I sat with my chin in my hands.  I was alone in a large room, sitting in the darkest corner.  No one could see me from the doorway, but I could still see when James opened the door and called, "Lily?"

"How do you know my name?" I questioned suspiciously.

"It's on your record. All your teachers learn it, even if they just call you by your mother's name--"

"Step-mother," I corrected bitterly.

"Sorry. Step-mother," he said.  "Let's just say I have a few connections for learning things. Now, will you please come out? I think you'll like the next class."

"I don't think I'll like anything here--and will you just leave me alone? I don't want a friend."

"I don't think that's how friendship works," James said, coming over to sit next to her. "Sometimes you need a friend. No matter how much you hate everybody."

"I don't hate everybody." I stopped myself. "Okay, fine. I do. But I lost my father three years ago, and he was the only one who truly cared about me..." Why am I telling this stranger I just met all this?  I'm letting my guard down.  Before he could respond, I stood and walked out of the room.  I could find some dumb room by myself.

Let's just leave it at: I was wrong.

I'm not going to get into the details...but I wandered the stone halls for most of what was supposed to be herbology.  I'm not sure what that is, but James said I would like it.  Too bad I didn't find out.  When I finally found the room, they were finishing up and filing out of the room.

"What happened?" James asked me when he finally made it out of the busy class. "You disappeared and then never showed up. I almost came looking for you but Mrs. Wonley refused my request."

"I..." Should I admit I got lost?

No.

"I decided to ditch." I held his gaze with my head high.  If he noticed my lie, he didn't say anything.

"Okay. But I wouldn't do that very much if I were you. If you're going to survive here, you might want to try a bit harder--just some advice."

"Noted," I mumbled.

The rest of the day went dizzyingly slow.  I just wanted school to be over so I could get to my job. I had heard some girls talking about a robbery somewhere in the low mountains.  There were less guards there, so it made sense.  My body itched to take action.  The more time I wasted at school, the farther they could get.  It was driving me crazy.

A few hours after lunch me and my classmates were led outside.  I was surprised to see targets standing a few yards away.  Finally!  Something I liked.  But then the teacher led me and the other girls away from the targets and under the shade of a nearby tree.  The teacher pulled out a hoop with some cloth.

"Does everyone have their embroidery?" the teacher asked.

Embroidery?

The boys got to do archery while we had to do embroidery?

But the girls seemed delighted as they took out hoops of their own.  I slowly backed away from the female group and went over to the boys.  I made sure James couldn't see me and call me out as I hid toward the back of the group.  My short hair and simple clothing helped me blend in slightly.  Still, I kept my head down.  I mean I still looked like a girl after all.  

When it was my turn to shoot the arrow, I quickly mounted it and shot it--right on the bull's eye.  The boys gasped and stared at me, suddenly they realized I didn't belong.

"You're...a girl," one boy said.  

"What are you doing here, young lady?" the male teacher asked me.  Goodness, gracious.  Would they ever stop with the young lady?  

"I...I--" I tried.

"You are supposed to be doing embroidery with the other young ladies!" he said.  

There it is again.  

"But I want to do archery!" I insisted.

"Archery is not for young ladies like yourself!"

I resisted the urge to do a face palm.

"So?" I continued, probably digging my hole deeper.  Then I felt someone get close to my ear and whisper,

"If I were you, I would let it go. Mr. Bottomhighler is not one of the nicer teachers." I glared at James. 

"I don't care," I hissed. "Why should I have to do embroidery, when I want to do archery?" I turned back to the teacher. "Please, sir. Can I do archery? Just today? And if you want me to continue..."

"Just today," Mr. Bottomhighler replied firmly. "Next Monday you shall do embroidery. Like the other girls."

I smiled and picked up my bow. "Thank you, sir!"