Chapter 1 – New life, new school

'Great!' I thought, fuming as I was heading to my first class in McGuire High, my new school. 'I have a body guard…that sucks!' I had to go live with my dad because my mom had decided she doesn't want me anymore. Well, she said that she still loved me very much, but that she needed some time on her own to sort herself out. I bet it's just so she could have more time with that jerk Paul, whom she had invited over for lunch several times the last four months... He was her accountant or lawyer or something. I had opposed the whole thing of course. I didn't want things to change. Perhaps it's my fault that I've been sent to live with my dad, whom I've never met. I hated her for doing that to me. How could she? We didn't have much, but I never complained. I did reasonably well in school, even had a friend, Jessica, whom I was sad to leave behind. We promised stay in touch with e-mails and viber. I didn't do drugs or anything. A perfect teenager! What more did she want?!

I was picked up at the airport the day before by a man called Sam. I had to wait for two hours and it was already dark when he finally came. He said that my father could unfortunately not meet me. Apparently he had a lot to do.

"Yeah, whatever. I'm not welcome here either…" I thought.

I was surprised when we arrived at the place that would be my home for a while, well, until I get sent to some faraway boarding school in the hopes that I'd mysteriously disappear or something. The gardens outside was well taken care of. The lawns were neatly cut and green. The house was a mansion that was built with some kind of dark stone.

All my things, which fitted into a suitcase, were taken to my room. I was given something to eat in a dining room almost as big as mom's whole apartment. My room was three times the size of the one I had. Apart from its size it was nothing extravagant. It had a double bed, mirror table, desk, bookcase, built-in closet. All well-made wooden furniture and stone floors. The walls were painted beige. Thank goodness for that! I secretly had this fear that my dad might think it would be fitting to have it painted bright pink. I would have died right on the spot. I had my own little bathroom too…cool. There was one window, which had a stunning view over a part of the garden. There was a swimming pool. (There was an indoor one too, which I only later discovered). There was a tennis court and a rose garden that contained 465 rose bushes. This I later learned from the gardener, Henry.

"Wow, this place is actually nice", I thought, "I wonder how long it will be before I get posted again?"

I had hoped I would meet my 'dad' before I had to go through the torture of being a newbie at McGuire high and everything, but Sam told me he unfortunately couldn't see me. I was getting annoyed. This is where things started to get really weird. I was driven to school, at 7:45 pm. I had been ready and waiting the whole freaking day! Sam wasn't the talkative type, so I didn't get any straight answers from him. Perhaps it's like evening classes or something?

The school grounds were teaming with life. The school itself looked like something out of Harry Potter. I almost expected wizards to come flying pass me on broomsticks… It had lots of towers and huge oak trees lined the drive-way to the school. Some students rushed through the gates to get to class when the bell rang at 8:00 pm. I was still gaping at what I was seeing and questioning my own sanity when I realized I wasn't going to just be dropped off at the gate like a lot of the other kids. Instead Sam parked and got out with me.

"O, gosh! Don't tell me he's going to walk me to class like some over-anxious parent?" I thought.

"I can take it from here," I said casually, grabbing my bag from the back-seat. Sam just smiled slightly, ignoring my 'hint'. He was following me as I walked to the building where I hoped to find the reception, so I could get my schedule. Two huge flags hung outside with the school's emblem and something written in Latin.

"Why are you following me?" I asked Sam before entering the building.

"It is your father's wish that I accompany you when you leave the house, Miss Monforte."

I stared at him.

"What, seriously? No! Everyone will think I'm some kind of snobbish freak!" I almost yelled hysterically.

Sam sighed.

"I know this is not what you would like, but please don't make this more difficult for the both of us as it is. I will keep a discreet distance of course."

"Thanks," I muttered under my breath and faced the receptionist. She was scary in some way. I had somehow pictured her to be an old-ish lady with a bun and glasses. This lady was quite young…she had blonde hair and green eyes. Her eyes…they were almost unnatural. She had a very smooth, almost too calm voice as she asked me what she could do for me. She eyed Sam over my shoulder as I asked for my schedule. She handed it to me and I shuddered under her gaze. She looked at me like I was something good enough to eat…perhaps she's a lesbian? I had to keep myself from grinning…

First class Math. Great…

Math was not one of my strongest subjects. I hoped that the teacher would take it easy on me. I didn't want more attention on me than being the new snobbish freak…with a bodyguard.

"I thought you said you were going to keep your distance!" I whispered to Sam as he walked into class with me as if he was just another student. Not that he looked like a student. He had the whole secret-agent thing going. He was wearing a black suit and his short black hair was gelled flat. He even had the thing that goes into the ear, not that I ever heard or saw him listening or talking into it.

"I am not to let you out of my sight, Miss Monforte," he replied matter-of-factly and then made himself comfortable in a chair in the back corner of the class. The teacher, Mrs Pausini, didn't appear surprised. She simply waved me to a seat in the second row, then started explaining something about algebra. I looked around, to see what book they were in and on what page.

"The blue cover, page 153," a girl whispered to me. She was sitting behind me.

"Thanks," I whispered back.

Math class wasn't too bad. The teacher had asked me a question once, but luckily I knew the answer. The girl who helped me was Lily Burns, a lovely girl. A bit pale, with dark brown hair and blue eyes. A little on the chubby side. Beautiful smile. Dressed a bit strangely, would be classified as a geek in my old school. I felt we would be good friends from the start. She was so down to earth. She offered to help me with math when I complained about it being so difficult and I said that I would appreciate it.

As we were walking to our next class, Lily leaned closer to me.

"Is that guy going to follow you everywhere?"

"Yup…my father's orders…apparently."

"He must really care about you."

