Ch 19

.o0o.

*FLASHBACK: Two Years Ago…*

I stood at the train deck. I had my suitcase in my hands, my cat stuffed animal in my arms. I wore a simple greyed out flower-patterned dress with black trim.

My dad was kneeling, straightening out my dress.

"Now, chin up," he said, tucking his finger underneath my chin, tilting my head up. "Everything is going to be okay."

I looked down, keeping my head up but my eyes avoided him. I nodded slowly.

"It won't be for long," Dad said again. "Just until we get these people that are after us. You know that, right?"

I nodded again, sucking up my tears.

"Hey." he said gently, tracing my left eyebrow, "Look at me."

I did. Reluctantly.

Very reluctantly.

This was one of the rare moments where he seemed to be expressing something. He looked apologetic, but was trying to be optimistic.

"I'm only trying to do what's best for you," he said, putting my hair behind my ear. "I do love you, and I would never abandon you. I am doing this for you."

I nodded again, wiping my eyes.

"I'll call you, Sami. Okay? Keep your phone on you. And..."

"And if I get the chance, to text you every night," I finished for him.

He nodded. "Right. Be polite to your grandmother and Uncle...do good in your studies...I'll keep tabs on you, I promise."

I nodded again, wiping the tears unceremoniously on my sleeve before they fell, sniffing bravely.

He cracked a smile at me. "My good girl…" He hugged me. "I love you so much, Samiko. I swear I'll come back to you."

I hugged him tightly, smelling his scent again. I would never forget it. And I made sure I would never forget it.

"Never forget who you are, Sami." He said, " You are strong, and brave and smart. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise. You got it? If I hear you've been letting someone tell you who you are, you know what's gonna happen."

I nodded. I would be in for it, then they would be in for it. It's never happened so far, but I certainly did not want to risk it. I knew how my dad could get when he was mad. I did not want to be in the crossfire when that happened.

The train whistled. That was my cue.

Dad squeezed me tighter, kissing my temple and letting me go. He turned me around by my shoulders and pushed my back, ushering me toward the train.

"Don't be late," was all he said.

I didn't look back as I boarded the train, walking quickly and wiping my tears.

I gave the man my ticket and he told me where to sit. Just before I stepped inside, I heard faintly three simple words.

"I love you!"

I sat in my seat and looked at my dad, standing there, his hands in his pockets watching the train go.

I tried to look ahead and keep him out of my mind, but my eyes were still drawn to the platform he was on.

"I love you too."

.o0o.

About three hours later and seventeen chapters into the first book of the series I had brought along with me, my stop was coming up.

Packing my things, I anxiously waited for the train to stop. Fortunately, the train ride was quiet, no one wanted to sit by me or talk to me. So I got an entire seat to myself.

I packed my books back in the bag and pulled out my phone, re-reading the texts between my aunt and myself.

3 days ago:

Aila (4:04 PM):

So i'll come and pick you up at platform 7's exit, k?

Samiko (4:04 PM):

Ok. is uncle Milo or Na-Chan coming with you?

Aila (4:04 PM):

Nope, just me :)

See you tomorrow at 5! 3

Samiko (4:04 PM):

Ok :)

Platform 7's exit. I was on Platform 9. It was two platforms down--I would be fine.

Yeah. I'd be fine.

The train stopped with a whine, and I stood only after the all-clear was given.

I left the train, thanking the conductor and heading toward platform 7's exit.

There she was. My aunt was looking for me over the crowd of people, and I ran to her.

"Aunt Aila!"

She found me, and her eyes lit up in a huge smile plastered on her face. She ran to me, although her white heels kind of stopped her from doing so.

I smiled in return, hugging her tightly.

"It's so good to see you again, Samiko," she said nicely, "I missed you a lot!"

"I missed you too, Aila-Chan," I said quietly.

She looked at me, her tan skin evened out and toned to perfection. She was always very naturally beautiful, but she knew that she had a thing for makeup, but she knew how to do it perfectly--where it didn't look like too much while bringing out her features.

What did she do for a living? Well, she is a fashion designer and part-time model. Na-Chan was very wealthy, so it made sense that Aila-Chan would dress nicely all the time. Even now.

She wore four-inch black heels with a black pantsuit with a white Gucci belt, with a complimentary white jean jacket over it with yellow accents and sunglasses. Simple, modest, professional, and stylish. She was always like that. She liked to make a statement with her fashion, but not a big one. Sweet and subtle.

Just like how my mother was.

She stood up and held my hand--with her heels she was no taller than 170 cm even still, so it wasn't a problem.

There was a limo waiting for us by the exit and my mood dropped. It finally sunk in where I would be staying for the next while.

And, of course, Na-Chan would want me to arrive prestigiously. In a limo.

I sighed discreetly and smiled at the driver who helped me in.

This would be a long time coming.

.o0o.

The drive wasn't too long, but it took me a moment to remember the building we approached. I haven't been here in so long...I almost forgot what it looked like.

