I felt somebody shaking me. Slowly, I opened my eyes and saw Gram. The previous events came rushing back into my head.
Oh, that's right. You were a stupid person and trusted a stranger. What happened to "stranger danger"?
I breathed out a long sigh and got out of the car. When I looked up, I gasped. In front of me is a beautiful modern mansion with clean lines and colored in white and different shades of grey. Perched on the top of a hill, It's massive windows overlooked over the whole estate.
Around the mansion, acres of green stretched as far as the eye could see. Clumps of trees were scattered over the property with small ponds, and meadows to accompany them. A tall metal fence wrapped around the borderline and connected to a grand gate at the entrance.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could tell Gram was clearly amused. He had a sparkle in his eyes and he was trying to suppress a smirk. I quickly shut my mouth, not realizing it was open, and pushed past him. He followed and pulled a key from his pocket, opening the door to the inside.
The interior was just as stunning as the outside. Elegance flowed through the place. Each piece of the furniture fitting into a very precise puzzle. Somehow, as perfect as it seemed, it still emitted the feeling of a home; warm and welcoming. I twirled around, trying to take in everything. I could have stayed there for hours if Gram had not pulled me along. We walked through many corridors, all of them looking the exact same.
This is going to be a serious problem.
It gave me a headache trying to keep up with the twists and turns. Finally, after what felt like an hour, Gram stopped in front of two white doors. He grinned and gave a small bow.
"Your room, milady," he teased.
I huffed a laugh. I stepped forward and flung both doors open. I didn't say anything. I just stared at the room I was in. My bedroom had a vaulted ceiling and French doors that led to a balcony on the far wall. It had a simple yet elegant feel. A fireplace sat in one corner and two armchairs stood in front. I proceeded to flop on my bed, breathing in the fresh smell of linen. I sighed in satisfaction. Gram laughed and plopped my backpack near the door.
"Shout if you need anything." Gram said before closing my doors and leaving.
I kicked off my shoes into the corner and grabbed my backpack. I dumped the contents out onto the bed. A hoodie, three shirts, jeans, two pairs of shorts, my phone, and a small drawstring bag that was used for holding my necklace. I grabbed my clothes and walked to the closet in the bathroom. I'm quickly surprised by the sheer amount of clothes. I hastily hung my shirts and hoodie and tuck away my jeans and shorts. I started to skim through the clothes, noticing that they are all in my size.
That's not weird at all.
I walked out and decided to take a shower in my new bathroom. I mean who wouldn't want to take a shower in a luxury bathroom?
After my shower, I slip into a comfy black shirt and sweatpants before lounging on one of the armchairs. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep on the chair.
Knock, knock.
I jolted awake at the sound of somebody knocking. I shook my head, trying to brush off my drowsiness.
"One minute," I yelled in desperation and ran to the bathroom. I stared at my reflection. I was a mess. I had drool running down one side of my cheek and my hair was everywhere. I tried to brush my hair, but to no avail. I gave up and tied it into a very messy ponytail. I rubbed my cheek with the back of my hand, erasing the drool stain.
I dashed out and opened my door to see Gram waiting with another girl. She looked the same age as Gram and stood at about 5'8. She had vibrant red hair, I could have sworn she dyed it, and deep emerald green eyes to match. She had a huge grin on her face with a sparkle in her eyes. She stepped forward and shook my hand vigorously.
"Hi," she said cheerfully. "I'm Astrid. I have been dying to meet you."
Behind her, I saw Gram roll his eyes.
"Oh, um, my name is Amara. It's nice to meet you," I said, slightly overwhelmed by her energetic personality. "We are going to be great friends! Oh, I am so excited to take you shopping!"
Oh, I wonder what that's like. I have never really gone shopping.
"Oh my gosh! We are going to be late. You shouldn't keep him waiting. Come on."
Before I could say anything, Astrid grabbed my wrist and started pulling me down the hallway. I stumbled over myself trying to maintain my balance. Eventually, I gave into Astrid's grip and ran with her. We plunged back into the maze of hallways. This time, we ended up in a hallway with dark wooden double doors that had a weathered look to them. Astrid yanked me through them and into a big room. It must have been somewhere on the backside because on the far wall windows stretched from ceiling to floor. The walls were painted a light grey with white accents. There was a round glass table in the middle with a man in a black suit sitting in an office chair. The man spun around and faced me.
He was older, probably around 30. His black hair was slicked back and he had a small smile. He presented himself with total professionalism. Although, his eyes gave him away. Misty grey eyes stared at me with curiosity and kindness. If it weren't for his eyes, I would have considered him a robot.
"Hello Amara. Welcome to my estate. I have been waiting for you."