*eyes bugged out* The first chapter is here. I'll let you get to your reading. *starts singing "hey mama welcome to the sixties" hum*
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Sakura walked up to the school. It was so grand it reminded her of what she pictured a Scottish castle to look like. She giggled. Suddenly, it seemed, luck was on her side. They had given her money for tune ups on any instruments she had (she only had a keyboard, and they didn't need tuning, so she used the money to by a flute, a guitar, and a cello) money for new clothes, (around 500, which she'd used to buy 7 outfits from hot gothic and saved the rest) and money for cab or bus fair. She also managed to use some of the money to buy herself new music books she'd been dying to buy.
When she first met Ms. Tsunade, she thanked her and walked away, but mostly to get out of that dreadful school. Even now she could hardly believe that any of this was real. I mean honestly, who gives away thousands of dollars just so they can send some girl, whom they hardly knew for five minutes, to a snotty rich kid school. Not that she wasn't thankful of course, but there had to be some catch. Things like this just didn't happen in real life. Especially not to people like her. No, something just didn't seem right. She was still expecting a large camera crew to jump out of the bushes somewhere and yell 'YOU'VE BEEN PUNKED!' In the end, Sakura agreed to let herself believe that she was just having a wonderful dream, and that she'd enjoy it while it lasted.
She stood in front of the main office building awestruck. She needed to go inside and get her room number and keys but it was just so…beautiful.
She sat her bags down, pushed to the side of the steps, and walked around. The campus was absolutely breath taking. There was a gigantic water fountain sprouting shimmering, iridescent rainbow sprinkles down to a grassy circle that sat in front of the main office building. Other facilities entitled; music, science, math, dance, gym, ECT, fanned out across the land that blackthorn owned. There was a stable and a horse track area, towards the back, and picnic area to. After the facilities ended, the school was surrounded by thick forest. It was as big as a collage campus, excluding the dorms, but it was isolated from the rest of society. With a sigh, she picked up her bags and walked in side the.
Sakura found herself staring at a brunette lady, with short hair, who seemed to be around 30, seated behind a black ebony desk. A name plate stood out and Sakura inspected it to find her name. 'Shizune' Sakura thought, 'she must be a secretary or something.' She walked up to the desk.
"Hello" she said softly, "My name is Sakura Haruno. I..."
"The new transfer student?" To which Sakura nodded. The lady smiled. "We've been expecting you. Ms. Tsunade arranged for a student to take you to your room and show you around the school. Here are your keys and an information guide to help you out. In the back of that book, there will be a blank page for you to fill out on your course work. Turned it in by Friday and we will have you in your new classes on Monday." Sakura accepted the items and fumbled around until she could carry them with out dropping any of her bags. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the lady pick up a black phone and dial a number. A few minutes later she spoke again.
"Ma'am, please take a seat." Shizune gestured to one of the many chairs that lined the wall. "Mr. Nara with be with you in a moment."
Sakura sat down and took a deep breath. She knew the whole process of getting everything situated would be difficult, and surprisingly, the blackthorn administration had been taking care of the heavy duty paper work, but still things were stressing her out. She thought back to the limo ride that day…
Flashback
"Ms. I really thank you for getting me out of school and all but you really can't be serious about me going to this… Blackthorn did you say? I mean I know I'm smart and all, but why would you possible want me?" Sakura question her skeptically.
The blond haired woman smiled. "I have my reasons." Sakura scratched her arm.
"But I mean even if I have a scholarship I couldn't afford for the extra stuff. Clothes, instruments, books, I don't know if you know this ma'am but I'm pretty much broke." She stated worriedly.
Again she smiled." You needn't worry about any of that. We are providing you with a free ride. Everything you could possible think of has, or will be taken care of. "She glanced out the window calmly. " Right or left?"
"Left." Sakura watched as the driver took the route sakura was so familiar with to her home. She looked down at her hands.
"And what about my mother?" She whispered so softly, she almost thought the woman hadn't heard. A couple of minutes passed and Tsunade replied.
"Did you know, I sought you out? I saw your test scores, higher than some of the student s at my own school, most actually. I've been watching out for you for quite sometime now and well," She paused. "You worry about your mother, though she does not worry for you… I have already spoken to her about all of this; it's your choice Sakura. Stay here… Or be free."
End of flashback
"Sakura." Said a rough, lazy voice breaking her out of her daydream. She looked up to a boy of about her age.
"You must be Mr. Nara. Please to meet you." Sakura stood up and held out her hand to shake. He looked at it, but did not take it.
"Hn. Call me Shikamaru. What is your room number?" She handed him the paper. 'Room 315'
"Right then. Follow me." He started walking away, not stopping to make sure that she was following. She grabbed her stuff and followed him out of the building.
Xx
"It should be obvious where everything is. Every building or area has a clear cut sign. When you get your schedule, it will tell you where that class takes place. Each building will have a small office in the front, restrooms in the back, and maps and or flyers on a bulletin board in the front." Shikamaru looked back at her to make sure she was paying attention. She was. "You see there," he said pointing to the dinning hall, "either in the guide Shizune gave you or on your schedule, will be a list of when they are serving food and when they are not. Some buildings are open all day, but close by 5:00 or so. Some will stay open till midnight. Be forewarned though, there are no curfews for the students here, but none of the buildings stay open 24/7. "
'He doesn't really "tour" much does he…?' Sakura thought. He had been walking her around the campus but not once had they stopped so she could get a look inside. It was ok though. She'd see it when she saw it. They came around back to the front where the fountain was and he stopped walking, and faced her.
