Antonio came back in the afternoon with the Academy's girl uniform and an invitation to re-meet Headmaster Rome. I put the uniform on, graciously noting the decent length of my red plaid skirt. The white, long sleeved top was too long, so I rolled it up to my elbows.

Opening the infirmary door, I joined Antonio in the hall to walk through the school for the first time (at least, as far as my memories concerned). As we made our way to the Headmaster's office, I saw that there were no students in the halls. Antonio told me that it was a half an hour into 4th period.

The halls were full of spotless, plain marble flooring and perfect white walls, groups of full-body lockers here and there. This was the main building of World Academy, consisting of four floors and nearly eighty classrooms. The administration office (where we were headed to) and the infirmary were on the first floor, and the library connected to the main building on the first two floors. Every building on campus had air condition.

"Here we are, amigo," Antonio said cheerfully. We had arrived at an open office counter with a few people behind the desk. Some waved to him as we walked through the swinging employee door. Others glanced worriedly at me.

"Good morning!" greeted a woman in the narrow hall. She was wearing casual business attire and a headband to hold back her platinum blonde hair. I honestly couldn't decide what to do—smile at her soft, kind face or stare at her huge breasts.

"Buenos dias, Miss Ukraine," Antonio said.

Miss? With those knockers, I'd figured she'd at least be married!

"And Utopia! How are you doing?" Ukraine looked concerned. "I hear you've lost your memory."

I shrugged, saying, "Yeah. It's not so bad, though. Nice to meet you…again."

She giggled. "I'm sure you'll be fine. Have a nice day, you two." With that, Antonio and I walked further down the hall.

"...is she a teacher?"

"No, Senorita Ukraine works in the office. She handles all the registration and financial details."

Another detail came to me. I jokingly said, "Ha, I must be pretty popular. Those people in the office looked pretty worried."

He stopped short, almost making me crash into him. At first I thought he was teasing, but I realized that we had arrived at Headmaster Rome's door. Before he opened it, Antonio gave me a friendly grin. "Si, you were very popular with everybody, amigo. You could say you were the school's star student."

Surprised, I had nothing to say to that. He knocked and, without waiting for an answer, opened the door. I walked in without him and the door closed behind me.

"UTOPIA!" shouted the man sitting at the desk. Before I could get a good look at him, the guy leapt up from his chair and excitedly crossed the room in two seconds flat. Headmaster Rome pulled me into a great big hug, squishing my face into his broad chest.

His hands started going dangerously low. Not knowing what the hell to do, I just flailed my arms around until I finally just couldn't breathe. Crossing my fingers that my reputation would far succeed me, I brought my knee up and nailed him right where it hurt.

Rome sucked in a breath, immediately releasing me and crumpling to the ground. I gulped my oxygen back in.

"I guess I deserved that," he laughed (in pain). "So sorry, I couldn't help myself!"

"From molesting your students?" I said incredulously.

At that, Rome laughed louder. "Il mio Dio! Everyone's been very worried about you! And here you are, acting like a completely different person! Come, sit on the chair over there. We have to talk."

I took a seat. Maybe this perverted guy wasn't so bad after all?

Headmaster Rome went straight down to business. "So Antonio and I talked for a bit yesterday about your condition, and we've made a plan for you. Want to hear it?"

"Noooo," I drawled sarcastically. He waved it off.

"Tomorrow is the start of a two week Winter break," he informed me. "We thought that you should have fun and relax with your friends, and we'll see if your memory comes back. Even if it doesn't, a few days from now we're taking you to the hospital to check your head."

"I take a fall to the head on marble flooring and I'm going to the hospital nearly a week after?" I asked skeptically.

He gave a guilty laugh. "Uh…well, about that—"

"Whatever."

"No, no. I should tell you. We called a doctor from the hospital and he examined your head. He said nothing was too damaged, but scheduled an appointment for this Sunday just to check. We would've gotten an earlier day, but injuries in the Academy aren't much of a surprise so they consider other patients first."

"We have a lot of fights?"

He hesitated, but nodded. "A lot of them end up really nasty. But that's off topic! Don't give me that look, no one's gotten killed or anything like that."

"Like that's supposed to make me feel better?" I scoffed.

He gave me a long look. "You're usually not this sarcastic."

"Can you blame me?"

He reached across the desk and ruffled my hair. "Nah, you're too cute."

Glaring at him, I slapped his hand away and changed the subject. "So, I'm getting a re-tour of this school, right?"

"Yes," he said. "Actually, I just called for a student to show you around. She'll show you your dorm room and everything. Any questions before you go?"

"Yeah, just one. Are you related to Feliciano?" There were countless pictures of him and his brother(? the other boy in the pictures looked very much like Feliciano) on the desk.

"Yep," he popped the 'p'. "He's my grandson."

"Grandson? There's no way you're that old!"

He wiggled his eyebrows and flexed his muscles for me. "I know, I'm so sexy for a grandpa."

I laughed. "You know, at first, I thought you were a perverted, happy-go-lucky lecherous guy. But now you're just an old man who still tries to look hip and sexy."

Rome deflated somewhat. "What did you just say?"

I hopped up from my chair and skipped to the door, saying, "Nothing. I'll wait outside for my tour guide. Thanks, old man!"

"Old man?" I heard nothing after that because I had already closed the door.

xXx

Letting out a sigh, I exited the office (waving good-bye to adults I didn't recognize) and came out into the cool hallway. I leaned against the cold wall to wait for my tour guide, and wondered when 4th period was supposed to end.

RIIIIING!

Ah, I guess I got my answer.

The hall was suddenly alive with students running, walking, talking, skipping, racing, strolling. Boys were in royal blue blazers, blue sweaters, tan or white cotton vests with white collared shirts underneath, dark ties, and dark plaid dress pants. Girls wore outfits like mine (white collared shirt, red tie, white sweater, red plaid skirt, long socks) or red plaid dresses. Everyone wore shoes, no slippers in sight.

I vaguely heard pounding feet running down the hall.

"BLOODY HELL, ALFRED, WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!"

"SORRY IGGY!" shouted a voice. The crowd parted, and I recognized the figure flying straight for me. It was the American boy!

"Alfre—" was all I got to say before he skidded to a stop and lifted me straight into his arms—no warning. I was frozen in shock, being carried like a big baby. "Dude! What the hell?"

"Eat lunch with us!" he shouted excitedly. Then we took off flying down the hall, my body like a feather in his arms. Afraid of making him eat the ground if I struggled (it was tempting, believe me), I did nothing but prayed he wouldn't trip and make us both fall on our faces.

Day one of World Academy Boarding School. This was only the beginning.