"Finally, you're awake!"
A soft feminine voice addressed Charm.
"It's a good thing too. I was going to recommend that they have a helicopter airlift you to a hospital on the mainland if you didn't wake up soon."
The friendly shrill voice sounded unusual to her ears and Charm ignored a wave of pain in her head that swept over her.
Charm lay on what seemed to be an old Spanish style bed with a carved wooden frame.
It even had a matching queen sized downy feather mattress with heavy lace spreads.
There were even matching lace curtains at the open window.
The scent of gardenia perfumed the air from the courtyard.
To the other side of her room Charm could see a door that opened into a bathroom.
The walls were painted in either white or soft canary colors.
Then it dawned on her that she wasn't half naked under the sheets.
Charm was in a fluffy white bathrobe that didn't belong to her.
Where had her underwear gone?
A fierce blush reddened her face.
Was it Zinc that changed her where was he now?
As if reading her thoughts the woman said, "little one, don't worry about your modesty. Who do you think undressed you?"
"Oh, thank you for helping me uhmm-" answered Charm.
"Oh how remiss of me," a warm voice greeted her, "Hello and welcome to the Grand Palladium Dormitory."
She continued soothingly, "I'm your hall monitor Lola and I will be responsible for the duration of your stay here at Isla Serpiente. Any questions you have regarding your accommodation or life on campus feel free to ask me."
"Pleased to meet you Lola," breathed Charm, while looking around she said, "this bedroom is lovely."
Taking note of the heavy mahogany furniture that lined the walls.
Charm didn't know much about woodwork or art but the furniture didn't look cheap.
She squinted as the sun seemed to come out of nowhere and shine its rays through pale yellow lace curtains.
"I'm glad you like it. This dormitory was originally a part of the first set of constructed buildings and in my opinion is the best part of the entire campus."
Lola spoke very good English but her native language was Spanish and her voice had a very heavy local accent.
Also, Lola was very pretty even though Charm couldn't tell her age she knew she was much older, middle aged perhaps, with her dark hair and olive skin.
The sunlight from the window glistened on an amethyst wedding ring that caught Charm's attention.
Lola adjusted the pillows behind Charm so that her posture was upright in the bed.
Dusting, straightening bed covers, replacing the coverlet with a fresh one.
It seemed that Lola busied herself performing her routine tasks.
Making Charm almost feel like she was in the way as the small, nimble woman tidied around her.
Charm got up from the bed fastening her robe and went to look outside her bedroom window.
Her mouth opened wide with shock.
"I suppose the view takes some getting used to," admitted Lola.
Upon seeing the awe mirrored in Charm's face, she said, "not many are privileged to glimpse much less live on C campus. Only those that pass the special selection process are allowed to live on C campus," said Lola.
What selection process?
Charm had been out cold the entire time for her arrival to the college.
How did her unconscious body even manage to meet the requirements, to pass this initiation test.
From how high her vantage point was Charm could see across the entire island out to where the sea met the rocky beach.
At first glance from the yacht the campus had given off a sterile and imposing prison vibe with pillared arches that led to high thick walls surrounding the property.
Her bedroom door opened into a cobblestone courtyard where in the center was an Olympic sized pool.
It was surrounded by towering palm trees which became the focal point of the dorm.
Upon a closer inspection each room had its own private balcony that was draped with geranium, bougainvillea and gardenia.
The most unique thing about her dorm was that it was completely cut off from the rest of the campus perched in its own little world upon a small hill.
Right away Charm could see that her dormitory was different from the rest of the campus.
For one thing Grand Palladium wasn't new like the other buildings but it had a unique old world Spanish charm and seemed well maintained in its natural state.
The other buildings on Main Campus had a sleek modern architectural look with high vaulted ceilings and a multitude of stone carvings.
It boasted many state of the art amenities along with marble reproduction figurines and statues.
On such a clear sunny day, Charm could see volcanic smoke arising from an active volcano rising up from amongst mountains on the opposite end of the island.
The air felt cool in her lungs and smelled of sea and tropical paradise of flowers and various wildlife native to the islands.
Even a mongoose popped out to say hello before going about its own business chasing the yellow grass snake it spotted for breakfast.
Speaking of breakfast her stomach growled.
"Hop in the shower and then change into the uniform provided. I'll take you to join the others for breakfast as soon as you're finished getting ready."
When Charm looked in the closet just as Lola said it was filled to the brim with at least fourteen days worth of uniform sets complete with a full book bag and shoes.
Everything that she could possibly need while attending school had been purchased and stored in the closet awaiting her arrival.
Charm didn't even want to contemplate the cost of these various articles of clothing and school supplies.
Even worse, they knew her correct underwear and clothing size, down to her shoes fit perfectly.
Just knowing that the school was privy to her most intimate details didn't sit well with Charm.
"Don't you look lovely in your uniform," gushed Lola as paused from tidying the bed.
Lola was genuinly kind with her compliments as she smiled at Charm's pale face.
"Lola, you have been nothing but sweet and kind to me from the moment I opened my eyes," murmured Charm. "I really appreciate -."
"Stop! You're making my head swell," Lola interrupted. "I want you to feel at home here, so don't give it another thought. Besides," she grinned. "You're not the first beautiful Sirena to wash up on these shores."
"Sirena?" repeated a perplexed Charm. Lola didn't seem like the fanciful type to mention something like that.