Aurelia grew up without much love from her mother, and she never thought her real dad would ever come into her life. But then, he did. Now, she wonders if it's too late for him to rescue her from the darkness her parents left her in, or if there's s...
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Walking through the echoing halls of the school, I noticed how still everything felt. There weren't many students around—just the occasional figure in the distance, slipping quietly into a classroom. I guess we arrived a bit early.
I walked ahead, flanked by my two guards, Bernardo and Matías. Their silence was familiar, almost comforting. I kept my eyes forward until a sudden voice stopped us in our tracks.
"Ah! You must be the final members of the Ramírez family," chirped a small woman who appeared seemingly out of nowhere.
She was tiny, barely reaching Bernardo's shoulder, with sharp eyes and her hair twisted into a painfully tight bun. Her dress was elegant and conservative, reaching just to her knees, and the pearl buttons gleamed under the lights. She looked like someone who never raised her voice but still got exactly what she wanted.
"I'm Mrs. Fernsby, the school's counselor," she announced with a sugary smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'll be showing you around the school grounds in just a few minutes, but first, we'll be stopping by the principal's office to take care of the last bits of paperwork for your final transition."
She gave me a look that felt like she was sizing me up, as if trying to see past the uniform and the carefully neutral expression on my face.
"Oh, and of course, if you ever need anything—guidance, advice, someone to talk to—I'm your girl," she added, her voice lowering slightly. "You can always come to me, sweetheart."
I blinked. Something about her smile made my skin crawl. It was too wide, too rehearsed. Like she'd practiced it in the mirror and never quite got it right.
Then, her gaze shifted to my guards, and the sweetness in her voice vanished.
"Your guards can leave now," she said briskly. "They're not allowed to follow you inside the classrooms."
Before I could even open my mouth to respond, Bernardo took a step forward, his voice calm but iron-clad.
"We'll be accompanying Miss Aurelia throughout the entire meeting with the principal and the tour. If you have any concerns, we suggest you bring them up with Mr. Ramírez directly."
Mrs. Fernsby's expression changed in an instant. The color drained from her face, and her confident posture faltered just slightly. Her lips parted like she wanted to argue, but all that came out was a nervous chuckle.
"Oh—oh no, of course, that won't be an issue," she stammered, her voice suddenly several pitches higher. "Let's go, sweetie."
She spun on her heel and walked off so quickly it was almost a jog, her heels clacking against the floor like a ticking clock. I exchanged a quick glance with Bernardo. He didn't say anything, but the corner of his mouth twitched just slightly.
The meeting with the principal went by faster than I expected. Mrs. Fernsby showed me all the classrooms in a whirlwind tour that felt more like a power walk. She handed me my timetable with a tight-lipped smile and informed me that a student guide would be helping me through my first week, making sure I got to every class on time.
