The rumbling sound of the airplane landing drowned out the monotone voice of Dr. Walker, my father. Not that I could enjoy this blissful moment of rare silence. His words were running through my head, imprinted on my mind.
"You need to branch out, Amu. You need connections if you are going to make in anywhere in life. Lyamu Carolyn Walker, you'll be as famous as I am one day".
Never mind that I didn't want to be a doctor. Never mind the fact that I wanted to own a small mechanic shop in a quaint town and live off the money I had made, not given. That was alien to my father, who owned more than half of the businesses in Manchester. If I didn't make something out of myself, I was expected to marry someone who has. Sometimes I wished that Matt Smith would sweep me off my feet.
The hot Japanese sun beat down on my back as we slowly walked off the plane. I clutched a lacy black handbag in my hands, trying to keep it safe. Inside was my iPod, the thing I trusted most. It was my life. I had everything on it, from mechanic contacts to real estate agents. I was ready for the future.
I mindlessly followed my father as we went through the check points, my mind in another place. My ears adjusted to the foreign language, catching up to the speed and sounds, the way these people's tongues twisted and turned to form beautiful words. I listened carefully, the language like new found gold, exciting and interesting. I could understand what they were saying, but I couldn't dare to speak as breath taking amazing as they could. This is what I loved about coming to a new country. It was all so...wonderful.
I could feel my father's eyes glance back at me every once in a while, a frown pressing his lips into a thin line. It was a look that he got whenever he was thinking of a way to bend me to his will. It also challenged me, daring me to defy him, which I wasn't afraid to do. There was a hint of something else, something new and different. Something I had not seen before.
We collected our luggage in silence, neither of us looking each other in the eyes. I bought an iced coffee before we left the building and gracefully slurped up the caramel liquid on the walk to the waiting limo.
It was an extravagant mode of transportation, one I wasn't very fond of. In fact, I would have preferred to take taxi or a regular car. There was no need to show off the amount of money we had. People could tell by the way we dressed, talked, and held ourselves.
I pulled a compact out of my handbag and tried to fix myself from the bumpy flight. My black hair, which was sprinkled with teal highlights and cut just below my jaw, had a few pieces sticking up at odd ends in the back, but it was nothing that couldn't be fixed. Father watched me with familiar brown eyes, eyes that I did not own. I had inherited my mother's soft green gaze and I was thankful for that. I liked seeing my dead mother every time I looked in the mirror. It reminded me that she wasn't gone and could never be forgotten. Cancer was a nasty way to die and her having it pushed father to become the best doctor he could be. It was almost inhuman, the way he devoted himself to one thing.
He was the one who gave me my drive, my want to succeed. It was thanks to him that I had everything planned out and ready to go when I turned eighteen, just one more year. One more year and I was free to leave and do whatever I planned.
"Lyamu."
How I hated it when he called me by my full name. He had named me and it was name I had grown to hate. That name held an image of the girl he wanted me to be: Doctor Lyamu Carolyn Walker. I was not that girl. I was Amu Aoren, mechanic.
"Yes, father?"
I glanced out of the tinted window, not wanting to look at him. I wasn't sure where we were, but small hills rolled by and farmers sat outside of their cottages, taking a break from a long day's work. I spotted a small brown puppy and immediately though of BlueBell at home. This would be her walk time. I hoped that Charlie was taking good care of her.
"I have yet to tell you where you will be attending school after the end of fall break."
I forced back the frown that threatened to appear. "I did not know that we would be staying that long." oh, damn it all! I had planned on seeing A7X with Charlie next month. She was going to kill me when I called later on. And everyone else would threaten to kill me on video chat. I was looking forward to spending the rest of senior year in London.
"Yes, well, now you know. You'll be going to the famous Ouran. I'm sure you've heard of it." I nodded. It was one of the schools I considered going to until I saw the hideous girl's uniform. "A friend of mine, the Ootoris, lives close by and his son, who is your age, attends the school. His name is Kyoya. I'm sure you two will be great friends."
There was something unsaid in the air. My father never spoke without a reason. Every word held meaning, a hidden agenda. I wouldn't ask directly. As Walkers, we were known for our word games.
"I'm afraid I'll have to decline your offer, father. I dread the thought of wearing that yellow Ouran dress. Honestly, it makes me want to burn it."
"I am certain that they will allow you to wear the boy uniform if you asked...If I asked."
I crossed my right leg over my left and fought the urge to curl my nails into the leather seats. It was more than just visiting friends. Otherwise he would not have minded changing me to a different school. He was trying too hard to make me go to that school.
"Like I said, Amu, make friends, good friends. They can get you what you want."
It hit me in the pit of my stomach like a Japanese bullet train. Make good friends, huh? He wanted me to make more connections, connections in the form of Ootori Kyoya. If I did, I'd get what I wanted: support. I'd get so much farther if I had him behind me.
"Anything you want, father."
