For another moment, I remained on the porch. The tea had begun to cool between my hands. Inside the house, I heard Daniella moving through the entrance hall. A cupboard opened. Something heavy scraped across the floor. Miss Daniels called her name from the kitchen. The ordinary sounds felt strange after everything Daniella had told me. And yet the house still creaked. The tea still cooled. Someone still had to clean the dishes after breakfast. I looked toward the garden one last time. Lynne remained beside the white flowers, speaking quietly to someone I couldn’t see. Then I stood and followed Daniella inside. I brought both of our cups with me. Mrs.Daniels was already collecting the dishes from breakfast. I set the cups beside the sink and started gathering the plates from the table. “Oh, no.” I looked at her. “What?” “You are a guest.” “Yeah?” “Guests don’t do dishes.” “It'll be fine.” She reached for one. I moved it out of reach. “You fed me.” “That does not mean you need to work for your breakfast.” “I also slept here.” “Where else were you to go?” “Those grass patches around the big tree were pretty comfy…” She stared at me. I stared back. Then I noticed the remaining plates and quickly grabbed those too. Miss Daniels sighed. “You’re very stubborn.” “I’ve known you for less than a day and I could say the same thing.” She tried not to smile. I carried the plates into the kitchen. It was the least I could do. I had no money. I didn’t have another set of clothes. Until Lynne mentioned it, I hadn’t even remembered that I was supposed to have a dorm somewhere. I couldn’t just keep sleeping at the home of a girl I had met yesterday and eating her mother’s food. At some point, I was going to have to figure out how to take care of myself. Preferably before I became an adopted household pet. When I returned to the entrance hall, Daniella had changed. Heavy canvas trousers covered her legs, tucked into thick leather boots. She wore a matching work jacket over a plain shirt, with a leather tool belt resting on the table beside her. Her hair had been pulled tightly away from her face. Under one arm she carried a shallow metal helmet with a short brim. It looked more like something an old military officer should be wearing than a construction worker. Miss Daniels stood in front of her, pressing a wrapped bundle into her hands. “I can buy something near the site.” “You said that yesterday.” “I was busy yesterday.” “You are always busy.” “That sounds like an excellent reason to stop packing food for me.” Miss Daniels pushed the bundle firmly against her chest. “That sounds like an excellent reason to continue.” Daniella sighed. She took the food. “What’s happening at the construction site?” I asked. Daniella glanced toward me. “The town guard is letting us back into part of it this morning. The lower level is still closed, but someone needs to inspect the damage and account for the equipment.” “You’re going back there?” “It’s my site.” Her hand readjusted slightly around the bundle. “There are workers depending on me. I need to tell them what happened before the rumors do it for me.” “They probably already have,” Miss Daniels said. “They probably invented something more interesting.” “More interesting than a dead boy arranging his gangster uncle’s death from beyond the grave?” Daniella paused. “Fair point.” A sudden pounding came from upstairs. Thump. Thump. Thump. The entire staircase seemed to complain. Jonathan appeared halfway down, taking the last few steps two at a time. Or rather he launched himself down them. He landed at the bottom hard enough to shake one of the framed pictures on the wall. Miss Daniels turned toward him. “Jonathan.” “I’m fine.” “You're going to break the stairs.” “They’re also fine.” The stairs creaked behind him. Jonathan looked back. “Mostly.” He wore loose trousers, a plain shirt and comfortable boots. A damp cloth hung over one shoulder. He held both hands out. “Bathroom cleaned.” Miss Daniels narrowed her eyes. “Properly?” Jonathan hesitated. “What definition of properly are we using?” “The one where it is clean.” “I mean in my definition it's clean, but there may be a few philosophical disagreements.” Miss Daniels pointed toward the stairs. Jonathan opened his mouth. Before he could protest, another figure appeared above him. Lynne came down at a much more reasonable pace. She had changed into her academy uniform. The difference caught me off guard. The girl I had met beneath the giant tree had worn