Opening a door to a frozen heart
Is like the parting of clouds during a dark day
One must change the way they see the world

Through new eyes
Every day is beautiful 

- - - - - - - Bright and Early in the Morning in   Oak Class

A small figure enters through the sliding doors

[Serrah's POV]

phew, no one is here yet..

*Serrah carefully steps towards Leo's desk, double checking that no one is around*

He probably doesn't even like Crown Heim's.. but it was the only thing I could find that wasn't opened in the house..
I had no time to go to the store this morning so I'll just buy more later

*Serrah puts the Crown Heims on top of Leo's desk*

hm.. what if someone else sees it and takes it.    

*Serrah takes the Crown Heims back*

Will he even know they're from me.. I couldn't possibly say 'thank you for bringing back my pencil case last night' and give this to him in front of everyone. >."

And I can't exactly ask to meet with him privately.. the staring.. i can't handle it!

I'll just write my name on a sticky note, that way he'll figure it out!

*Serrah takes a sticky note and-*     wait.. what if someone else sees my name..  I can't take any risks, got to keep a low profile.   I know!   I'll draw the cat bun!

*Serrah carefully draws the Cat Curry Bun on the sticky note* 

there! he probably remembers the cat bun.. i think.. hopefully..  I hope he likes them. 

*Serrah decides to put the Crown Heims inside Leo's desk, to be double sure it's not taken by someone else*

and my job here is done~

I woke up extra early to get here today, maybe I should walk around a bit.. see a little of the school.  *yawn*

- - - - - Riverrun High : School for the Exceptionally Talented

[feel free to skip the reading and just look at the pictures below]

The school has 3 separate buildings each connected with glass tunnels, enabling you to walk from one department to the next. .

Each student is enrolled with a Talent in one of the 3 departments.

Arts
                Visual Arts - Painting, Drawing, Sculpture, Etc
                Performing Arts - Acting, Singing, Dancing, Instruments

Athletics
                Sports ranging from Basketball to Soccer to Chess to Ping Pong, you name it.

Domestics
                Skills ranging from Cooking to Engineering, and even Business, grooming would-be government officials
                and future company presidents.
              
Normal Classes are held 3 out of the 5 days in school.
The afternoons on the 4th and 5th day are reserved for fostering Talents.
During this time students focus on perfecting their Talents and are also able to explore new talents so they may grow as wonderful citizens of society. Having classes of students with different talents is 1 of the methods.

The freshman (gr9) classrooms are located in the Arts Building, the first out of the 3.
It is equipped with studios for the visual arts, dance and drama, and music rooms for vocals and instruments.
The biggest floor is converted into an indoor Theater for performances.

The sophomore (gr10) and junior (gr11) classrooms are in the Athletics Building, beside the Arts Building.
It is equipped with 3 large indoor gymnasiums, the biggest being split in half, the other half being a pool for water sports.

The senior (gr12) classes are in the Domestic Building, the last of the 3, beside the Athletics Building.
It is equipped with Kitchens, Wood Shops, Metal Shops, Computer rooms, Laboratories..you name it.

Riverrun High, being an Elite school also has a large field, big enough to have all the sports teams playing at the same time.  The school grounds also include a storage building, a large garden and a forest with a small lake.





                   

                   
                                                             [ Talents subject to change upon authors will ]

- - - - - - - Back at Oak Class - morning class has yet to begin

*Serrah ends up getting taken to Whalemart to buy the school supplies*

Such a weird list.. why do our teachers even need us to get   -1 small stuffed animal (7cm)
What are we even going to do with stuffed animals?? 
Anyways..wow! this place is HUGE! My old town had a Whalemart too..but this one is like HUUUGE.

Hongbin  "Serrah! Hurry or we'll leave you behind! "

Ken  "Yes Serrah-ssi , this place is pretty big, don't want to get split up! ^^"

*Serrah runs over, to rejoin the guys.*
 

- - - - - Toy section of Whalemart

Hongbin "Ken, what did you end up getting for this stuffed animal thing?"

Ken "Oh! I got this dinosaur with a yellow mohawk! Its so cool, got it propped up at home! "

Hongbin "Oh? Let me get one..where is it?"

Ken "It's actually in the Dog Toys section, N and Ravi got their stuffed animals there too! Dinosaurs! Let's go!"

Hongbin "Wait, we can't, we should wait for Leo and Serrah, look, Leo's still looking!"

Ken  "Leo and Serrah-ssi can take care of themselves! What are they going to do? Yell at each other to death? hahaha"

Wait..don't leave- *Ken drags Hongbin away* ah.... they're gone.
And Ken was all 'Don't want to get split up' but he's the one doing the splitting!

*Leo and Serrah quietly look at stuffed animals*

so.. ..awkward. Do we just stay here and wait for Ken and Hongbin to get back? Hongbin get back already!
Should I say something? This is my chance to thank him..

aaah..the last time i talked to him..I yelled at him thinking he was Hongbin! I almost forgot! Now I really do have to apologize.. he went out of his way just toreturn my pencil case too! He's so wierd..

"Thank you"  Leo doesn't react, I don't think he can hear me. Slowly..cautiously, I stand beside Leo.   "Thank You!"   ah! He heard me! >///

"uh..I mean.. thank you -  for getting my pencil case for me-and getting my food-I can pay you back-and about yelling at you on the roof-sorry about that-and do you like Crown Heims? I mean-I can get you more if you like them-"

*Serrah bumps into a shelf of toys!*

    * CRASH!! *

- - - 3 seconds earlier

I don't know what happened, but Leo smiled.. and then his expression changed and I feel Leo's arms grab me and pull me towards him! Then I hear a something fall and hit the floor behind me, shattering into a hundred of pieces!

