C H A P T E R T H R E E

The three of them were waiting for the train to start boarding before the talk started. Natalya told Sophie that as long as students were milling into the train's corridor, looking for a compartment to sit at for the long train ride, it would not be safe to discuss the delicate subject.

"So, we can finally talk about this without some random people ambushing into our compartment demanding some sort of ransom, can we?" Sophie asked, could not help but to let sarcasm into her voice. "Sorry, I'm just a generally really sarcastic person in general." At least that was the truth she was saying, despite her whole guise as Johanna Patterson, an identity solely created for her sister's punishment to be more effective. Sophie was sure that her father had her in mind to create the identity, Vivian's antithesis so that her twin would have to adjust to the role. Vivian may be an actress, a great one indeed, but fitting into a role that contrasted from her own self must be difficult.

Erika let out an unladylike laughter and Sophie realized how different she was from the usual Yamato Nadeshiko, the expected image of Japanese girls and women to hold up to. The Japanese girl seemed comfortable in her skin, freely laughed whenever she wanted to and she carried the air of enthusiasm around with her. "We need a good dose of the sarcastic friend, don't we Natalya? Eh, no we don't because Natalya is already too savage and sarcastic for her own good. But I digress, so let's go back to the topic at hand. You really need a lot to learn here in Kingston, Johanna. This place may seem like Hogwarts to you like it did to me three years ago, but don't let the train station fool you."

"I'll do the explaining or you?" Natalya asked Erika, to which the Japanese girl replied with a nod. "Okay, so Erika will do the explaining because she has a tendency to over-"

"-don't mind Natalya, Jo," Erika interrupted as she slapped Natalya's thigh, causing the Russian girl to wince. "Let's just say that I have better presentation skills than she could ever have. There is a reason why I am the first in the year and not her or Marina."

Natalya threw a glare at Erika's direction. The Japanese girl was not unperturbed by Natalya's sharp glare, obviously. With Natalya's pale blue eyes, her glare could be menacing. Sophie could deduct that these two had been friends longer than they let on or maybe three years of friendship was enough to strengthen such bond. Admittedly, Sophie did not understand much about girl friendship, shying away from it as much as possible after everything that had happened long ago.

"I have enough dirt on you, Rika, so don't mess with the wrong bitch," Natalya pointed out, before bursting into a series of laughter. "Oh, Johanna, please forgive Erika and I. We could be such childish teenagers sometimes, although not childish enough to conform to the social hierarchy and rules in Kingston Academy. I may not be as smart as Erika here, but I am not that stupid."

"Let's just say that you should beware first and foremost the Elite kids," Erika informed helpfully, still with her bright smile intact. With her astute eye for observation, Sophie could sense that Erika probably hid a lot more darkness and shadow beneath her sunny disposition. The sunny like personality may not be a front, but Sophie was sure Erika wore a lot of masks to get by. "They are the richest kids in the school and a lot of power on the tip of their fingers. Let's just say the combination of being rich and bored and entitled don't have good results."

"Unlike your academic track record, A's everywhere, Rika," Natalya teased, her pale blue eyes gleaming with teasing glint. "Oh well, Erika is right. They may not be the type that bullied kids around because admittedly their lives are too sophisticated for that. But it is actually the wannabes you have to beware of."

"Wow, even my old school is not that dramatic," Sophie commented, crossing her arms over her chest. She was not as surprised as she initially anticipated because of occasional visits to her dad's home in New York City. The crowd her twin sister hanging around with was not exactly...looking for peace in life, with their escapades and troubles they landed on. Not to mention how Vivian was often the ringleader of those crowd back in New York City. "And I live in a southern small town where blue blood and old money rules everything, canceling a lot of rules just for those factors."

"Trust me, Johanna," Erika said, her voice took a dip and lowered by several notches, "that is just the small scale. Let's just say that Kingston is...a real-life version of those teenage TV series like Gossip Girl, which is my biggest guilty pleasure."