a loose summer dress and an enormous straw hat. She had looked like she belonged beside the sea. Now she looked formal. Almost official. A dark fitted jacket rested over a pale blouse. A ribbon had been tied neatly beneath her collar. Her skirt fell below her knees, and the academy crest was embroidered above her chest. Her hair was still tied loosely behind her head. That part remained the same. She reached the bottom. “I thought I heard the house shaking.” “Your brother is trying to destroy it,” Miss Daniels said. Jonathan looked offended. “I was just walking.” “That was not walking, you were stomping about.” “It was more like a trot, I'm just heavy.” Jonathan held up his arms and flexed his biceps. Daniella picked up her tool belt. “Try trotting more gently.” Jonathan reached toward the food in her hand. Daniella slapped his fingers away without even looking. “That’s mine.” “I was checking whether Mother packed enough.” “For me?” “For the family.” “You are not the family. You are one person.” “I need my protein...” “This is why the stairs are so creaky.” I looked back at Lynne. Seeing her uniform reminded me. “Where did you get that uniform?” She glanced down at herself. “Oh.” She tugged lightly at one sleeve. “This one is from last year.” “It still fits?” “Mostly.” She lifted her arms. The sleeves pulled slightly against her wrists. “I might need new ones soon.” Then she looked at me. At first, she didn’t seem to understand why I had asked. Her eyes moved from my face, to the oversized shirt Mrs.Daniels had lent me. then to the trousers gathered awkwardly around my boots. Her expression changed. “Oh. They were supposed to give you your uniforms during orientation.” I laughed awkwardly. “We got distracted.” The words came out lighter than I intended. Lynne’s smile disappeared. Only for a moment. Her eyes lowered. I immediately knew what she was remembering. “That wasn’t your fault,” I said. “I know.” Miss Daniels crossed the room and straightened Lynne’s collar. “You’re certain you want to go to school today?” Lynne nodded. “Yes, afterwards.” “Afterwards?” I asked. She touched the ribbon at her throat. “I need to visit Mrs. Massino.” The name was familiar. “The uncle's wife?” She shook her head. “No Vincent's mother.” Daniella paused while fastening her tool belt. “Estelle came by again?” “Yes.” “Who’s Estelle?” Lynne looked toward me. “Oh. She's a ghost.” She said it with the same tone someone might use to tell me he was a neighbor. “A friendly one,” she added. Jonathan leaned toward me. “You have to specify with ghosts.” Lynne gave him a look. “What?” “Yesterday proved my point.” Her expression fell again. Jonathan immediately stopped smiling. “Sorry.” “It’s alright.” It clearly wasn’t. Lynne continued anyway. “Estelle met Vincent after he died. She was trying to help him pass on.” “But Vincent wouldn’t?” “He couldn’t.” She folded her hands together. “Or maybe he didn’t want to.” I thought about Vincent. About how Lynne had described him. His hatred for his uncle. Maybe vengeance had kept him here. Maybe it had been the only thing keeping him here. “And now?” “Estelle says he’s gone.” Her voice softened. “She thinks his mom deserves to know that her son finally moved on.” I studied her face. “Are you going to tell her everything?” Lynne went still. Her fingers tightened around the ends of her ribbon. “I don’t know.” No one said anything. She looked toward the nearest window. “I’ll tell her Vincent is gone,” she said. “That he isn’t suffering anymore.” “And the other stuff?” “I don’t know.” Her voice became quieter. “I don’t know whether telling her what he tricked me into doing would help her.” I imagined Vincent leading her toward the rope. Lynne cutting it. The platform crashing down and crushing his uncle beneath it. Mrs. Massino had already lost her son. Now Lynne was going to explain that after he died, he used her as an accomplice to murder his uncle. I didn't understand why she had to go do this, I guess cause a ghost told her to? But then again a ghost literally had used her as an accomplice to murder yesterday, so I didn't feel like my fears were unfounded. “What if she asks?” “She probably will.” “What will you say?” “The truth, I suppose.” Lynne looked down at her hands. “Whatever part of it I can explain.” Miss Daniels rested one hand on her shoulder. Lynne looked up and gave her a small smile. “Maybe you shouldn't go alone.” I said. “I won’t be, Estelle said she can escort me today ” “Estelle?” “Yes! She’ll