Breakeven

Chapter 6 - Hidden Institution

Mr. Hammond, the principal, looks at me across the desk. The note left by my twin sister is glued to my hand but I'm blank on what the words mean. Confusion rushes through my head and everything is beginning to blur.

Was any of my life real before this? Why were my sister and I split? I still haven't found any answers to my questions and none of this makes sense.

"Have you seen anything like this before, Miss Albright?"

I look down towards the note, written in cursive letters - something that is rarely seen in Valor, or even on the whole planet. It's a Dirties thing. "No, nothing comes to mind. Before yesterday, I honestly never knew I had a sister. These guys came to me in the library and-"

"Yes, those would have been the two men that I sent. I ordered them to inform you of your sister's sudden presence, but I had no prior knowledge that you hadn't known Rose was alive. I do apologize for that. If I had known, I would've delivered it differently."

Wait, is he apologizing to me? The principal? Of the school?

I assumed I was coming in for punishment of something I hadn't done. Instead here I am in the principal's office hearing news that I never would've imagined possible no matter what age I would be.

He clears his throat and then speaks again. "Lily, this afternoon a hover is scheduled to come pick you up. I would like you to be nicely dressed in something elegant, yet simple."

"Um, what exactly is it for? And I can't really afford any new clothes . . ." I say as I look down at the dirty, stained clothing I have got on.

"We've given you five-thousand Captains to use for the outfit of your choice. It's been transferred directly to your Valorite bank account. You'll find it under your 'Direct Federal Deposits' section." He hands me a contact card. "And if you ever have any questions, feel free to call me by this number at any time." Mr. Hammond gives me a large smile, almost too wide for comfort.

"I have another question, Mr. Hammond."

"Go ahead."

"What is this meet for?"

Chuckling lightly, he says, "You'll find out soon, Miss Albright. For now, all you need to know is that all the information that will be delivered to you will be confidential. You can tell absolutely nobody. Can you promise me that?" He leans in close, one eyebrow raised.

"Yes, sir. I can do that."

I've been hiding things for years. From my friends, and especially from my aunt. There's very little that anyone knows about me because I tend to close everyone off. There is no point in opening up to people when they are eventually going to fade away from your life. 'If it isn't going to be important in ten years, then it's better to dismiss it.' The 'it' could be anything, from an acquaintance, to a job, a goal, a dream, a piece of clothing, an argument, or a vehicle. We are expected to make the best out of life, but how are we supposed to do that when we aren't given the freedom of choice and independency?

"Good. I'm relieved to hear that. Otherwise the end of this conversation would have been quite different, I must say."

Mr. Hammond says no other words. Instead, he merely gestures to the door for me to leave, giving me no pamphlet or folder of information that I would need for tonight's get-together, or whatever I would see him for. With only some Captains transferred to my bank account for a mere outfit, I walk through the door, into and out of the school's front office and back outside where the smell of roses just a few feet away wafts toward me.

I smile, hug the backpack tight around my shoulders and make my way to Lucci's for a second helping of breakfast.

"Ah! What brings my little ray of sunshine in this morning?"