Leo's chest is warm             and I can hear his shallow breath "haa haa" -ba-dump-ba-dump - the blood rushes to my face, but before I can say anything he let's go. Shocked.. I stand there , but I hear a voice approaching and break out of the shock.

Janitor "Excuse me customers, we'll have to ask you to vacate the premesis, the broken items are a safety hazard so please change your location"

Change our location?.. right.. uh..where.. ?

I look at Leo and he walks to the end of the Toy section.. *Leo stands there*    oh, he must be waiting for me to follow him.

- - - - - later

We ended up not getting stuffed animals.. and it's all my fault.      Why am I so awkward.. just relax Serrah! relax!

*arf ARF! woof WOOF! meow! chirp chirp!*

Huh..? Oh, we must be near the pets section, pets?..dogs..dog toys! right, Ken took Hongbin here!

But where are they? Leo doesn't seem to see them either..

let's see pet snacks,- - - -> pet clothes,- - - - > pet toys!   but no Hongbin or Ken.. where did they go.. ?

*Leo loses interest in looking for Ken and Hongbin and enters the Pet Jungle*

the Pet Jungle, does he think they're in there? ooh I want to see the cute pets! might as well follow him!

- - - - - Whalemart's Pet Jungle

awww!  SO CUUTTTEE!



"Wah! it's a little Zure!!  Hello little Zure~ ah so cute~!"             Zure is my pet cat, she's beautiful with black fur and blue eyes.    "You look just like my Zure accept she has a little white patch on the middle of her forehead~"

         so cute! 

*ring ring ring*

Hmm..    *Leo picks up his phone*

Is that Ken I hear on the other side   *Leo hangs up and starts walking*   Ah wait for me!
We leave the Pet Jungle and walk back through the pet stuff - and that's when I see a small yellow lion staring back at me! It's Leo! I mean.. they have the same face!

I see the human Leo waiting for me at the end of the isle- I grab the small toy lion and follow after Leo. I don't think he saw.

- - - - - -

Hongbin "Serrah! Leo!!"

Ken "What happened! We heard a crash and headed back to the toys section, but you 2 werent there!!"

Hongbin "There was just some guy cleaning up some broken toys! what happened?"

*Leo stays silent*

"Ah..yea.. a toy fell and broke on the ground, so we had to leave.. I'm sorry-"

Hongbin "Well , as long as you're okay."

Ken "Yea, It would if you guys got hurt."

Hongbin "Let's call it a day, Serrah I'll take you home ^^"



- - - - - - - - - - On the way to Serrah's house

*Hongbin is walking Serrah home*

Hongbin "So.. you just happened to bump into that shelf and the toy fell?"

"yea.."

Hongbin "And you didn't get hurt?"

"uh.. Leo pulled me out of the way, right before it fell.. so I'm okay"

don't think about it, don't think about it.. >///

Hongbin "That's good, you're lucky it was Leo, he's got great reflexes, he saved Ken from drowning once you know."

"Oh"

Hongbin "Serrah..  "

"yea..?"

Hongbin "You should rely on me a bit more, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left you and Leo-"

"what, no! Its okay! its not like your my bodyguard or anything"

Hongbin "But, its my fault-"  

Hongbin's eyes sadden, and I remember the times he apologized back in middle school, when people started calling me names, when people started destroying my stuff,     ..when he was leaving.

"Stop. Stop right now. It was an accident! You didn't do anything wrong!.. so you don't need to apologize!"

I knew it.  Hongbin's still blaming himself for me being bullied.. that's why he's so nice to me and always following me around. He needs to stop..

before I know it we're in front of my house*

Hongbin "Bye Serrah, See you tomorrow ^^"

Hongbin smiles his usual bright smile, showing off his dimples, but I can tell he's down by the look in his eyes.

"Tomorrow.. where are we having lunch?"

*Hongbin's expression brightens*    "We're eating at the lake spot again of course ! :) "

"Okay, see you tomorrow ^^"

- - - - - - -  Serrah alone in her room

I have to try harder, to be a better friend. I need to stop being so cautious of people, and pushing them away.

Tomorrow is a brand new day.



- - - flashback

a small girl with short black hair is tiptoeing, trying to reach a book, but a hand grabs it!

Girl "Yah! that was mine!"

oh, what a tall guy..

Boy "Oh, what do I do, I wanted to study this book too."

Girl "Sorry, but "The Eye of an Artist" has already been reserved by me, you're going to have to make a reservation."

the boy chuckles, but quietly of course, they are in a Library.

Boy "haha you're funny, I like you, what's your name?"

the girl blushes and answers in a small voice.

Girl "Serrah, my name is Serrah."





The end of Chapter 3 : Riverrun High : Know Your Surroundings

 

authors note :

So how did you like chapter 3? I changed things up a bit near the end format wise.
Did you understand how the school works okay? I know it may get a bit confusing!
Little by little i hope to really get into the back story of the characters~ but just a sprinkle here and there! Who's your favourite character so far? comment comment comment!
See you next chapter! tiranical out ^o^~!

*UPDATE*  Expect new format changes in chapter 4! I realize, sometimes there is too much POV and then not enough, so I will be trying out some new formats to see which works best ^^! please comment if when chap4 comes out if you prefer the old or new format ^o^!