be there.” “She’s a ghost.” “Yes.” “Can she stop anyone from like…I don't know, attacking you?” Lynne thought about it. “She can haunt them I guess?” “That…isn’t reassuring, at all.” She laughed softly. “I’ll be alright.” “There are still gangsters in town who might know about what happened and like, I dunno, want to hurt you?” “Most of them are hiding.” “Most of them? What about the ones that aren't?” “The town guard has people throughout the district,” Daniella said. “No one associated with the Massinos can leave town without being questioned.” Jonathan nodded. “Two guards stopped me last night.” “You look suspicious.” He placed a hand against his chest. “I look distinguished.” “Jonathan dear, you still have some shaving cream on your ear.” Miss Daniels said. Jonathan immediately touched his ear. Lynne laughed. Some of the heaviness around her disappeared. “The academy excused me for the morning,” she said. “I’ll visit Mrs. Massino and go there afterward.” Then she looked at me. “You should go directly to the academy.” “For my uniforms?” “For everything.” She started counting on her fingers. “They’ll give you your regular class clothes, training clothes, lounge clothes, swimming clothes—” “Swimming clothes?” “There’s a pool.” “Oh yeah, there is a p– Oh!” Her finger stopped. I immediately regretted saying it. She continued as if it didn't register. “And sleepwear.” I blinked. “They give us pajamas?” “Of course.” “Why?” She stared at me. “Because students sleep.” “I know what pajamas are for.” “Then why are you confused?” “I’ve never heard of a school giving people pajamas.” “What would students wear otherwise?” “Their own clothes.” Lynne looked at me like I had suggested sleeping inside a cardboard box. “But academy sleepwear has your dormitory crest.” “What does that have to do with anything?” “It tells people which building to return you to.” “Why would someone need to return me?” Jonathan leaned against the wall. “You’ll understand after the first festival.” I looked at him. “What happens at the first festival?” “You’ll understand after the first festival.” “That’s…wait? That's not a real answer.” “It’s the only answer that'll make sense.” Miss Daniels pointed toward the stairs. “Bathroom.” Jonathan sighed. “In a moment.” Lynne looked at what I was wearing. “Did Mother give you those?” “Yes.” “They’re Jonathan’s.” I looked at him. He looked at me. “That explains why they’re so large.” Jonathan frowned. “I’m taller than you.” “Exactly.” “That sounded insulting.” “How? It was a compliment.” “How was that a compliment?” I looked down at the clothes again. They weren’t mine. The uniform I had arrived in wasn’t really mine either. Or at least, I didn’t remember getting it. I just woke up wearing it. I needed clothes, money, shelter. The good old basics. And until a minute ago, I hadn’t even known whether I had somewhere to sleep tonight. I couldn’t keep borrowing Jonathan’s clothes and staying here. I had known these people for barely a day. “You’ll also need your room assignment,” Lynne said. I looked up. “They should have prepared one already.” “I have a room?” “You attend the academy.” “Apparently.” “You passed orientation.” “I’m not sure I’d describe what happened as passing.” “You received a path assignment.” “Oh the blue crystal thing.” “That was your result.” “Everyone acted like something had gone wrong.” Lynne tilted her head. “It probably still counts.” “Probably?” She smiled. “Ask the uniform office.” Somewhere to sleep. That problem had apparently solved itself. Assuming the room actually existed. “Where is the uniform office?” “Past the main entrance, up the stairs to the Headmasters office. It’s beneath the green banners on the left side, before you get to the courtyard.” I stared at her. She stared back. “I understood none of that.” “You’ll see signs.” “Can I read the signs?” Lynne paused. “Actually can you read?” “I read my nametag.” Daniella finished fastening her tool belt. “If he gets lost, someone will eventually find him.” “That's how I got here.” She smiled faintly. “I need to go.” Miss Daniels adjusted the wrapped food in her arms one last time. “Eat.” “Yes, Mother.” “All of it.” “Yes, Mother.” “Before sunset.” Daniella sighed. “Yes, Mother.” She picked up the strange metal helmet and tucked it beneath her arm. Then she opened the front door. Before stepping outside, she looked back at me. “For now, Xu.” I straightened slightly. “For now, Daniella.” I replied in the fanciest English accent I could