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1145 🇲🇦🇮🇳 🇸🇹, 🇷🇪🇸🇮🇩🇪🇳🇨🇪 🇦, 🇷🇴🇴🇲 26
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It was raining heavily, making the rough sea cause the strong waves to wet over me. Thunderous thunder as if it wanted to split the sky, making me lose all my sense of feeling. Lightning flashes fast, twinkling eyes closed. The water is cold. My body becomes numb. The more I move, the further I sink to the bottom of the water. Everything is engulfed with darkness. A life too in fact.
My eyes are completely wide open from the nightmare. Here I'm back into the reality that far from the happiness that I've been looking for. I feel a cold chill down to my bone. Sweat all around my body as I place my hand on my chest to feel the heart that beat on itself.
Right now, I was on the bus to the Vermillion Academy. I had been training when I was in Mason's house since I entered a fight club in my late school but I determined to be trained by the real coach is fighting so I sent the application to Vermillion Academy, an academy that I had been seeking to go to for a long while now ever since I was abused by my dad. The academy was attended by people all around the world. Most great fighters and assassins were graduates of this academy. Not only fighters, the best agents, and more are graduate from here. Just name it.
Watching the blurry view outside the bus due to the dew that was there in the morning caused by last night's rain. Leaning back in my seat inside the bus before letting out a big sighed. It's been over a year after I ran from the home to Mason's and now to the academy.
It seems to be so unreal that by now, I already been out hundreds of miles from my hometown and my hell house. How great it is to be out from the hell that was made by my dad and his wife for me. Sitting with different kinds of people inside the bus was kinda overwhelmed for me since I have never met this many people. The only people that I associate with are Mason's family.
Looking at the back of me, I noticed that most of them seemed calm and comfortable. Totally not like me who tried not to be nervous – but obviously, I would be failing at that, might I add.
My intentions weren't for work even though Vermillion Academy was built to create lots of men and women to work for states, organizations – known and hidden. I applied to be in this academy just for me to do something new, starting a new chapter of my life as I leave my past behind me. Ever since my mother is gone, I hadn't had a bright life until now. All my life is full of torture and abuse. So, when I get this chance, of course, I would grab it to find a better me. A new Bridget Haynes with a new future and absolutely different from my dad.
"We'll arrive in five minutes and six seconds. Do not forget to take all your belongings with you. Make sure to take out your trash with you and keep your seats clean as it used to be–" The bus driver stopped for a while, taking a sharp breath, "please? Thank you for your cooperation." He continued, annoyed as he exhaled the breath loudly into the mic before turning it off.
Five minutes? My heart banged anxiously in my chest, reverberating in my ears. [I had to pull myself together. It's my first day after all. No one wants to give bad expressions on their first day, right? Be strong and never give up! For a new me.]
Getting up and taking my backpacks from the shelf above me, I let my gaze wander over the people that surround me inside the bus. For several hours I had been on the bus, I just noticed how they seemed to be a little much older than me with more experience. Having that kind of thought playing inside my mind doesn't help much with my current anxiety state.
Right before the bus stop, letting us all step out from the bus, my attention accidentally turns to one of the young women with an indigo sweater – I'm guessing the same age as me. She smiles nervously at me before turning to the guy who has been beside her during the trip to Vermillion Academy. It took time for me to realize they were twins as my eyebrows shot up involuntarily. Black slightly curly hair cupped their medium size faces, and sweetly intense brown eyes looked in my direction.
Walking out of the bus, I stared at the grand buildings in front of my eyes. Slightly dark-colored redwood walls, enormous windows that reflecting the early sun rays. The whole environment kinda chilly with its large trees everywhere and colorful flower fields looked glorious yet elitist at the same time. It was like I'm in another world, another isolated city from everywhere else.
Taking a deep breath, I take a walk to register my name. As I swung around the academy, all the people who I passed by – strongly body build, facial features expressing senses and skills make me think that they looked as if they were made to be students of the VA. Then there I was the unfortunate girl with an attire that going to make them wonder how I can afford to attend and learn in this kind of academy.
Holding tightly my backpack as I walk while looking down the floor the whole time until I arrived at the register counter for me to get the key to my dorm. The reason why I keep my eyes down is that I didn't want to meet anyone gaze because I don't want the whole damn people in this academy to find out the only reason I could come here is that I had won a scholarship in a fighting course back to my old school which giving me the opportunity to apply the application. Winning the scholarship back then – there was no victory, I was very proud of. I won second place in the tournament and to be very honest here, the scholarship was never meant for me in the first place. If only the guy who won first place hadn't met an accident, there was no way I could come here. It all thanks to him for giving me this scholarship.
