Chapter 96: Chapter Ninety Six
The next day of my life was complete hell.
Overnight, all female students had been delivered a new uniform. Four navy blue shopping bags stood on our suites coffee table, and none of us wanted to touch them.
“You do it.” I said with a nudge to Natalie.
“I can’t look. It’s a fashion apocalypse.” Stella said dramatically, returning to her bedroom in tears.
I sighed and grabbed one of the bags.
“Stella it’s not that bad, they’re like six inches longer.” I said to her, lifting the new more modest skirt.
“I like my skirts six inches long to begin with!” Stella said with a dramatic cry from her room.
“What does the card say?” Nora asked me.
“It’s another list of rules.” I said.
“Of course it is, just get it over with.” Stella said, remerging at her door frame.
“Hair will be brushed and contain no abnormal hair colours. On both school days and weekends, nail polish is prohibited, high heels higher than one inch are prohibited, excessive makeup is prohibited, clothing revealing shoulders is prohibited, clothing revealing the upper thigh is prohibited, bright neon colours are prohibited, sparkly or flashing clothing is prohibited, cleavage is prohibited-” I read.
“THAT’S MY ENTIRE WARDROBE BELLA.” Stella said, falling to her knees and crying again.
“Okay, get it together. Let’s not be late on the first day.” I said to them, Stella didn’t move.
After getting dressed and physically fighting Stella to get dressed with Nora and Natalie, we barely made it to breakfast on time.
“They’ve separated our breakfast tables?” Nora asked with wide eyes.
“Pureblood males, pureblood females, bitten males, bitten females.” The new headmistress joyously instructed the incoming students.
“Ah, Isabella Medici.” Louisa said when she laid eyes on me.
“Good morning headmistress Down.” I said to her spitefully.
“Good morning girls, we are so excited to be here. We’re sure that in no time we will get things back to normal. The way your parents intended things to be.” Louisa said.
“My mother would never let me leave the house looking like this.” Stella said boldly.
“Stella, don’t.” I said nervously.
“Just who the hell do you think you are? Stealing our fashion from us? When my parents hear about this complete bullshit you’re putting us through-” Stella was cut off by a royal guard picking her up and carrying her flailing body away.
“Please don’t hurt her.” I begged Louisa, who only had a sickening smile.
“Little girls who misbehave, get punished.” She squeaked. Natalie’s body tensed, I saw that her fist was clenched.
“Don’t, they’ll take you too.” I said to her quietly.
“That’s right, now go be good girls. We have a very exciting day today!” Louisa said. I gripped my hand so tightly that my own fingernails broke my skin.
Colton was watching me nervously as the students were filtered into the cafeteria.
Finally, Louisa took the headmaster's podium.
“Hello students.” She said,
“We don’t stand for this! Bloody misogynists!” One girl shouted. Louisa coughed awkwardly and flicked her hand towards a guard.
Colton and I locked eyes as the girl was violently grabbed and dragged away.
All of our professors stood awkwardly behind Louisa as this happened. One teacher finally said something while the female student was being dragged away.
“Louisa, what are you going to do to her? I’m sure she’s just confused.” A professor said,
“If they’re confused, they should listen.” Louisa said with a peppy peep.
“As I was saying. Hello students, I am Headmaster Down. I have been appointed to this position by the royal court, and your royal families. Let’s applaud that.” She said warmly. Almost no one clapped. Colton still locked eyes with me.
“We felt that the current administration and staff were not protecting our traditional values. Non-monogamous relationships, sex parties, gay and lesbian relationships. This is not in favour of our ethics and values.” She said,
“Fuck you!” Someone shouted. The female student was a lesbian, I had seen her with her partner before. I watched in horror as they snapped her neck. I stood up from my chair in horror.
Everyone turned to me.
“Oh, she’ll be back and fully healed in just a few hours, Miss Medici, please take your seat.” Louisa said. I looked around the room at all of the students. Our friends, our club members, my teammates, classmates, they all were hoping that I would do something. But I couldn’t. What could I do in a room full of enemies?
Colton’s eyes were my only peace.
Sit down Isabella, he said to my head. I obeyed him because I knew he was right. It was the smart thing to do.
“Apologies, headmaster Down.” I said. Louisa seemed content with that response and continued explaining the new school.
“Monogamous, male dominant relationships will be put into practice and celebrated here. Relationships will be built around the most important value, obedience. As vampires we all must exercise restraint, but our race's pureblood females are made to birth children, and it is our job to ensure that they get to do this. Creating a traditional family structure with protective, dominante men, and loyal bittens allows these women to have excellent, pureblood children. The strongest creatures on earth.” Louisa said. I bit my tongue.
Natalie held my hand so hard I feared she might break it. Another noise from the back of the room signalled another girl was standing to protest.
“I want to leave. I want to unenroll.” A girl said in the back to the royal soldiers blocking the entrance.
“And you may, dear, with your family's blessing of course.” Louisa said, snapping her fingers and having the girl taken away.
“Anyone else with these concerns can come to my office anytime. For those of you who do wish to be here, your class schedules will be distributed now by your professors. Have a wonderful day.” She said,
Colton still did not break eye contact with me.
Natalie, Nora and I were handed our schedules.
“We only have two hours of actual instruction a day.” Nora said.
“Nora, please be quiet.” I said, using my eyeballs to point towards the royal guards near us.
“I hate to say this but she’s right, Nora. We can’t do anything right now.” Natalie whispered.
“Let’s just go to class.” I said to them, Colton nodded to me from across the great hall, I nodded to him too.