What Is Your Name?

Chapter 3: Boarding School (Sky)

"I'm afraid the room is rather small," Lord Grantham confided. It was the first bed I had seen in years.

"It's perfect," Lillian breathed. I wondered if she could even remember having ever slept in a bed at all.

"I'll leave you to unpack," the headmaster said, exiting the room.

Lillian and I burst out laughing. Unpack? Unpack what?

"Will they be serving meals here?" Lillian asked me.

"I think so, Lillian, but I can't promise we'll be accepted right away. Grantham will have to tell the students some reason they accepted someone your age, and he might just tell the truth." I prayed I was wrong. The student body of LGSFA had no idea what I'd do to them if they hurt my niece. I was scared of what I'd do.

"Well, they'd be missing out if they refuse to be friends with us. Where did you put the guitar?"

I sighed. "I put it under my bed. Let's go see if they're serving dinner yet."

Lillian grinned. "Do you think they'll have fresh fruit? Particularly strawberries?"

I threw the first pillow I had owned in twelve years at her and said, "Let's go find out."

The cafeteria was loud... until Lillian and I entered the room. Then you could hear a pin drop. People stared. They always stared, and I always found comfort in the fact that I'd probably never see them again. That was no more. I put my hand on Lillian's shoulder and guided her to the produce bar.

"There you go, Lil. All the strawberries you can eat," I whispered.

Lillian giggled. "Thanks, Sky."

Lillian and I sat at a small table with four other people; three girls and a boy. Two of the girls immediately got up and left. The third girl eyed us suspiciously. The boy smiled.

"Hi, I'm Grey. Welcome to the cafeteria," he greeted us.

Lillian smiled back. "Is it always hotter than the sun in here?"

Grey laughed, a real laugh. Like he totally didn't care that we were related to Eli. And maybe he didn't. "Only in the summer. In the winter it's so cold that penguins migrate here to find bigger icebergs."

"Cool. I've always wanted to meet a penguin. I'm Lillian, and this is Sky."

"We know," the other girl at the table interrupted, scowling. I glared back. She cared. If she said one word to Lillian I'd kill her.

"Chill, Tempest, Lillian's never even met the man," Grey scolded.

"If you're talking about my father, I have met him. I was just a baby and don't remember him, or my mother, or my grandparents. I only remember my brother."

"I thought this kid was your uncle," Tempest hissed at Lillian.

"I am," I replied. "But I believe her when she says she remembers her brother. It's kind of hard to forget someone literally attached to you, even if you were a baby."

Lillian touched her faint scar under her long red hair and sighed. Then she smiled right at Tempest. "Oh, and I'm glad you took an interest in Sky here. He needs a good woman."

"WHAT?!" Tempest and I screeched.

"So... the people here are nice," Lillian deadpanned back in our room.

"Yeah, I need their company the way I need another limp," I grunted. I was referring to my limp, of course. I may have survived the fire, but most of my left leg didn't.

"Sky?"

"Yes?"

"How often does my dad attack the school?"

"I don't know. If he tries anything I'll-"

"Sky!"

"WHAT?"

"You know I'd never go with him."