Today, Tomorrow, Forever

Chapter 5: Surprise!

Heavy-looking, yet surprisingly speedy school gates opened, instantly closing behind them. 

The two sisters stopped, waiting... Elle didn't move. Neither did Aria, solely turning her head to look over her shoulder, where the gates just shut. 

"Guess what?" - said she with a concerned look. Her face suddenly took an ice-cold, still expression. 

"What?"

"They just locked out my driver!"

Elle burst out laughing. 'What a big deal!' - she blurted out. She couldn't stop giggling - tears of laughter rolled down her cheeks. She felt that she has to take off her glasses to flick them off her eyelashes. When she put them back on, a tall, tough-looking guy, dressed in uniform was standing in front of them, waiting for Elle to notice his presence. Not a single muscle on his face twitched. 

"Elle, I don't know what's so funny, but you need to get yourself together, now! This dude is waiting!" - Aria angrily tapped Elle on the shoulder.

But Elle was laughing even harder now.

"Do you notice how he just appeared from under the ground?" - she chuckled. - "Like a mushroom after a rainfall!"

"I'm not a mushroom," - suddenly said the guy. - "I'm Gino. I was told to take you to the principal's office."

Elle's face suddenly became serious. She was still finding it very comical that her sister cared about her driver being locked out, Gino - about being called a mushroom, when the only thing that really mattered was that they were finally here! But she concealed her mocking facial expression, realizing that she has no time to waste for such irrelevant jokes! It's time to explore this new place!  

"New school and we are off to see the principal already?" - said Elle - "What a joy! Let's go then!"

Without a further word, Gino turned around and started walking. The two sisters followed.

"Pipe down with the sarcasm, Elle!"

"I'm in a good mood, Aria. Let me enjoy myself."

"Save your mood for sometime later!"

And they kept walking in silence. Elle didn't want to talk back to her sister - she was now too busy with her inspection of the school grounds. 'Damn. This school really is something!' - thought she, noticing an endless field, which seemed to stretch itself out a few miles ahead of them, fully occupied by an enormous crowd of students, evenly spread over the field. 

"Here is our play zone." - commented Gino, seeing Elle's startled looks, - "We get out here in lunchtime and after school to hang out and catch up."

Elle didn't answer. Instead, Aria said:

"Wow! This place is massive!"

"You'll get used to it quickly." - answered Gino. 

All three proceeded in silence. 

"So, why are we being taken to the principal?" - asked Elle curiously, and also, to break off the quiet.

"Well," - started Gino. - "I'm not sure I can answer that, as I myself don't really know... The principal also happens to be the owner of this school, and she's only just recently joined. It's strange how she turned up here though! She kind of just came one day and bought the entire school! We've barely even seen her. She's foreign too, so no one here has never heard of her before, but apparently her husband is an international businessman... Forbes-featured... Obviously some filthy rich family not knowing how to spend their money any better." 

"I don't get your aggression." - Elle interrupted. - "Okay, they decided to buy a school, so what?"

"So what?" - Gino seemed furious. - "She came here, instantly making this place hell! She took away almost all of the student privileges the day she arrived and enforced more rules that restrict us from leaving, even on the weekends!"

"Why?"

"Who knows? Apparently, she's expecting some VIPs to join soon, so probably, there's a motive to keep them locked in here. I feel for them, whoever they are..."

The conversation broke off again. 'What a creepy lady!' - thought Elle, whilst Aria was getting more and more offended that they are not the 'VIPs' that Gino was talking about. - 'VIPs!' - she smirked, contemplating - 'This place can only dream about seeing someone more VIP than us! If only these "VIPs" are even existent! In my entire life, I haven't once met anyone, who could take this title in our presence!' - she rolled her eyes, as she kept guessing.

Having something uncommon on their minds, all three approached a big school building. 

"From here onwards, you're on your own!" - said Gino, taking a few steps back. - "Just walk through the corridor and the assistant will take care of you there."

Aria and Elle both looked over at him, suddenly snapping out of their daydreamings. They sighed and started moving away from Gino.

"See you around!" - said he, as the disappeared down the corridor. 

From the corridor, they entered into a fabulously-designed waiting room. A young-looking assistant immediately appeared in front of them.

"Elle and Aria?"

"Yes." - confirmed the sisters simultaneously.

"Let's go! She's expecting you."

All three went through the double doors into an elegant, impressionable private office. 

"The chick has taste!" - whispered Aria. -" Look around this place! It's perfect!"

But Elle wasn't paying attention. Suspicion crawled in - something was off... 'There's no way!' - thought Elle, tossing aside a thought that just occurred to her.

The private room was truly flawless. In the center stood a massive armchair, with little wheels sticking out from its bottom. It was facing away from them. 

"They're here!" - announced the assistant and stepped out of the office, closing the door behind her. 

"Finally." - said an awfully familiar icy voice, with absolute tranquility and composure. - "Took you long enough."

And with these words, the chair spun around.

Aria's jaw dropped to the floor in an unanticipated surprise. Her lips bent in what merely looked like a smile. It took her another second before she smiled properly, showing a row of her perfect white teeth.

Elle's face was grimacing in disturbed disbelief. She was enraged. 

"You have to be kidding me!"

"Welcome to your new school, ladies! It's a pleasure to see you again!"