The Perfect Place 

Anastasia was angry, frustrated. And no matter how hard she tried to push the feeling away, it refused to leave.

The moment the boy had run out of the classroom, something inside her had refused to settle.

It wasn't just irritation.

It was the awful, helpless feeling of knowing that something was wrong and having absolutely no idea how to fix it.

She had only wanted to help him.

That was all.

Yet the moment she had walked towards him, he had looked at her as though she was something to fear.

Then he'd run.

The memory replayed itself inside her mind as Anastasia walked out of the classroom.

She needed space… Somewhere quiet. Somewhere, anywhere far away from the stares.

The moment she stepped into the corridor, she noticed them again.

The looks and sideways glances.

Students lowered their voices as she passed. Some stared openly while others quickly looked away whenever she caught them.

But Anastasia could feel it all the same.

Every glance hinted at the same thing…

Lucien Kael's daughter.

They saw that before they saw Anastasia.

Her jaw tightened.

"I'm not scary," she muttered beneath her breath.

The words sounded ridiculous the moment they left her mouth. Because apparently, everyone else disagreed.

She walked faster.

The crowded hallways gradually disappeared behind her. The voices faded. The academy buildings became more distant with every step.

Still, the frustration remained.

She didn't even know where she was going anymore. She only knew she needed to get away.

This was supposed to be exciting.

Her first day at the academy.

She was supposed to be making friends. Learning new things. Exploring.

Instead, she felt trapped… Trapped inside a name she hadn't chosen. Beneath expectations she had never asked for.

And perhaps that was what bothered her the most.

Her steps slowed.

The thought settled heavily inside her chest.

She pressed her lips together and continued walking.

Until eventually… She found it.

A secluded area near the edge of the academy grounds.

Tall trees surrounded the space, their branches weaving together overhead and casting cool shadows across the earth. Large weathered rocks rested beneath them, untouched and forgotten.

The sounds of the academy were distant here… Barely audible.

There were no whispers, no curious stares or expectations.

Anastasia's eyes widened.

"The perfect place..."

The words slipped quietly from her lips.

Without another thought, she headed towards it.

The deeper she walked among the trees, the quieter everything became.

Until finally, she stopped beside one of the larger rocks.

Silence… Complete silence.

For a moment, Anastasia simply stood there… Breathing. Trying to let the frustration leave her chest.

It didn't… If anything, being alone only gave everything she had been holding inside more room to come rushing out.

Anastasia drew in a deep breath.

Then…

“...AAAHHHH!”

The sound burst out of her.

It wasn't quite a scream. It was more frustration than sound, more emotion than anything else.

For approximately two seconds… It worked.

Then…

“I hate this!”

Anastasia kicked a small stone near her foot.

It bounced across the clearing before disappearing into the grass.

“I hate it so much!”

She turned towards the trees, glaring at them as if they were personally responsible for everything that had gone wrong that day.

“I wasn't even trying to do anything!”

Her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

“I just wanted to help him!”

The memory immediately returned.

The boy's terrified expression. The way he had grabbed his belongings and had practically fled from her.

Anastasia threw her head back with a frustrated groan.

“I'm ten!”

She stared accusingly at the empty clearing.

“Just ten!”

The trees offered no response.

Of course they didn't.

Anastasia narrowed her eyes at them anyway.

“They should let me breathe.”

She began pacing slowly across the clearing.

Then stopped.

The frustration remained on her face, but something else had slipped beneath it… Something more personal.

“They don't even know me.”

Her voice softened.

She looked down at the ground.

“They see my surname and suddenly everyone forgets how to act.”

A pause…

“I'm not Father.”

The words came out immediately.

Then she frowned.

“Okay…”

Her shoulders dropped slightly.

“I am his daughter.”

She looked up at the trees again.

“As in... biologically.”

Another pause…

Her expression tightened.

“But that's not the point!”

She dragged both hands down her face with a groan.

“This is my first day.”

Her voice lowered.

“And somehow, everyone already knows who I'm supposed to be.”

That was the part she hated.

She hadn't done anything.

She hadn't even been there long enough to get lost.

Which, honestly, she was fairly certain would eventually happen.

She didn't know anybody.

Well...

Anastasia frowned.

“Okay, technically, I know one person.”

Her expression immediately soured.

“The boy who ran away from me.”

She stared at the empty space in front of her.

“I was trying to help him!”

Her hands lifted helplessly before dropping again.

“Who runs away from someone trying to help them?”

She paused.

Then slowly narrowed her eyes.

“Do I look that scary?”

She glanced at a nearby tree.

The tree remained completely silent.

Anastasia folded her arms.

“Don’t answer that.”

A sigh escaped her.

This one was heavier than the others. It carried less anger and more exhaustion.

She looked back towards the academy buildings, barely visible through the gaps between the trees.

Her first day had barely even begun.

And she was already stressed, frustrated, confused… Possibly developing a headache.

“That has to be some kind of record.”

Finally, Anastasia walked over to one of the larger rocks and dropped onto it.

The moment she sat down, some of the tension left her shoulders. Not all of it… But enough.

She sat quietly, breathing slowly as she listened to the wind. It moved gently through the trees, stirring the leaves above her.

Somewhere in the distance, the faint sounds of the academy continued.

But here… None of it mattered.

For the first time that day, Anastasia could simply exist as herself.

She closed her eyes.

Finally! Peace.

Then…

“You’re really loud for someone looking for privacy.”

The lazy voice drifted through the clearing.

Anastasia froze.

Every muscle in her body locked instantly.

Her eyes snapped open.

“What?!”