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1376 Words
Unedited.
•••
"Waterfall Academy"
The iron was weaved and twisted intricately to form the words atop of the gigantic wrought-iron gates of the academy's entrance.
"...ever heard of it?"
Tony had asked her two weeks ago.
Oh she's heard about it.
She's pretty much read about it.
The most prestigious school to ever exist.
And that is to say the least.
Waterfall Academy is an ultra-elite school exclusive to the offsprings of the richest most elite families around the world. Made up of the top 1% of the worlds elite society, waterfall school is a place that many rich families can't even afford to dream about talk less of attending not because of the expensive tuitions but as a result of the strict rules and protocols implemented by the academy in which no other school could afford to abide by.
It is an upper class escalator school located in the most remote area of NewYork known as 'The Falls', where 95% of their student population enrolled at birth and attend the school from kindergarten to university.
Infiltrating the academy is like trying to infiltrate the Fort Knox.
Impossible.
It has one of the best securities in the world and how could it not?
This place schools, house and trains the world future.
She's read enough about the academy to know this is the last place she should be standing right now.
This is a place filled with people where everyone knows everyone.
She'll be new.
People would be curious.
They'll want to know.
They'll ask questions.
They'll investigate.
And who knows what they might find.
°°°
"Then let them."
Tony had said when she voiced out her thoughts two weeks ago.
"What?"
"Let them dig as much as they want to. You didn't think I'd push you into this without having this all planned out did you?"
'Good thing you're aware you're literally pushing me into this'
"Here."
Tony dropped a black file on top of the reading table before her, before going back to lean against the door frame, arms crossed.
She reached for the file while eyeing him suspiciously.
Hazel Ivanov.
The cover read.
She threw him another glance before opening it.
Right beside the name was a passport photo of her.
"Are they aware of this?"
She asked him after going through the first page.
Tony nodded with his lips pressed in a firm line.
"On what terms are they letting you do this?"
"...uhm...lets just say they owe me a favor worth a lifetime."
°°°
"Why does it feels like we've done this before?"
She wonders out loud as she watched the armed security men walked over to the car she was sitting in with Tony which had stopped inches away from the enormous gates of the academy.
She couldn't shake off the feeling of deja vu, as if she'd been in a similar situation before.
The men stopped by the drivers seat.
"Hazel Ivanov?"
One of them asked right after the window had been wind down.
They'd been expecting her.
Tony answered with a curt nod before passing her ID to the chauffeur who gave it to the security man and had the second man scan the it.
He nodded in approval after scanning the card before passing it back to them.
"I'm afraid your security team would have to stay back sir,"
The man glanced at the rows of black SUV's behind them.
"Security protocols."
He added with an apologetic smile.
"I understand."
Tony responds before sending a signal to the cars behind them
The gates pull open automatically and their car drove in.
★★★
'I shouldn't have agreed to this'
Were her first thought the moment Tony's car drove out of the gates.
As she stare at the tall thick walls of the waterfall academy, only then did a thought register itself in her head.
Tony wouldn't be here.
And that thought alone scared her as much as it made her uncomfortable.
The walls were too tall...too thick.
She wasn't inside of it yet but she already felt suffocated.
There was this lump in her throat that wouldn't go away no matter how hard she swallowed.
She hates it.
This foreign feeling of helpless.
Right now, as she stands before the enormous building of the waterfall academy, she suddenly realized how pathetic she has always been. Only then did she realized how reliant she's been on Tony.
She couldn't help it. And she hates that the most.
Tony is a figure in her life that has always been there for as long as she could remember.
Behind her.
Beside her.
In front of her.
In every single step and decisions she has ever made.
And the thought of him not being here right now, it scares her.
'Stop being a pathetic drama queen, He's just absent physically.'
She reminds herself.
"I'll come visit often."
He had told her right before she got out of the car minutes ago.
She wanted to hug him.
Cling onto him and refuse to let go, but she was never one to show such emotions.
Never one to share sentimental moments.
She stares at him for a long time before responding.
"Sure you would."
"I'm going to miss you."
Tony said.
"You'll visit often."
She emphasized on the last word with a squint of her eyes as if warning him to keep to that promise.
Tony didn't miss the vulnerability in her voice.
"I'll visit often."
He assured while ruffling her hair.
She fought the urge to follow the departing vehicle with a sprint.
'I can do this'
She says to herself.
"Miss Ivanov?"
An unfamiliar voice cut into her train of thoughts.
Only then did she notice a man and a woman dressed in formal attires standing a few feet across from her.
"Welcome to Waterfall Academy,"
The woman greeted with a professional smile.
Although her expression seemed a little dumbstruck at first, she was quick to school it back to normal.
"I'm Maria Clark, I'm to accompany you to the head counselor's office while giving you a short tour on the way."
She cast a glance at the man beside her.
"In the mean time, he'll be delivering your luggage's to your dorm room."
"Okay."
Hazel responds coolly.
"Come with me please."
Well...Here goes nothing.
★★★
'Wow'
Thought Maria Clark as she walked alongside the new girl, Hazel Ivanov.
Whoever said there was no such thing as perfection definitely hasn't met Hazel Ivanov yet.
Her waist length red hair was beauty enough on its own, not to talk of her eyes...they were the darkest shade of blue she's ever seen. Her pale skin looked smooth and almost flawless.
Maria thinks she looked too good it was a bit oppressive, especially to people like her with boring brown hair and eyes.
'Is that your real hair color?
Are your eyes really that blue?'
Maria bit her tongue, trying so hard to restrain herself from asking.
She usually wasn't the nosy type, but it wasn't everyday you get to see a beauty that unque.
Too focused marveling at the girls looks she didn't notice her steps were falling behind, or the way Hazel's fist clench an unclench, even when Hazel stopped walking until she almost rammed straight into her back.
"Oh!"
Maria exclaimed as she quickly pulled a break on her steps.
Hazel turned around.
With her head tilted to the side, she stare intently at Maria starting from
the toes of her pump shoes to the tip of her head. A slow, torturous examination that made maria squirm on her feet.
Still fidgety, Maria tried to regain her composure. Clearing her throat, she started
"Sorry, Can we--"
"I know I'm good looking...but i'm straight."
'What-'
"And besides,"
Hazel gave her another slow once over, shakes her head with both lips pressed together as if she was seeing something that doesn't appeal to her.
"Even if i wasn't, you ain't my type."
'What the - , Did she just - '
With widened eyes, Maria started to explain.
"You misunderstood i wasn't-"
But Hazel already turned around, with a small gesture of her head, she says in a thick Russian accent.
"Lead the way please."
•••
- Writer
