Secret Life of Fox Tail - Chapter 1. Summer Vacation and Forest Paradise

One early morning I woke up to the sweetest sun shining in the sky. My university exams have finally ended and I have all the time to myself this summer vacation. I breathed in the sweetest smell of morning after so long, my head feels so light and I feel so refreshed, a feeling I have lost the past few months. I ruffled through the sheets in my bed tossing to and fro. After few minutes of time to myself in my freedom, got down from the bed lazily and started to get ready, for the vacation I’ve been planning for so long.
I am a second year student in the Green Park University, America. My name is Maria Kurenai, 23 years old, no boyfriend, majoring in the Faculty of Arts, hoping to become a powerful lawyer one day and create a change in this lifeless world of boredom and all crimes. My dreams are very high, to achieve I need to constantly concentrate on my studies without a break. So far, I have done my studies perfectly well bringing joy to myself as well as my parents. Being the only child in the family I was given everything that I wanted since I was very young, in return I have to do this to make my parents proud. As the last semester for the second year ended yesterday, all I wanted to do was get out of this cramming and studying for some time for myself, so I will be going this trip all alone.
I pulled out my travelling bag and started packing all clothes and necessary items for the summer time, I was heading to the mountains and already made reservation way before my exams began last month, a perfect lodge waiting just for me in the woods. With everything all packed and ready I hopped in to my car and started to drive off to paradise. As I drove I passed near the beach with the hood open in my car, I can see people have already started to enjoy this summer, couples and families everywhere.
After a 4 hour drive I have reached my destination, “Forest Paradise”. It was a lonely place surrounded by woods. Through the slight mist covering the lodge I could see the lights shining inside the through the windows. Slowly pulling up and getting down I wandered up to the counter, the place looks so deserted all around me only a few employees, well summer only started I just stated in my mind. I found this resort while browsing though the internet for relaxation place, the price was so affordable as well and just the perfect pick for a university student with a limited budget like me. At the counter a man in his middle age wearing round framed glasses with a small mustache with name tag across his uniform saying “Browns”, greeted me “Welcome Madam to Forest Paradise, we all have been waiting just for you”. I tilted my head to the side, do they know me flashed across my mind. Anyway I am their guest they at least should know me. “Well, Miss Maria Kurenai, let’s get you relaxed in our lodge” said the concierge Mr. Browns. I was startled hearing my name, very curious “How do you know my Name Sir?” He gave a gentle and a warm smile saying “You are our precious one darling; we’ve been waiting for you for so long”. Something did not look right, but I just could not put my finger on it, well for now I will just relax. Smiling back “Excuse me Sir, am I the only guest here yet, no one else still?” Mr. Browns looked up from his glasses and gave me a very assuring smile that I was correct in my deduction.
“Miss Kurenai, please take a seat in the lounging area and we will get your room ready within a couple of moments”. Thanking him, I just shuffled through the heavenly paradise made out of wood and made my way through to the lounge and sat down.
While exploring the area sitting on a comfortable cushion, something strange caught my eyes, I stood up walked up to a picture hanging on the wall; it read “Sir Arthur Brown 1805”. That’s 210 years ago; I calculated in my head, the photo looks exactly the same as Mr. Brown. It seems this lodge has been handed down for generations, lucky them I thought in my head as they have they already had their career coming down from generations. So I inspected all the paintings and items in the lounge while I was waiting. Soon I saw a young gentleman, around 26 years old, tall, brown hair up to shoulder length with the cutest smile I have seen all summer approaching me, “Miss Maria, can I call you this way?”. “Yes” I said with a smile on my face. “My dad says it’s rude to approach our guests with their first name, but I like to approach our guests in a more friendlier manner so I can be able to talk to them freely, daddy is just a Meany when it comes to customer service”, he pouted. I felt a little relaxed around him, but his last comment made me laugh. He looked kind of embarrassed, but he caught up to me soon and we were both laughing, when Mr. Browns came in hearing all the fuss, looked very confused. “John I will talk to you later, you may leave” said Mr. Brown in a stern voice, with a disappointed face John left the scene leaving me and Mr. Browns behind. “Oh, Miss Kurenai, please forgive my misbehaved son, I hope he haven’t done anything to upset you?” “Oh no no, Mr. Browns, he is a sweet young gentleman, please don’t be harsh to him and also please if you can call me Maria, I am very suited to that.”
With his help and of a bellboy I got my stuff in to my room. A room suited at the end of the corridor, wooden door, small room, with two windows and an attached bathroom. Looked similar to my boarding room with a different surrounding I mocked in my own head. I looked at the bellboy, a short, round faced boy with black hair, wearing a green uniform, with the name tag Bobby. “Thank you Bobby, here is your tip” I said. “Oh please no, Madam, I can’t take that Mr. Browns will fire me if he found out, our policy is not to take the tips although offered, it is very kind of you madam but please no thank you”. So dedicated to work I thought, “Have a nice pleasant day, Bobby” I said, “Same to you, Madam” saying that he left the room closing the door behind him. He looked so distant; I wondered if something was wrong with him.