•Ella
26/8/2001
'Dear journal, I got in!'
Once I step out of the house, I see that the royal coach is already waiting there.
This is the first time I am going to be accepting a ride from them—except when going for events with my parents.
Maybe because it's also going to be the last time.
After I leave for ACA, I don't plan on returning here.. at least, not anytime soon. Not even when I get a 'home week'.
I don't even mind if I'm the only student who doesn't leave for home week. At least the authorities won't force me to leave.
Last year I told my parents I wanted to attend ACA… Well, it went better than I imagined. Although they laughed at first.
Not because it wasn't a top class school , but because it might actually be out of our league.
"What makes you think you can be part of that ten percent?" They said.
"I don't know if I would, but I'm still going to try." I told them
They laughed again.
They were so confident I couldn't get in—especially since Alpha-Centori doesn't care about our social status—that they promised they'd send me off in the royal coach and give me back my allowance if I did get in.
Long story cut short, I got my allowance back, the royal coach is taking me there, and I also got a comm ring.
One thing I can never hate my parents for is their sense of responsibility.
They make a promise, they keep it as well . Even if they don't want to.
"Ready to go?" Liv asks.
Of course she's going to see me off. And by 'see me off', I mean— ride with me in the coach all the way to ACA, and help me settle in, before saying goodbye.
She is my mentor after all. That's the least she can do.
"Just one more thing." I reply.
I turn back to see an empty doorway.
Not that I expected my parents to give me a heartwarming goodbye, but it would have been nice.
Mom is still inside, probably getting ready to leave for work.
Dad left a few minutes ago. Didn't even see me this morning.
I go back into the house, and shockingly, Mom was standing close to the door. Is she heading out already? Without waiting for the coach?
"Forget anything?" She speaks… casually… to me?! That's new.
If I was asked to give the number of times my parents and I exchanged words with each other over the past year, arguments aside, I'd say not up to fifteen times.
We've gotten used to ignoring each other.
"N-no," I stutter, "Actually, I-I um-" I pause, not knowing how to compose the awkward sentence I want to say.
She just watches me with a blank expression.
"I want to appreciate you and dad… for taking care of me. We haven't really had a good relationship but, you were still parents. Even if it was just for your reputation, at least you let me live with you." I spurt, my gaze lowered.
I'm usually not this anxious about saying anything, so this is also new.
I lift my head slowly to see she has a shocked expression plastered on her face, and something else I can't seem to decipher.
"Oh." She says flatly.
An invisible arrow hits me right there in my heart—an arrow of hurt. I have to compose myself, so I don't place a dramatic hand on my chest in front of her.
I nod awkwardly and turn around to leave, but before I can step out, she pulls me in for a back hug.
I don't know which one happened faster, the warm hug I haven't gotten from my mom in a long while, or the way she pushed me outside right after the hug and shut the door.
I didn't fall from the push, it wasn't a hard push. But still, I shouldn't be smiling right?
Don't focus on the hug!
Focus on the cold push!
Focus on the-
Mom actually hugged me? Just like that?
Why?
"Are you ready, now?" Liv asks again. Thankfully, she didn't see what happened inside.
"Yes, let's go." I give her a big smile, which she returns.
•••
"My lady." Leon bows before stretching out a hand towards me to help me get down.
He promised me he'd be the first person I see when I arrived, and he kept it.
Leon and I have been hanging out a lot this past year, so much so that we've become really good friends. He was even the first contact I had on my comm ring.
But…he still calls me a princess.
"If you greet me with a bow one more time Leon, I'll ensure you never stand straight again." I get down from the coach without taking his hand.
"You are the most aggressive princess I've ever encountered." He quips. Then he stretches his hand towards Liv to help her down, who accepts it with a 'thank you'.
Annoying gentleman.
He helps me carry my bag, while giving me a brief tour of wherever we encounter.
Liv left halfway through because of work. But that's okay, I guess.
