Life as I've Known It

Sitting in the Library all I can hear is the sound of the grandfather clock ticking in what feels like a mocking manner. It's only been two weeks into summer vacation and I am ready for school to start back up again. I can't stand being at Redwood during the summer but then again I didn't have any other option, this is going to be my senior year and it has me dreading life. An overbearing father and a secluded Private School will have a few screws loose by the time salvation comes back around.

Ding! My phone goes off on the table in front of me, the screen lights up with a text from none other than my father.

-Hazel please come to my office. We have dinner plans to go over.

-I will be right up

Grabbing the copy of Red Queen, that I had been staring at for the last thirty minutes, and putting it back on the shelf where it belongs I head upstairs where my fathers office and living quarters are. When I finally get to the door I pull my dress down a bit more so it goes below my knees, since I know I'm pushing it with it being a fitted dress. I knocked on the large wooden door adorned with carvings of angels. This part of the school was originally a church, and in fear of angering lingering spirits and religion in general, father decided to keep the ornate details of the past.

"Come in Hazel" Father commanded in a almost bored tone.

Stepping into his office always made me slightly uneasy, it may be due to the fact that this used to be the living quarters of whatever priests were here when this was a running church. His desk was in the middle of the room, he was focused on the paperwork in front of him and ever so often would type a few things on the keys of his laptop next to him. "Aren't we pushing the limits with your dress today, Hazel?" He said will his usual sternness while glaring at me.

"Yes father I suppose I am, I just assumed that since it was below my knees and isn't skin tight it would be fine." I quickly responded.

"I understand that you are under the impression that since you are turning eighteen soon you can do as you please, but believe me as long as you live under my roof and I support you that it is my rules you will be following. Do I make myself clear?" Turning his attention back to the work in front of him.

"Yes Father, what dinner plans would you like to discuss?" I change the subject knowing that is no chance in changing his out of date mindset.

"I know what you are doing Hazel, this is not a discussion that I will waver on, remember that. As for the arrangements, as you know the professors don't get here until the last few weeks of summer but, we have a new professor joining us and he chose to come early to get his lesson plans together and get acquainted with the place. We will be entertaining him tonight for dinner, so go get ready. I already have a dress picked out for you to wear. You may go." He said without another look in my direction.

I silently left his office to head to the dorms. Even though I've lived here my whole life, I now have a room in the dorms. Father was reluctant to let me move since I would be farther away but, luckily it was the one thing I was able to get him to change his mind about. So at the beginning of the summer I began staying in the dorms. It will definitely be hard at first since I am the headmasters daughter and before this point I stayed in the nicer area of the school. I just wanted to feel normal, eventually all the attention around me will die down. When people started to talk to me they would bring up my past and how I had lived here my whole life, they'd ask questions and sometimes I would answer but others I would just change the subject. I wanted to hear others stories of not being restricted like I have been, about the events they would go to, the people they'd met. I was living vicariously through them and it was giving me a new sense of life. Alas though it was just fantasies since at every break and at the end of the day I would be by myself with just my overbearing father.

When I finally made it to my room I noticed the dress on the bed was a peach color A-line skirt that goes to mid calf, the standard when it came to my dresses, it had elbow length sleeves and a neckline to the base of my throat. Modesty at its best, I went into my bathroom and started the water to take a quick shower. I hadn't done much of anything all day but, it will kill the time needed. When I finally got out I threw on a bit of makeup knowing that if I went even slightly deeper my father would say I looked like a lady of the night. I quickly put my hair in a bun and proceeded to put the dress on. I slipped on a pair of nude heels and checked myself out. I looked far more grown up in a prudish way but it had my signature look for so long I couldn't even picture myself wearing anything different.

Bzz, my phone broke me out of my trance. Checking the notification I saw a text from my father.

-Our guest has just arrived. Meet us in the dining room.

-On my way down now. I replied.

I knew for a fact that the dining area he spoke of was the ones designated for staff. One thing I never told my father about, was when I was younger trying to entertain myself I found some hidden passageways in the original structure. With this information it made it extremely easy to make it to any area on time. Feeling for the latch in the wall beneath the grand staircase I make my way into the passageway, it's dark but I keep them clean, I'd hate to give my secret away by my clothes being dirty. Sometimes when I just need time to myself I'll hide in here and read or maybe just listen to music and pretend I'm in another land. Before I knew it I made it to the hidden door next to my fathers room. Without making any noise and checking to see if the coast was clear I made it out of the passageway and silently closed the door behind me.

The door to the dining area was open so I just knocked on the door frame to make my presence known. The guests back was to me, he's taller than me, with sandy brown hair and a stocky build.

"Ahh, Hazel don't you look beautiful." My father quipped. I just smiled and dipped my head slightly in acknowledgement. "Here is my daughter Hazel, Hazel this is the new professor Mr. Moore." He introduced us.

When Mr. Moore turned around I couldn't help the smile that crept onto my face, the familiar happiness seeped into my chest and I couldn't stop it. "I haven't seen that face in four years. You sure grew up." He teased.

I heard my father clear his throat, " I thought you'd remember each other. Let's eat I had a marvelous dinner planned for this occasion."