I saw Na-Chan and Uncle Milo waiting outside, with two other young women in what looked like maids' uniforms.

Na-Chan was stiff and proper, looking down her nose as the car drove up. Uncle Milo didn't look any better.

I took a deep breath in and out, and the driver opened the door. Aila slipped out, then I did.

With rehearsed perfection, I bowed to Na-Chan.

"Thank you for letting me reside with you during these times," I said kindly, "Both my father and I appreciate it greatly."

"Hm…" She grumbled. "Although you hardly cared to consider our schedules. The arms we had to twist to get you here...Hah!"

I stood, keeping my eyes low as I bowed again to my Uncle.

"It is good to see you again."

He huffed.

I felt a pang. I heard stories from my mom when she was still alive that she and Uncle Milo were really close. What happened between them that was so bad--that he would refuse to look her in the eye during visits--that I would be estranged from my own family?

Was it me? Was it my fault that my mom was disowned?

None of it really made a ton of sense to me. But...I guess that's how it was.

"Rise."

I stood up straight.

She waved her hand. "Yuki, take her things up to her room, show her where it is."

"M-mother, I can do that for her," Aila said with a kind chuckle, "It's really--"

"Silence!"

Aila stood back and hung her head.

Na-Chan said nothing more. She turned her back and walked inside, Milo following her.

One of the maids--who I assumed was Yuki--took my small bag and gestured for me to follow her.

The house was big. It was like any stereotypical mansion. The house was filled with dark colors--navy blues trimmed in greys, the chandeliers a shiny gold.

The stairs spitaled up, a solid grey and white trim, and I grabbed onto mahogany rails next to me.

The maid didn't say a word to me as we walked upstairs. I just followed her.

She opened a door on the right side of the second floor, and gestured for me to enter.

I set my stuffed cat on my bed, sitting down on the plush mattress.

Yuki started opening my things and putting them into various different drawers.

"Wh--Uh, you really don't need to do that, I can do that myself later--"

She gave me a look that cut me off. It wasn't mean, but it was matter of fact and kind of, 'what are you talking about?'

"Madam requires your things to be put where she deems them to go," she said simply, "It's no trouble at all, Miss."

I let out a quiet sigh as she returned to work.

This was gonna be a loooong time coming.

.o0o.

Na-Chan set some ground rules for me that day.

One: Do not disturb her when she is working. Do not disturb Uncle Milo when he is working--he does not like children. (She said that as if I didn't know that.)

Two (I'll include all the no's in one): No running, no shouting, no being obnoxious. No stomping. No interrupting, no back talking, no mumbling. No sneaking out, no pranking anyone,

But I already knew all of those.

And one more 'no:' No dying. Just because they paid for my medical bills didn't mean they wanted to any more than they had to.

Three: No internet from 8:00 A.M. to 7:30 P.M. I would get access from then until 9:30 to do what I wanted/needed to do, under complete supervision from either Milo or Na-Chan. If they didn't approve of it, then I would have my privileges taken from me.

Internet also included my phone.

The catch? Bedtime was at 8:30, unless stated otherwise.

Four: Should there be an emergency, do not go get anyone from the family--get one of the maids. They are trained to handle things such as these.

And five: Do not, under any circumstances, bring up my dead mother to anyone in this household. Utter her name, and I would be sorely punished.

That wasn't the last of it, but it was the most important.

I was to address Na-Chan as Ma'am or Madam, Milo as Sir. She did not mention Aila. She was hiring someone to help me with my studies as well as learn what it meant to be a lady of her (Na-Chan's) blood.

I was exponentially more nervous now than I was before.

She told me to wash up and go straight to bed. I would be woken up by Yuki. She was my new servant. Apparently.

So I did.

.o0o.

Things seemed to go well for the first three weeks. I was able to weasel in my phone past 8:30 to text my dad at night, but I was never able to call because they might hear me. It wasn't even that big of a deal. I would only tell him about my day, say "Goodnight. I love you." Then go to sleep. One night, Aila caught me when she wanted to say goodnight. I was fearful that she would turn me in, but she only smiled and closed the door again.

My tutor was kind of mean, and made me talk funny, but I followed her and Na-Chan's rules. Dad said not to cause trouble for her, so I didn't. I tried especially hard to please her.

It was when Uncle Milo somehow found out that I was sneaking my phone in at nights that things got bad.

It was during my lesson. I was trying to pronounce something in French.

The door slammed open, and I saw my Uncle Milo stalking towards me. I looked him dead in the eye. My head was slapped to the side, and a stinging pain warmed my cheek.

It took me a moment to realize that he had backhanded me. My hand gingerly traced my cheek where he hit me.

"How dare you disobey Mother in our own house!!" he bellowed. "You insolent, ungrateful, rebellious little wench! You have no right to decide what you think is right, especially after we have taken you into our home! You--you terrible--"

He went on and on. The tutor just stood there, looking down her nose at nothing.

