Savannah

Hardersfield is fortunately very far from the town we started at dawn. We arrive there after lunchtime, but seeing Peter at the train-stop makes me forget about hunger. I become so happy, that I cry and laugh at the same time, hugging, kissing my love.

"Hey, don't make my niece or nephew right here, out in the boonies! At least wait, until we arrive home."

Taylor impatient voice stops us to continue our half-mad kissing and hugging. My sister doesn't want to scold us for our behaviour, just indulgently grins on us. She is generous enough to let us rejoice each other, but I completely forget, that she is also impatiently waiting for meeting with Sylvia. So, let's go! After throwing our suitcases to Peter's car, we are ready to dash toward the happy future.

In another quarter of an hour more happy hugs and tears happen, but this time with Sylvia. We all touched by the meeting, Taylor and my freedom, so it takes time to go to the house. The staff bring our package upstairs, and we follow them carefree, happily chatting. When we reach the guest-rooms, I let my sister choose a room, and I occupy the other one, with Peter. The room is very nice, soft beige colours of the wallpaper, a real bed, wardrobes, paintings on the wall, and real curtain on the windows. A real room, as it should be. I sit down the bed, close to Peter, I put my head on his shoulder, and after four years I feel totally relaxed, and happy. He doesn't say a word, just let me absorbs the beauty around me. I feel complete.

Pure happiness, for an eternity.

For a minute.

I hear pounding of legs, strict cry of a voice, and the next second a tiny girl storms into my room. She stops in front of us, with a wide smile. "Hello!"

"Jasmine, I caught you!" Taylor arrives to our room after the little girl. "You are the next to tig!" My sister hugs Jasmine, and run out of my room. The little one following her.

"Tiny Savannah." Peter says, he is the first one who pull himself together. I am still frozen from surprise, and he notices my state. " Have you ever seen her?"

"No." My voice is hoarse. "I have only seen pictures of her, when she was a baby."

The resemblance wasn't so startling, like now. I have never thought, that she could be Tyler's daughter.

"Well, our daughter will also look like her. I mean you." Peter laughs, and caresses my back.

I smile to him. "Probably."

I want to ask Sylvia about the little Jasmine, but life shifts to a higher gear, as it wants to compensate us for the last four years. At the late lunch, or early tea I forget to ask, because Taylor notices Sylvia's bulging belly, and she proudly informs us about expecting twin boys. We are so happy about the news, that I completely forget about the little girl. After eating Sylvia vanish to somewhere with Taylor, and Peter invites me to look around my new workplace.

Private schools are schools after all. Classrooms and other facilities are the same. The main difference, that the students wear uniform. Even their school-bags are the same. I don't really like the mass of grey colour of their clothing, but Peter informs me, that the designs of the school is the parental community's responsibility. The uniforms are designed by a famous brand, so it is fashionable. The kids love them, or at least wear them without complaints.

The end of the tour we arrive to the gym. Peter intentionally left the gym for the last, while the other things of the school are not a heartbeat to me, and he wants me fell in love with his school. He is right, the smell of the training is familiar to me, and makes me feel at home. Real home. Unfortunately, the training of martial art is already ended, only the cheerleaders are present. I don't really like this kind of activity, but it seems the girls are training seriously, judging by the exercises, they are making. Peter greets them, the head of the group shortly waves him, and turns back immediately to the exercising girls.

As we walk out of the gym, Peter points out two waiting student. One is a boy, the other is a girl. Both wear the same grey uniform, and they look similar, as they were siblings. "We have a little luck, they are the part of the martial arts' club. Come, I introduce you."

But before we could go to them, another girl joins to the waiting ones. A very beautiful girl. Her black hair reaches to the waist, and floats elegantly in the air. She is a 10-15 centimetres lower than me, but her face is much more cuter than mine. The crown on her beauty is her wide smile. It makes her shining, and looks like she is walking in the air, as a real princess.

"Stay here." Peter hisses me.

We watch as she joins to the other two, and all of them walk away together. They are chatting happily, everyone could see that those three are good, close friends.

"They are the Hillard kids and the only daughter of the Carpenters." Peter says when the three of them are far from us.

"And?"

"The Carpenters are one of the richest family in this neighbourhood. They are wealthy and powerful. More influential than Sylvia's husband. Try to get along with them."

"Get along?"

"Their daughter, Vanessa is the biggest ace of the martial arts' club, and you will be their new coach, starting tomorrow."

"Tomorrow???" I cries out loud.

Yes, I will start my new job tomorrow. It seems the Carpenters are not satisfied with the old coach, so Peter had to find a new one. Me. So, I should thank them my job beside Peter. Unfortunately I can't just knock on their door, to thank them. In the evening, during dinner even Sylvia is warning us to be careful and polite with Vanessa Carpenter, so to Taylor's despair, she has to join to the martial arts' club. It is not like we don't know a thing about martial arts, our family is fond of them. So we are under training since young age because of this admiration. Even our uncle, Ian is under this influence, because he holds training camps of martial arts during summer on his estate. So, Taylor and me are in good shape, thanks to him. Thanks? I hate him for this, although I really like martial arts.

I still can't forget Ian and Tyler, when I unpack my thing from the suitcases. I didn't want to keep my sports bag, so I now have nothing to pack my judo clothes for tomorrow. My sister is nice to me, since she bought the whole school equipment from uniform to pencil case in the afternoon, she doesn't need her old sports bag. She gives it to me, and says to keep it. Hand-me-ups. My mood is already downward.

Sylvia is generous in the morning, she offers her car to get to school, but neither of us has a driving licence. We both can drive – Ian's estate is big, and we often use his jeep for transportation, but since we drove in a private place, we have never need to get the licence. So we use the only licence we have, and we go to school on foot. The school is not so far from Sylvia's house, although farther, than the bus stop in the hills. While we are walking, I could see again the Hillard kids and Vanessa Carpenter. They meet at a small path, coming out from the forest. They seems to be happy to meet, but this time they are chatting about more serious things. The Hillards probably live nearby, but the Carpenters live not too close. All of them goes to school, and we follow them from afar. There's no meaning to directly meet them now, they don't even know, who we are. We have time to be friends with them.

We are waited at the school gate by Peter and Taylor's new homeroom teacher, and part at the same time. Taylor goes to meet her new class, and I am introduced to the old coach and PE teacher of the school, in the small office at the gym. His name is Morishita, and he has worked for this school for 14 years. He seems to be a nice old man, with grey hair. He tells me everything about the work, it is not too difficult. Lists are given to me about the kids with health problems in each classes. We discuss every students, who was under his care in this school. Two hours later we finished with normal classes, he gets out a big book from a big wardrobe, full with old videocassettes.

"The martial arts' club." He says with sad tone in his voice. "I work with all of these kids from the beginning. It will be hard on them, but I think later they will be happy for the change. They have learnt everything I could teach them. They really need a new coach." He smiles at me. I understand him.

"But it will be difficult, I presume."

"Everybody have fears of changing things, but have to learn, that not everything in life has a proper close. So do not tell them my contacts. Nobody, but Vanessa Carpenter, if she asks."

"Vanessa Carpenter?" I ask in astonishment.

What is it so special about this girl, that everyone is about her?

"Well, she is special."

"In what sense special?"

Is she the lover of this old man? I wouldn't be surprised, but find it disgusting.

"Her circumstances are special."

"I am already warned about the Carpenters..."

"She is in a critical situation. Well, her entire life is nothing, but the line of critical situations. She needs help, so please take care of her."

I nod in approval, and Mr. Morishita leaves the small room without looking back.