Sora of the Moon

CLAIRE~3

I was kind of terrified. Black blood? Must’ve been my imagination. Yeah… I’m tired from the drive.

“Okay why the moon must you be so rude?” Luna scolded Samuel.

Why the moon? What kind of expression is that? It was the first time I’d listened to something like this.

“Because that’s what the hell I want”, he responded pointing out the phrase ‘the hell’. That was enough for me to understand that those two didn’t get along very well.

“Whatever. Come sweetie, let’s leave the guys alone, your roommate is waiting for you upstairs”.

I waved at Phillip and Ian.

“See you later Claire”. Said Phillip with a smile lifting Ian’s suitcase.

I turned to Luna who was carrying mine up the stairs. I immediately ran to her.

“You don’t have to-“

“It’s fine. I’ve been doing this for years now. I’m used to it. You’re tired. Your suitcase isn’t even that heavy”.

“Thanks…” I ended up saying following behind her.

The stairs were a lot and pretty luxurious also. Big golden windows followed our way up and every floor we passed by was decorated with a row of chandeliers. It was breathtaking.

“So, as you saw downstairs we have two pairs of stairs. One goes up to the boys’ dorms and this goes up on the girls’ dorms. Don’t be confused, left girls, right boys. We wouldn’t want you to end up on the guys’ bathroom now do we?” she said jokingly and placed the suitcase down in front of a room in the fifth floor.

“Here we are, room 56”. She knocked on the door.

“Hayley, are you in honey? Your roommate is here”.

I stood there preoccupied. I didn’t know how to react or how to behave. I’ve never had any friends due to my night job that I so desperately wanted to hide, so I was pretty much always alone and not quite the talker. It was always me and Phillip so I was kind of nervous.

A cheerful voice came from inside the room and that alone was enough to put at ease.

“Comin’”

The door opened widely and a rather colorful girl, I’d say, stood there smiling. She was a tall girl with bobbed curly blue hair, thin eyebrows and purple eyes. Okay those where contacts for sure. She wore a ripped yellow overall with a red belt that matched her lip color and a pink crop top. Her hair decorated a lime napkin and colorful bracelets embraced her wrists. Her make up was also pretty vibrant and summery. I looked so plain standing close to her. Two complete opposites. She held her hand to me for a handshake. I accepted it.

“Sorry but I got to say before telling me your name that you’re so cute!” she said cheerfully.

“C-cute?” 

“Yes! Just look at those braids and the glasses…  you’re a cuteness bomb I gotta tell ya!”

 I heard Luna laughing.

“I believe that you two are going to get along just fine! I’ll leave her to you Hayley”.

“Of course!” she said lifting my suitcase.

“Also, did that jerk Samuel give you a hard time again?”

“Please Hayley, he always gives me a hard time!”

“Okay, hope he leaves you with enough energy for tonight!” She winked and Luna smiled.

“Oh I’m not losing this because of that i***t! See you Claire”.

She said and walked away.

“So Claire is it?” Hayley asked and I followed her inside the room.

“Yes, my name’s Claire Moon”.

“Oh both cute and a pretty name. I’m liking you girl. So how do you find our room? Fancy huh?”

She let my suitcase next to the big bed across hers which was already full with colorful pillows. The room was so big that it could take more than three beds. Two small libraries were above two desks, each to each side. I noticed a pink guitar lying on a stand next to her bed full of crystal stickers decorating it so that the empty circle on the centre would look like the ovary of a flower.

“Are you studying music?”

“Hell yeah I am. I’m also a DJ”, she said and I was amazed.

“Just like Phillip…” I said to myself but she heard it.

She turned to face me.

“Phillip? Who is Phillip? Your boyfriend?”

I laughed and blushed at the same time.

“No, we’re not like that. He’s my best friend”.

She leaned to me suspiciously.

“Is it really like this between you too?”

I looked away feeling my cheeks flashing red.

“Of course…”

“Hm… okay then!” she gave up and jumped to her bed.

“I’m sure you’ll be meeting him soon enough. He studies music here too. We came together along with my younger brother”.

“Oh, that’s interesting. So I’ll be meeting him tomorrow and sure hope tonight! Is he hot?”

“Who? My brother or Phillip?”

“I’m asking about both!” she laughed.

“I’ll be honest with you, you and Phillip look alike, I can tell you this”.

She moved her legs playfully back and forth.

“Does he have dyed hair?”

“No…”

I answered thinking of his natural blonde hair.

“Does he wear eye-contacts?”

“No, his eyes are green though”.

“Then he’s nothing like me!” 

“My brother on the other side, he did make quite the appearance when he walked inside the front door”.

She turned on her back.

“How old is he? What does he study?”

“Fifteen, and he studies martial arts”.

“What? Fifteen? He’s just a kid!”

“Yeah, tell me about it…”

I said thinking back to the hickey on his neck and the fact that yesterday night he slept with a  -I don’t even know how older- woman. I started to unpack my back and I looked over to hers. Hayley’s suitcase was indeed like a unicorn had puked inside. So much color and so many unique accessories...

“Say, Hayley…”

“Hm?” she took off her headphones.

“Earlier with Luna you’re talking about something happening tonight?” I asked shyly taking out my sketchpad and pencils.

She immediately jumped up.

“Oh my God, you don’t know, do you?”

I hesitantly nodded in denial.

“Today is the full moon! The opening ceremony every year happens when the full moon makes its appearance. It’s so dreamy and awesome. Older students call the ceremony, the Moonlight Dance. Luna told me and I’m so excited. Not to mention the performance they out on every year. It’s just like magic. And all of that because of the name, Solas na Ghel. Also there is a dress code you have to follow. White dresses for women and white tuxedos for men. I hope you do own something like that. And guess who will be taking care of the music party after?”