"Hello?"
"Hello! May I help you, dear?" A young adult woman with blonde curly hair asked behind the counter, smiling sweetly at me
"I'm here as a new student. I want to register" I smiled back nervously
"Ohh, may I know your name?" "The name is Bridget Haynes"
"Alright, dear. Here is your map of the academy and key for your dorm. Hope to see you until you graduate, darling" she said, giving a wave with a smile. Replying the gesture back before opening the map to find a way to go to my own. As soon I spot my dorm right away, I take a quick step.
[Residence A, Level 3, Room 26, huh? Here I go!]
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It's been 15 minutes since I started walking from the register counter to my dorm. Along the way, I noticed all the features and buildings inside the academy. It has four large residences fill with a lot of dorm rooms with two students per room. I just passed by several practice halls, a gigantic and luxury library that was placed in the very middle of the whole area of the academy. There are a few places inside the map that I haven't figure out what kind of buildings it was but since I have plenty of time, maybe I should discover it later.
After 25 minutes of strolling around the entire buildings and campus, I finally arrived in front of resident A that I belonged to. A lot of questions begin to linger inside my mind as I took a step inside the elevator to the third floor – who's gonna be my dormmate? Is she going to hurt me? What kind of people I would encounter throughout my staying progress?
I suddenly feel an unusual muscle twitch in my chest as my heart started to hammer in my chest. Slowly taking a sharp, deep breath as I scanned my card and stepped into my dorm room. Right before I could register everything surroundings me, a ginger beer-haired young adult teen jumped excitedly in front of me. Her long medium curly hair bounced around her shoulders as she titled her head to her right side, splashing a bright smile on her lips, her hands folded hiding behind her petite frame.
"Hi~," she said in a singing tone, and all I could do was stare into her amazingly sparkle blue eyes, telling me that she is amused and pleased to meet me. "You must be Bridget," She had a slight accent, I caught
"Uh-uh, yeah... My name is Bridget Haynes. And you are?" Giving her half of my not-so-friendly smile. I walked further into the room. It was not so small room thought. Enough to fit in with two beds, wall-length wardrobes, two study tables, and a bathroom. Opposite the bathroom door, there were two windows built from the ceiling to the floor. Inside the bathroom, there was a sliding door that led to a small balcony. From the balcony and the windows, the view totally great, elongating over the meadow that was seen in front of the main building of the Vermillion Academy.
"My name is Irene, Irene Wellens and I'll be your roommate through the whole days in VA until we graduate."
"Wellens? Germany?" She nodded happily, "Nice to meet you, Irene." I do a few steps more to the empty bed which I guess is for me. I place my backpacks next to the bed before putting my last small bag on the desk behind the bed near the window.
I turn around only to found Irene with her eyes that widen in excitement, "I already took a tour around the campus and the main building a few hours ago. I wanted to go tour the academy with you so I waited for you. After a few hours of waiting, I still didn't see you so I thought you couldn't make it today. I'm sor–" "It's okay and I'm fine, Irene. About the tour, I could manage it by myself... You don't have to worry." I said as I cut her in the middle of her talk.
"If that so... Whatever it is, since we have become roommates, why don't we be good friends?" A cheerful tone lingered in Irene's voice as she takes a seat on her bed, and I was kinda surprised to befriend someone that easy. All the way here I had been on my nerves for nothing at all.
A relief sensation started to erupt in the middle of my chest as I plunged down on my bed, couldn't hold back the happy smile that has been creeping onto my lips. Back in my hometown, I had been found it difficult to bond with anyone. With anxiety and depression and not to mention my violent dad and stepmom hadn't been much helped for me to evolve my social skills.
That is why I only have one friend which is Mason White, a boy from my childhood until high school. His family and himself were all I had back there, there was no one else since I have this trouble talking with anyone else. It's kinda hard to make a decision to come here to Vermillion Academy if it had not been Mason's mother who talked to me about going here for a better life.
"So, Bridget–" "It's Bree," "Pardon me? You were saying?" "Call me Bree if you want to befriend me," She smiled from ear to ear when she heard the 'friend' word out from my mouth
"Sure... As I was saying before... What classes are you going to take?"
"Actually, I'm not so sure cause I'll be taking a lot of different classes and didn't elect one yet," I pushed my hair back, answering her question. Before this, my major intention was to learn some new moves in fighting but now I'm not so sure about only learning fighting skills.
