The Hamilton Penthouse and the First Day at Astor School
The Hamilton Residence penthouse was the top floor where Olivia Jiyu Parker lived. The private elevator to the penthouse stood apart in a quiet corner of the lobby, separate from the central elevator.
“I finally get to ride this elevator!”
Olivia pressed the button, and the heavy door slid open with a smooth whoosh.
“Let’s go in, Jiyu.”
The elevator was only half the size of the grand central one. As they stepped inside, the doors closed. The buttons on the wall, in order from top to bottom, read PH for penthouse, 16, 15, and finally L for lobby. Hunter pressed PH without hesitation. But nothing happened—no light.
“What the hell? Is it broken?”
Olivia kept poking the button, and suddenly the doors slid open again. It was the concierge manager, Mike, in his crisp uniform. He looked flustered and waved for them to come out.
[This elevator is for penthouse guests only. Use the central one if you have a destination.]
Olivia, panicked, stumbled through her words with a heavy Korean accent.
“Uh… Jiyu, I mean Olivia and Hunter, play date in Hunter’s penthouse!”
Mike’s eyes dropped to the hem of her skirt, then to Jiyu hiding behind her. His voice turned cold and sharp.
[You must go through the intercom procedure first. Step out now.]
The manager blocked the closing doors with one hand and gestured with the other for them to exit. Olivia yanked Jiyu’s hand and muttered in Korean.
“This guy’s only mean to the first-floor residents. Is it because we rent? Or does he hate Asians just because he’s white?”
Jiyu glanced up at Mike’s face. He noticed the foreign nuance and frowned, then turned away.
[Follow me.]
They trailed Mike to the concierge desk. Just as he picked up the phone to call the penthouse, a resident came over asking if someone had delivered groceries.
Mike glanced sideways at Olivia, casually set down the phone, and turned to the resident. But Olivia wasn’t about to wait. She rapped her knuckles on the desk.
“Excuse me! I’m here first!”
The manager didn’t even look at her. He just held up a finger. Olivia’s face flushed red. She opened her mouth to snap back, then let out a long sigh that mixed shame and fury.
She had learned long ago that in this country, if you shouted your demands, you might end up sued instead of getting what you wanted. So she swallowed her temper. She had also grown used to this kind of snub.
“You’re lucky you’re half-white, Jiyu. Your hair should have been a lighter blonde.”
Olivia’s fingers brushed Jiyu’s ash-brown hair, then she clicked her tongue again, sounding annoyed.
Her words were half-true and half-unfair. Racism existed, but Mike—whom she assumed was white—was actually Hispanic. He simply lacked the polished manners and spoke in the blunt, bossy tone of someone who had never learned refined English. His habit of rushing through orders came straight from Korea.
Most people mistook his rudeness for racism, but Olivia saw only the surface.
When he finally smiled kindly at the resident and handed over the grocery box, Mike picked up the phone again, chin nodding toward Jiyu.
[Name?]
Jiyu ducked behind Olivia’s skirt. Olivia answered for her.
[Olivia Parker.]
Mike announced that the guest had arrived at the lobby for the play date with Hunter, then hung up and nodded.
[You may go up now.]
Olivia turned without a thank-you and grabbed Jiyu’s wrist, heading straight for the private elevator. The sharp click of her high heels echoed through the lobby.
Inside the private elevator she pressed PH again. This time the light came on.
“Oh! It finally works!”
Jiyu winced at the tight grip on her hand. She was about to say it hurt, but the tension in Olivia’s face—half worry, half dread—made her stay silent. Sweat covered Olivia’s palm.
At the top floor the doors opened. There was another set of double doors right in front. Olivia took a deep breath and pushed them open without hesitation.
Jiyu followed, guided by Olivia’s hand, stepping into the Hamilton Residence for the very first time.
The elevator opened into a wide entrance hall called the gallery. In the center stood a round antique table holding a classical marble statue in New Classical style. A classic crystal chandelier above it cast a soft glow over the sculpture.
The walls, finished with wood wainscoting and molding, displayed large oil paintings framed in gilt. One scene from the American Revolutionary War featured a man in a dark blue military frock coat as the central figure.
Olivia’s eyes lingered on the painting as she rummaged through her bag, pulling out a ten-dollar bill.
“Look at this, Jiyu! This guy on the bill looks exactly like him, doesn’t he?”
She waved the bill in front of Jiyu’s face. Jiyu nodded absently.
“Wow, history textbooks weren’t exaggerating. This place is the richest house I’ve ever seen.”
Olivia moved closer to admire the details, but footsteps suddenly echoed from the right hallway—light, quick steps of a child, followed by the steadier pace of an adult.
[Hunter Hamilton! I told you not to play with the ball in the hallway. Put it down now!]
Olivia snatched the bill from Jiyu’s hand and lifted her chin. She forced a wide, witch-like grin.
Jiyu hated when Olivia smiled like that—half smile, half warning.
“Smile, Jiyu!”
Jiyu obeyed, forcing the corners of her mouth up while she watched the hallway. Her heart beat wildly for no reason.
‘What if the monster jumps out of that hallway?’
A few days earlier she had read a picture book called “The Country Where Monsters Live” and suddenly felt terrified. She tried to hide behind Olivia’s skirt as usual, but the feeling was noticed. Olivia grabbed the hem and pushed her forward.
The footsteps grew closer. Instead of a horned monster, a boy with dark brown hair and striking blue eyes rolled out into the hallway. Jiyu’s mouth fell open.
She had seen that face before at preschool. Hunter. The tallest kid at Kensington Preschool. A little delinquent on the playground.
Whenever Hunter ran and bumped into someone, everyone scattered. He chased the ball with wild energy, but kids learned to dodge him.
Hunter spotted Jiyu, eyes flashing, and threw the neon-yellow ball at her with all his might. He called out a split second late.
[Catch!]
Jiyu stood frozen. The hard tennis ball hit her right between the eyes. Her head snapped back, her white dress fluttered, and she collapsed in slow motion.
Olivia screamed, the sound sending chills down her spine. The sound of “clank” rang out as Jiyu’s head cracked against the marble floor.
***
The very first day of play date with Hunter H. Hamilton had ended with Jiyu in the hospital after suffering a concussion.
***
Thursday morning of the first week of September. Opening day at Astor School.
Jiyu yawned and stood in front of Olivia, wiggling her toes inside the navy knee socks that felt hot and itchy.
Olivia pinned a large navy ribbon to one side of Jiyu’s head—classic grosgrain style. In a school where every girl wore the exact same uniform, the ribbon was the only way to show individuality. All the girls on the Upper East Side wore big ribbons in their hair.