I had nothing to say. I had disobeyed her rules, and there was no excuse or reason for me to do so, except that I just wanted to. Was it that bad? If it was, I wouldn't do it again. Just tell me.

After more screaming from him, he dragged me out of the room by my ear, throwing me to the ground in front of my Na-Chan.

She stood at the window looking out at it.

I couldn't bring myself to look up at her.

"I thought I made myself very clear, Child," she said gently. I stiffened. She was never gentle. Not in the way she was now.

"We were doing well…" she sighed. "I suppose that all good things must come to an end." She looked at me.

"I told you," she walked towards me, "to follow my rules. Simple, practical. There was nothing wrong with them, were there?"

I rapidly shook my head.

"Then why must you disobey me!" She shouted.

I had nothing to say. So I stayed on my knees before her.

"I was so kind to you, to let you stay in my home while your father goes on his Villain hunt and neglects his responsibilities to you, and this is how you repay me!"

"My father did this to protect me!" I looked up at her, breaking yet another rule by shouting at her. "It was never my choice to be here!"

"I thought your father was smart enough to raise his daughter to at least respect authority," she spat.

I realized my mistake and hung my head again.

"Mother," I heard Aila's voice but didn't dare move. "She misses her father. Your rules prevent her from speaking to him, she had no choice but to--"

I flinched when I heard a slapping sound and a gasp.

"Keep your mouth shut," she spat to her daughter.

And that was the beginning of hell.

.o0o.

I went to my room without supper. My phone was confiscated. I was told to go to bed at 7:30.

When I woke up that morning, I was given a small piece of toast and water for breakfast, then immediately sent to my lessons. I didn't get lunch, and I had a small dinner before I went to bed at 7:00.

That's how it went for a long while.

Milo had me doing extra chores, going through and changing sheets and doing laundry and kitchen work with Yuki and her friends. And I still had my lessons to do. I was always so tired.

Sometimes, Aila would sneak in food for me after I went to bed. Milo didn't find out until about the second month I was there. I could hear Aila begging him for forgiveness. I prayed he was only hitting her.

I found out the next day that he only was. Aila told me that Na-Chan did not allow sex in her household. Which would probably make sense.

Things were strict. Very strict. I was more tired with the less food, so of course my studies would become more difficult. My tutor would start hitting me when I didn't get something right.

Milo would watch my every step when he wasn't busy. His standards rose unfairly and would insult me whenever I did something 'wrong.' sometimes he would hit me. Sometimes it was Na-Chan that watched me.

Thankfully, my Dad and I still stayed in contact. He would call Aila's phone and I would talk with him on the phone for five or ten minutes a week that way. I tried to tell him to come and get me, get me out of this place and take me with him. Villains be damned.

He refused. He said that they were still on the rise and he was still in lots of danger. There was lots of activity still and I would be caught up in the middle of it if I came back. He wasn't willing to risk it.

Six months. I endured--I survived--six months of this. There was nothing I could do. Nothing that Aila could do. Dad said that things were dying down, and that in a few months, things would be good enough to come back, but right now, he didn't want to risk it. He didn't want to risk the possibility of me getting hurt. Not by villains. Not again.

That night, I cried. I missed my Dad, I missed Princess and Sleepy, I missed my bed, I missed Hizashi and Nemi...And I still couldn't go home.

.o0o.

I was in my room, laying on my back and staring blankly at the ceiling. I heard my door creak open. I flinched.

"Sami-Chan." It was Aila-Chan. "Are you awake?" she whispered.

"Yeah," I said, sitting up.

She looked down the hall then quietly shut the door behind her. She sat on the bed next to me.

"I have a train ticket for you," she told me in a whisper. "All the way to Musutafu. I called U.A. and told them to have someone there to pick you up at platform 5 at noon. The train leaves at five in the morning."

I nodded.

"Let's get you packed. We leave early."

I jumped out of bed and grabbed my old suitcase and started packing. Aila-Chan helped me.

When we were done, I slept in the clothes I was going to wear on the train.

.o0o.

In the morning, Aila woke me up and we snuck out the back door. We walked out and away from the driveway and the house where a Taxi was waiting for us.Yuki was there, helping us out. I hugged her before we left.

It was still dark outside. I was very tired, but very ready to go and get out. Thank God that Aila knew and was willing to risk...a lot for me.

We got to the train station at 4:56 A.M. We ran to my platform and before I was about to board, she stopped me.

"Samiko-Chan!"

I looked at her.

"You are a very very brave young girl. I greatly admire you and everything you've been through. I love you so much, and I'm so sorry that I couldn't protect you like your mother could."

She pulled me in for a hug. I hugged her back and she kissed my temple.

"Now get onto that train and go home."

I smiled at her and grabbed my things, giving the conductor my ticket.

"I'll call you!" I yelled to her, running to find a seat before they left.

I waved at her and smiled as the train shot away.

.o0o.

*FLASHBACK END*