“Who?” I asked amazed.

“Me of course! Oh, and a guy named Wilson”.

“Phillip Wilson! Hayley, that’s the friend I was talking to you about”.

“No s**t! You kiddin’ right?” she sounded thrilled and shocked at the same time. I nodded lively.

“That’s so awesome. I sure hope we get along well. Just so you know, I’m really careful and picky with my music”.

“So is he. Hope you don’t get into a fight. That’d be bad”.

“I’m also very easy-going so that won’t happen. No worries about that. Your clothes are what concerns me right now. You don’t have a white dress now do ya?” she said looking over my back.

“I don’t really wear dresses. They’re kind of too unveiling for me”.

She looked at me as if I was an alien.

“Seriously girl what’s the cheekiest set you’ve ever worn?”

I shyly lowered my gaze. I have worn so many seductive clothes due to my job and I really don’t even want to think about it anymore.

“Anything, am I right?” Hayley’s words pierced through my thoughts and I really wished she was right about that. I didn’t answer.

“Poor girl, I’m sure you’ve been hiding this sexy body of yours for way too long. Tonight is your night! Thank God you’re my roommate. I’ll make you shine and drop the jaws of all those wannabe rich guys”.

The irony was that those wannabe rich guys, as Hayley had characterized them, were indeed rich. So rich that they might have spend their summer nights in the stripping club I was working. I was terrified at the thought of someone recognizing me.

“No Hayley, you don’t need too. I’ll come with jeans, what’s the deal?”

“And break this holy dress code? No Claire, absolutely not. I’m not letting you. In fact, right now I’ll go to the town and pick a dress for you. Please see it as an acquaintance gift”. She looked at the clock that was hanging on the wall.

“Perfect, I have time before closing the gates. See you tonight love and don’t you dare say no to me! You’re not allowed to”.

“Sorry but how do you expect to go to town? It’s down the hill”.

She laughed proudly.

“How… I’m going to drive of course. I’ll let Luna know about this so don’t worry. Rule following starts by tomorrow anyway”.

“Wait Hayley-”

I couldn’t complete my sentence, the door closed abruptly and I was left all alone in the huge room. I couldn’t believe that she was actually going to buy me a dress for tonight. She just met me…

I sighed and continued arranging my things. I put all my art supplies in my desk and library and then I opened my wardrobe. There were two white wardrobes in the room one used by Hayley obviously. It was left half open. I smiled unconsciously and closed it for her. In my wardrobe were hanging four pairs of school uniforms. Two summer ones and two winter. I looked at them curiously. Wow, the fabric must’ve been so expensive. I didn’t pay further attention to these, I’d be wearing them from tomorrow on anyway. Instead, I hung my plain classic clothes. I really didn’t have that many. The wardrobe wasn’t even filled. It looked so empty. I decided to use the black boxes under the hanger for my underwear, socks and personal care objects. Finally I made my bed and hid my suitcase under it.

“This should do…” I mumbled to myself lying on my bed. My new bed from now on.

I wondered how Phillip and Ian were doing. That Samuel guy though… he really was rude. Hope their roommates to be as good as mine. I looked over to my desk. There were indeed some papers along with the map of the place.  I sat up to reach it and opened it.

Oh God, it was worse than I had expected. Three main buildings for classes, the Dorms that actually were spreading across the back field… Front yard huge, back yard also huge. This could drive anyone crazy. I’m seriously getting lost tomorrow. Everything seemed like a maze to me. Along with the other papers was my curriculum. I carefully taped it to my desk so I won’t lose it. The paper itself was pretty and cute so it didn’t even look bad taped on the table. It was like jewelry due to the golden details that matched the handles. The curriculum itself was written with silver calligraphic letters. I was quite impressed.

Suddenly the door opened widely welcoming a young ginger girl.

“Okay where did that b***h disappear to?”

“Excuse me but you can’t invite yourself into someone else’s room like that. It’s rude”. I said annoyed. What if I was changing clothes?

She looked at me disrespectfully.

“Who the f**k are you?”

“Watch your tongue please”.

“Oh now I get it. You’re the scholarship girl. I should’ve guessed”.

I looked at her surprised.

“But how…”

“Save it girl. Your clothes speak for you. That tall guy that was with you though, was quite the sight. Introduce me to him will you?”

Was she talking about Ian? As if I’d let him tangle with that kind of a girl.

“So, your little roommate here seems to have stolen my hand-watch. I want it back if you don’t mind. Without it, Nathan will never notice me”.

That name again. Nathan. The guy with the black blood? If this was actually what I had seen.

“Are you calling Hayley a thief?”

“Oh come on now, just give me the watch”.

“Even if it was for the watch, Nathan would never see more in you than that, I swear”.

“How dare you? You don’t even know him”.

“Indeed I don’t but if I were him, I’d turn away if I came across your face”.

She looked offended but I didn’t care. She was at least rude.

“Listen to me girl, pray you don’t come across me tonight. I’ll make sure to mark this opening ceremony as a nightmare in your head. Scholarship my ass”, she threatened flipping her hair and walked away.

Annoyed I closed the door. Are those people considered rich? With such an attitude she doesn’t deserve not even a bit of her golden rings. What to do with money if you’re rotten on the inside? Only at the thought that those people afforded everything and me with my brother were agonizing over earning just a small amount of money to help our dad, I got irritated. Honestly if the Academy is full of those kinds, I won’t know how I’d be able to handle my life here…