A New World

Seraphina's Pov

 The minute my feet hit the ground outside the car, that was when I realized how terribly unfamiliar everything felt. The air in Kingdom Elmeria felt different, and I unconsciously tightened my grip on my bag's handle, feeling a knot tightened in my chest. 

 I still couldn't believe I was here, in a kingdom that was miles away from home, and it was all thanks to Gianna.

 The image of her standing in front of the mansion, looking happy and proud of herself while I was whisked away to another kingdom, was permanently burned into my memory.

 I had to give it to her though. She managed to do what I thought was impossible, which was sending me away—and she made sure I was sent very far away.

The memory of my last moments in Aldoria flashed through my mind—the sign at the airport, with its bright letters bidding farewell to those leaving the kingdom, and how it had felt like a final goodbye. 

 I'd stared at it, feeling a single tear slip down my cheek, before the guard had gently but sternly guided me into the plane. I remembered not wanting to cry and holding back my tears, but the tear had come anyway. 

 Elmeria was surely different from Aldoria. It was clearly larger, much colder, and more indifferent. It was a kingdom that felt both familiar and foreign, like a storybook place that suddenly became real. 

 I'd read about the place in history books, heard stories in school, and from my mother when she was still alive, but experiencing it was something entirely different.

 According to what I'd read about Elysium, it was a school for the daughters of the nobility, and it accepted students from every and any kingdom, as long as they were from a noble bloodline. 

To my understanding, it was nothing but a classist school, who most likely preyed on pitting young daughters of the rich and powerful against each other. And never in a million years had I imagined that I'd end up in a place like this. 

 The car door shut behind me with a thud, and I turned to look at the driver, a man whose name I hadn't bothered to learn. He nodded at me once, curt and professional, before getting back into the car and driving off without a care in the world. 

 I was alone now, standing in front of the towering gates of Elysium Girls High. According to Gianna, this was the school she hoped would mold me into someone more sociable and respectful. 

 I felt the urge to turn back, run after the car, and beg the driver to take me back home, but home wasn't really home anymore, was it? At least not with Gianna there. 

 I sighed, pushing the thoughts away as I adjusted my bag on my shoulder and took a step forward. The gates of Elysium were tall, feeling like an entrance to another world. 

 There was something eerie about this place, and the silence made me feel like I was walking into a death trap. 

 I took a deep breath and stepped through the gates. The courtyard was just as nerve-wracking as the gates, and I noticed a few students loitering around, their expressions cool and indifferent. 

 They didn't even glance my way as I walked past, and I was thankful for that. The last thing I wanted was to make eye contact with them anyway. 

 My father had assured me that the principal would be waiting for me, but he hadn't mentioned where I was supposed to go, as if that small detail wasn't worth mentioning.

 When I finally reached the entrance to the building, I hesitated, and taking a deep breath, I pushed one open and slipped inside, relieved to be out of the open where eyes might have followed me. 

 But now I had a new problem: I had no idea where to find the principal's office, and I didn't have the courage to ask anyone for help.

 I stood at the entrance clutching my bag as if my life depended on it. I was slowly starting to panic, which was a familiar feeling whenever I felt out of place. 

 My father always said I needed to be more assertive and more confident, but how was I supposed to do that when I could barely bring myself to speak to anyone?

 After what felt like forever, I realized that I couldn't just stand here forever. I had to find someone to ask for directions, and it had to be someone who wouldn't judge me for being lost. I decided to look for a janitor or an older person—someone more approachable and less intimidating than the students.

 I started walking until suddenly, I heard someone yell my name. "Seraphina!"

The voice was loud, sharp, and unexpected, causing me to freeze in my tracks. My heart leaped into my throat as I turned around to see who had called me.

 A tall woman was walking toward me with an irritated look on her face. She looked to be in her late forties or early fifties, with graying hair pulled back into a tight bun. She wore a perfectly tailored suit, and I had no doubt that she was someone important. 

