My Lily Pad| V. Tewkesbury

03

[III] Same Room as Sally's

"Glad to see you join us for another year, Miss Hasting." Miss Harrison said, greeting the little girl. "I hope you're ready for extra lessons."

"What extra lessons?" She questioned. "I'm not aware of that thing you're talking about."

"You're mother enrolled you to our Homemaker Enrichment Program." She said.

It only given Lily a motivation to run away. She just faked a smile to the old lady in front of her.

"Of course, how could I forget?" She said, faking it.

"Well, you better get sorted in your room." Ms. Harrison stated. "Well, go on, get moving."

Lily discreetly rolled her eyes before picking her luggages up from the floor. She went to her old room. The moment she opened it, she was greeted with a loud shriek of excitement. There, Sally stood with a wide smile and arms open.

Lily quickly took a step out the room to check the door number and compare it to the key that she have. Room 17. Though luck.

"I begged daddy to talk to Ms. Harrison and have us as roommates. Isn't that exciting!" She informed her, beaming happily. Sally walked towards Lily with her arms open, ready to attack her with a hug. "We will be much more closer! Oh! This term will be so great!" She exclaimed.

Lily let out a forced giggle. "Can't wait." She said, trying to match Sally's energy but failing completely.

Sally finally pulled away from the hug, still smiling widely. "I'll let you settle down, me and Victoria will be in the garden."

Lily just smiled. She watched the girl exits the room. She let out a sigh. She put her suitcase on her bed,opening it and grabbing a piece of parchment. With a pen she started writing, trying to disguise her handwriting.

Dear Leo

Where should I begin?

After writing a sentence, she stopped. Lily felt she's stuck in something complicated. Well, she couldn't believe it. After months of planning her greatest escape, she felt perplexed for the first time. The plan is perfect, it would take you years to find a flaw. Lily is doubting herself, her ability.

She lit up a candle. Carefully, she burnt the paper, watching it turned into ashes. While burning the paper, she took a glimpse outside her window.

Girls are all scattered everywhere, gossiping and showing off their new dresses. Lily opened her window, sitting down on the windowsill. She saw a ladder on the side, an idea quickly sparked.

—

A day after, the clock finally hits midnight. Lily opened her eyes, waiting before getting out of the bed. Having Sally as a roommate stops her from doing her plans.

She looked across the room. Sally is in deep sleep. Carefully, Lily lift the sheets. She quickly put her brother's coat on. She opened the window quietly, not wanting to wake the nosy girl sleeping. Taking her suitcase and dropping it in the grass below her, it made a sound, but not loud enough for someone asleep to hear it.

She grabbed the ladders that's resting beside her window. She started going down as quickly as she can.

Once she's on the ground, she started walking towards the little exit in the garden. She quicken her pace until she was running. The wind is hitting her face, her hair is just free.

She was free. Finally!

When the school is finally out of her sight. She started walking towards the train station. She stopped midway, she went behind the big trees. She opened her trunk, she started dressing up. She quickly put on her Leo's clothes when he was only a lad. She put her hair up, hiding her locks under a hat.

She closes her trunk and started walking. Fixing her collar and making her pace faster.

—

The view of the train station is finally visible. The sun is still rising. It is only seven in the morning, but there's already a lot of people inside, waiting for their train ride.

Lily gave the conductor her ticket. He stamped approval over the piece of paper. He then gave it back to her.z She gladly toom it.

"Thank you." She said in her best attempt of a masculine voice. She sounds like a little lad. The man just looked at her blankly. She blinks and took the chance to walk away.

She waits for her train to come. She grabbed her journal and a pencil. She decided to draw and write a couple of quotes. Lily saw a lad, who looks to have a high position. He was carrying a bag and looking around as if someone is running after him.

The train finally arrived. Lily looked down at her journal before closing it and shoving it inside her trunk. Collecting her stuffs she entered the train. Lily started looking for an empty carriage. She entered one.

Putting her trunk in the seat, she looks around the tiny space. She notices the bag on the shelf above her head. She tried to ignore it, maybe someone left it.

A lad then entered the carriage. Lily looked at him, is this how she looks like?

"Would you mind sharing this carriage?" The lad said, clutching in his trunk tightly.

Lily just nodded before going back to her book. They're now surrounded with awkward silent.

Suddenly, the bag on the shelf started shuffling. A knife poked through the fabric and started moving, making a hole big enough for a hand to fit. The bag then fell on the floor, resulting a big thud.

A boy suddenly emerged from the bag. The two undercover ladies are in shocked. A boy is in their private space the whole time. Lily didn't plan this part of her journey.

"What are you?" She suddenly asked, not knowing what to do nor say. He just looked at her funny. "I mean, what are you doing here?" She exclaimed.

"Shh!" He shushed her, pointing a finger out. "I'm in hiding." He said while he unzips the bag himself.

The other passenger also looked at him weirdly.

"Please get out of this carriage." She said to the boy laying on the floor.