I snorted, "I doubt it. He wasn't there to pick me up at the airport. As a matter of fact, I haven't even seen him before coming to school this m…evening."

"I've heard that he is an important man…" Lily said emphatically.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, Sam is always telling me that he is busy…unfortunately," I imitated his voice. Lily laughed.

"I can see why he sent you with a bodyguard. You look like someone who's going to get into trouble soon enough…that's great!"

I stared at her in surprise.

"I'm not usually the one who starts it!" I objected. It wasn't my fault that the one girl in my old school fell over my suitcase. She wasn't looking where she was walking. Well, I did shove it a little in front of her…kind-of. It was her fault really. She had it coming, always picking on my friend Jessica in front of others… I'm just glad I didn't have to go back there, though. She would have made my life a living hell. I just hope Jess is okay without me.

"Yeah, whatever," Lily said. We got to the next class.

The rest of the night didn't go too bad, apart from the fact that I fell asleep in English class. It was around two in the morning, for crying out loud! Lily had accidentally 'bumped' into my desk to wake me up. Some of the other students were snickering. Luckily the teacher didn't notice, or pretended not to. How they could stay awake and study at these hours I could only marvel. None of the teachers asked why I had a man following me around. I found that Lily and I had a lot of classes together. In Biology I was assigned to Jayden Cortez as lab partner. Like Lily, he was a bit on the pale side, had shoulder length, unusual snow white hair and intense blue eyes.

They even allow long hair and heavy highlighting in this school? Cool!

I stifled another yawn. He wasn't very friendly though.

"Please don't mess up. I don't need another helpless dud as a lab partner," he hissed at me, when I took the seat next to him. He irritated me immensely.

"Luckily for you I actually like Biology," I said, glaring at him.

He lifted an eyebrow, then ignored me for the rest of the class. I could see I wasn't going to get a lot of help from my lab-partner.

"Great," I whispered to myself.

I'm already starting my new enemy collection. I couldn't but help noticing how Luna Swan was glaring at me all through Biology class. I wonder if she had been his previous lab partner? I later asked Lily about her.

"Oh, she wished she was! Bruce Holler was his previous partner. He had dropped out a week before finals last year. Jayden was pretty much upset. He had to do biology practical examinations by himself. It wasn't easy. He then worked alone, as there was no one else needing a partner…until you came along. I bet Luna is soooo jealous. She has had a crush on Jayden since he came here last year!"

"Last year? So he's also new? Well, kind-of. Seems like he's been here for years."

Lily shook her head and laughed. "You really are an outsider!"

"A what?"

"We heard that Monforte's daughter would join our school and that you are an outsider, meaning you don't know our ways."

"Your ways?" Okay, now I was really getting freaked out…

"I'll have to update you before you get stamped as a complete dimwit…where to start…"

"Hey! That's not very nice!" I protested, but I knew she didn't mean it in a mean way.

I thought being an outcast at my old school was bad. Compared to this it was a walk through Disneyland. My head was spinning, and I was soooo tired. Why did mom sent me here? Is this hell? Some institute for the mental disabled?

Please, mom, take me back! I'll never call Paul names again, not even behind your back! Or throw darts at the photo of him I had nailed behind my closet door…

"This school doesn't grade you like the regulars. It has nothing to do with your age – that would be pointless. Some had been coming here for quite a while. You progress at your own pace. Some students come here for years to perfect their methods or to learn greater discipline. You can leave whenever you feel like it."

"Really?" I asked with a small spark of hope. Perhaps I can convince dad that I'm not a complete nutcase and want to leave. Where would I go then? I realized I hadn't been listening to Lily.

"…and, seriously, you have to do something about your clothes. You look like something from a Barbie movie." I had dressed in what I thought would be 'clean' and 'acceptable' for a high class school. I presumed so, because of the mansions around here… Usually I dressed mostly in dark colours, grey being my favourite and I loved my combat boots. I wasn't really the gothic type, but most of the kids at old school didn't know the difference between dressing like a vamp wannabe or real class anyway. I got teased a lot. Suzie, the girl I had tripped once, called me bloodsucker. Not that there are vampires. Everyone knows they don't exist. I had wished then I was one so that I could scare her silly.

Now I was wearing a simple light grey pencil skirt and white blouse. Mom had insisted I take it with. I never wore it before. She had bought it for me when I turned 16, trying to lure me into the ways of being a lady. I chucked it in the back of my closet. That was where it stayed until I packed to come here. I was surprised that the moths didn't chew it up or mice made their home in it. Shows, even they have better taste.

"Yeah…" I sighed," you're right. I didn't know you guys actually dress normal around here. I figured with all the luxurious properties around here…when in Rome do as the Romans do. Thanks for the tips, by the way."

"No problem. I like you, Holly. I'll try my best to help you fit in at no time."

My mind wandered back to what Lily was saying about Luna having a crush on Jayden.

"So that brings my enemy count to two."

"What?"

"Jayden and Luna. They both seem to hate my guts. He ignored me through the whole Biology class and she was trying to beam me out the window with her glare."

Lily giggled. "You are so funny!" Just then Jayden and two others boys walked pass. He just glanced in our direction for a moment, then looked away. Lily, seeing him, burst out laughing loudly now. I stared at the lockers on the opposite wall, trying hard to keep a straight face.

"This is going to be the most fun year ever!"

Dad was busy, as usual, so I didn't see him when I got home that morning, just after 2 am. It was kind-of suiting me. Perhaps he'd be so busy, that he'd forget about me and not think about sending me away. I really liked Lily. I thought she and I could actually be real friends, like Jessica and I. I just couldn't figure out the weird school hours, though. I was too tired to think much about it. I went to bed and fell asleep.