by Nora Cobb
I set the drink in the cupholder beside me and gave her a quick smile before turning my attention back to the infinite blue sky around me.
I had been pretty good about attempting to be someone else for years. This would be no different.
Chapter 2
I jolted awake as the plane touched down on the runway, scrambling to gather my things and stuff them back in my book bag.
I was here.
My stomach rolled at the thought. There would be no going back now, as I had nowhere to go back to. Sara had told me that I could always bunk with her if need be, especially now that I was old enough to not be her client any longer, but to go back would be a failure to me personally. I had endured so much in my life, from the foster care label to not having anyone that I could call family.
A bunch of rich kids weren’t going to stand in the way of my future.
I could do this. I could be one of them.
Well, either that or I could ignore them completely, keep my head down, and take advantage of this expensive-ass education I was about to partake in.
The plane finally slowed to a stop and I pulled myself together as I made my way to the door, saying my goodbyes to both the flight attendant and the pilots that had safely gotten me here before walking down the stairs. The cold air immediately slapped me in the face, making me shiver in my sweater and wish that I had put on my coat before walking out of the warm interior of the plane.
It was also nighttime, shortly after eight by my watch. The mountains rose in the distance, like menacing walls blocking me from what lay over them. They were capped with snow, more snow than I had ever seen back home. I shivered and averted my eyes.
It was that moment that I realized I had no idea what language they even spoke here in Switzerland. Is Swiss a language? I was going to be an outsider here, completely out of my element.
A black sedan was waiting for me right outside the hangar, and a severe-looking man in a suit stood beside the running car. “I guess you are here for me?” I asked, looking around the empty airport.
He didn’t answer, instead opening the door to the car. Well now, seemed that no one had a personality here. Ducking my head, I climbed in the back of the car, barely getting my feet in before he was shutting the door. The interior was warm, and I sighed in relief, leaning my head back on the leather seat. So many firsts for me in a very short twenty-four hours and now I was about to experience many more.
The driver climbed in and the car started across the tarmac, through an open gate, and onto a blacktop road, heading toward those mountains that I had ignored. What would the students be like at this academy? Probably all rich snobs would be my guess.
Not anything that I hadn’t dealt with before. In high school, I had my fair experience dealing with the different cliques, but the one that bothered me the most were the kids who flaunted the money that they didn’t earn. It was no secret that I was a foster kid, the bus picking us up directly in front of the shelter and, well, word always spread like wildfire. For some reason, the daddy’s money clique had picked on me constantly, both the guys and the girls.
It didn’t help that most of my classes had a group of them in it and that the teachers looked the other way whenever they got riled up about something. You know that saying: sticks and stones may break my bones? Yeah, turns out words hurt a hell of a lot too.
And now I was about to be in a school full of them, from all over the world.
I wasn’t about to let them run all over me. I might not have the money or the impressive titles behind my name, but I wasn’t dumb. More importantly, I’ve got street smarts that they couldn’t possibly fathom. They didn’t know what it was like to listen to your foster family tell you that they didn’t think you were a good fit for their family, or to have them drop you off at the shelter with just the things you came to them with.
They didn’t know what it was like to avoid some of the hairy situations I had avoided in the past, such as wandering eyes and grabby hands that had made me lock my bedroom door at night.
Most of all, they didn’t know what it was like to live with just the things in your book bag, to learn how to appreciate that last tube of ChapStick or to get the last bit of shampoo out of the bottle. They didn’t know what it was like to live without, but I did. I could run circles around them.
I felt the car start to climb and looked out of the window at the mountains outside. Part of me still believed that everything about Weissmore had been fake. But given the winding roads into the mountains that I was currently on, I was starting to believe.
After a few moments, the car passed through a set of tall black gates and I watched in awe as it made its way down a long drive, trees lining each side. We were here. I couldn’t do anything now except jump out of the car and tear down the driveway, hoping that someone would find me before I froze to death.
Or I could face this head-on.
The car slowed to a stop and I swallowed hard, my heart hammering in my chest. It was time for me to face my fears. This had happened for a reason. I didn’t believe in luck nor did I believe in the fact that someone had just wanted to put me here for the heck of it.
No, someone wanted me at this school for a reason and I was going to find out why once I got my feet wet.
The car door opened, and I stepped out, the cold cutting through me. Up in these mountains, the wind was stronger, the cold biting as it tore through my sweater.
The cold was something I would never get used to.
“Miss Komita?”
I looked at the young woman hurrying toward me, her heels clicking on the stairs. My eyes traveled up as I took in the castle before me, its windows lit from within. There were two guards standing at the entrance with wicked-looking guns on their shoulders and I wondered why they needed guards for all the way out here.