"Any questions." He said, though he really didn't seem to be asking.
"One. You said there was no curfew, right? Does that mean when we are not in class we can explore the forest?" she said quizzingly.
He raised an eyebrow looking at her like she was from outer space. "There are no rules defining limits on where you can go." Sakura nodded.
"Ok so on to the dorms then." He turned to the dirt road that was the only escape to the outside world and started to walk across. Sakura seemed confused but followed him anyway. They got to the other side which appeared to be just more thick forest, and he started walking slower along the path of the trees. Not to long afterwards he came to a stop between two trees and waited for Sakura to catch up.
"The dorms are the only part of the school that's not clearly marked. It's not particularly hard to find if you know what you're looking for but strangers would never know how to get there. These two trees mark the opening to a path, which does widen after a while, that will lead you to the dorms." He waited for her nod, and then headed inside.
He was right, after a while of walking through grand oak and other such trees, the path widen enough for her to walk alongside him. She glanced back at one point and noticed that, while she could see the clear cut path in front of her, she could not make out a path behind. After a good ten minutes of walking, they arrived at a huge clearing. In the middle of which, stood a large, black, five story mansion, that made you think you had materialized into a story book.
"Welcome to the Rosebush." Sakura stood there in awe. Almost dropping her bags on the ground. It was amazing how well hidden it was, and yet it was so…big.
"…Wow?" She said softly, not sure what else to say. Shikamaru chuckled at that.
"The bottom flour has a kitchen, laundry room, entertainment center, dance studio, art studio, and music studio. Floors 2 though 5 are where the dorm rooms are. Every floor has a public bathroom, and if you need anything else, my room is 419. Right now though, I have to get back to class. Catch you later, Sakura." He turned around and walked back down the path to the school.
"WAIT!" she called after him. He stopped walking. "How do I get in?"
He turned around and pulled out his room keys, jingling them in the air. "Notice there are too keys." He turned back around and continued walking.
Xx
Sakura just stood there for a little bit. She decided, before she'd go in, she'd make sure she had everything. Her keyboard was in its case strapped to her back, the new flute she'd bought was in its case, inside her rolling suitcase, the guitar was also strapped to her back, the cello rested in its case, which she had in her hand. The small amount of close and books that she owned were stuffed inside her suitcase along with her flute and her itouch was tucked safely into her jeans pocket. She re adjusted the cases on her back and walked to the door.
Fumbling with her keys, she finally got the door opened, and stepped inside. Unsurprisingly the interior was stunning. It was classic and modern with out boasting that it was a place for rich kids to live.
'I want to explore, but I should probably go to my room first and put my stuff away.' She thought. 'Let's see…' she sat her cello and suitcase down for a moment and walked around the center, living room, but couldn't find an elevator door. She walked through the kitchen and through some halls but couldn't find anything of the sort. She looked down another hall and saw a door marked "Ground".
'Finally' she thought. She opened the door expecting it to be a room with an elevator, only to find…stairs. Sakura glared. 'Really though? Really?' she couldn't believe it. She spent 20 more minutes looking for an elevator which she never found. Finally she gave up and retrieved her things from the front door. She got back to the stair case of doom, glaring at it again.
'They freaking spent a million dollars on a fountain, and yet they can't spring for an elevator?'
Xx
Sakura stood in front of a door marked 315 completely exhausted. She'd had to climb 3 flights of stairs to get here. T.H.R.E.E. She opened her room with her key, closed the door behind her, turned on the light, and looked around. The walls were painted blood red, with a black front door and bathroom door, and black lining both the bottom and top of the walls. In one corner there was a white desk, holding a laptop, and lamp. Both of which were black. In the center of the room, yet pressed against the wall, was a white canopy bed with black and red themed sheets, and a matching rose comforter.
A big window adorned her wall facing out into the forest, with black drapes, and across from the corner where the desk was, along the opposite wall from the bed, was a wide black plasma screen TV, with a white, wooden frame. Underlining the TV was a black cherry wood dresser, and next to the bed on one side was a white side table, on the other side stood a black tall, stand-alone lamp. The carpet was black.
She walked into the bathroom. The walls were white, but the sinks, and the toilet, and the bathtub/shower were black marble. Inside a white cabinet she found big, fluffy, red and black towels. She walked back out into the main part of her room. It was wonderful. Everything was absolutely wonderful. She sat down on her bed.
'If this is a dream, I hope I land myself in a coma."
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Suddenly you are in a dark, murky tunnel. You cringe, for it stinks, and you think you have just stepped in bat poo. you dont want to touch the slimmy walls, but you have no choice, it seems to be the only way out. You slowly feel your way along the slime when THERE! a bright light has come to great you. You hear a shout "NO JINNY! DONT GO TOWARDS THE LIGHT!"
To escape the tunnel without going into the light, Click the review button.