Before Erika could say another word, four boys strolled down the train's corridor and somehow Sophie could hear muffled voices of screams and sighs from neighboring compartments. They reminded Sophie of a schoolboy version of boy band members since their looks that resembled Greek God statues (read: too handsome to be true) made them like male models instead of ordinary students. Shifting her gaze from the boys that somehow strolled out from their compartment, Sophie found Erika who sighed in exasperation while Natalya rolling her eyeballs.

"I take those are the Elite boys that are...entitled and shitty as fuck?" Sophie offered, sensing the heightening tension in the compartment. Gone the friendliness Natalya and Erika brought with them, replaced with hostility. "Let me guess one of them has fucked you over and let's just say the results are not pretty. Or Natalya rejected one of them and it does not end well while Erika played the role as the defender. Correct me if I'm wrong."

Much to Sophie's surprise, Erika and Natalya stared at her with blatant surprise written all over their faces. Natalya, whom Sophie thought had an exceptional control over her emotions that bloom on her face, had her eyes rounded in surprise and jaw hanging open. Erika just openly stared at Sophie. "Are you Sherlock or something? Honestly, those deductions are spot on, Johanna. If you're not a new student, I'd suspect you for a spy trying to gauge secrets from both Natalya and I. Eh, but who am I to fool, Natalya and I are definitely not the most interesting students in Kingston. The mention goes to the FK boys that just walked through the corridor. Probably going to the shop in this train, I don't give a damn honestly."

Sophie did not even want to comment on the last part that Erika was saying. It certainly cemented her impression on the Japanese girl. A top student who wears a smile, probably to cover the fact that she was indeed the smartest girl in the room, that sunny disposition probably hid a lot more than Sophie initially thought. Then again, nothing was like what it seems to be and Sophie herself was the prime example of that saying.

"Yeah like how you still listened to the Naruto theme songs playlist you make with Julian," Natalya butted in.

This time, Erika did not slap Natalya's thighs playfully or reacted with playful violence. Somehow Sophie noticed that her new friend (or maybe she was testing her luck by calling those two her new friends) was a little bit too much inclined using her hands to make a point.

"It was a case of a..." Natalya trailed off, her gaze rested at Erika whose black eyes were zoning out staring at the greenery landscape outside the window. "She used to be best friends with one of those four boys. It was Julian Sinclair, to be precise. Before everything went to hell, that is."

"Are you sure you two are supposed to be sharing this with me?" Sophie genuinely asked because she would not be sharing her deep and dark secrets (posing as Vivian aside) with those two anytime soon.

The mention of a former best friend tugged something in Sophie's memory lane, pulling out a piece of memory of someone she would not like to remember, someone who had left her behind when she needed him the most. "I would like to indulge into Erika's liking of Naruto because I'm a huge fan too, but this is not something new friends talking about right?"

Natalya smiled and it was the first time Sophie saw a genuine smile, not a sneer or playful grin bloomed on her face. The kind of smile that Sophie knew she rarely let onto the surface. "I like how cautious you are, Johanna. You are a new student and yet you are giving Erika and me, who were quite literally misfits in Kingston's social scene a chance. Doesn't it seem wrong if we don't give you a chance too? I know you have a lot to hide, Johanna. Don't deny it because I know from your eyes. Erika will know it too because that girl is a lot smarter than people peg her for. Maybe that's because she smiled too much for her own good, but your eyes, Johanna, they hide a lot of things. I know so. But somehow, you have something that makes both Erika and I immediately trust you."

"There's nothing wrong with listening to Naruto theme songs alright!" Erika suddenly said and her eyes rounded in surprise seeing amused grin plastered on Natalya's and Sophie's face. "What are you two talking about when I zoned out? It must be something insulting about Naruto that I will immediately object."

"Don't worry, Erika, you just got yourself a new fellow hardcore Naruto fan," Natalya said with a sigh. The blonde haired girl turned her head to face Sophie and winked. "I'm a converted since Erika is so fucking adamant to make me watch the whole series when we first become friends three years ago."

