OHSHC Story - Ch. 1

And it was that day that the letter had come in the mail. The letter that I had been waiting for. I felt like I had been waiting for it for my entire life and now it was finally here, in my hands. I was shaking uncontrollably as I held the elegant envelope, my nerves were suddenly taking over me. This small envelope held my future inside, it was going to determine whether I can finally escape where I was or if I was doomed to be stuck here forever. Being in Foster Care didn't allow me much independence, as you would probably guess. But, if I got accepted into Ouran Academy, I would get to leave the Foster Center and immediately be placed with a family for the rest of high school, that was the deal that was promised to me. I had been here for far too long and I needed to get out before I completely lost my mind. So I took a deep breath and gently opened the envelope, pulling out the neatly folded letter. I unfolded the piece of paper to find this:

'Congratulations, Miss Kassandra Carter! You have been accepted into our Special Student Scholarship Program, here, at Ouran Academy. Due to your outstanding test scores, determination, and interest in our academy, you have been chosen as one of the select few to come and join us for a higher experience of learning. You will start at the new term, which begins in the fall. However, there are some conditions on the scholarship that you have received that we must make you aware of:

-Your scholarship only lasts for two semesters.

-In order to keep attending school with us, you must show that you will do well to succeed here in your academics.

-You must also show your interest in the school as a whole. Show your determination to succeed by getting involved around campus, like doing volunteer work or joining a club.

-In order to get an extension on your scholarship, you must re-apply every two semesters by going through the same process: testing, essays, etc.

Now, there is one more thing that you should be aware of about your scholarship and attendance to our academy. Several students have been given this type of scholarship and with each new Scholarship Term, we will be choosing a few students to stay and attend the school until we are down to one. If you are the final student that we have chosen, your entire school tuition will be paid in full, through the end of your high school career.

If you have any further questions, please email the adviser that you were assigned at your scholarship meeting back in the spring. They will be happy to answer any questions for you. We look forward to you attending and we will see you next fall! Again, congratulations on your acceptance to Ouran Academy!

Best of luck,

Board of Directors and Scholarship Department'

I couldn't believe my eyes! I had actually been accepted to Ouran Academy. Me! But, when I read further down the page and found out the details, I grew incredibly depressed. I had to re-apply for my scholarship every two semesters? That must mean that someone had already been awarded the Honor Student Scholarship at the beginning of the school year, then. I hope that person realizes how lucky they are to have gotten that. I mean, I'm sure that they worked hard for it - just like I had done for mine. But...I really needed that full ride. I don't know if this will be good enough for them to hold up their end of the deal or not. And if they decide that it's not, I will be stuck here until I graduate - no more chances.

I called the Foster Care Board and told them that I had received a letter from the academy. Before I could even tell them what the letter had said, they told me that they were sending someone out right away to review the letter and to discuss a plan of action from there (they probably thought I had somehow faked all of it). Within less than an hour, one of the caseworkers was at the Center door. The director opened the door and let them in before calling me into the kitchen, telling me to bring my letter from the school. This was it, the moment of truth. This meeting was going to decide whether I escaped this horrible place or not.

I made my way into the kitchen, trying to look and act as adult-like as I could. I wanted to show them that I didn't need to be treated like a baby (or in this case, a prisoner). I sat down on one of the chairs quietly and gently passed the caseworker the letter from the academy. She read it over, probably multiple times considering how long it took her to respond.

"Well Kassandra, you held up your end of the bargain. You made it into the academy, however..." She mumbled, trailing off.

Oh great. That didn't sound like it was going to be very good news for me. Good thing I didn't pack any of my things or have anything crazy planned in case I got to escape. I figured this would happen - seeing that my scholarship was only going to last two semesters...

"I don't understand why your scholarship is only going to last two school semesters. Did you do something wrong? Are they giving you a trial period? It says here that you can get a full-ride scholarship." The caseworker said, looking over at me.

"Well, Ouran Academy has two different kinds of scholarships. There's the Special Student Scholarship, which is the one that I was given. And then there's the Honor Student Scholarship, which was the one that I was aiming for. However, they only give one Honor Student Scholarship and several of the Special Student ones. As it explains in my acceptance letter, several people are given the same type of scholarship that I was and it's pretty much a competition to see who gets to stay for their entire high school career. Now, I don't know how many they give out, but they make it clear how to show them that you are interested in staying. And then, just like for your original scholarship, they give you tests and make you write an essay every two semesters. They pick the students who they feel are most deserving and let them continue their studies at the academy for another two semesters. Every time the time comes to re-apply, the will only choose some students to stay and if you are the final student left - they will pay for your high school career." I explained to her.

I mean, come on. It clearly tells you that the scholarship only lasts two semesters in the letter and it gives a basic description of how the process works, of why it is that way, and how to keep your scholarship going. How dumb can this woman be? She had to make it through high school to get to her career didn't she? Never mind. That seems like it would be giving her way too much credit...I have a feeling that she is going to make me stay in this horrible place for the next few years.

"Now why couldn't they explain it like that in the letter? It makes so much more sense the way that you put it. No wonder you were accepted - you are a really bright young lady, aren't you?" She said in a voice that was much too cheery. I just wanted to know if I had to stay or if I finally got to leave.

"Well, as I said before," She began again, looking at me with her professional smile. "You held up your end of the bargain - so we shall uphold ours. You do not start at Ouran until the fall, so that gives us plenty of time to put you with a family and get you situated with the school as well. Someone will be here in a few days to pick you up and take you to your new home. I'll start making the arrangements as soon as I get back to the office."

The caseworker stood up with that same professional smile, somehow triggering me to stand up as well. She extended her hand to me and I gently but firmly shook it, a smile coming to my face. It was just starting to hit me that, in just a few short weeks, I was going to go to the school that I always dreamed of going to and that I would be able to leave the place that I hated the most. I had won this battle. But now I had another problem, I would have several new battles to face once I got to Ouran Academy. Battles that would take place on a regular schedule every two semesters - just so that I could stay. What did the letter say that I had to do? I had to continue to do well academically, of course. I mean, come on, that one was a given. But I also had to show my interest in the school. I'm not going to have time to study the school, its history, or anything like that while studying daily coursework, but maybe I could do some volunteer work. Or - maybe I'll join a club?