Aya was a young girl, only 16, when she was sent to the Destiny Islands to attend school there. Living alone, her new life would start.
Chapter One: Arrival
It was three days after her sixteenth birthday. She peered out of the window of the small charter plane she was in. The sun was just rising. The orange-pink of the morning sunlight contrasted the deep green silhouette of the Destiny Islands, not too far off in the distance. She gathered her carry-ons and shut her eyes. Her cat, Edward, climbed onto her lap, purring. The beautiful calico was mostly white with a smiling face, half orange and half black. They would be landing in a matter of minutes.
She felt the ground meet with the wheels of the plane when it shook her gently. Edward's head popped up and her ears perked.
"We're here, Eddie Girl." Aya said, calming the cat and patting her head. She was the only one on the plane, so no one noticed her talking to her cat. A few years back, Aya realized that Ed could understand her when she spoke, but naturally, there was never a reply.
The plane slowed down, and when it stopped, a man opened the door and helped Aya out. Holding Ed in one arm and two carry-ons in the other, she stepped down the stairs and onto the runway. Two men hurried into the plane behind her and took the rest of her bags.
"Welcome to the Destiny Islands, Miss Aya!" A short, stocky man wearing a polo and slacks approached her.
"Hello," she said, unsure of who he was or how he knew her. Her face displayed this uncertainty.
"My name is Kei Hullom. It's is such a pleasure to be meeting the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ransym! An honor, truly."
There it was again. Her father's great name. She didn't mind that she was treated so respectfully because of it, but the name also brought her great trouble at times.
Aya Ransym was the daughter of a great real state tycoon in the United States. Had she not begged to be sent away for school, she may still be suffering the horrid fate of shaking hands and smiling for photos in all the wonderful cities overseas.
"Hello, Mr. Hullom. And please, the pleasure is all mine." She smiled that oh-so-practiced smile.
The men emerged with her suitcases and loaded them onto a freshly arrived golf cart.
"If you'll please..." Hullom guided her to the back seat of the vehicle. Edward was close at her side, as usual.
Hullom shifted into the driver's seat and the two valets stood on the back, grasping the roll bars. As they pulled away from the plane, Aya relaxed and began to observe her surroundings.
All along the pleasant sandy road were lush, green palms and old boardwalks, worn and colored with age. As they passed the beach, she noticed a group of boys her age playing rugby in the sand. There were girls sunning themselves on a small island attached by a bridge. Children drew in the damp sand with sticks, and the wind swayed the trees. Peace.
They soon approached the more developed side of the islands. There were quaint little cottages, some old, some new, as well as the occasional Victorian home. As the trees became sparse, Aya viewed her new school a few meters in the distance.
With stature able to compete with the largest university campuses she'd seen, there stood Hikari High School at Destiny Islands.
She stared in awe at its size and elegance. Her gaze was broken by the slightly jolting stop of the golf cart.
"This is Hikari High School, campus of Destiny Islands. Dorms are off to the right, but your father requested you live in his villa here. Next stop, the Ransym residence. Just beyond these trees, on the beach." Hullom talked at her.
After a few more minutes of driving, they were at a cliff-top residence, apparently hers.
She was surprised at the pleasant size, none to large, yet roomy enough that she could tell her father owned it. It was white, with a wrap-around porch, complete with hammock and whicker rocking chair. The door's deep mahogany contrasted the bright white of the home. It stood on stilts with an old dinghy tied to the post beneath it.
As the valets took her things up the small staircase, she called Edward to her side and followed them up the steps. The door was opened for her, and she stepped inside.
The interior was more colorful, and wonderfully posh. The entryway was decorated with potted plants and a small chandelier hanging above the door, and the entire living room was painted in a combination of neutrals and burgundy-reds. She stepped further in to see a large television surrounded by plush sofas and armchairs, centered around a glass coffee table. The floors were wood, treated to give the home an old, traditional feel. The kitchen was attached to the living room, with black granite counters and fully-loaded appliances. The hallway off to the right of the room led to four more rooms: the master bedroom, the guest bedroom, a guest bathroom, and a small library, complete with a computer. She turned into the hallway, and the color scheme shifted from warm to cool, with greens, blues, and teals. Another much simpler chandelier lit the hall. She entered the master bedroom, with bath attached, and watched as the valets set her things down and waited for a signal of her approval.
"Wonderful, thanks so much." She said warmly. As they left the room, she handed them each a tip for their troubles, as she had been raised to do.
The bedroom was warmly colored. She was enjoying the contrast. The bed was a dark wood with tall posts at all corners. There was a deep reddish sheer canopy covering the luxurious gold bed linens. A large sliding glass door led out onto the porch, which overlooked the beach below. There was a large armoire of the same wood as the bed. Directly in front of the bed was another television, and the wood floors were covered by a dark burgundy carpet.
Aya patted the bed, and Edward readily pounced onto the fluffy comforter. She kneaded the bedding momentarily, then circling once and flopping down to sleep, purring.
"Yea, I could get used to this too." Aya smiled.
Notes- And so begins my next fic. I'll try to make sure this one isn't as rushed as the last. Anyways, R+R!! Reviews keep a writer going. Arigato and Sayonara!
-VarekaiSoleil