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.
Barber Stall...
The stall was filled with girls, all with varying degrees of sadness etched on their faces. Some were crying, while others were trying to hold back tears, their faces red and puffy from the emotional toll of the haircut. The atmosphere was oppressive, the air thick with tension and fear.
The barber shop itself was a cold, sterile room that reeked of disinfectant and hair clippings. The walls were a dull gray, and the only sound was the hum of fluorescent lights overhead, casting an unforgiving glare on the girls sitting in the chairs. The barber's chair was a worn, metal contraption with a cracked leather seat, its surface scratched and faded from years of use.
The barber himself was a gruff, imposing figure with a thick beard and a scowl on his face. He moved with a ruthless efficiency, his scissors slicing through the girls' hair with a precision that was both mechanical and merciless. The air was thick with the sound of snipping scissors and muffled sobs, creating a sense of dread that hung over the room like a shroud.
As Wren sat in the empty chair,she heard the barber exclaim remorsefully,"You have the softest and shiny hair, so bad it would be cut short," then he started cutting her hair.
Wren watched in the mirror as her hair fell to the floor, each snip of the scissors a reminder of the loss of her identity, her freedom, and her sense of self. The barber's hands moved quickly and precisely, his face expressionless as he worked.
Wren scrutinized him as a man who seemed to take pleasure in the suffering of the girls, his eyes gleaming with a cold, calculating intensity as he cut their hair with a precision that was both mechanical and merciless.
When her was done, Wren took in her full appearance. 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 now ." 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. "My mom died when I was born," Ashley said, her voice cracking with emotion. "My dad remarried, but that didn't make life easier for me. Because after remarriage, Ashley was blown with the truth that her stepmother had other children from another man. Triplets who made life difficult for her at home. At age six, she started working like a servant at home, and nine she was doing all the responsibility. Several times, she complained to her father, but her father very well aware of her pain neglected her."
Ashley's voice dropped to a whisper as she continued. "My stepmother would often lock me out of the house, forcing me to sleep in the doghouse. I would get eaten alive by mosquitoes and other insects. One time, I got bitten by a snake, and my stepmother just laughed at me. She said I was worthless and that I didn't deserve to live in the house with them."
Wren listened intently, her expression unchanging. She felt nothing, no emotions towards Ashley. She wanted to, but after she came out of that dungeon, she felt different, as if she was hypnotized. She didn't know how to smile, cry, or feel emotions anymore, and she felt something was wrong with her. Somehow, she couldn't remember anything, only the part she was beaten up by Kai.
"Mmm," Wren murmured, her tone laced with a hint of indifference.
Ashley's voice continued, her words pouring out like a dam breaking. "Before I was brought to the academy, I was hit with the news that my step-siblings were actually my dad's biological family from another woman, and I was not even my dad's child. That was why I was neglected. Apparently, the only reason why I was tolerated was the property my mother left me before she died. I felt like I was living a lie, like my whole life was a mistake."
Wren's gaze didn't waver, her heart unmoved by Ashley's story.
She felt a strange sense of detachment, as if she was listening to a stranger's tale. She couldn't muster up any emotions, no sympathy, no empathy. It was as if the academy had stripped her of her humanity, leaving her a hollow shell of her former self.
When they opened the door to their dorm, 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. "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. He vaguely remembered how he defeated her, and her sheer arrogance. The memory of their confrontation still lingered in his mind, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction at having broken her spirit.
He knew he wouldn't let Wren go so easily, not after she had defied his number one rule since birth: "No one messes with Kai Blackwood." The rule was simple, yet it was one that he expected everyone to follow without question. Wren's defiance had been a refreshing change, but it was one that he wouldn't tolerate for long.
Now, Kai had a new plaything to satisfy his entertainment. Wren's spirit was broken, but he knew she still had fight left in her. He would enjoy watching her struggle, watching her try to navigate the complex web of rules and expectations that came with being a student at this academy.
Kai's smile grew wider as he thought about the possibilities. He would toy with Wren, push her to her limits, and watch her squirm. The thought sent a thrill through him, and he couldn't wait to get started.