I. DESTINATION

Her name is Alexa.

She is in her room and she woke up just before the alarm. Staring blankly at the ceiling, she is feeling it again, as if she is lying on the beach sand and the water surrounds her entire body.

She rise up and sit in her bed, remembering something. She covers her face with both hands and is about to cry when the alarm rings. 'Sorry', she mumbles as she wipes a tear that had escaped.

Just then, her mother comes knocking loudly on her door. "Alexa, come down here now. Your father is waiting for you, wanted to tell you something important." She makes a strange emphasis on the word 'important'.

Alexa didn't answer. She didn't have to; it doesn't matter.

She quickly fixes her bed and combs her long, straight hair then go downstairs. Her father is reading the morning newspaper with a cup of coffee on the table in the living room.

"Good morn - "

"Alexa," her father cuts her off. "Remember everything I told you yesterday, always. I will be watching your every move from now on. Don't tarnish my name."

Her mother watches them with a scornful expression and folded arms.

Alexa lowers her head. "Yes, Dad. I will. I promise."

It was never the same since that incident two years ago. The happy family was gone. It was all buried in her memories.

••••

They call her Lynn.

And she lives in a huge mansion on top of a hill. She has a huge family, too. Three small sisters, one baby boy and another baby coming soon. Twenty-one housekeepers, five chefs, three gardeners, one butler and lots of security personnel that can't be counted. Lynn is simply a daughter of a well-known elite businessman and a famous fashion icon in their area. She is financially blessed.

But as people always say, money can't bring happiness.

There is something Lynn wants and the good thing is, she is going to have it now.

She flashes her wide smile in the full-length mirror as she checks her long ponytail and some baby hairs on her face. 'Today is the day!' she keeps saying to herself as she dances and sings with her reflection.

When the strong gust of wind invades her room and almost swept her on her feet. "What the - !"

One glass window hangs open. And Lynn's eyes follow to the sound of giggles at the door. "Brats!"

Her two younger sisters, aged ten and five are there poking fun at her.

"Leave me alone, you too!"

Her sisters laugh at each other. One of them, the older one, suddenly asks her, "Is it true you're gonna get married after school with that guy?"

"WHAT?! No way! That's not going to happen!"

They left and Lynn closes the window. She is not going to allow anybody tell her what to do, this time. She wants freedom above anything else.

••••

She is Katie to everyone.

She loves gardening as much as her mother. They have roses and orchids in their frontyard and potted plants in the backyard they tend together. She hates leaving them for a boarding school but she has no choice. They move to a new house a few days ago because of her father's job that's why Katie has to change school, too.

But more than her roses and plants, she misses her friends from her previous school.

"I'm so sorry about this, honey." Her mom strokes her braided blonde hair in the front porch while she waits the school bus. "We know it's really hard for you."

"It's okay, mom." Katie smiles warmly. "Don't worry about it, I'm fine."

Deep in her heart, she knows she isn't. It's one of the most uncomfortable feeling she ever felt in her lifetime.

But Katie is one understanding daughter. And a bright student, too.

"Oh, thanks, God, I remember!" Her mother exclaims as she goes inside and retrieves something in a drawer. She gives it to Katie.

Her eyes widened in amazement. It is an old photograph. A little boy and a girl posing for a picture underneath a tree. Her mother tells her she found it in the attic while she's arranging things there.

Katie smiles as she reminisce those childhood days with this little boy. "Thanks, Mom. I've been looking at this actually. I thought I've lost it."

She wanted to know how the boy is doing right now and wanted to reunite with him somehow. They had been best friends.

Then the reality strikes again, interrupting her thoughts of him. She is going to a boarding school. Everything is going to be new for her. New school, new people, new environment. And how this kind of changes unsettles her. She wished she was more prepared.

••••

Here comes Risa.

She takes one last look in her room before locking it up. She heard her aunt's voice outside their house calling her name.

"I'm coming!" She almost jumps as she rushes on her foot, her auburn shoulder-length hair bounces behind.

Her aunt and cousin, Jake, were on the door waiting for her.

"I told you to wake up a little early." Her aunt's smug face flashes before her. She is a plump woman in forties and loves wearing floral dresses.

Risa fixes her thick fringes then grips the shoulder straps of the large backpack she is carrying. "I'm ready, Aunt Tara," she says with a proud smirk.

"I know you are, obviously. But you made the school bus wait for you."

"For three minutes already...and counting." Her cousin Jake chimes in.

"Oh, please don't be too hard on me, Auntie." Risa responds.

"No, YOU should always take care of yourself, Risa. You are lucky you won't have an aunt to watch over you this time." She says with a tone that irritates the girl. She then sighs and look at her niece with worried eyes, "Please, Risa...don't get yourself in trouble again like last time."

Risa understands her aunts words and concern. As much as she doesn't want too, the news get to her beloved aunt in no time. She stares at the sky and found the sun rising at its might behind the clouds.

"Auntie, I cannot promise you I won't get in trouble again. You know me all your life. But just this one thing, I promise I will always, always make sure not to get hurt. I will take care of myself better."

She hugs her aunt. "I will miss you, Risa." Her aunt shed a tear.

Risa fist bump with her cousin. "Take care, bro." Twelve year old Jake says.

"You, too, bro. Take care of Auntie."

With a strong determination to leave the area and transfer to a boarding school, Risa steps inside the school bus with her bags and belongings.

As soon as she walks in, she instantly notices two girls looking at her suspiciously and whispering at each other.

'Oh, well.. What a bad start.'

And another girl stare at her in horror. She recognizes Risa.

'This ain't good.'

Risa finds an empty seat beside a girl whose full attention was outside the window.

"Hi." Risa greets her seatmate.

There is no response from the long-haired girl beside the window.

Risa can clearly see that she isn't the approachable type. She shrugs it off and instead makes herself comfortable in her seat.

A few minutes since the bus drive away, Risa feels the girl made a quick sideway glance at her. Risa only hopes this girl doesn't recognize her.

In fact, she hopes she will find a friend in her new school. All she really wants is be forgotten from her previous school and just start a new journey in her life that's why she transferred. And because Risa believes she is a strong and independent woman, she hopes that everything will turn out fine.

••••

Alexa finds it a little weird that she finds herself seating beside a girl she read in a newspaper some weeks ago. She finds it more surprising that this girl has a pretty face and you won't see any signs that she was sort of, rebellious.

But she doesn't have to mind. Alexa is not into making 'friends' while studying there, especially not this girl called Risa.

She doesn't want to get in trouble.

••••

Katie can't stop thinking about her new journey while inside the bus. But once in a while, her worries somehow disappear every time she hears the jolly girl behind her seat singing with her earphones. A while ago, this girl was also happily greeting and introducing herself as Lynn to anyone who meets her eyes. Like she was so excited with everything.

"Oh, my.. riding in a bus feels good! Do you agree?"

Katie hears Lynn talking beside her seatmate. 'She is so friendly.' She wonders if she will see her again after this.

The school is an hour and a half ride from the city. It is a secluded institution situated in the heart of a deep forest. Why it was constructed in such a place, she heard nobody knows. Except the School Directors.

The thing that Katie only knew was the school produced exceptional graduates for the last twelve years because of strict rules and regulation and unique education system that separates them from other boarding school.

The road gets steeper and the trees surrounding it grows thicker and taller, as Katie can see through the bus window. They arrive in the destination and surprisingly, she never feel as nervous as before. The huge gate opens and the fountain in front of the entrance of the school building welcome them.