Bzzzt.
I sighed and slowly cracked open my eyes and I was immediately greeted by the blinding glow emitted from my phone. Squinting, I peered and began to read what appeared on the handheld device.
22:32. Two messages from "Angie the Angel". One message from "Diva Queen". One missed call from "Angie the Angel & Diva Queen".
Even though I kipped for three hours, my body still felt sluggish and heavy, mainly due to the fatigue of this afternoon's training. Taking in a deep breath, I rolled to the edge of the burgundy king sized bed and flipped on my lamp. The rather quick transition of brightness of my surrounding delivered a sharp pain to my head, but I felt it fade just as fast as it came.
While stretching my back, I took a glance around my room. The same messy hardwood executive desk was covered with old notebooks and notes. I never bothered with it; I know where most of my things are. Along the walls were posters of different inspiration quotes and photos of adorable dogs that stare back at me. My lips curled into a small smile as the warm welcoming sensation of familiarity washes over me. Despite being in this huge mansion for most of my life and still feeling entirely out of place, the personal touch helps coax my mind into relaxing.
I tapped in my code and unlocked my phone. The two red notification badges sitting on the message app beckons me to tap it, which I obliged.
"Are you still asleep lol" 22:14
"Hana and I are going to chat, would you like to join?" 21:48
"yoo, pick up and join us, loser 3" 22:31
Clearing my throat once, I dialed the group and placed the phone to my ear.
"…the professor sucks, my classes suck, everything sucks. I swear." A high-pitched voice with an Asian undertone finished. No doubt it was Hana. I closed my eyes and shook my head, stifling my laughter. There's a reason why we all call her the diva queen, she always has sass and something to complain about. Although it gets repetitive at times, it never ceases to amuse me.
"Hello?" Angie. Rats. My ever so silent giggles betrayed me gave my presence away.
"Cheers for waking me up. Sorry I couldn't save you from Hana's nonstop complaints." I uttered jokingly. My throat was still coarse and sandy.
"Wait a second, I was just talking about my day." Hana interjected defensively. By her voice alone, I could already imagine the pout forming on her face.
Angela and I snickered with delight.
"Aww, Lena, don't be so rude to our queen. She's having a rough day. You, on the other hand, still sound like you're half dead." Angela deflected lightheartedly, still giggling in between words.
"I'm downright knackered. Coach made us run nonstop. And I was kidding, Hana. I'm guessing you're not enjoying your classes either." Instinctively, I began massaging my calf using my free hand.
"You can say that again, but for you, Morrison, you're lucky. You get to be buddies with the new cool girl. Soon enough you won't need us anymore," Hana stated with a hint of jealousy.
I unconsciously flinched at the surname and tightened my grip. Even though it's been more than half my life living under the alias of Lena Morrison, I always felt uncomfortable when someone called me that. No one knew my actual surname. It's Oxton, and it'll always be Oxton. I breathed in and retrained my thoughts onto the diva queen that was speaking.
The Korean girl sighed and delicately whispered, "I just don't want this year to be boring for me."
"Aw, come on Hana, don't be so dramatic. You two are my closest mates. Probably my only mates, but still. We've been through everything together. I could never walk away from you guys." I tried to sound as encouraging and caring as I could, but speaking over the phone, it is never easy to convey our real feelings. Hana and Angela were always there with me and vice versa; there was no way I could leave them behind. We were practically an inseparable trio. They meant absolutely the world to me. I don't see anyone that could come in between us as a group.
I shifted my attention to a key word that sent red flags sprawling across my mind.
"And what did you mean by 'buddies'?"
On the other end, the recognizable German voice answered enthusiastically.
"Relax, Hana, the semester just started. You'll have lots of fun. Besides, Lena won't forget about us, won't she?" Her attempt in reassuring Hana was well received, as we heard a soft sigh of a mix between acceptance and approval.
"And for the 'buddy' thing Hana talked about…well, it isn't confirmed as of yet, but if you look at it from a logical standpoint, wouldn't Ferox want the two students of powerful families to collaborate? They'd have a talking point amongst all the other academy in their board meetings."
Good point. I always admired Angela for her rational thinking.
"Yeah, you might be right, but I wouldn't necessarily hope for that. I wouldn't want to draw attention to myself. Plus, I don't really care about this new girl." I said wistfully. Despite telling myself that I didn't care for this Mortem girl, I still pondered about this mysterious student. I felt the cold rush of anxiety regarding what would actually happen if we were to meet. Would we become friends? Would she ask about the Morrison's business? Would she see through my lack of knowledge regarding such knowledge?
"Awww, is our Tracer, the track queen, jelly of someone taking her title of being the only elite?" Hana chirped mockingly. To the untrained ear, it'd appear that she was condescending, but after dealing with years of her antics, this was just friendly banter. "Come on, Lena, everyone knows about your background. You're literally THE center of attention. People admire you! You're cool, cheery, and everyone is always wondering about you."