“Yes,” I finally said as she reached me. “I’m Anna.”
She gave me an once-over, a disapproving frown on her lips. Well, so much for a great first impression. “You are aware that you are late? I’m here to show you to your room.”
“Um, thanks,” I answered, tucking a stray lock of hair behind my ear. Late? Excuse me for not choosing the right private jet to get on. She was making me feel like I had deliberately shown up late to keep her out of her bed.
She sniffed and started back up the stairs, leaving me to follow her. I did, walking through the large double doors at the entrance and down a hallway. The stone felt warmer than I thought it would be. There were all sorts of relics from the castle’s past there, including a full set of knight armor, but my guide didn’t allow me much time to look at any of it.
After a few twists and turns—and more ogling on my part—we finally arrived at a door, one of many in the hallway. “This is your room,” she said, turning the knob in her hand.
With bated breath, I stepped inside, and saw two large beds on either side of the room. There was a wardrobe and desks to complete the furniture, and one single door in the back that likely led to the bathroom.
A girl sat on one of the beds, watching as I entered, her mouth formed in an ‘O.’ She had long blonde hair and the studs in her ears were not cubic zirconia, but real diamonds. Even though she was dressed in yoga pants and a tank top, she exuded wealth and I was instantly intimidated by her appearance.
“Your things will be delivered shortly,” the guide stated before she walked out of the room and shut the door behind her.
“She’s always like that.” The girl sitting cross-legged on her bed stated in an accent that I could only describe as generally European. “What’s your name?”
I dropped my bag on the bed. There was already a stack of books on the bed, including a laptop and some school supplies, all packaged neatly like a welcome package.
“Anna,” I replied as confidently as I could, and reached out to shake her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Her eyes widened the moment she heard me speak. “You must be the American everybody is talking ab
out!”
Distracted by her sudden excitement, I turned. “Excuse me?”
She was off the bed in an instant. “You are the American! There have been rumors for weeks that one was joining us, but no one believed it to be true, honestly. After all, why would we? There’s no royalty in your country.”
I just stared at her. They had been expecting me? Suddenly, I felt panic seize my throat again. Have they already been talking about me? About my past? Did they already know that I wasn’t one of them?
“Look at you,” she giggled, and took my hand. “I’m sorry. I was just excited. I’m Johanna Hohenzollern, Princess of Prussia. A pleasure to meet you, Anna…”
“Komita.” I quickly replied. “Anna Komita.”
Did she just say Princess of Prussia? I guess those were real diamonds after all.
“I’m sorry.” I said when she let go of my hand. “Did you say princess?”
“Don’t worry,” she stated, her expression growing serious. “I’m like fourth in line for succession. My brothers will likely inherit the title to our lands and head the family one day, which means I will have to be content with being married off to some minor duke or prince that will be good for my family name.”
I laughed, unable to help it. She was talking about being a princess like it was no big deal and here I thought twenty thousand dollars was enough to start a new life! I had never seen a princess before and couldn’t even begin to understand her struggles. But one thing was for certain: they were nothing like mine, not even close.
“So, Anna Komita of America.” Johanna continued, giving me a once-over. “What is your story?”
“I’m nobody,” I answered, sobering. “I’m just a girl who ended up here on a full ride scholarship that I didn’t apply for.”
Johanna’s eyes widened. “No money? No titles? No famous relations?”
“Not a one,” I said, unzipping my bag. “I’ve been in foster care all my life.” The words were still bitter on my tongue as I said them aloud, feeling insignificant next to a person who had never had to worry about anything.
“You must be joking.” She breathed. “My goodness. I mean, you truly don’t belong here, then.”
“Yeah, tell me about it,” I muttered, pulling out some of my things to give some sense of comfort. Johanna was right. I didn’t belong here.
“Sorry, that was crass of me.” Johanna said. “I just meant that you aren’t like anyone else here at the academy. Well, I don’t care. I’ve never had a sister before and my friends, well, they’re either there for my money or for my family name. I don’t imagine you to be that sort of person, are you, Anna?”
I gave her a wry smile. “No one I know has any money.”
“See?” she replied, a real smile on her perfect pink lips. “That’s what I am talking about. I’m glad you are my roommate, Anna. So glad that I don’t even care you are an American.”
“Thanks,” I said, blowing out a breath. “So, what’s this place like?”
“If you haven’t guessed already, full of the rich and privileged who’ve never had to struggle a day beyond how to spend their family’s fortunes.” She shrugged. “And when they find out about you, my new American friend, they are—to borrow an American phrase I learned a few summers ago—going to go ape shit. You are a rarity in our world, Anna. We don’t know why you are here, but you will be the talk of this academy. I can promise you that.”
