[Eliisa]

“In a few days you’ll be going to Skyline Institute instead of your old high school.”
“What?” exclaimed Eliisa, confused. She stared at the two figures in front of her-- her parents. Her mother had just finished speaking. 
“We submitted the application several months ago for you. Remember when we asked if you could see a floating island?” her father continued.
“Well...yes,” Eliisa conceded, trying to suppress her frustration by balling her fists. [i]I should’ve paid more attention when they asked me about the floating island. They never explain anything fully to me, never consult me on matters that pertain to me, and think they always know what’s best.[/i]
“This school only requires one year in order to graduate. After graduating, you can have any job or career you want. And we got a notice that you were accepted several weeks ago! Isn’t that wonderful?” stated her mother enthusiastically. 
“Yeah. It is,” Eliisa replied cheerfully through gritted teeth. [i]Sounds too good to be true. But at the very least, if I graduate I can be free from my parents.[/i]
Her mother’s face suddenly became stern, “Keep your posture straight!”
Eliisa flinched and adjusted her posture immediately, “Yes, mother. But why didn’t you tell me about--”
“Stop asking unnecessary questions and go start packing. You’re flying over to the United States tonight,” her father interjected.
“Yes, father,” Eliisa said in a resigned tone and began to slowly saunter to her room. [i]I’ll be leaving everything I know behind…[/i]

[hr]

[Elliot]

The crisp, dank scent of freshly fallen rain lingers in Elliot’s nostrils as he walks past an odd flyer advertising Skyline Institute with the words, ’Can you see the floating island?’ stamped on it in huge obtrusive font.

It’s not the first time Elliot has heard of the school before; it was fairly famous after all. Rumors said that graduating from Skyline granted people a lot of prestige and allowed them to obtain any job they wanted afterwards. And as long as you could see the island, all expenses for the school would be provided. 

He was certainly intrigued the first time he saw the advertisement. He even had considered applying then, but his confidence failed him. [i]In a place like that, I’d be the dumbest one there. And be made fun of.[/i] Elliot shoots a quick glance at the floating island in the sky-- he’d been able to see it as long as he could remember.  His gaze falls back to the book he’s holding and resumes reading. Elliot had long mastered the art of reading while walking. 
As he nears his house, he spies unwelcome but familiar faces in the edges of his vision. Elliot ducks his head low, hoping he wouldn’t be noticed.
“Hey, nerd!” a guy strolls over and pokes him with a finger.
Elliot tenses his shoulders a bit and tries to ignore him.
“Hey! I was talking to [i]you[/i], nerd. Have you gone deaf?” the boy taunts.
“Maybe you need to be rougher with him,” another person pipes. 
The color in Elliot’s face slowly drains from his cheeks and he speeds up his pace, attempting to brush his antagonizers off. But hands from behind shove him roughly into a giant puddle. Elliot uses his forearms to land, but the book jolts out of his hands from the impact and falls into the puddle. [i]That was..one of my favorites. My father bought it for me before he died.[/i] Elliot had to suppress the choking feeling welling up in his throat-- he had always handled his books with the utmost care, especially that one.
“Awww, your book got wet. Are you going to cry now?”the culprit says maliciously.
Elliot silently picks up the book, gets up, and starts running back to his house. [i]I can’t cry. I can’t cry. I can’t cry.[/i]  
“See you later, loser!” a third guy jeered.
[i]I need to get out of this place.[/i] His steps slowed down as he reached his home. Elliot tucked the  book under an arm while he checked the mailbox for mail. Rifling through the letters, he notices one from Skyline Institute. He unlocks the front door to his house, leaves the rest of the mail on a table, and begins to open the letter from Skyline. [i]What could they possibly want?[/i]
Tearing the envelope open carefully, Elliot extracts the letter and starts to read it.

“Dear Elliot Zhang,

We are delighted to inform that you have been accepted into Skyline Institute. Skyline Institute is a prestigious school that...”

He had been reluctant to apply at first, but his desire to escape from his current situation became greater than his hesitation. [i]Should I accept? But then again, what do I have to lose? Maybe I could actually do something useful after I graduate. However unlikely that is,[/i] Elliot thought bitterly. He walked to his room and set the soaked book gingerly down on his nightstand before collapsing onto the bed. 
[i]I want to get out of here.[/i]