 "Why didn't you wait at the gate for someone to pick you up?" she demanded as she reached me, her eyes narrowing as she looked me up and down.

 I blink, trying to process her words. "I… I didn't know I was supposed to wait," I stammered, my voice low. 

 My hands clenched the straps of my bag even tighter, my knuckles turning white as I struggled to keep my composure.

 The woman sighed, a sound of exasperation that made me shrink back slightly. "Of course you didn't," she muttered under her breath, more to herself than to me. 

 "Well, I'm Mrs. Hawthorne, the principal's assistant, and I was expecting you to be at the gate so that I could escort you to her office personally. We have procedures in place for a reason, Seraphina," she chided. 

 Her words made me feel even smaller than I already did. I wanted to explain that I didn't mean to break any rules or disrupt any procedures, but I couldn't find the words to explain that, so I simply nodded.

 Her expression softened slightly, as if she realized that she might have been too harsh. "Come along, then," she said, turning on her heel and starting to walk down the hallway. "I'll take you to the office so we can get you settled in."

I hurried to follow her, my heart still pounding in my chest. I couldn't shake the feeling that I already made a poor impression, which wasn't very unlike me. 

 We arrived at the principal's office, and Mrs. Hawthorne knocked briefly before pushing the door open and guiding me inside. I barely had time to take in the room before the principal's assistant, a thin woman with sharp eyes, gestured for me to enter. 

 "Seraphina Hook, I presume," she spoke, her tone serious. 

She was seated behind her large desk, with her silver hair pulled into a neat bun at the nape of her neck. She didn't smile. All she did was wave a hand toward the chair in front of her. "Sit."

 I obeyed, lowering myself into the chair with a nervous movement, and my fingers gripped the edge of my skirt as I tried to steady my breathing.

 "I'm Principal Astor," she introduced herself, her tone curt. "Your father mentioned that you suffer from social anxiety and take medication for it."

She didn't phrase it as a question, and I felt embarrassed by how bluntly she had brought it up.

I nodded, my throat too tight to form words. I hated how exposed I felt and how my struggles had been laid out so plainly in front of this woman who didn't seem to have an ounce of empathy.

 She didn't seem to notice—or care—about my discomfort. She leaned forward slightly, her sharp eyes narrowing as she fixed her gaze on me. "Here's an advice, Seraphina," she began. "You better not expect anyone here to carry you along or be kind to you because it just won't happen."

 I stared at her, taken aback by how harsh she sounded. It felt somewhat like a slap in the face, reminding me that I was on my own in this place. I felt tears well up in my eyes, but I blinked them back, refusing to show any more weakness in front of this woman.

"So unfortunately , you'll have to learn to manage your anxiety on your own because mommy and daddy aren't here to babysit you," she continued.

 I swallowed hard, my mouth dry, while my hands were trembling in my lap. She was basically telling me that I didn't belong here and that I was already a burden even before I started.

"In case you haven't heard," she added, "Elysium has a rather high rate of suicide. So, I suggest you prepare yourself mentally if you don't wish to go down that path."

I felt a cold shiver run down my spine, my mind reeling from what she just said. Suicide.

 I had never heard anyone talk about it so bluntly and dismissively. She was basically telling me that this place could break me if I wasn't strong enough.

 She reached into a drawer and pulled out a small key, holding it out to me. "This is the key to your locker," she said, her voice devoid of any emotion. "You'll find your schedule and other necessary information inside. My assistant will show you to your dormitory."

 Mrs. Hawthorne appeared at my side, her expression neutral as she waited for me to stand. I glanced back at Principal Astor, hoping for some hint that she hadn't meant to be so cruel, but her face was indifferent, as if she had already dismissed me from her thoughts.

"Thank you," I mumbled, even though I wasn't sure what I was thanking her for. All I knew was that my life here was going to be a living hell, and there was no way out for me.