I didn’t want to be. I wanted to keep my head down and get through my classes, push out a decent degree, and move on with my future. “Why are you here?”
Johanna’s expression grew dark. “Because it’s generational. The children of European nobility have far fewer freedoms than what you Americans are accustomed to. I had no intentions of coming here. But my family ordered me to come. Such is the life expected of a princess. I am not looking forward to the classes and homework, but I could get accustomed to the parties.”
I paused. “Parties?”
“Of course!” Johanna grabbed my hands, squeezing them. “What else are nobility supposed to do when you put all of us into the same place? Historically, we either kill each other or pretend that our families don’t hate each other. But with abolition of most monarchies, things are a bit different now. The parties here are legendary and tomorrow night, I will show you our half of the world.”
I gave her a weak smile. I didn’t share her enthusiasm, not one bit. Parties I didn’t do. I didn’t make friends, and I sure as hell didn’t like to be around a lot of people.
But now, I would have to be around a bunch of people who would look at me funny, whisper behind my back about not only my nationality but also my backstory. I wagered before the end of tomorrow that everyone would know about my backstory and start to form their own opinions.
Heck, I just wanted to know why I was here and how I had even gotten into this prestigious academy to begin with.
My stomach rumbled and Johanna laughed. “You are probably starving.”
“I could eat,” I admitted, holding my stomach. When was the last time I had eaten anyway? I had been too nervous to eat on the jet, nibbling instead on some crackers before I had spent much of my time sleeping.
She walked over to the phone on the nightstand. “I’m sure I can find you something more suitable for your taste. Do you have anything in particular?”
“Would it be too American of me to ask if they have pizza?”
Johanna laughed again. “I’m sure the kitchens can handle that. But I wager it won’t be like the pizzas you remember from back home. Just give me a few. Do you have any preference for toppings, or shall I order them to put on some fresh Jamón Ibérico?”
Ha—what? It took everything in me not to drop my mouth in awe. Unable to muster up the words, I just nodded. Johanna flashed me a quick smile and picked up the phone.
Watching her speak into the phone to order the pizza, I was at a loss for words. Suddenly, I wasn’t so sure that my street smarts were ever going to be of much help.
I turned back to my bed, my fingers touching the top of the laptop that was sitting there. This was crazy. I didn’t even know how to process what was happening to me, this sudden direction my life was taking. I was sharing a room with a freaking princess, an actual goddamn princess who called the kitchens of a castle for a personal pizza late at night.
Someone was having a good laugh about this at my expense, but I was going to show them that they had picked the wrong girl if they were expecting me to fail. I wasn’t one to fail, at least not easily.
If they wanted to spend their money on me, well, I was going to show them that I was worth every freaking penny.
Chapter 3
The next morning, I followed Johanna down the hall and into the dining room, where breakfast was served. After a rough night and fighting my jet lag, I wasn’t prepared to face people today. I playfully suggested ordering from the kitchen again but Johanna wouldn’t have that.
She insisted that we couldn’t eat breakfast in bed, not on my first official day here. So I had thrown on a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of loose-fitting jeans, while Johanna put on perfectly tailored clothes that hugged and accentuated her form. If I had to guess, I’d say that her blouse cost more than my entire suitcase of clothes.
The dining room was abuzz with conversation as I walked in, moving over to the buffet that was set up, my mouth watering. There were all sorts of selections, from waffles to yogurt and everything in between. There was even an espresso station, with a server pumping out coffees worthy of a fancy coffee shop.
I tried not to meet anyone’s eye or open my mouth as I gathered a simple breakfast for myself and followed my roommate to an open table. “Well,” Johanna stated as her gaze circled the room. “You have caused a stir this morning. Brace yourself. It won’t be long.”
I froze, half wanting to run back to the safety of my room and the other half wanting to do something crazy so I could get this whole “let’s stare at the American” bit over with.
“I’m ready,” I forced the words out and reached for my spoon.
In reality, I was quaking inside. What would they do to me?
With every person that passed by the table, I waited for someone to stop, to mock me or where I had come from. Johanna kept up the one-sided conversation, ignoring the fact that I wasn’t participating, and by the time breakfast was over, I realized I had escaped some sort of confrontation for the morning at least.
“Come on,” Johanna said, dumping her tray in the trash. “We have O-week.”
I hurried to follow her, dumping half of my food in the trash with a mournful sigh. “What’s O-week?”
“Orientation week. It’s where they want us to meet each other,” Johanna stated, linking her arm with mine. Whatever her deal was, I was grateful that she had chosen to stick by my side today, lending me her support to me.