Judging me, you mean? No one knows everything about me. Not even you two. I'm not an elite. I felt a frown form on my lips and chest grew heavier. I knew that Hana meant it as a joke, but it crossed the line slightly. I felt my insecurities hammering away at my brain and heart, sending knots down to my stomach and quivers into my hands.
"Hana, don't say that!" The older girl scolded in low, harsh tone. "Lena can make her own decisions and if that's what she would like, so be it."
"It's alright, Angie. Hana is just taking the piss out of me. I guess we'll see if your theory is correct tomorrow." I murmured softly, trying my best to keep my voice from wavering. I forced myself to laugh in an attempt to keep the mood lighthearted. They bought it as I heard Hana chuckle as a response.
A series of soft knocking pierced the quiet of the night. I already knew whom it was standing behind the door to my room. I quickly put on a façade of happiness and cheerfulness.
"Hey, I gotta go for now. I'll see you two at school tomorrow, yeah? Good night. Sleep well, Angie. Don't stay up too late gaming now, diva." I said quickly. As I moved my thumb towards the red "hang up" button, I could hear them saying their farewells and good nights. Just as I placed my phone down onto the nightstand, the door swung open and the gentle glimmer of the chandelier flowed inwards.
"Hey, kid." A deep and coarse, but well-defined voice called out for me. I looked up to see a towering silhouette taking strides towards my bed. The strong scent of aftershave and hard liquor slammed against my nose, filling me with disgust.
"Mr. Morrison! I haven't seen you in ages. You look just as old as I could remember!" I laughingly joked. The built man grunted and gave me a quick nod.
"Old but still looking as young as ever. How was class?"
"You know, the usual. Nothing really special, just another semester." I lied. Eh, if he hears about this new girl, he'll start digging into it. I'd rather not; it'll just be tedious. I tilted my head slightly to the side to avoid breathing in anymore of the noxious fumes. I felt him place his hand on my shoulder and he gave it a firm and assertive squeeze. My lips curled into a small upward curve, as my body sensed a feeling of reassurance course through it.
From the glow of my lamp, the scars and wrinkles of the grizzled man were emphasized, allowing his age and experiences to be known without having a word spoken. There was an unmistakably deep scar that ran along his face, naturally giving him a constantly menacing facial expression. I never dared to ask where and how he got the cut. Although he was the man who took me in and cared for me since I became an orphan as a child, he still struck fear in me no matter what. Not only that, but he fed and looked out for me. He was the one who gave me the life I have today, a life that I'm entirely thankful for. Treading on personal matters like that should just be left unsaid entirely out of respect.
"Any trouble at school? Any issues you need me to help with before I leave for the States?" He questioned earnestly. He looked briefly at me and began to readjust the golden cufflinks that already sat neatly his suit. No doubt it was tailored and made from the finest materials.
I held my breath, fearing to take in the scent again. I opened my mouth to say no, but a thought popped into my mind. There was one question that was lounging in the back of my consciousness that I had always wanted the answer to, but never had the chance to ask. It was a fear of mine and I knew it resonated closely with Mr. Morrison himself. Due to him being almost always away on business trips, it's rare to ever speak to him in person about such matters.
"Not exactly a problem," I mentioned while scratching the back of my head, "but more of a question."
"Shoot, kid."
"Well, what if someone finds out that I'm not really a Morrison?" The man glanced up momentarily and then continued along with the task he had on hand. If he was surprised, he made sure it didn't show.
"Still not used to it, huh? Does someone know?" He inquired cautiously, picking which words he wanted to use. He raised his eyebrow, but he appeared to be entirely focused on his links. I shook my head.
"No, not that I know of. But what if?" I asked persistently. I felt my fingers tapping anxiously along the mattress. I needed to know. What would be the plan then?
"Until that time comes, we'll deal with it, kid. Don't think too much of it, it's just going to stress yourself out. I was careful and made sure that no one would figure it out. Besides, you know this is the only way I could provide and protect you, otherwise they would've taken you away from me." He answered without missing a beat, almost as if he had rehearsed it. He must've had the same thoughts too. He looked up and nodded solemnly. I understood what he meant.
"You're right, sir. Sorry, it was just my thoughts that got the best of me and I feared for the worst." I apologized, feeling my face warm up. I didn't mean to question his actions. What he has done for me was in my best interests. The scarred man knelt down and locked eyes with me.
"You'll always be an Oxton, Lena. There's going to be a day where you can come free and cast away the shackles of being a Morrison. Today and tomorrow won't be it, but one day, when the time is right, you'll get your chance. You'll know it."
I nodded sincerely, feeling a new burning flame being rekindled within myself.
A genuine smile crept up on the man's face as he stood back up, a sight that is rare to come.
"Now, go show them what an Oxton can do."