Copper Feather

12

After dinner, Ari, Ella, and Evie walked back to their cottage. "So that's why we got the legacy cottage." Said Ari, as she hung her blazer by the door. "You're the legacy." Evie nodded. "So where are you two from?" Ella looked down, pulling off her shoes. "I'm originally from China, but I was adopted to America." Evie nodded. "Okay." Evie did the same, placing them by the door. "I'm from India." Said Ari. Evie nodded. "I'm from... long story. I'll make hot cocoa, you two want to go grab a bean bag chair upstairs?" The two girls nodded, looking slightly confused. Evie walked into the kitchen and grabbed three mugs. A minute later, she walked upstairs, balancing the cups of hot liquid carefully. Ella and Ari were conversing in Spanish, laughing about a potato tree? Evie shook her head. She set down the cocoa, then sat down on another bean bag. Ari grabbed one of the cups, then carefully sipped from the scalding mug. Ella did too.

"So... you've heard of the Avengers, right?" Ella and Ari nodded. "Black Widow, who was a legacy here, is my mom." Ella blinked. "Okay." Evie opened her mouth, then closed it again, confused. "You're not going to ask questions?" Ari nodded. "Oh, sure, we have plenty. But in this world, we understand the clearance level thing. We get it, you wouldn't be able to answer all of our questions anyway." Evie nodded. "True." A beep resounded around the room. "Ladies lights out is in ten minutes." Another beep signaled the end of the message. "We'll need our sleep. Tomorrow we have Horseback first." Said Ella, who had clearly already memorized her schedule.

Evie walked upstairs, changed into her pajamas, then climbed into bed. "Hey, Rachel?" the lamp on Evie's beside table lit up. A small projection of Rachel popped up. "FaceTime Peter, please." A screen popped up with Evie's face in the corner, a loading symbol in the middle of the screen. A few seconds later the symbol disappeared, leaving Peter's face in its place. "Hey, Evie!" Evie put her finger up to her lips, and Peter looked apologetic. "Hey, Peter." Peter looked longingly. "I know, Peter. I miss you, too. Tomorrow we have horseback lessons. Those will be interesting. My roommates are really nice. They seem to understand most of my life is confidential." Peter nodded. "That's good. Well, get some sleep, Evie. We can talk tomorrow." Evie nodded. "Goodnight, Peter." The boy smiled. "Night, Evie. I love you." Evie grinned. "I love you, too." Peter hung up, and for a moment his smiling face hung in the air. It faded, leaving the room dark. Evie pulled the covers up to her chin, then fell asleep, Peter's smiling face laughing in her dreams.

***

Evie woke up at 5:30 exactly, changed into the provided uniform athletics clothes, then went on her morning run. The school had a mile path around the forest's edge, which Evie ran 5 times before 6:30. At 6:30, she returned to Cabin 46, showered, and read her schedule. Ari and Ella had just begun stirring when Evie walked downstairs, already dressed in her riding uniform.

Ella had recently showered, and was in her riding clothes, too, but Ari had barely brushed her teeth. "Ari, come on. We need to go to breakfast," said Ella. Evie noted the two other girls already seemed to be friends. Ari turned and ran towards her bedroom, then emerged a few minutes later, her uniform surprisingly unwrinkled. They were allowed to have their hair back in a simple ponytail. Evie, had, of course, pulled hers back in the standard dutch braid. Ella had opted instead for the ponytail, and so had Ari.

"To breakfast?" asked Ella. "To breakfast!" replied Evie and Ari at the same time, making them giggle. Ella rolled her eyes. "What do I do with you?" They just giggled more. Their giggles died by the time they reached the front doors, from which girls of all ages and houses were flowing in and out of. The doors to the stables were flung wide open, and groundskeepers were feeding the horses. Evie walked into the hall, then looked around. She hadn't been given a house, so where did she sit? A staff member noticed her looking around, then walked over. "Bonjour, Mademoiselle Romanoff." she pointed to the sign on the wall that said French, France. Evie blinked. "Bonjour," replied Evie. The agent went on in beautiful French, explaining that Evie would sit at the staff table. "Oui, d'accord." Evie walked up to the table, then sat down. A woman who worked at the school brought by a menu. Evie selected what she wanted, then began to eat.