Under Ground Read Free Page A

bigotry, though speaking my mind on the matter would
be unwelcome, not to say costly.
    Boys attend different schools of
their own, lest our proximity trigger shameful desires or feelings.
We hardly ever see them, except during outings, in the streets, or
for social events. Besides my father and brother, William is the
only boy I've ever had a true encounter with, and I hardly spoke to
him for fear of saying something insignificant, stupid, or
boring.
    Once I'm dressed, I have
breakfast—always on my own—while Emily hovers in my space to make
sure I don't waste any food. When I'm done, I join Walter—our
butler—on the front porch. It's his job to ensure I get to school
safely. After all, it is quite unbecoming of a proper young girl to
wander the streets on her own. Walter and I never talk on the way
to or from school. I hardly know anything about him. I've tried to
engage him in a few conversations, but to no avail.
    "It is kind of you to care, Miss
Thia," he once told me. "But you should not sympathize with the
lower class. It's dangerous and frowned upon. Commoners like me
really don't matter."
    I've always disagreed. I'm curious
about his life, but after that discussion, I stopped asking
questions. I don't want to get him in trouble.
    Walter seems to be in his late
fifties, with a head full of gray hair. His eyes are light baby
blue, and he has a big nose and strong jaw. He lives with the rest
of our staff in a small house next to ours. He's especially devoted
to my mother, at her beck and call all day and night. If he has a
family, I know nothing about it.
    Walter and I always take the
upper-class train. The entire ride is spent in awkward silence, and
when we reach our destination, he walks me to school even though
it's located only seconds away from the station. Then he reminds me
that he’ll be picking me up from the platform at four p.m., as if I
would forget our daily habits.
    My school is an old institution
located twenty miles from my house. It’s ranked as the best
establishment in the state, which is a good sign for me, I guess.
The property is a huge estate. Most of its students come from
different counties to be boarded here all year. My friend Melissa
is one of them. I, however, do not board here since I have the
“extreme privilege” of living nearby. Mother always reminds me how
lucky we are to have me go to the best school for girls in the
state without me having to leave home. I personally would have
enjoyed very much the autonomy that comes with boarding, but luck
did not strike me that way.
    When I reach the gate, I give my
ID to the guard, walk through the schoolyard, climb the stairs
leading to the entrance of the main building, and find my friend
Melissa waiting for me there. Melissa is taller and prettier than
me. She has light freckled skin, crystal blue eyes, and long wavy
blond hair. I haven’t opened my mouth yet, but she’s already
shooting questions at me. Her smile radiates happiness, the burden
of this life never weighing on her shoulders the way it does
mine.
    "When are you picking up your
dress?" she asks.
    "Next week," I reply, slightly
apathetic.
    "I am so excited for you."
She claps her hands and jumps for joy as if marriage were the best
thing a girl could ever wish for.
    I try my best not to sigh at her
enthusiasm. After all, she’s only trying to help me focus on the
positive aspects of the alliance. She knows that this coming
weekend is the official meeting with William's family and that I've
been stressing out about it.
    Melissa and I walk to our lockers
as I recount my visit to the store. We grab our books and head to
class. We always start with cultural studies, a course focusing
mostly on the history of matrimony—a subject meant to remind us
that our system is the best there can possibly be and that girls
should rejoice at their fate, their lack of freedom, and the
opportunity to be chosen by a man at all.
    “Guess what?” Melissa startles me.
She's fidgeting as