I wake up from the sounds of little feet tapping all around me and the rustling of beds being made. I really don't want to wake up just yet but I open my eyes and wipe the sleep from them. I see everyone getting ready for breakfast, brushing their hair and teeth, getting dressed. I sit up on my little twin mattress, throwing my old blanket off me. I looked at the clock on the wall above the door 8:10am. I jumped out of bed and I grabbed some old jean shorts and a light pink t-shirt and threw them on, if I don't hurry I'll be late and I'd rather not get in trouble so close to it being my 18th birthday. I rush to the sinks and brushed my teeth and hair at the same time, not doing that great of a job, almost putting toothpaste in my hair. I put my hair up into a pony tail and looked at myself in the little mirror. I can see my bright green almost yellow eyes, my dark drown hair, even in the pony tail it goes all the way down my back, my little button nose and my thin lips. I look away, never having liked the way I look. I rush back over to my bed to make it, I almost forgot. I run to the cafeteria and take my seat right on time at 8:15am.
"Good Morning River! You were almost late today. Luckily you made it on time!" Sam says next to me.
"Good morning Sammy! I'm trying not to get into trouble before my birthday." I say back grabbing my fork and starting to eat my eggs.
"I bet you don't, I don't want to either. I wonder were we'll both end up... Hopefully somewhere close together!" She says with a mouthful of eggs.
"I just hope to be a maid or a shop helper. I just really hope I'm not a Mother..." I reply taking another bite.
"Yeah me too, I really don't want to be a Mother. I couldn't imagine having to have one kid after the other just for them to be taken away at a year old. Then once they are to old to carry they become Nanny's. I would hate that!" Sam says with food still in her mouth.
I shiver. "Agreed!"
"Your birthday is in 3 days right?" Sam asked.
"Yeah..." I say not really wanting to think about it. Sam's Birthday is a month away. I wonder were she'll end up. I hope she gets something good.
"You sound upset about it." She says finishing her food.
"I'm just nervous about where I'll end up. I'm trying to not think about it too much, but its hard not to." I responded. I put my fork down no longer hungry. We have the same food almost everyday, plain oatmeal and eggs. Sam and I both get up to put our trays away.
"Are you nervous?" I ask her.
"Well, yeah. Of course I am. But I'm trying to think positively. Maybe we'll both be maids working in the same place, that wouldn't be to bad." She replied.
"I can only hope." I say back.
We walk to the classroom, they have been teaching us to read and write. I'm not very good at writing but I'm getting pretty good at reading. We have a spelling test today and I'm not looking forward to it. I always do bad and get a spanking every time. I sit in my seat in the front row and wait for class to start. A few minutes later the classroom has filled up and Ms. Green walks in.
"Good Morning Class." Ms. Green says.
"Good Morning Ms. Green." We all Say back.
"Time for your spelling test." She says as she starts handing out papers.
I sit there waiting for her to finish handing out papers and to start calling out our words. I hope I do well this time.
"Starting with word one Exactly." She says after she get done handing out papers.
I write "Exacly" down on my paper.
"Next is Triple." She continues.
I try to sounds it out in my head "T.R.I.P.L." I write it down hoping I'm Right.
She calls out the last of ten words "Specific".
I Write "Spusific" down on my paper. I put my head down as she walks around picking up papers. She sits down at her desk and starts to grade them.
"Good job Susan you got a 100%" She says happily.
She keeps calling out scores, everyone doing pretty good until she gets to me.
"River You got 40%, please met me after class. Everyone else can go out to play until lunch time" Everyone starts to get up and walk out of class and I sit there and wait. I know what is about to happen.
"River Follow me." She says getting up. We are heading to her office were I'll Get a spanking, again. We walk through the halls and I can see her door getting closer. She pushes open the old heavy wooden door. I walk inside dreading my life.
"River, you have failed every spelling test. I thought once your reading improved that your spelling would as well." She grabs the old paddle. "bend over and let's get to it, you missed 6 words, so you get 6 paddles." I bent over the desk. She strikes me once, twice, three time before I start to cry. She keeps going until the sixth is over. I hold onto the desk and cry. She pats me on the back.
"Alright head to your room until lunch." She says. I run out of her office crying, running towards the room until I slam into a wall, I think? I fall backwards onto my butt. Ouch!
"Why are you crying?" Some unknown mans voice asks.
I Look up through my tears and Respond. " I was spanked because I failed my Spelling test again." He's very tall and slim, has pitch black hair and bright blue eyes and pale skin. He's breathtakingly handsome. He lowers a hand to me.
"You should watch were you're going." He says. I grab his hand, it's cold.
"I'm Sorry mister." I run off as soon as I'm standing again. I run to the room and fling myself onto my bed. My butt Hurts. I'm tired of always failing my tests and getting spankings. Thankfully I only have a few more days here. I wonder were I'll end up. I should find out tomorrow what I'll be doing for the rest of my life. I fall asleep thinking of the possibilities. A couple hours later I wake up to the sounds of the lunch bell. I roll over in bed. Ouch! My butt still hurts but not as bad. I get up and walk to the sinks to wash my face. I splash cold water on my face and rub some hand soap on my face then rinse. I look at myself, I look tired and my eyes are a little puffy. I start to walk to my cafeteria. My mind wondering to who that man could have been. We don't get many outsides here. I walk into the room and find Sammy and sit down next to her.
"Hey girly, how are you?" She asks.
"I'm fine, but a little sore." I say looking at my ham and cheese sandwich. She Gives me a small side hug.
"I'm sorry Riv. At least you won't have to deal with that again." She responds still hugging me.
"You're right, I'm happy about that." I say.
I eat my sandwich and Sam eats hers. We say nothing else, both probably thinking how we may never see each other again. I'll miss her so much and as I think that I blink unshed tears away. We both go put our trays away and head to the storage closet and start on our daily chores, this week I'm mopping the floors. I grab the mop and head to the bathroom to fill the bucket with water and start to clean the floors. It'll take me until dinner time to get done with how large the building is. I start on the 3rd floor and work my way down to the 1st floor. I hear someone walking up behind me and turn around to see the same man from before.
"Careful mister, I just mopped the floor." I say. He pats me on the head.
"Thank you." He says
"What's your name?"
"River, What's your name?" I ask.
"My name is Alexander."