Be a Legend

Not Good Enough

“This is disappointing,” Father said in that calm voice that made me want to break down crying. He threw down the slip of paper, with the grades I foolishly thought were good enough, on the table.

“I’m sorry,” I said quietly, my head bowed before my entire family.

“I’m going to get you a tutor. You need one,” he said, shaking his head. “We have been working with the Ootori family lately. Their third son should suffice.” I felt my cheeks start to burn at the backhand insult to both of us.

I gathered up my courage. “Yes, father,” I said, nodding and departing from the room with the bored looks of my siblings and the uncaring look of my mother heavy on my back.

I fled to my room, but I could find no comfort there. The room was too large to soothe me. A sitting room which held a desk and several chairs led into my too-large bedroom. The bed itself was a queen, way to large for my tastes, and adorned with a black bedspread and several large white pillows. A wall of windows sat kitty-corner to that, with black floor-to ceiling curtains that were currently closed. In front of the wall sat a vast array of instruments, including a grand piano, cello, and others, in various degrees of formation. There was also a large wardrobe and bureau, complete with mirror, on one wall. A glass coffee table with two modern-style chairs and sleek couch, all of these being black or white, sat off-center in the room. The tables and most of the chairs were stacked high with books. Regardless, of this furniture, the room was still vastly unoccupied. A few paces from the bed, a set of double doors marred the sleek surface of my walls. They opened into my, once again, too-large walk-in closet. The only other set of doors was the opening to my too-large bathroom

Too-large is kind of a theme in my house.

I sighed and looked at the modern-style clock situated above my bed. “I should go to bed…” the thought trailed off inside my head. I glided to me closet and threw open the doors. A gown sat on the first hanger to the right. I wiggled out of my clothes and through that nightgown on, now coated in a soft blue color. I left the clothes on the floor and the doors open, knowing full well everything would be restored to perfection by the morning. As I climbed into bed, I though about attending Ouran the next day. I knew that the second quarter would have to be better than the first, even if the first was almost perfect.

I woke up the next morning from a night of dreamless sleep. I immediately went to the shower, knowing that being late to breakfast would not be tolerated by my father. I stood in the shower for longer than necessary, running my hands through my steaming hair and thinking. Undoubtedly I would have to meet the Ootori son today. When Father said something was going to happen, it got done soon. I rather flew out of the shower in my haste to get downstairs. I quick-dried myself as best as I could and slipped on my fake Ouran uniform. This was one of the times I was thankful that my father took little interest in my life. He hadn’t been to my school once and had no idea that I had altered the school’s yellow monstrosity. Instead of the puffy sleeves, I had opted for a regular sleeve. The bottom section of the dress was the same but didn’t puff out and hung straight, or nearly straight, down. On a whim I doubted I would pay for later, I left without family breakfast to school. They probably didn’t notice my absence.

I gratefully stepped into the cool darkness of the limo. The door closed behind me, the engine revved, and I was on my way to Ouran PrivateHigh School.

The door opened less than a minute after the limo stopped. Sometimes I wondered if I had two chauffeurs, they were so fast. I nodded to the man who stood holding the car door open.

“Miss Densetsu,” he said, “Your father instructed me to tell you to meet Master Ootori in Music Room #3 two hours after school ended. He also wanted me to convey to you that the two hours should be spent practicing piano, cello, or violin, preferably all three.”