Chapter one

Staring into the ceiling, I listened to the soft music of the rain beat on the attic roof. I wondered what was going on downstairs that was causing so much noise. It was a Saturday at the orphanage and I wasn’t much for one of their dumb ‘important notices’.

Almost everything in this orphanage was either captioned or capitalized, for any reason I have no idea what.

There was a knock on the door. People have such a knack for knocking my door for no reason, I thought bitterly ignoring it.

Obviously that was a mistake seeing that the one who was knocking was one of the staff members, Dahlia. The one I hated the most, and I’m sure she feels the same.

“Come on down, Elizabeth,” she said with bittersweet in her voice.

So, she’s been reading the ‘Most Important Rules’ for once, I thought.

“Why, has someone died?” I asked.

“No, the head master has decided it would be nice if the children here went to public school.” The way she said children made me want to kill her.

After all I was turning fifteen this October, and am more mature than most.
I waited for her to finally leave then scowled and got dressed.

I wore one of my black t- shirts that said I have five rules. Memorize them. ‘Rule number one, don't bother sucking up. I already hate you, that's not gonna change.’ Pulling on a pair of loose black jeans I quickly pulled my hair into a pony tail and flew down the stairs unnoticed.

There was a crowd in which The Headmaster, Ms. Aslan Calling out names to those chosen to be able to go to whichever public school they choose. Of course since I was late, I missed if they had called my name.
“If you need a later reminder, there will be list on the main bulletin Board.” Ms. Aslan said.

The crowd slowly dissolved in murmurs. I like few others went to the bulletin board.
There were three lists: Those who stay, those who pick, and those who don’t pick. I was in the list of those who don’t pick. How typical, I thought bitterly, when I glanced at the names on the second list. None who were any smart that I had known of.

Then saw the date in which school will be starting.

September fifth, this was only three days away this Monday!
The bell rang and along the halls filled the kids who rushed to their first class.
Lucky me, since my class was just behind me.

Taking seat in my usual seat in the corner next to the window, I saw someone else sitting there already.

“Excuse me, but that’s my seat.” I try say as politely as I could. Since the morning has made me so bitter already, they just had to stuff this place with another new kid already.

The boy, no older then I of course, after reading my shirt say

“I’m sorry, but you’ll just have to sit somewhere else then. I got here first.”

This pisses me off, but I don’t show it. I just give him his chance since he’s new here. He doesn’t know what happens to those who stand up to me.

I sit on the next corner which I liked slightly better, since it gave my imagination more room to run, undistracted. Taking out my sketch book, I began to draw, my fingers picking up lightly once in a while.

After a few minutes after the second bell rings, the teacher finally comes in.
“Good morning class,” Mr. Burkes says dully.

No one bothers to answer, and he just continues his lesson about algebra for about the millionth time.

My picture finally takes shape of a beautiful castle. Not beautiful exactly, in what you would see in fairy tale, no. It was the sort, you’d see in Horror movies, yet it had the sort of beauty in it which makes your heart beat.

The teacher finally gave up and began eating his breakfast. Students began moving around, but I stayed where I was, in my trance.

Suddenly the new kid appears out of nowhere.
“That’s really beautiful,” he says softly. I look up, to see his clear blue eyes stare into mine.

“Thanks, er what’s your name?” I say without emotion.

“Collin. I’m from England,” he said letting me finally realize his reason of accent.

“Lissa, so how did you come up with staying in this orphanage in the States, all the way from England? I mean that’s pretty far away,” finally tearing my eyes away from his.

“I’d rather not talk about that,” he said surprisingly cold sitting in the empty seat next to me.

“Well, that’s your decision, not mine,” I say lowering my voice to the same tone he was using and continued drawing.

He didn’t say anything after that. After a few minutes realizing he hadn’t gone off I looked up.

He was staring at my drawing. “That seems amazingly familiar to me. Have you ever been to England?” He asked quietly.

“I could have seen it in pictures online and stuff you know?” I said.

“No, that place is unknown of,” he insisted.

“And why do you know of it, then?” I challenged.

“Never mind,” he said hastily.

Finally the bell rang and we went our separate ways.