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"Life is beautiful in all its colors, even the darker ones, they're here for a reason," –Chris Martin
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I remember how my heart had frozen and paradoxically raced at the same time.
The car pulled to a stop in front of the biggest building I had ever seen.
"Wake up, Butchenberg," the driver called the slumbering stout man. "We have arrived."
Butchenberg groggily opened his eyes and adjusted his clothes before opening his side of the car.
"Follow," he instructed with a yawn, without looking to my direction.
Understanding that he meant for me to get off the vehicle, I swiftly obliged. I didn't want to risk being tugged roughly again if ever he found me too slow for his taste.
"Take care, kiddo," the driver told me with a wave, pretending to be a nice guy once more.
I did not answer him and strode faster towards Butchenberg instead. I was considering that the driver was probably killing his boredom at the expense of scaring the gullible new child in his car.
Butchenberg did not wait for me to catch up as he marched into the building and continued with long strides through the off white halls. I half ran and jogged to avoid falling behind his steps while my eyes wandered around the halls.
The building was far larger inside but it looked a bit similar to the hospital where my father was confined. There were led lights strategically placed on the high ceilings, spotless walls with occasional oil paintings in carved wooden frames, and some floor to ceiling glass windows.
We passed several areas with huge rooms and crossed three connecting bridges before Butchenberg stopped in what seemed like a lobby. He pointed at a wooden bench for me to sit on and then disappeared into the room behind what appeared to be a reception desk. All the while, there was one thing that bothered me most.
'Why was there no one around?'
Before my imagination could run wild again, a petite woman who was likely in her early twenties appeared from the room Butchenberg went into. She was wearing a long-sleeved maroon dress that reached a few inches above her ankles, revealing some of her pinkish skin, and a clean white apron on top of her ensemble. Her brunette hair was pulled up neatly into a bun and a warm smile was painted on her face.
"Skyler White, right?" She approached me, carrying a small bundle in her arms.
I instinctively leaned away when she tried to reach for me. After the encounter with that driver, I thought it was wiser to avoid all these strangers. Especially the kind-looking ones.
She pressed her lips together in disapproval. "Gilbert said something again, didn't he?"
I did not answer.
Maybe Gilbert was the name of that driver.
She withdrew her hand and instead stepped away from me, motioning for me to follow behind her which I did. But with a safe distance between us.
"We're not meeting Lord White today but I'm sure he will drop-by to check on you." The woman continued talking, "My name's Riane Scarlett. I'm your mentor for your whole stay in the academy."
I stole a glance at her youthful face and flushed when I saw that she was already looking back at me. She was so pretty. I quickly focused on my very interesting fingernails while I followed her for several flights of stairs before taking a halt in front of a wooden door.
"This is your bag of provisions and this will be your unit, little one," she said in a very soft voice while handing over the bundle she carried.
I gave a small nod as I received the parcel. The cloth bundle felt surprisingly heavy in my arms.
Unexpectedly, she knelt on one leg to face me on eye-level before she spoke again, "I know it's scary and everything is new to you. But you have to do your best here."
Her voice carried the authority and firmness it previously lacked. I found myself lifting my eyes to meet with hers. She had a beautiful pair of brown eyes quite similar to mine which reminded me of my mother's.
I had to bite my lower lip to hold back any incoming sob from the sudden recollection. I slowly nodded my head to answer her command.
I would try my best. I had no choice anyway.
Hot tears brimmed in my eyes. The reality that I had to fight hard against all the odds to be eligible for the secret offer of the academy was finally sinking in.
"Right now, you don't have a reason to. But you're gonna have to trust me starting today, Skyler."
Scarlett smiled and wiped a stray tear that escaped my eye. "Let's agree that the first reason will be because we carry surnames of colors, okay?"
I gave her the best smile I could afford as the tears I held back broke free from my eyes, staining my cheeks completely. Strangled sobs slipped one after another as she pulled me into a tight hug.
You see, I wanted to be a tough child.
I did not cry when I signed my name on the trade contract with the Academia. I did not cry when I kissed my mom's and dad's cheeks one last time, lying that I was going home to change into fresh clothes. I did not cry when I packed my belongings and locked our house, knowing it would be nearly impossible to come back home. I did not even cry when I was hurled hard into the car or when Gilbert daunted me for fun.
But as Scarlett rubbed my tensed back in soothing circular motions, I bawled so hard.
The terrified child in me dropped the parcel and clung to her warm body with desperation. I sought sanctuary in whatever comfort she had offered while I pretended that she was the family I missed.
I had spent that night crying till I fell asleep.
I was crying in fear for the coming days that I had to survive alone. I was crying with false hopes that this was a nightmare I could wake up from. And I was crying even louder for everything that the child I was had lost.