The City Of Abyss

Chapter Three

Young men go here to our school to find their next date. But only the richest and men with good reputation can only look for a date here in our school. It is an unusual practice, but headmistress Collins allowed it so that the we can prepare ourselves for that eternal love. And also riches to support the lady.

They can only visit and find a date at the end of the quarter, which is weekend where the underage girls are back to their homes and the legal ladies stay here at school, since they handle our exams and most of them don't have a home. Then the young men visit them and take them on a date. It is actually a good system cause all of the young men that went here to pick a date ended up marrying the girl. And all they speak about is gratitude towards headmistress for turning them into a desirable wife. Because without her, they wouldn't live in a palace with their lovely husbands.

But today is unusual because visiting for a date during weekdays is a rule not to be broken. Specially in front of us underaged ladies.

As the gentleman's eyes look for the girl he would want to take. His eyes landed on us two, "What on earth are they wearing?" He asked the mistress beside him pointing at me and Eloise.

"It is a punishment for naughty girls." She simply answered.

The young man nodded his head and continued on searching. His eyes fell to Abigail, Hazel, and Jasmine. He looked at them then leaned in to whisper to the mistress.

The mistress nodded and sighed, "Very well, the gentleman is done and you may now all leave."

We gracefully stood up, hugging our books close to our chest. "But April is the only legal girl here. Does he know that he cannot take a minor out?" I whispered to Eloise and bowed our heads when we passed the gentleman and the mistress.

Eloise turned to the corner of the hall and waited for Hazel and Abigail. "I mean he should know he isn't permitted to take a minor out." She whispered while looking around to see if someone is listening to us.

Hazel and Abigail turned to the corner where we are. "His stares give me creeps," Hazel started, "Something is seriously wrong with that gentleman."

I nodded, "But this is not our business so we should just let it be." I said and started walking back to our dorm.

I tried to set aside all my theories and curiosity at the back of my head and focus on going home safely.

Funny how this is one of the most expensive school in the city, but only the orphans and the low class can study here. Our uniforms are free, books, supplies, and even our carriage back to our houses are free. One of the things I also wonder is where they get the money to pay for everything. The headmistress Collins' house is a mansion and it is like built for a king.

I opened the door of our dorm with the three of them behind me. I grabbed my prepared suitcase, where all of my dresses and clothes are already neatly packed from last night.

I unzipped the flagrant dress and changed into a red floral dress with my chocolate hair untied. I removed the annoying veil and placed the veil and the puffy dress on my bed.

Eloise is wearing a plain navy blue dress and her golden her tied neatly, Abigail is wearing a yellow one, and Hazel is wearing a white dress. I put on my gloves and hat as they did the same.

"I cannot wait to see aunt Mary again." Eloise's lips are tugged into a genuine smile, "And the homemade pie."

Hazel chuckled, "Ugh, I won't miss that bitter apple pie the cafeteria always give to us." Hazel did a disgusted look.

"I am ready for our combat lessons." Abigail proudly said with a smile on her face.

We all turned our heads and looked at her with fear in our eyes. When people hear combat from a woman's lips, she is automatically accused of being involved in an activist group. But this is different. We are involved in an activist and feminist group where they teach us archery, shooting, and combat. The complete opposite of what they teach us here.

Hazel rolled her eyes and slammed her hand on Abigail's mouth, "Please seal at all time." She said to Abigail.

Abigail rolled her eyes and tried to remove Hazel's hand. She groaned and licked it instead when she couldn't lift her finger.

"Ew!" Hazel removed her hand and wiped it on Abigail's dress. Her face is filled with disgust and so is her voice. "You are so disgusting."

Abigail chuckled, "That is what you get."

After preparing our things we closed our dorm and went downstairs to the entrance of the academy, where the carriages are parked and waiting for us. A man grabbed our suitcases and placed them at the trunk of the carriage as the other one opened the door for us.

"Thank you." Eloise thanked him and got inside first following me, Abigail, then Hazel. I sat beside the window and Eloise in front of me, while Hazel sat beside me and Abigail is in front of her.

"What a terrible view indeed." Hazel clicked her tongue while looking at Abigail.

She plastered a hoax smile, "You'll miss this view someday."

Hazel chuckled, "I hope I don't."

