A Firefly's Glow

Chapter Three: Part One

I had dimly awakened, but I didn’t dare open my eyes.

The strongly held memories of the blonde boy, and the sunglasses man, and the exaggeratedly long dinner table, and the Hulk that lived in the kitchen . . . I intensely hoped that all of those faint memories were just a dream.

I felt soft sheets against my cheek. I couldn’t tell if they were the thin bed sheets that lined my apartment’s mattress, or if they were the silky sheets that had covered the exaggeratedly sized bed.

I’m going to open my eyes, I silently instructed, pursing my lips together. I’m going to open my eyes in three-two—!

I instantly burst open my eyes. I glanced at my surroundings. Dark curtains surrounded my bed. The bright lights that shone from the ceiling were still flipped on. And the sheets that my cheeks were laying against were indeed silk.

I slowly sat upwards. This inferred that everything that happened the day before had indeed happened, and that I was living no dream.

A soft knock sounded at the double doors sitting further down the room.

“Hotaru-sama?” a familiar voice sounded. “Are you awake?”

“Yes,” I answered meekly, rising onto my feet. “What time is it?”

“It is approximately seven o’clock, miss.”

I dashed towards the door and yanked them open. “I’m going to be late for school!” I exclaimed, gazing at the blunt man with thick sunglasses that stood before me. “Is it alright if I’m taken to school today? I don’t know how to get there from here—“

“You won’t be attending your school today, Hotaru-sama,” Megane blankly interrupted.

I felt my heart sink and a sharp sting against the scruff of my neck. “What? Why not?”

“You’re going to be admitted into Seika Academy today,” Megane informed, standing aside and waiting for me to step outside of the room. “Hanabusa-sama has already left for school.”

I felt a discouraging sensation drench my mind as I glanced towards the ground. My hatred for the blonde boy slightly rose.

“If you’re thinking Hanabusa-sama suggested something this, I’d like to proclaim that this wasn’t his choice.”

I glanced towards Megane with my eyebrows traveling further up my forehead.

“Since we only have one driver, it would be complicated to drop you both off at different schools. And the route from here to your current school is a very long walk.” Megane informed. His mouth bent into a concerned frown. “It would be much less complicated to have you both attend the same school.”

I slowly took a step out of the room. “I understand.”

Megane swiftly snapped his fingers and one of the chauffer robot men materialized beside him. A cardboard box the size of my head was lugged in his arms.

“May I have the box?” Megane requested, holding out his arms.

“Yes, sir!” the chauffer saluted in a monotone as he hauled the box into Megane’s arms. Megane stumbled backwards as he held the box, which clearly stated that it was excessively heavy.

“Hotaru-sama!” he squeaked, stressfully holding the box towards me. A constipated expression loomed over his face. “Please—take—the—box!”

“Um, okay.” I outstretched my arms. As the box landed into my hands, I felt the box shove me towards the floor. I stumbled backwards and landed on the carpet of my bedroom floor with a loud FOMP.