"Are you excited for tomorrow?" Lyra asks, brushing the colour-enhancing conditioner through my hair.
"I'm not sure," I answer. "I want to be, but I'm scared."
Tomorrow I will meet Commander Gael. The Luvah male that purchased me for an unimaginable sum. He also bought a random boy, just to get his hands on me. I shudder at the thought of what he could be planning to do to me.
Em walks into the spa room, carrying an assortment of healthy snacks on a wooden tray. Cucumber, celery, carrots and apple slices.
"What is this pathetic excuse for snacks?" Lyra asks, finally done with my hair. She jumps up and walks to her friend.
Em offers her the tray, taking a celery stick from it. Lyra puts the tray on the table and starts munching away at the apple.
"All that was left in the kitchen. None of the younger girls would trade with me. All the girls graduating have to eat healthy. They want us to look our best for tomorrow." Em says, sitting on the vanity and swinging her legs. The celery goes in her mouth in one go.
"What, like eating fruit and vegetables is going to clear some of the girl's pimples in one day? As if." Lyra throws me a bit of cucumber, and it lands on the floor. I glare at her, then eat it anyway.
"Really?" Em asks, delicately nibbling a carrot stick. "Eating from the floor?"
"If the floor isn't clean enough to eat off, then it isn't clean." I type, and we all laugh at the way the translator says it, with no hint of sarcasm.
"It must be frustrating, not being able to convey your feelings with any emotions," Em says quietly. "I don't think I could do what you do."
"Not a single one of those Luvah could handle Crynn if she had the ability to talk. Maybe they cut her tongue out for their own sake." Lyra suggests, finishing the last apple slice off.
I stick my tongue out at her, make a very rude gesture, and motion for her to come here, so I can wash her hair.
She sighs dramatically and stomps over to me, arms crossed.
"Alright then, make me prettier than every other girl in the school." She jokes, sitting on the chair I just vacated.
"Done," Em comes over to join us. "Not a single one of them has a patch on you, except for maybe ginger over there."
I pretend to be offended, and we collapse laughing again.
I finally have the friends I always dreamed of having, and I'm leaving them tomorrow. It seems to me, every time something starts going well for me, something throws it off circuit. First Dax, now Em and Lyra. Can't something ever go well for me?
"Making you pretty doesn't start until tomorrow morning anyway." Em says, brushing Lyra's hair.
We all go silent, thinking about our future. Em and Lyra seem so inseparable now, but tomorrow they will be yanked apart. Forced to spend their lives wondering about the nice girl they met after being sold.
I wonder if they'll think of me too. If they'll tell their kids and friends stories of their old friend, the one with the unusual hair and eyes. She couldn't talk either, they would say, the poor child. I know I will remember them, the first girls that were ever nice to me.
*
"Well done girls. Over the course of your month with us, you have learnt to speak the basics of our language, manners and your job in this life. Today, you spread your wings and enter Luvah society." Teacher Oralis drones on about how lucky we were to be chosen.
"Some of us will be spreading more than just wings." Abigail says, glancing at Lyra. The meaning behind her words is pretty clear. Lyra was brought by a female Luvah that rents out the humans she buys. The girls are trained to behave in public because they may have to do that.
The Teachers start reading out the names of the girls that are leaving, and giving them their certificate. This shows any Luvah that we have been domesticated and trained to the standards of Luvah society. We also get a stamp on our papers, meaning that wherever we go, our owner will be able to tell who taught us.
Finally, my name is read. Walking up to the platform, all eyes are on me. Some of the girls buyers are staring at the translator on my wrist, others at the name being projected next to mine.
"Number 0831, Crynn, has passed the exams without much difficulty. Since she doesn't talk, this is a wonderful achievement for both her and the school." Headmistress Anora says, handing me my papers.
I smile for the camera, wait for the flash, and walk back to my seat. A male Luvah standing at the back of the room catches my eye. He wasn't there before my picture was taken, when did he get here? He's handsome, to Luvah standards, and judging by his folded arms, strong. There's some sort of gold embroidery on his jacket shoulder, but it's unreadable. Everyone else standing at the back gives him a wide berth.
I dismiss him as another Luvah that is waiting for the graduation to be over, so he can take his human and leave. As the day has gone on, more Luvah have gotten impatient. Some are waiting to get what must be their first proper look at their purchase. The first time spent with their purchase.
I don't think Commander Gael will be here to pick me up. He probably has better things to do than attend my graduation. After all, he's the one that orchestrated the takeover of Earth. Plus, he has a whole military to run.
"That concludes the graduates for this week. Thank you all for coming, there are refreshments waiting in the foyer." Headmistress Anora leads the Luvah owners out of the room and into the aforementioned foyer.
The Luvah that had his arms crossed, pulls the Headmistress over. They exchange a few words, then the Headmistress sends Teacher Oralis to guide patrons to the foyer. Headmistress Anora starts walking over to the rows of girls who are still seated.
"Crynn. Your patron wishes to leave now. Fetch your stuff and meet me by the front door." She says, gently pulling me up.
As I leave, I try to get a glance of the Commander again, but he's gone.