Apparently, Leon is good enough company.
After checking in and handling other documentation matters, we stop in front of a small gate.
"And this is the living quarters, for first year females, of course." Leon gestures towards a building.
It's not tall, but it's wide. It's one of those rectangular shaped buildings which have identical windows and doors.
He leads me towards a smaller building next to it, and into an office where I have to go through another documentation.
He decides to wait outside for me while I get this over with.
As I enter, the attendant points to a desk without even asking why I'm here. I guess there's no need for communication.
Okay, I just need to sign my name down here.
As I'm about to sign my name, I pause when I see something boldly written at the top of the scroll: Preservers district.
Oh, I almost forgot about this.
I earlier learned that ACA is divided into two districts; Preservers and protectors.
Preservers get normal education, normal classes. I still don't understand why they're called preservers.
Protectors also get normal classes, but they also get some kind of training to become actual protectors. It's the dangerous part of ACA, or at least that's what Liv and Leon said.
Liv was in the preservers district.
Leon, a second year, is in the protectors district.
I haven't decided what district I want to be in yet.
"Is there a problem miss?" The woman in charge of the sign up asks.
"Yes. I know this might make me seem like an unserious indecisive student… but, I'm not sure if this is where I want to be," I answer .
"You want to be in the protectors district instead?" She questions.
"I don't know either." I reply.
She sighs.
"Oh, a lot of people have been in this same situation. There's no rush. You can try both and see for yourself which one you prefer. Deadline is in two weeks."
Two weeks? So much for 'no rush'.
"So, what dormitory do I stay in till then?" I ask, because obviously, our hall of residence is connected to what district we choose.
"You can stay in the preservers residence in the meantime, most people always end up staying there." She smiles.
•••
"Didn't we already have a tour today, we can continue tomorrow. I need to get as much sleep as I can before classes start." I yawn after talking, proving how tired I am.
After settling into my room, Leon called and asked if we could meet up to complete the school tour.
I don't see how that's possible, seeing as it's almost dark out and I still have a few things to arrange in the room.
My roommates haven't arrived yet so I have tonight to myself, at least.
"Fine, no tour. Just a five minute walk."
I sigh, "five minutes."
We actually ended up strolling longer than that, got something to eat, and had some random conversation.
I should take note of the fact that whenever I'm with Leon, it can never really only be five minutes.
"So, I'm really curious, princess," He starts, "You know that section in the AET, where you give your reasons for applying to ACA. What was your reason?" He asks all of a sudden.
I smile before answering,
"Because it could be the one place I can feel free."
When I look at Leon, he has a puzzled look on his face.
"That's it? And you got in?"
I give him an annoyed look.
"There must have been a glitch in the system."
I know he's joking but still I give him a kick to the back of his knee. Hard enough to make him hiss in pain, but not too hard so he doesn't fall.
"Ouch! All right. looks like you're getting cranky. Let's go get that beauty sleep, okay princess?"
He's doing this on purpose.
I go for another kick but he dodges it while laughing.
"Isn't it wrong for princesses to resort to violence?" He grins.
He knows I get annoyed when he calls me that, he knows. Yet, he still does it.
When I try to kick him again and he dodges, I end up chasing him.
I didn't get to hit him at the end. All I got where stares and exhaustion.
But he doesn't look exhausted at all.
When I'm about to enter into my room, he stops me by grabbing my hand.
"It's not that bad." He says so vaguely.
When I give him a confused look, he completes his sentence.
"Your reason for coming to ACA. This is one of the best places anyone can be free. Free to be what you choose to be. Free to be yourself." He gently places a hand on my head.
We stare at each other in silence for a few seconds before he removes his hand from my head and clears his throat.
"Good night." He says.
"Good night." I head back into my room.
•••
That night three things occupy my thoughts: Leon, districts, and mom's unspoken words this morning.
'Take care of yourself.'