Three - Welcome to Rosenthal

Jules' phone emitted a vibration sound as she was being taken to her new school. Rosenthal Private Institute for Gifted Girls was its name, it was two hours away from her home, you needed to turn off the main highway and go into a country road until the magnificent building was in sight.

Jules unlocked her phone and took a look at the message.

"Woke up early to wish you good luck! See you on Saturday!"

Was Cassie's message, followed by three biceps emojis.

She smiled with melancholy and felt her heart throb softly.

"See you, I'm gonna miss you..." She replied, ending the text with a crying emoji.

Jules sighed and locked her phone again, looking out the window when Xavier diverted the way. Her eyes stared at immense fields of boring green grass suddenly, then, hectares and hectares of growing unknown crops. She wondered if her last year of high school was going to be just as long and dull as those fields.

Around twenty minutes of crop-gazing passed by and Jules was finally able to make out a clock tower from afar. The large parking lot at the entrance of the school became closer each passing second. When they arrived, Xavier carefully parked the car on one spot and Jules undid her seatbelt. Some other cars were parked around there and many girls came and went with luggage and other belongings of theirs; they greeted other girls energetically —it seemed like they had a lot of summer vacation stories to share with each other. The building's architecture was stunning, Jules was not going to lie: it was of a baroque style with greyish walls where ivy climbed wild, surrounded by mowed lawn damp with dew, a grand granite staircase welcomed you at the entrance and the sights… the sights were a bit boring, just a lot of empty hectares with some wildflowers here and there, but hopefully she'd get a better sight of the countryside from her dorm room's windows —if her room had a window in first place, obviously.

Xavier turned off the engine and got out the car, a few seconds later, he opened Jules' door and she hopped off the vehicle as well.

While Xavier was busy opening the trunk and getting all of Jules' luggage, a woman approached them.

"Excuse me, young lady, do you happen to be Miss Julianna Galante?" She asked.

Jules turned around. A face straight out a magazine welcomed her, the woman must have been in her early thirties, she had vermillion red glasses that didn't mask her lime green eyes at all, a regal updo crowned her head and her jet black suit was impeccable. She was smiling widely at her while holding a clipboard, her French manicure gleamed due to the polish.

Jules smiled shyly.

"Yes, ma'am, that would be me." Jules replied with a little voice.

"Excellent, Headmistress Russo wants to welcome you, she's waiting for you at the gazebo just behind the main building, I can accompany you if you please, the schools' facilities are quite big and you can easily get lost, especially on your very first day."

"Um…" Jules hesitated, turning around to see Xavier bringing the last suitcase to the ground, "I'd really like to, but my chauffeur is waiting for me to—"

"Oh, worry not, I can tell him your room number and he'll be able to bring all of your luggage there." She interrupted, and in less than a split of second, she approached Xavier, exchanged a few words, and suddenly she was back, "I have informed him of your room location already, now, if you please, follow me."

Jules had no other choice than following the lady of unknown name through the school, right? As they started walking she began thinking that as beautiful as she could be, she could also be insistent and annoying.

They were walking past the main hallway, where another grand staircase could be found, an atrium of baroque columns surrounded it and, many floors above, an enormous dome let the sunlight seep in. The unknown woman started speaking.

"You can see your schedule pinned on the inner side of your room's door, this first day is off for students to socialize or catch up in general, but don't be late to your first class, please. Keep in mind that classes last an hour and a half, but if you arrive ten minutes late, half of the class hour will be subtracted from your total attendance, you require a minimum of seventy-five percent of attendance to pass the year." She affirmed with a cheerful voice, even when her words tried to give the younger girl a fair warning.

They went through an arch that led to a spacious courtyard with a rather large gazebo in the middle of it, full of students chatting and gossiping at the surroundings of it. There was a small detail, though, that caught Jules' attention: all the girls were carrying a black ribbon pinned on their chests, as if someone had died.

"Mrs. Russo, I brought you Miss Julianna Galante as you've asked me." The woman spoke to an old lady standing in the middle of the gazebo who seemed to be the headmistress.

Headmistress Russo looked like an amicable old lady, she smiled a warm smile with perfect white teeth when she saw Jules, she was wearing an elegant black crochet skirt with golden details and a matching jacket. Jules took a look at the girl who was next to her: she had pale skin and icy blue eyes, her long blonde hair half tied, she was staring at Jules with apparent indifference.

"Thank you so much, Laura, you may go to finish the rest of your duties now." Headmistress Russo said, and the woman called Laura faked a smile and walked away, "I was eager to meet you in person, Julianna, I hope you're enjoying Rosenthal so far."

"Well, I've just arrived here, but the facilities' architecture impresses me I must admit." Jules tried her best at being polite.

Headmistress Russo let out a graceful laugh.

"This place was built a bit less than a hundred years ago, but I can assure you we do our best at maintaining it." She said, "I know your father, he plays golf with my oldest son each Sunday, he's told me many times he's a tough opponent."

Jules glanced at the girl next to the Headmistress, she rolled her eyes and looked away.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, I'm not really into golf, but my father is a quite competitive man, and, even if he hates admitting it, he's a bad loser."

The Headmistress let out another dramatic laugh, the hypocrisy began feeling palpable.

"Well, leaving golf matches aside, I've taken a look at your grades, Julianna. They're impressive, I expect a lot from you, just letting you know."

"I'll do my best and won't disappoint you, ma'am."

"That's the spirit." The blonde girl cleared her throat, "Well, let me introduce Lucille to you, she's the head of the student council, I expect both of you to get along."

Lucille gave her hand to Jules and faked a smile, both of them shook hands.

"Nice to meet you." Jules let out, shyly.

"Same." Lucille blurted out.

"Now, will you take Julianna to her dorm room, Lucille?" The Headmistress asked politely.

"Sure, follow me, Julianna."

Lucille began walking with haste towards the northern wing, Jules trying to keep up with her. She was wondering if this girl would be friendly, and attempted starting a conversation.

"Excuse me—"

"Listen to me, Galante, I know you, I know what type of girl you are, okay?" Lucille immediately cut off, "You've been the star student all throughout your life, but your streak ends here, you won't be able to dethrone me, no matter how hard you try. I'm smarter, richer, and prettier than you, so I'll give you a fair warning right now and tell you to not attempt outdoing me, otherwise I'll make sure you live a hell the rest of the year, did you understand?" She blurted out harshly.

Jules frowned deeply. What was wrong with this girl?

"Why are you acting so rudely? Can't we both have good grades and get along? There's no need to be competitive."

"Says the girl whose father is competitive indeed. Stop questioning me, now, see those stairs? Your room is the 245, it must be on the third floor or somewhere."

"You were supposed to help me find my room." Jules complained.

"I thought you were smarter. Didn't I say stop questioning me? Go find your room, if the Headmistress asks you tomorrow, you'll tell her I helped you find it."

"What? No way, I won't lie to her, stop acting this way, who do you think you are?"

"I'll tell you who I am, I'm Lucille Sophia Russo and if you don't do as I say, I'll make sure you remember your first day in Rosenthal as the most embarrassing day in your life. Now, disappear from my sight."

Lucille Sophia Russo? Was this girl the granddaughter of the Headmistress or something? Either way, Jules wasn't going to let her get away with her spoiled princess tantrums. She heeded her by now, heading upstairs in search of her room quite annoyed, but she was more than willing to put up a long fight with Lucille, she wasn't going to be stepped on.