"Ohhh... So, it means that you are not so sure about it yet? I thought you know that this academy focuses simply on one thing."
"I know that–" I lay on the bed with hands behind my head, looking up at the ceiling. Most of the students who attended this academy would obviously know what they were chasing for, but for some reason, I'm here was exactly a different one. "I know what I wanted, Irene. But somehow there's a part inside of me wanting to try out different things first. But then, I'm guessing I'll just end up focusing more on the fighting courses that they offer me here."
Irene nodded her head, understanding what I'm trying to say. "I am here studying medication, emergency medicine." I nodded my head, turning my eyes back to the empty high ceiling above me
After what she said about the course, we have a long pause as we both awkwardly waiting for each other to start the conversation again. The ticking clock on the wall echoed in my ears. There was a time when my eyes darted to Irene back and forth. She seems to have something very genuine, innocent, and welcoming that I like about her.
When I look at her side, I take notice of how she almost finishing unpacked her things. Her bed is full of excitement as she decorated it with colorful pillows and plushies. A pastel green journal was placed on the desk with a bunch of polaroids. She put a stack of photos on her nightstand.
I had been nervously biting and licking my lips while looking at the ceiling when Irene suddenly spoke up with an energetic voice again, pulling me out of my dazed state, "Do you know about the ceremony this evening? Mr. Clifford does the ceremony special for the new students since he wants to welcome us to the academy... Do you want to go with me?"
[Ah, shoot... I almost forgot about it] "Yeah, I know about it" I settle down on the bed, "Great," Irene turns her gaze towards the clock on the wall before jumping off the bed to her feet, "I want to the cafeteria, would you like to join? Maybe we could show you around here on the way to the cafeteria and grab something delicious together." She tied her hair into a neat high bun before she turns to me to offer her hand
"Nah, it's okay... How about this, we make our little discovery trip tour tomorrow? I just want to have some rest before the gathering," I told her, stretching my arms a little bit before staring at her curiously, "Do you perhaps already know the whole academy already? You have been here before this?"
"I did an internship last year, though" She smiled, taking her comfort sneakers before walking towards the door.
"Rest well, Bree. You must be exhausted from the long ride trip... I guess we'll meet at the ceremony then. Bye," I waved, watching her silhouette slip away through the door. Six hours before the ceremony started at 9 p.m. A suffocating sighed escaping my mouth as my gaze wandered around the dorm. I was supposed to use this time to pack my things but what I am doing right now is the opposite. My eyes really needed to close now and I feel so sleepy. I definitely need a nap right now, even if it was only less than an hour.
Taking my phone out from the bag, I set an alarm to wake me up before I slumped onto the uncovered blankets that smelled just like they had gotten out of the factory. I put my pillow above me, hiding my head completely.
[Just left a few hours before my whole new chapter of life began.] I close my eyes as tight as I could and before I knew it, my muscles started to relax and I fell deep into dreamland.
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Four hours worthwhile had passed by just like that, and by that time I felt much better with 2 hours of napping. I felt another whole lever of better after taking a quick hot shower and changing into some new, comfortable clothing – black jeans and a red sweatshirt with a black leather jacket were the way to go for.
Doing some small touch-up on my face in front of the mirror, putting my hair into a high ponytail, "Now I'm ready... Time to conquer this place,"
Wearing a pair of combat boots, I turned the doorknob and decided to walk around the campus and explore a little bit since we have two hours spare before the ceremony. The hallways to the main building were totally in chaos. It was filled with a lot of people walking past by me, chatting, hailing – pure excitement could be seen in their eyes. Even though I do spot a few people who just like me – completely lost and drowning in these chaotic hallways.
Taking step by step, I started to wonder where Irene is as I started to feel this unsure feeling inside of me with an awkward sauntering on my own while the other people surround me seemed to have a bunch of friends already.
[Maybe I should take the invitation and go together with Irene earlier. And I could definitely use the help of the social butterfly she is for me to meet some people without feeling awkward and nervous.]
I put my hands into the pocket of my jacket and hold it tight, taking a deep breath in every step I take. To be honest, I don't know where my legs dragged me to but what I know I just wanted to get out from the hallways.
My legs stopped in front of this huge, gigantic building. I look up to find the board of the building that writes the name of it. I gasp, not believing what I read in front of me.
Main Fighting Hall
[Great! It's the place that I ever wanted to see the most... Thank you so much, my beloved legs,]