Supernova

Chapter Four - Stronghold Family Values

My dad eventually called. I finished out the last few weeks of my tour, said emotionless and forgetful goodbyes to the other guards that I'd been working with the past few months, and flew back to my campus in Italy to pack up what little possessions I'd had in my dorm room. Everything I owned in the entire world fit into two suitcases, one of which was entirely training attire. I was still feeling irritated and duped as the rented car drove me to the airport to board the Strongholds' private plane, but less so. I hadn't been talking to Momo very much since I'd transferred to this school, and we only flew out for the one day during the sports festival. I was excited to see her. Amy, my least favourite of our employed staff members, was there to greet me at the airport. As if the day couldn't have gotten any worse.

"Princess Stronghold," she greeted me before moving to the trunk to retrieve my bags.

"Shove it up your ass, Amy." I told her, slamming the door and walking off towards the plane. "Scuff my bags and you die."

"Always a pleasure to see you," she called after me.

It may seem a little harsh, but I swear, she's the only staff member that I treat like this. And it's not because I'm a spoiled brat, either. As I always do, I have my own reasons for disliking her.

Amy's being there should have perhaps tipped me off, but when I boarded the plane, finding my father aboard took me off guard. As I mentioned before, we've done this transferring-schools song and dance three times before, and every single time, he'd been entirely uninvolved in the process outside of a few phone calls and throwing money and our last name around.

"You weren't giving Amy trouble, were you?" My father asked, already knowing the answer.

"Of course not," I told him sweetly. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I've decided to take a sabbatical from my post on the council," he told me. I tried to keep my breathing normal, but I had no idea what my face looked like. "And join you in Japan while you study."

"Why?" I found myself asking, more harshly than I intended. He gave me a look that demanded I compose myself, so I took a deep breath. "Is that wise? You're an integral aspect of the council's functioning."

"Spending time with my daughter is more important right now," he said. I didn't like that. I hated everything that he meant by it. "They'll manage."

"Greetings, Princess," I then heard, coming from the doorway that led to the back room of the aircraft. Instantly, my mood shifted. "Long time, no see."

"Jojo!" I screamed, rushing over to the back of the plane.

I told you that I wasn't rude to all of our staff members. Jojo had been with us the least amount of time, but we got along the best. He was only a few years older than me. Had he not been on my father's payroll, I would have certainly considered him a friend. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he both allowed it and returned the hug, giving me playful and loud smacks on the back as he did. Because he tended to keep my spirits up, my father permitted Jojo to treat me more casually than the other staff, and looked the other way when we got up to mischief together.

"You're here too?" I asked, as we stood in the doorway, no longer hugging, but clutching each others' forearms.

"It's a full house, honey," he told me, leaning to the side a little, allowing me to look into the rest of the dimly lit back room.

"Princess Stronghold," Wendy greeted me, only slightly louder than a whisper, as she gave me a nod.

I instantly regretted screaming. Wendy's soft purple eyes on her tanned face had more wrinkles around them than they had when I'd last seen her. I liked her very much, but I tended to avoid her, as a result of her responsibilities within the Stronghold household. She was manning her post, even now, as she was collecting my mother's black hair to tie into a bun at the nape of her neck. As usual, my mother had no reaction to this. She was simply looking off into the wall, completely oblivious to her surroundings.