manage. Her eyes narrowed. “What? You started it.” She almost smiled. Then she stepped outside. Miss Daniels stood in the doorway and watched until Daniella passed through the garden gate. Lynne picked up a small satchel from the chair. Then she suddenly turned back toward me. “Oh.” “What?” “If you see June at the academy, tell her to visit.” I stared at her. “June?” Lynne raised both hands. She mimed holding something between them, twisted her body, and swung her arms through the air. “Hiya!” Her version of June’s nunchaku technique looked less like martial arts and more like someone fighting an angry swarm of bees. I laughed. “Oh, her, yes.” I remembered June very clearly. The beautiful girl with the cold expression. Wearing a yellow jacket, beating the shit out of grown men with nunchucks. Then I remembered the way she stared at my nametag, and how her entire face changed after reading it. She must really not like me having a Chinese name or something. “She didn’t say anything to me.” Lynne lowered her hands. “June doesn’t always say much.” “She looked at me like I personally offended her.” Lynne thought about that. “That also sounds like June.” “Does she normally glare at people?” “Only when she thinks they deserve it.” “She was glaring at me.” “Maybe she thought you deserved it.” “She knew me for like thirty seconds.” “June makes decisions quickly.” “She was looking directly at my nametag.” “Maybe she was confused about why you have a Zhanghua name.” “Yeah…probably.” Lynne adjusted the strap of her satchel. “Just tell her Mother misses her.” Miss Daniels looked over. “I do. That girl hasn’t visited in far too long.” “Did something happen?” Lynne smiled. “She was here four days ago.” “Four days is far too long,” Miss Daniels said. I laughed. Jonathan pointed at me. “Tell June I can beat her now.” Lynne stared. Miss Daniels stared. I stared. Jonathan slowly lowered his hand. “Actually…” He looked upward, heavily reconsidering. “Don’t tell her that.” “I wasn’t going to.” “Good.” “I don’t want to be responsible for your death.” “Now you're just being dramatic.” Lynne started toward the door. I followed her onto the porch. “You’re sure you don’t want company?” She turned toward me. This time, her expression was firm. “I need to speak to Mrs. Massino myself.” For some reason, I wanted to argue. It wasn't like she had accidentally helped murder a major crime boss yesterday or anything. But she wasn’t asking for permission. So I nodded. “Alright.” “I’ll see you at the academy.” “Yeah, If I can find it.” She pointed toward the enormous palace rising above the rooftops. “That one.” “I meant the correct room.” “Oh.” She smiled. “Then good luck.” She stepped off the porch and followed the pale stone path toward the road. I watched her for a moment. Estelle might have been walking beside her. Maybe there were others too. Ghosts only Lynne could see. She gave no indication of whether she was alone. Once she disappeared around the corner, I went upstairs. My stained uniform was still where I had left it. The nametag sat beside it. Xu XiaoXing. I picked it up. I knew now that it probably wasn’t mine. Still, I pinned it to the borrowed shirt. I needed something people could call me for now. When I returned downstairs, Miss Daniels was waiting for me with bread and fruit wrapped in a small cloth bundle. “Oh no, ma'am, I couldn't, I already ate so much.” “You’ll be hungry later.” “They'll probably have something I can eat at the academy.” “And you can eat this before then.” There didn’t seem to be any point arguing. I tucked it beneath my arm with the folded uniform. “Thank you.” “You’re welcome, sweetheart.” Behind us, Miss Daniels suddenly looked toward the stairs. “Jonathan!” “I’m going!” “You haven’t moved!” “I’m preparing to move!” I heard his boots hit the floor upstairs. Miss Daniels closed her eyes. I tried not to laugh. Everyone had somewhere to go. Daniella had the construction site. Lynne had Mrs. Massino. Jonathan apparently had a bathroom he was assaulting. Even Miss Daniels had a house full of work waiting for her. And I had an academy. Or at least I had directions toward one. I stepped through the garden gate. The morning stretched ahead of me. Go get uniforms, a dormitory. And find out what my classes are. A room that had apparently been waiting for me before I even knew it existed. I started toward the academy. The feeling was warm, but foreign. Walking away from a house where people expected me to come back.

Chapter 12