Star Academy: Will I get my freedom? (hiatus)

3

Flashback
*pant pant pant* the seven year old girl breathed heavily after running into the forest near her house. She hasn't been outside for 4 years. The blue sky, white clouds were a foreign sight to her. The wind blew her hair away from her face which revealed her shimmering eyes.

"I finally escaped, I have to go back in two hours before they realise it." She mumbled to herself.

She may seem to be surprised by many trivial things but she was certainly not naive. She wanted to escape from that small room that confined her but she was just a seven-year old.

How would she work? How would she live? How would the people react when they see her? These matters refrained her from escaping permanently but she was sure that she will escape for good one day but the time isn't here yet.

She rested her hand on a tree to gain support and steadied her breath. Her stamina wasn't good at all since she was always confined in that small room. She was glad that she somehow found a secret passageway to escape that tiny room.

The little girl shriek silently when she saw a boy her age taking a nap in the hollow trunk of the tree. She gazed at him in awe. The male looked angelic with his silver hair bathe in the little sunlight that managed to pass through the leaves.

"You, is your hobby staring at people sleep?" The young boy opened his silver eyes and lazily glance at the girl.

The girl flinched when she heard the boy talk and quickly hide behind the nearest tree. She peeked at the mysterious boy with fear and curiosity in her eyes. It was her first time meeting a human face to face after 4 years.

At that house, her food was always served through a small sliding window, the books her aunt gave her was given through the same manner. The main door of the room was locked from the outside by chains and multiple lock, there was no window at all.

Her only source of light was a tiny lamp. The floor of the room was covered by tatami which allowed her to sleep. There was no pillow, but she was grateful for the blanket she had which allowed her to barely make it through the freezing winter.

"N-no" the girl answered timidly. Her eyes widens as she realised that she might accidentally hurt the boy. She had been training secretly to control her ability but it was still a little out of hand.

The boy jumped down from the tree with ease, walking towards the girl who backed away with every step he took.

"P-please don't c-come any c-closer. I might h-hurt you. I'm a m-monster." The girl faced the ground shutting her eyes. She doesn't want to admit it, she doesn't want to be the monster her family took her as...she just wanted to be normal. A normal lovable daughter.

Her red eyes would definitely freak the boy out...she knew it was dumb but she wanted to be friends with the male. Friends are great in the books she read, they pass time together, play together and care for each other. She wanted someone to care for her...she wanted someone to see her as her true self...not a monster.

"And what kind of monster would be afraid of hurting someone? I don't think you're a monster."

She turned to face the slightly taller boy but she didn't knew that the boy would be so close to her. Their eyes met as the wind softly blew. Their faces were so close that their forehead was almost touching.

"Red eyes? Are you an ability user too? I should've known when I saw your white hair." He mumbled the last part.

"Ability user?" the smaller girl tilted her head in which the male found adorable.

"You have an ability don't you? What's your name?" The boys gaze soften.

"B-bella can d-do this." She slightly wave her hand and a ball of water splashed onto the boys head. She didn't expect the humidity here was different form the small room of hers.

Her eyes widened in shock. She was afraid that she made the first person that didn't think she was a monster mad. She can't see the male's expression well so she didn't know what he was thinking.

"Ekk I'm s-so sorry...I'm n-not that good a-at controlling it." She waved her hands again and the water that wetted the boy's hair slowly, droplet by droplet flew and gather into a giant water ball in mid air.

The male raised his hands in the air, the little girl flinched, she was expecting to be hit but instead she felt the hand patted her head. She titled her head and gaze at the boy who was smiling slightly.

"It's okay. I wasn't that good at controlling too, Bella."

How many years has it been since someone called her her name? Monster, is what they always said...even her aunt didn't bother to call her.

"What i-is your name? And a-ability " The girl asked shyly

"My name's Lucious and my ability is to control shadows."

The girl gazed at him with admiration which made him amused. The girl in front of him reminded him of a bunny.

"Bella, why don't we meet here tomorrow as well?"

The girl nodded her head quite aggressively which surprised the boy. He can't help but chuckled at her cute action. And that was the day their friendship started and their very first meeting.

Flashback over

"Lucious" the girl whispered out, her voice filled with longing and hope.

"Huh?" the sudden voice of the boy surprised Bella. His eyes was still closed however.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up, you just reminded me of someone" the girl smiled awkwardly. She mentally scolded herself how stupid she was to let his name slip in front of a stranger.

"Bella?" the eyes of silver headed male widened upon the voice of the girl. He stood up and made his way towards the girl.

Bella's eyes widened by the sudden hug the boy pulled her into. He hugged her tightly yet gently, like glass that would break from the slightest touch.

Her cheeks were flushed slightly because of the contact but she hugged back anyways. Lucious pulled away from the hug but still securing his hands on her shoulder, both of them locking eyes.

"Why did you stop coming? Do you have any idea how worried I was when you suddenly left a letter saying that you can't come and meet me anymore." The boy's gaze saddened.

"It's because I overheard the maids that the house wanted to increase the security, so I won't be able to sneak outside anymore. I didn't want to leave you without saying anything so I left the letter. Sorry" The girl said eyeing the floor guiltily.

Lucious sighed as a small smile creep onto his face, he was glad to see the girl he loves again. But honestly he didn't want to see her here.

Being here means that she has to do dirty works for the academy, and the jobs are all high risk...one wrong move and it's goodbye. And he definitely doesn't want to part with her again.