director's office was in the far wing of the building, so I had to walk almost all over the school. The students, dressed in fashionable school uniforms (obviously not cheap), avoided me and Toby, hiding their eyes, only stealthily casting fleeting glances at us. And they also discussed. Quiet so that I couldn't hear what they were talking about. But I knew about me. And I couldn't help but notice some contempt in their eyes. Hands began to shake again.

- Why are you trembling? - Toby was surprised at the very door of the office.

- Did not you notice? They look at me and... they don't seem to like me.

- Like it! Toby laughed. They don't have a choice anyway. Well, maybe a little afraid. Still, you are...

- Alicia Kedano! I was waiting for you, - the door opened slightly, and the head of Director Rice appeared from it. - Come on, please.

I turned plaintively to Toby. He nodded his head reassuringly and walked back to the classrooms.

I filled out some papers and contracts for training for half an hour. And all this time I thought, why can't my father do this? My real father. And where is he now? When can I see him? Thoughts gradually flowed to Tobias. The only student who approached me and was friendly enough. Why did he say that the others are afraid of me? Is it really because I'm the bride of some clan leader? I had no idea who I could ask all these questions to.

“Tomorrow start your studies,” the director’s face lit up with a kind fatherly smile.

“And…my, ahem, fiancé…does he also study here?” - as if by chance I asked.

- Oh yeah! He is also a student of this school. But already in high school. And he rarely shows up at school. He has… an individual training schedule. You will definitely see him soon and you will be able to ask all the questions in person.

Well, no, it’s already out of the way ...

- Director Rice! I resolutely retorted. - I urge you to call me Lisa, no "you" please!

- But sir...

"I'll deal with your master myself!"

Let them all be frightened here by this very leader, master, master, in general, it doesn’t matter what they call him there, but I’m definitely not going to shake and obsequiously bow to him!