Chapter 3

If I was shocked before, then after hearing that I was definitely shocked out of my mind. And yes, I use that phrase.

"Emerald RoseStar?!" I asked. Emilia nodded.

"Sort of. Her first name was Emerald hyphen Rose, and her surname was Star."

"Oh, my god." LJ said quietly. Lizzi nodded, still speechless. We started walking again, we walked through the doors marked 'Ruby' and walked down a path through a field. When we got to the entrance to Ruby House we stopped.

It was completely different to how I'd pictured. There was a row of mansions spread out around the field. Each one had a different colours sign. Our sign is red, Topaz is dark green, diamond is turquoise, Amethyst is purple, and Emerald is light green.

Each mansion had its houses actual gem in the front door, so for my house there was a Ruby window. The walls were pink and there were vines going up them, with Roses sprouting.

We walked inside and stopped again.

The walls were still red. There was a magenta sofa in the centre on a red fluffy rug and in the corner there was a shelf with a selection of dvds and books.

In the other corner there was a door leading to a round stairway, one of those ones that twist as they go up. We went up the stairs and came into another red corridor with around 20 different doors. There were more stairs going up but Emilia said the first floor is for the first-years, aka year 7.

Emilia walked up to door 20.

"You will be in Room 20 with me, I used to share with Emerald-Rose and my mother said that this would be the perfect room for you. I don't know why, although actually, you kind of look like her..."

I quickly opened the door to avoid any more conversation about Emerald. Emilia looked confused and I heard her say "what's up with her?"

I turned around and saw Lizzi and Jane look at each other awkwardly before Lizzi sighed and stepped forwards defensively.

"We've never actually left our mansion before, okay? We've never been to school, never been on holiday, never been on a day out, just locked in our mansion for our whole lives. So, sorry if my sister is a little bit excited for finally getting to do something normal kids do for a change!"

"Oh-"

Emilia stopped talking as Lizzi and LJ walked off. She looked confused and nervous at the same time, so I walked up to her and patted her on the shoulder.

"Hey, I'm sorry about my sisters. We've only had each other and our parents growing up, so they're quite defensive. Being away from our parents is going to be a huge change, they've always been there-and I am rambling about my sad life to someone I just met, I'm so sorry!"

Emilia laughed.

"It's fine, really. I do the same thing. And I sort of get how you feel, in a way." She took a deep breath and sighed. "My mums family doesn't know about me, she gave birth in secret at a home because her family would've freaked out. My Dad died about two months before I was born, and my mum couldn't tell my family, and she didn't have enough money to hire a babysitter. I wasn't allowed to come to the school until I was ten, and mum took over the school just before I was born, she had to take me with her when I was a baby, but it was hard for business. So, from the ages of four to ten, I was locked in the house either reading, writing or playing my old, battered, second-hand violin. So I get it, more or less."

"Oh, my god." I gasped and smiled sadly at her. "I'm so sorry. Yeah, it was like that for me, more than you know. My family obviously has lots of money, but me and my sisters weren't allowed to leave the mansion at all, not even for a walk around the gardens until I was 5. But then I grew interested in gardening, and then from the age of five I spent all my time either teaching myself, being taught by my mum, curled up with a book, in the studio recording music, gardening, writing, dancing, or using science and technology to build things. And I know that sounds great, and it's not that I'm ungrateful, but I was-"

"Lonely." Emilia finished, smiling sadly back at me. I nodded and we smiled at each other.

"You know, Amy RoseStar, I have a feeling we're going to be good friends."

I smiled happily at her.

"Me too, Emilia. Me too."

"Oh, please, call me Emily or Em. Emilia sounds so fancy and I hate it. I don't like that sort of thing, you know, fancy stuff, posh stuff."

"The school is literally called 'The Emilia Jane Academy for young ladies'" LJ interrupted, mimicking Miss Rose. I laughed, but stopped when I realised it may offend Emily. I turned to her, and sighed in relief when she giggled. The four of sat down on my bed and just laughed and talked. We heard Miss Rose leading my mum down the corridor and Emily smiled.

"You know, let me rephrase what I said earlier. I think the four of us are going to be great friends. The four, um, ooh, I know. The Rose girls, we all have Rose in our name!"

Me, LJ and Lizzi looked at each other and nodded.

"I like it."

"I love it!"

"Yeah," I added, smiling again. "The four Rose Girls."

Hopefully soon-to-be five.