Sophie could not resist but to let a smile bloomed on her face. Naruto was a huge pillar of her childhood, a show that she watched together with a certain childhood friend who had ceased to exist in her life anymore. It held a lot of memories, both good and painful, but somehow Sophie did not find any sadness in herself when Erika reminded her of her favorite childhood show.

"So what's the deal between you and Julian?" Sophie asked, trying to evade from a discussion about Naruto. She was not ready to dwell in the past, not to mention if it involved Alexander Voltaire, the childhood friend that she lost. "Is it a case where friendship that gone wrong?"

"You could say that," Natalya offered and it was Erika's turn to sharpen her gaze. "Well, it is a case of two people living worlds away and cannot find the energy to bridge the distance between each other. Julian is part of the four Elite boys, along with Prince Raphael Hernandez-"

"-I'm sorry, but what?" Sophie interrupted and she could not hide the surprise in her voice. "Prince Raphael Hernandez from Spain goes to Kingston? Isn't he supposed to like, attend some school in his own home country?"

Usually, Sophie hated to question something as ridiculous as a school that somehow had a fucking European Prince as one of its students. But obviously, that was not the case because it was the same prince that Vivian was caught in a sex tape with. Jesus Christ, maybe Vivian was that savvy to realize that she would be shipped off to a school where her one-night lover also attended. And this must be a piece of information that somehow slipped from their father's nimble mind.

"Oh, he was sent to study in the States by his parents. They wanted him to be more worldly and such. He started in Kingston several years ago, back in middle school I guess. Unlike our Erika here who started only since the beginning of high school. You're late several years, mate, let me suffer on my own with those social climbing girls before I met you," Natalya answered, not once questioning why Sophie sounded as if the school was funded by Aliens from the space. "Obviously, Your Highness Rafe is treated as if he is still the royalty he is back at his home."

Sophie did not miss how Natalya said the word 'Your Highness' with venom dripping from her voice. "What's so special about these...Four Kings, that rule the school?"

"Trust me that nickname is fucking ridiculous," Natalya added. "Let's just say that-"

The blonde haired girl was interrupted as someone slid open the compartment door, revealing a dirty-blonde-haired girl who seemed to carry a lot of commanding in her eyes alone. "Aren't you both having fun without me?"

"Oh, joy, here is the great Marina Atherton-Pierce," Natalya sarcastically commented, but a smile broke on her facial features. Somehow Sophie just knew that Natalya had the ability to school her expression into anything that did not reflect her true feelings. "What is the privilege of us to be graced by your oh-so-amazing presence, Ms. Student Council President?"

Sophie felt Erika gripped her hand, her knuckles turning white. It seemed that Sophie was not the only one who noticed the smoldering tension between Natalya and Marina. "What's going on with those two?" Sophie whispered, inwardly hoping that only Erika could hear her voice. But Erika did not answer, her gaze fully fixated to the brewing argument between the two girls.

"I'm just informing that the new girl here," Marina nudged to Sophie with her chin, "that she might not be safe from the FK's radar. FYI, New Girl-"

"-the New Girl here has a name, Marina," Natalya viciously interrupted. Sophie never quite heard someone spoke with such saccharine sprinkled on their voice. The last time she did was when Vivian lied through her teeth to their parents when they were still a whole family. "Her name is Johanna."

Marina raised one of her perfectly plucked eyebrows but did not pay a mere attention to Sophie, solely focusing her smoldering glare at Natalya. "Just tell Johanna that she should be readying herself for some hazing and the storm that waits for her. Nice seeing you, Blondie, Johanna and Erika."

With that, the Student Council President turned her back, letting her blonde locks swished and sliding the compartment door shut.

"That is intense," Erika commented, but none of the other two replied. "But Marina is right, usually new kids were...tested by the Four King's and their court to...well for their own amusement if that is not much obvious, especially if the student is attention magnet."

"Of all those four," Natalya said as she used the back of her hand to rub her forehead, "Be careful of Alexander Voltaire. If you ask me, he is even more dangerous than Prince Raphael."

