Tower of Thorns

Chapter 3

Mila's POV

The next morning I woke up and actually felt well-rested. I looked around the ugly pink room and made a mental list of what I would change starting with the pink walls. I walked over to my closet and pulled on a red lace dress that had a small black belt. The sleeves went to my elbows and the dress ended above my knees. I grabbed a black shawl and threw it on. For my shoes, I put on a pair of black strappy heels. I also threw on the necklace mother gave me. I looked at the little desk area to find a black backpack and a note.

'Here are your school supplies and a backpack. I hope you like the single room. Ben'

I grabbed my bag and walked down to breakfast. After a quick breakfast, I headed to my first class. It was Remedial Goodness 101. I sat in the back of the library and waited for the teacher to show up. Fairy Godmother showed up and encouraged me to move up to the front. I sat three rows back from her and then the others showed up. Mal and Evie sat together in the front row. Carlos and Jay sat together on the other side of the aisle.

Fairy Godmother started teaching, "If someone hands you a crying baby, do you, A, curse it? B, lock it in a tower? C, give it a bottle? Or D, carve out its heart?" Evie was the only one who raised their hand. "Evie."

"What was the second one?"

"Oh, okay. Anyone else? Mila?"

"C give it a bottle," I answered.

"Correct. Again."

"Dang, you are on fire girl," Carlos said looking back at me.

Mal scoffed, "She's just picking the one that doesn't sound like any fun."

Carlos, Evie, and Jay all nodded and said oh. Like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Fairy Godmother shook her head slightly. "No, I'm not. I picked it because it is how you soothe a baby when it is hungry."

A girl with dark brown hair and a light blue dress scurried down through the rows of tables and up to Fairy Godmother. "Oh. Hello, dear one," Fairy Godmother said.

"Hi. You need to sign off on early dismissal for the coronation," the girl said.

"Everyone here remembers my daughter, Jane?"

"Mom, no!"

"It's okay. Jane, this is everyone."

"Hi. That's okay, don't mind me. As you were." Jane let out a small squeak and scurried out of the room.

Fairy Godmother continued the lesson and I tuned them out. Carlos and Jay both competed to answer. She then encouraged the boys to try something called Tourney. The rest of the class passed in a similar fashion. Carlos and Jay competing to get the most correct answers, Evie occasionally putting in one or two, and Mal and I ignoring them. Fairy Godmother released us after a loud bell sounded throughout the room. I gathered up my stuff and looked at my schedule to see that I had a fifteen-minute break.

I decided to take the scenic route to my next class and passed by a giant field. I walked closer to the field to see boys in blue and yellow practicing some weird game. I assume the object was to get the small ball into the opponent's net. I watched as Jay crushed every person in his way despite the fact that some of them were on his team. The coach blew his whistle and I looked at the nearest clock to find that I was late for class.

"You're late," the teacher said as I entered her classroom.

"I apologize. I got distracted," I responded while taking my seat in the back of the classroom.

"Please be sure that it doesn't happen again, Miss... Who are you?"

"Mila. Mila Gothel."

Several students gasp and a look of fear passed the teacher's eyes. She quickly composed herself before continuing her lesson. We were instructed to draw the view from our window. She was giving us all of this class and all of the next class to work on the assignment. She dismissed us to get started but I stayed put. I used my pencil to sketch the heights of the shacks on the Isle from the window in the tower. The bell rang once more and I put away my materials before walking to my locker.

"Hey," a familiar voice said scaring me.

I jumped before placing a hand over my racing heart. I looked to my right to find Ben leaning against the locker next to mine. "Don't scare me like that," I said.

"Sorry. So how was your first day?"

"Different. I think I underestimated how scary everything was going to be. It isn't the people it's the environment. I never imagined feeling safe outside of the tower."

"Why is that?"

"Why is what?"

"Why is it that you don't feel safe outside the tower?"

"I... um-I-"

"Hey, you don't have to talk about it. Just let me know if there is anything I can do."

He started to walk away but I reached out and touched his arm. "There is something you can do. I've been hearing this thing called Tourney and I have no idea what it is."

"I'd be happy to explain it to you."