A Cold Dish

Chapter 14 - Unwelcome

"I went for a walk, the realization of attending the academy is quite stressful. You know how my parents are." I did not feel bad about lying, after all half of it was true.
"Oh… you saw the classes, right?" Lord William looked uneasy.
"I did see the classes." 
He reached out for my hands and held them softly as he spoke,
"We may not be in the same class but we can eat lunch together," he suggested, "as a way to spend more time together."
"That sounds rather pleasant." 
"Are you free right now?"
"Yes, why?"
"Would you like to spend time together?"
I glance at the notes on the desk.
"I got something I want to read, any suggestions on where we could go?" 
"How about outside in a gazebo? It's still quite warm outside."
We spent the rest of the day peacefully reading in a gazebo, from time to time I caught Lord William sneaking peeks at me instead of reading his book. It made me wonder why I was so worried about Lady Rozenkrantz.

The next morning was a quiet one, Anne helped me get ready and prepared breakfast. I sat down on the balcony connected to my bedroom, still feeling drowsy. I picked up the glass filled with orange liquid, the zesty flavor woke me up and I instantly felt refreshed.
"My lady, it is time to go," Anne said as she cleaned up the table.
"Have a nice day, Anne," I said as I headed for the door.
"You too, my lady, have a nice day."
Emma was waiting outside for me, she and Joachim would accompany me to and from classes during my stay since Anne was also attending classes. She had not yet received a formal education so I took this as an opportunity.
"Emma," I started, "about that key charm… you said your mom made it, right?"
"Yes, my lady, she poured her heart into knitting it."
What a wonderful mother.
"Do you think you can recreate it? Or something similar?" I asked.
"Of course, my lady."

Emma stopped in front of two wooden doors and opened them for me, inside was a white classroom with only a handful of students. They were quick to notice my entrance, their excited chatter quickly turned into quiet murmurs as I entered. I tried to pay them no heed and sat at a desk close to the front. Why did I bother coming so early? I have not the slightest clue of what I will do while I wait for class to start, and no one here seems to be a fitting conversation partner. I let out a small sigh. 
“My, should you not be sitting in a row closer to the back?” an arrogant voice called out.
I looked up and my eyes met a pair of brown ones. I quickly took notice of the irises decorating her braided dirty blonde hair.
“Excuse me?” 
“Someone of your standing should sit further back, the rest of us are actually trying to learn.”
My eyebrows knitted together as I stared at her in confusion. Does she not know that I am of higher standing?
“You heard me. So are you going to move or not? You filthy animal,” she spat.
Oh, this is about my skin color.
Thump. Someone sat next to me.
“What… What are you doing?” The girl with the irises was clearly appalled by the new person’s sudden appearance.
I looked over to the one next to me and was surprised to see someone with darker skin than me, her hair was made into a bunch of small braids, something foreign here.
“Sitting at a desk that seemed free?” she asked, pretending to be confused.
“But- you are not supposed to be sitting so close to the front!”
“Last time I checked this was a free country?”
“Yeah, I have freedom of speech and you are supposed to respect that you lowlives! You are supposed to move!”
Thump! The lady next to me threw her legs up on the desk, such an ungraceful movement seemed graceful when she carried it out. She was not wearing a dress, instead she wore baggy pants of a deep orange color that perfectly complimented her skin.
“And whatcha gonna do if I don’t?” She looked at the lady with irises with the confidence of a lion.
The girl with the irises in her hair huffed loudly.
“My, I did not know that they allowed pigs in this school. Someone should get this one out of here,” the lady next to me snickered.
The girl with the irises huffed in response and I tried my best to stifle my laughter.
“Okay, Iris, go find yourself a desk with others who share your close-minded ideals," I sighed.
“H-How did you know my name?”
I looked at the lady next to me, who then looked at me, then we looked at this Iris lady and then at each other again. A grin was working its way up her face and I couldn’t help but smile too. 
“Did you really decorate your hair with irises because of your name?” I asked.
“Y-Yeah! It’s cool!” Her modest speech broke as she was beaming proudly, however I could not help but cringe.
“Settle down, ladies.” Another voice that cut through the murmur could be heard, it was the teacher.
I had not noticed it as we were arguing but a crowd of people had surrounded us. Everyone hurried to sit at different desks as the lesson started.