My Guardian Angel

Chapter One

"Hey, rise and shine." The blinds snapped open, filling the room with bright light. I hissed, squirming deeper under my blankets, until they were roughly yanked off by my 'favourite' staff member ever, Silvia Carpenter.

"Hey, Landyce. Up and at her. You're going to have a new roommate today, so you need to clean up this place." I scanned around my spotless white room, then back at Silvia, an eyebrow raised.

"You know what I mean. Now get up." The door slammed shut. I stood up, grimacing as the cold floor met my feet. I really needed to get a carpet or something beside my bed. On my way to the bathroom that was attached to my room, I stopped by my tiny dresser to pick out my clothes for the day.

The staff members only allowed us four colours; blue, black, white and grey, with any kind of hair products and shoes.  Once a month, the entire orphanage-there were only about twenty of us-was taken to the mall located about a block away. We were each given thirty dollars and told to go shop for clothes. Come to think of it, that day wasn't far off. Yeah, we had a really well-funded orphanage. Rich families donated everyday. Really big amounts.

I picked out my favourite pair of ripped blue skinny jeans, long sleeved black shirt, and white high tops, which I brought to the bathroom with me.

I got dressed slowly; soon I would no longer have this room to myself, and I wanted to savour the aloneness as long as I could.  My look was finished as soon as I swept my long curls into a fishtail braid over my right shoulder.
***
Breakfast was the same as usual: watery oatmeal and a glass of extra pulpy orange juice. We had a lot of money, so I didn't understand why we couldn't have better food. As soon as I got my tray, I started walking to my usual table. The one in the far corner of the cafeteria. Suddenly, I was pulled aside. My breakfast tray clattered to the floor.

"Zack, if this is you again..." I trailed off, noticing who had grabbed my elbow. "What do you want Silvia?"

"Landyce, it's time to meet your new roommate."

"Do I not get to eat first?" I complained.

Silvia glared at me, roughly pulling me along by my elbow, until we came to a door that nobody was allowed to enter. The office of the headmistress; Arista Holiday.

Silvia knocked sharply on the door, which creaked open immediately. She shoved me inside, then closed the door.

Lights flickered on, bringing into focus the cream colored walls and the lime green wall-to-wall carpet. Headmistress Holiday sat behind a large oaken desk; typing away at a computer keyboard with her manicured fingernails. Her long bleach-blond hair was swept up into a tight bun, with two wisps hanging down by her face.

"Hello, Ms. Landyce." Headmistress Holiday turned to face me, with the fake smile that was ever-present on her face. "I trust that Officer Carpenter told you why you are here."

I met her cold dark eyes with my challenging green ones, and plastered a fake smile of my own on my face.

"I'm getting a roommate." I said chirpily. "When will I get to meet her?"

Headmistress Holiday smirked, "Oh Landyce. You'll never get to meet her, because your roommate... is a boy."