Wren was jolted out of slumber when she felt cold water splashing on her body, the droplets hitting her skin like tiny ice picks. She groggily woke up, raising her head before staring at two big kids who seemed to be in their eleven. Their empty eyes seemed to bore into her soul, making her feel like an insect under a microscope. "Wake-up beauty, time for your new haircut," one of the boys mocked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Slowly, it registered to her that the academy was going to cut their hair today. She thought it was going to be the day after they arrived, but her expectations were far-fetched. She was shoved to the room, where girls were sat in chairs while scissors were passed through their silk hair mercilessly. The sound of snipping scissors and muffled sobs filled the air, creating a sense of dread. Some girls tried holding back tears while others were crying pitifully, their faces red and puffy.
Wren didn't have time to feel her hair for the last time when she was shoved to a seat nearby. "You have the softest and shiny hair, so bad it would be cut short," the barber exclaimed, his voice devoid of empathy, as he started cutting her hair from the bottom. Wren watched her hair fall emotionlessly on the floor, no single tear seeped out of her eyes. The sound of her hair falling to the ground was like a knife cutting through her heart.
When she opened her eyes to take in her new appearance, she was staring back at a reflection of a girl who looked drained of all the color life provided her. Her face was emotionless, her once radiant face was blank and expressionless. Her once long hair, which reached her waist, was now barely above her shoulder. The barber's words echoed in her mind, "From now on, you are no longer the fragile little princess, this is your life from now onwards." He whispered, before removing the cloth covering her body from her hair.
"Next," he yelled after Wren fell off the chair, her legs trembling beneath her. She bumped into her roommate, the brown-haired girl who was not wearing her glasses this time. "They took your glasses," she said, and got a nod from her. "You were really brave back then, you didn't cry like the others," the brown-haired girl said, her face having a wry smile.
"I was going to lose it anyway, I am Wren by the way," Wren replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "Ashley," the girl replied, her voice soft.
As they walked to their dorm, Ashley started talking about her life back home. "I was treated like a maid by my stepfamily. My father knew about it, but he did nothing to stop it. He just let me suffer," Ashley said, her voice cracking with emotion.
Wren listened intently, her heart going out to Ashley. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice soft. "My life wasn't much better. I was forced to come here without any say in the matter," Wren replied, her voice bitter.
When they opened the door, they met the sight of the boy doing arm wrestling while Kinara was at the corner reading a book, minding her own business. Her once silk hair was cut short, yet it didn't seem to make her less beautiful than she was before. Instead, her face was much clearer and more picturesque. Kinara, who noticed them, briefly smiled as she gestured them over.
"Now you three are here, we can go and check the girl's bathhouse. Our scheduled bathing is before sunset," Kinara said, getting off her bed.
"Wouldn't you boys go and freshen up, dinner is at sunset," Kinara said, looking at the boys. The boys only glanced at her as if she was a fool and rolled their eyes. Kinara didn't pry further, also ignoring them as well.
"We should just go and check it out," Wren said, her voice cold. "Yes, what they do is not our business," she retorted, her heart burning with hatred for Kai after what he had done to her.
"Let's just go," Ashley agreed, her voice soft. As they turned to leave, Wren felt someone's gaze from behind, but she dared not look back. Meanwhile, Kai stared at Wren's retreating figure with mockery, his eyes gleaming with amusement.
"Hey, Kinara," Kai called out, his voice loud. "You think you can boss us around? You're not in charge here," he sneered.
Kinara turned around, her eyes flashing with annoyance. "I'm just stating the obvious, Kai. You can do what you want," she replied, her voice cool.
Kai snorted, his face twisted with annoyance.
"Whatever, Kinara," Kai said, his voice dripping with disdain. "You think you're so smart, don't you? But let's see how long you last here."
Kinara raised an eyebrow, her expression unphased. "I'm not trying to be smart, Kai. I'm just trying to survive," she replied, her voice calm.
Wren, Ashley, and Kinara walked out of the dorm, their footsteps echoing in the hallway. As they walked, Wren couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She didn't know what lay ahead, but she was determined to face it head-on.
"Let's get this over with," Wren said, her voice firm. "I'm ready to see what's in store for us."
Ashley nodded in agreement, her eyes wide with apprehension. "Me too," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kinara smiled, her eyes sparkling with determination. "We'll face whatever comes our way together," she said, her voice strong.