I

I gnawed my lower lip nervously while glancing at the floor. I was at the airport waiting for the school staff to pick me up.

After my mother got married to her longtime boyfriend, Jeff. We moved to NY where Jeff lived as a lawyer. Before moving, we lived in Amagasaki, Japan, where I went to an all-boys junior high school. My mother was a florist, and she arranged flowers. Mom and Jeff met on a dating app called ELLO. Then… I forgot. Nah, I didn't really forget, but if you're really curious just ask my mom cause I'm too lazy to narrate the story for you all.

Anyways, back to the story.

By sending me to a prestigious boarding school, Jeff believed he was doing a favor for me. So that when I start to go into the real world, I will have "connections" and know how to "socialize" with the upper elites. What Jeff didn't mention to my mom while explaining how this school will benefit me, was that it's in the middle of nowhere. To be specific, it's in Virginia, about a 7-hour drive.

Oh, wait, nowadays we fly, never mind. It's probably about 3 to 4 hours by plane then. Mom was delighted that Jerk would think of me and my needs for the future. Yes, Jerk is not a typo, I 200% meant to put that there. The school is called Emerson Prep Academy, and it's an all-boys school 9-12.

At the dining room table, Jeff was explaining the whole idea of it to mom. Once he finished his reasons for why I should go. Mother looked over at Jeff with eyes full of the lovey-dovey mess due to him being… oh, so "considerate" in finding the best school for "their" son.

I sat there unamused as I watched the arseh.. Wait, I meant "father" playing the role of a good and caring step-dad.

"I don't want to go," I said softly while looking at his reaction

"But… Haru it's an honor to go to that school" mother spoke softly as usual

"So was the school I went to previously, why couldn't I have stayed over there, and when I graduated come over here?"

"You're still a minor, so that's not possible" Jeff spoke while looking me in the eyes

"I could have stayed with Kimi," I said switching my gaze to my mom.

"Perhaps, but we shouldn't inconvenience her while she's busy with college," Mom said with a serious look in her eyes.

*Sigh* …. "I know it's a prestigious school, but why is it so far away?" I asked cautiously "Isn't there another school that's maybe closer?"

Jeff replied, "there are but since it's the middle of the semester, many schools don't allow students to be transferred right now" *breathe* he continued on, "plus due to your excellent grades I was able to get in contact with ones of my friends who work there and he was able to recommend you".

*silence* "oh" I look down and continue eating the slimy yellow salmon on my plate.

Yeah, like that's the actual reason why you want to send me to Virginia. It's more like you want me out of the house so you and mom can be lovey-dovey with each other without me being the third wheel. I'm not an idiot. Plus, I know you don't like me, I can see that dissatisfied glint in your eyes whenever you look at me.

Just thinking about the whole thing that made me be here in the first place caused me to frown in displeasure.

"Honestly, we never got along" I mumbled to myself.

"I never did anything to him, so why does he dislike me so much?"

Thinking back to the first time I met him, I remember he was surprised to find out that mom had a child. Much less a mixed child, not like it's taboo to mix the blood. But many old grannies would say otherwise. *cough* The granny we met when I was 4 at the grocery store in Canada, got angry at my dad for having a mixed blooded offspring. Like it was his fault for falling in love with someone who's not white. Don't people say that you can't control who you fall in love with?

As I was lost in my thoughts, "are you Harry ooo to Na um.. ka… moo ra?" I look up towards the person and it turns out to be a guy in his mid 30's. He carries a sign with him that says, Emerson Prep Academy.

"Yeah, that's me," I said awkwardly "but, I go by Felix,"

"Nice to meet you" *ponder* "I'll have to remember that for next time"

"So, do you have everything? If so, let's go before it gets dark".

I check the time on the digital clock in the lounge and it says 5:55 pm. I guess it gets dark here quicker. I get up and grab my sad-looking grey suitcase and put on the black medium-large-sized backpack that I used for school in Japan. And I follow him… now that I think about it, I don't think I kno…

"By the way, my name is Sayton, and no, it's not Satan, it's Say ton. Like Payton, but with an S"

I nod my head in understanding but realize that he can't see because I'm walking behind him.

"Ok"

We get out of the airport and head towards the parking lot where his car is parked. It's a lot warmer here than in New York, but I still need a jacket. It's a grey SUV.

"Hop in," he said

Unh

The car ride was silent with no radio and I didn't feel like asking him to turn it on. So I plugged in my headphones. I didn't pay much attention to the inside of the car. Out the window, there were only rolling hills with a dusting of snow on them. *internal monologue*

After maybe an hour of driving, the car slowed down, so I looked out the window and saw that we stopped in front of a tall metal gate. There was a guard on the other side and he opened it for us. Once we passed the gate, the car drove down the road, and to the left, there was a whitish-green forest. Just looking at it made me feel uncomfortable as if it was warning me to stay out of it. I knew deep inside that unless it's extremely necessary, that I shouldn't venture into that forest. I kept that warning in mind and told myself that this school is probably not as simple as it seems. I mean it shouldn't because it's for the "rich kids" meaning there are probs gonna be factions and that sort of thing. Hopefully, I won't get tangled up in anything unnecessary.

The car suddenly slowed to a stop and that's when I realized while I was lost in my thought that we arrived. The school looked as if it was built in the early 1800s, didn't look like it had been remodeled or anything.

Victorian castle

"Welcome to Emerson Prep Academy," Sayton said, then climbed out of the car.

I got out of the car and while I grabbed my stuff, I kept looking around observing where I would be "living" for the next few years.

"Though they haven't remodeled anything since it was founded, trust me, it looks better inside than the outside".

"Oh," I said softly

"You're not much of a talker huh?"

"Hm"

"Ok, let me take you to the front office, and then I'll show you around, K?"

"Hm," I then realized, was it considered rude if I kept doing that? "Ok," I said quietly.

I follow Sayton to the front door, but just before we get in I…

"Watch out!!"

"Incoming!"