Sophie slapped her mouth shut, a silent shudder rippled through her veins. She knew the name Alexander Voltaire all too well, and the memories entailed the name was not exactly pleasant. Not after a messy end of a friendship that would never last through teenage years anyway.

"Jo, you okay there?" Erika suddenly asked, placing her delicate hand upon Sophie's thigh. "Marina really did a number, didn't she?"

"No...not at all," was all Sophie could manage. At least her voice did not fumble when she said it, for it was the truth. Marina's intimidating stature was nothing compared to facing Ace Voltaire again after a long time.

Letting the world around her dissolve, Sophie found herself adrift in the ocean of memories that would soon drown her.

"So, what do you think of the school's uniform?" Erika suddenly asked. She gestured to the school uniform the three of them were wearing that consisted of a navy blazer, black-and-white striped tie, white collared T-shirt and a block motif skirt. "Legitimately the only good thing about Kingston Academy is the uniform."

"And the opportunities offered by this school," Natalya added, nodding all along. "I plan to attend American Ballet Academy after I graduated."

Erika raised her eyebrows in confusion as a response. "You're not going to attend Bolshoi Ballet Academy? I thought you are going back to Russia."

It was immediately upon Sophie's attention that there would be a series of bickering and sarcasm battle between the two close friends. Stopping arguments had always been a skill Sophie had, especially having parents who used to fight a lot before the marriage ended in divorce. "Guys, aren't you going to elaborate on the Four King Kong guys or whatever their name is so I can actually survive Kingston and not caught dead in the middle of a prank? You two are digressing from the topic, obviously a frequent occurrence."

Both of them stopped bickering as if Sophie just spilled cold water over their head, Natalya and Erika turned their heads to face Sophie. "Why do I have a feeling that I'm no longer going to be the sanest person in the group?" Natalya asked, probably to herself.

Sophie sighed, but somehow there was warm feeling bloomed in her heart after listening that these two girls immediately welcomed her into their small world. Despite Sophie's earlier apprehension (with Erika's perkiness aside), her reluctant nature almost stopped her from befriending Erika.

Maybe Vivian was right, after all, she should be open to a lot of options instead of retreating into a hole.

"So, you want me to start on Alexander, Julian, Your Highness Raphael or Nathan?" Natalya asked, leaning her back against the compartment's comfy seat. "It is your pick, Johanna."

And somehow reality crashed upon Sophie again, reminding her that she was here to play a role that was not meant for her to play. Inwardly, Sophie prayed that her path would never cross with those four guys especially Ace. Lying through her teeth was hard enough. Trying to cover everything up with the presence of a former best friend would definitely be leagues harder.

***

"So, there is a new student in our year," Alexander Voltaire commented casually as he leaned his back against the plush seat in the compartment he occupied with his friends. "Fancy that. Wonder what the new kid has to offer."

"Oh, don't try to sound British, Dear Lord. You can barely give a shit if the school got shut down."

Alexander, who was known more as Ace compared to his full first name, raised one of his eyebrows in challenge. "I'm just saying all right. It's not that I have any interest to shag anyone in the beginning of school year, too early for that honestly. I'm just wondering if the new student can survive Kingston that's all. Anyways, Your Highness, what twisted your boxer?"

A brown haired boy with a naughty glint blazing in his brown eyes responded Ace's retort with a nonchalant laughter. Somehow the boisterous noise that rolled off him did not suit his profile. His facial features resembled an aristocrat with sharp cheekbones and pointed nose. Despite the slight arrogance he emanated, the brunette boy seemed harmless compared to Ace's smoldering stare. "The phrase is 'twisted your panties', not boxer. I am a Spanish Prince for God's sake. And Ace, you're so full of shit if you expect me to believe that you are not interested to have sex."

"Wow, the notorious Your Highness Raphael Hernandez has the audacity to lecture me about sexual intercourses," Ace dryly retorted. "I'm sorry but who is the one that got caught having sex in a freaking sex tape? Not me, Raphael, but that is you. You're stupid enough to get into trouble with a girl whose name you can barely remember."

Raphael let out another laugh, to which Ace frowned at. Honestly, his