The two men closed our door and sat on the driver's seat. After a minute the carriage started moving and the enormous school slowly fades into the trees.

"I always wondered what Leo's next theory about the world would be." Eloise said breaking the peaceful silence.

"Probably something about the growth of a butterfly." Hazel chuckled.

"Something about where you can talk to another person even though you are not in the same place." Abigail added.

"Oh that's a good one." I said.

"A new version of what he calls the vehicle." Eloise added and we nodded.

"A time machine." I added and they all giggled. "I mean, it's not impossible for his brilliant mind."

"True." Hazel sassily replied.

"Who knows? Maybe someday he will have the answers to our strange society." Abigail stated.

~•~

The carriage halted in front of an old farmhouse with smoke coming out of its chimney. The daisies planted on the sidewalk lazily danced with the wind, and the welcoming sound of the calm waves crash onto the shore.

"They planted more daisies." Hazel remarked. "Still the same home."

The man opened the door for us and stepped aside. We all got out and inhaled the fresh countryside air. We walked to the trunk of the car to receive our bag.

"My babies!" A woman's familiar and sweet voice beamed.

We turned our heads and we saw aunt May running to us still wearing her apron stained with tomato sauce and flour all over her.

We dropped our suitcases and ran to hug her. She extended her hand in the air and hugged us tightly.

"I missed you so much." Aunt may kissed our heads and patted it while we hugged each other tightly.

I always tell myself being away from her and home for a year to study is worth it. I get to help her bakery in town after I study high school and after I find a job as a mistress. And besides, I still get to see her every spring for three months with Hazel, Abigail, and Eloise.

"Las princesas del futuro." We heard Leo giggle behind aunt May. "C'mon and give your old man a hug." We chuckled and hugged him tightly, wrapping our arms around each other. He let go of the hug and grabbed our suitcases, "Even though you live here, I will still treat you all like princesses."

I shook my head no and grabbed my suitcase, "We are not handicapped." I carried my suitcase and followed aunt May inside the house. The rest did the same and carried their own suitcases. Hazel gave the two man from the school a tip and followed us inside the house with Leo behind.

Aunt May opened the wooden door of the farmhouse and the aroma of her famous apple pie hit our nostrils.

"I fixed your rooms so you can take a rest and prepare then for supper later." Aunt May stated.

"Thank you so much aunt May." I hugged her. "But it's not really necessary." She let go of the hug and cupped my cheeks.

She sweetly smiled at me and the corners of her eyes showed some forming wrinkles. Her neatly tied, long, auburn hair are starting to turn gray, but her sweet smile will never change.

"It's only necessary for me to fix your rooms for at least once a year." She sighed and playfully rolled her eyes, "I admit, I do miss taking care of you girls."

"Well, we do miss being taken care of." Eloise giggled.

"True." Hazel agreed.

"Well then, go to your rooms and prepare for supper. We will be having our guests later tonight." She winked.

"Oh." We all said.

One thing for sure didn't changed and will never change, is the hideout at the basement where they hold gatherings and plans for the activist. Aunt May is extremely professional when it comes to acting and lying about this secret community she is running.

"That kind of prepare." Abigail stated.

"And we don't have much time to prepare the foods." She looked over her shoulder to the kitchen. "I might need a bit of help."

"Sure, we'll be down here in just a few minutes." I squeezed aunt May's shoulder and went upstairs.

The floors are surprisingly old but squeaky, and it is darker than the last time we were here. I opened the white door with my name neatly written on a paper.

Seli

I smiled at the nickname aunt May gave me when I was just 10 years old.

"Aunt May does love to end our name with y or i." Hazel pointed at her door with her name written.

Hazi

"Which makes her the aunt May she is." Abigail said. I looked at her door and her name is written as Abi then Eloise's is written as Eli.

"I actually love mine." Eloise removed the taped paper and proudly show us her nickname. "Cute." She sticked the paper back on her door and turned the knob and walks inside.

I turned the knob and opened the door of my small room. There is a small window looking over to the farm, a small bed, and my toys are neatly hidden underneath my bed.

I placed my suitcase beside my bed and flopped onto the bed with the white sheets tucked underneath it. The feeling of bed, home, familiarity, and family are the only things that can give me pleasure in this cruel, cold, weird, and harsh world.

I hope it stays forever.