Regulations 

Noah found his uniform set out in neat piles inside his rolling suitcase. He didn't think he had time to put them all away, Liam was waiting outside of their door, he was humming a familiar tune but Noah couldn't place it as he put on his autumn uniform: beige trousers, white button-up, merlot blazer, and tie, before he put on his red loafers and went out of his door, his gaze lingering on the room across the hall before he looked Liam over again in the same uniform he had on.

"Do we have the same classes?" Noah asked Liam as he slowly descended the steps with Liam, feeling a need to wait for him on each step.

"We don't really have 'classes' at all," Liam explained, "As we are older—it is more that we have structured workshops and such things of that nature. We don't really have grades or anything of the sort."

Noah swallowed thickly, already hearing his parents complain about not getting progress reports and grade notes from his school. He would have to have the Headmaster explain why they didn't have grades, they might not even believe him then.

"Mostly you can do what you like when you like," Liam continued. "But you're not allowed to interrupt the teachers, break anything, or go anywhere when the building is supposed to be closed."

"Like the girls' dormitory?"

"Are you that sort?"

"Pardon?"

"The sort that wants to find their way into the girls' dormitory."

"What? No!" Noah replied quickly before catching himself, "I mean...It's fine and all, but no, I'm not going to do that." He sheepishly turned away, feeling his ears grow hot again.

"Some try it," Liam said calmly and Noah looked back at him, having expected some kind of teasing and felt relieved when he realized that Liam couldn't see his expression at all.

"I was speaking of things such as the pool and music building—or even the castle when we're supposed to be in our dorm," Liam explained calmly as they exited the foyer.

"Right," Noah said. "A girl I met earlier said she got into trouble for sneaking into the pool."

"You are a sociable person then?"

"What?"

"You have already made two friends after being here a short while."

"I don't think that counts as friendship." Noah ran a hand through his hair as he glanced around, there were students still milling about, some had rakes and things, laughing in the distance and seemingly carefree in their existence. "Besides, I'm not sociable."

"Is there something wrong with your face?"

"What?" Noah replied, looking back to him.

"Well, people avoid me because I am blind. I am told that some people are avoided because they are ugly."

"I'm not ugly...not really," Noah replied.

"Why are you uncertain?" Liam asked.

Noah paused for a long moment as they walked, he was careful to walk a step just behind Liam, not wanting to get in the way of the cane despite that Liam had it on the opposite side of him, hardly tapping the ground.

"I have been unable to see my entire life," Liam said when he didn't speak. "I guess it must be a sight thing."

"Must be." Noah agreed softly.

Noah knew that Liam was supposed to show him to his classes, where he was supposed to be and when, but he didn't ask any questions about the rooms they walked by in the castle. It seemed that, despite his eyesight, Liam knew where he was going. He talked a lot, Noah supposed it was better than awkward silence. Still, Noah couldn't think of a single thing to ask him, he wanted to point inside the rooms and ask what they were, but each doorway was labeled in German. Without eyesight, he wondered how he could describe them to Liam. It made him feel a bit useless as they continued onward, both trying to listen to Liam and memorize where he was--both he was failing at. 

In a moment, Noah felt a panic race through him.

"Hold on," he said to Liam before fishing into his pockets.

"Have you forgotten something?" Liam stopped but didn't turn fully to him, it seemed Liam thought he was still beside him--Noah didn't correct him. 

"No," Noah shook his head, as he took out his phone. "Well—yes, but I just forgot to do something."

Noah hardly had time to unlock his phone and find his mother's number inside his contact list before a shrill voice came over him. Scolding him in what he guessed to be German.

He spun around to see a tall and thin woman with grey, curly hair and pale skin marching towards him from an adjacent corridor. She was shouting in German until she stopped just a foot away from him, holding out her hand as she continued to speak forcefully. Noah grasped his phone tightly, feeling as though it might break from the stress of him clinging to it so desperately in the past day.

He had almost forgotten Liam was there at all; nearly forgotten all about him until he spoke clearly and fluently in German with the woman. She took in a deep breath and let it go slowly. Whatever he said, it calmed her down a bit. 

"Telephones are not permitted on campus grounds," the woman said in English, jutting her hand towards him.

Noah stammered for a moment before finally saying: "I need to call my mother."

"You shall call no one until designated times at designated locations!" The woman barked, her blue eyes moved to her hand again.

Noah held his phone to his chest. "I just need to let her know I landed and got here safely."

"She will assume that when she does not hear from the authorities."

After a long moment, Noah relented and dropped his phone into the woman's hand. She clutched it tightly, looked suspiciously at the screen before she tucked it into the pocket of her skirt and started down the hallway Noah had just walked down.

"Who the hell is that?" Noah whispered to Liam.

"Mr. Cooper," the woman said, making Noah flinch and see that she was turning back to him.

"Ma'am?" Noah squeaked.

He turned as he heard Liam move only to see that Liam was moving further away from him, into an open doorway and empty classroom. Noah nearly swore again as he realized Liam couldn't see his plea for help. He flinched when he turned back to see the woman headed back toward him.

"At Leuthold Preparatory we do not tolerate disrespect of one's elders."

"I wasn't attempting to disrespect you," Noah said as he looked downward, he could feel his voice shrinking, his body wanting to become smaller.

"We also do not tolerate those that interrupt them!" She exclaimed.

Noah flinched again, wishing he could duck into a doorway as Liam had, disappear from sight.

"I am sorry," Noah said quietly.

He hadn't realized he had closed his eyes until he was opening them again, seeing that she was writing out something on a pad of paper that she then tore and handed to him.

"As you clearly have not read your handbook and have disregarded what we do and what we stand for, you have been given your first penalty. Three of them, and you'll be gone, Mr. Cooper."

Noah's mouth opened and closed as he searched for words as he looked at the German scrawl of letters on the paper.

"I didn't—"

"It is finite, Mr. Cooper!" 

Noah felt his shoulders slump, watching her leave again before he looked back to the piece of paper.

"That is Miss Rae," Liam told him quietly. "She sees everything."

Noah inhaled deeply before turning back to him. She was no worse than his mother, he wagered. He had learned long ago to tuck his panic away, to force his hands not to shake. 

"I can't read German." Noah finally said before he offered the paper to Liam.

"Honestly," Liam breathed, "if you are showing me the ticket she gave you, you might be smart enough for the theater department." It seemed he was attempting to joke with him again, but he sounded so serious that Noah hadn't a response to give him. 

Noah crumpled the ticket in his hand, frowning deeply before he looked to the side. He felt as though it were strange that she had come and gone so quickly, but with a castle this big, he wagered, she must have to constantly be on the move.