Growing up for Naomi Warner was nothing less than a nightmare. She was bullied by her peers, and her home life wasn't always easy. On top of that, Naomi was very different from other people. In fact, she wasn't human at all. She was a shapeshifter...
It was Friday, and the past few days seemed to go by in a blur. Most of my classes were in lecture halls because I was a freshman, and usually the lecture halls were packed. It was hard to focus on the lesson when most of the students around me were having hushed conversations, but I tried my best to pay attention. And I admit, I also hoped I had another class with Naomi... but no luck. In fact, I hadn't seen her around campus at all. She couldn't have just vanished...! I guess I had to wait until Monday to see her again. It sucked, but it gave me something to look forward to.
When I wasn't in class, I spent all of my time in my room since I still hadn't made friends yet. I even did homework there, unless Heather was around on her phone. When she got on the phone, she didn't care how loud she was, and I couldn't concentrate like that. Any time I tried to ask her to be a little quieter, she ignored me, as usual. Eventually, I got fed up and decided that when she was in our room, I would go to the library if I had homework.
The library was pretty big, spacious enough that I could find a spot all to myself, where no one could bother me. It had two floors, and was filled with tons of bookshelves that had all different kinds of books. Each floor also had multiple designated tables and chairs that were for the students to use. Then there was a small computer room, with a handful of desktop computers inside, that was located on the second floor. I really liked it there, and despite all the students who constantly rotated in and out, I found peace at the library.
That Friday evening was one of those times where I needed to go to the library. It was located in the middle of campus, but it only took me ten minutes to walk there. Once I got inside, I saw that the library was pretty packed. I searched for a spot where I could be alone and I found nothing. I was about to give up when I spotted a small table with an open chair. As I got closer to the table, the smell of rain caught my attention. The scent was faint, but it was definitely there. I realized the smell had to be coming from the guy who was sitting at the other end of the table. He looked to be around my age, he wore glasses, and he had wavy brown hair that was unkempt.
The guy had headphones in, and he was reading a book; the nearby areas were quiet enough, so that spot would have to do. I set my backpack down on top of the table before I took my seat. As I started unpacking my supplies, I felt a pair of eyes watching me. I ignored it at first, but while I was booting up my laptop, I still felt someone spying on me. I glanced at the guy who was at the end of the table. He stared back at me curiously, like he wanted to ask me a question, but he didn't say a word. We gazed at each other for a few minutes before I looked away. Just my luck, this guy was a weirdo!
Suddenly, he got up with his book in one hand, and picked up his chair with the other. He moved so that he was directly across from me, then put the chair back down, and sat in it. I peered at him over the top of my computer, and he peered back. Still no words came out of his mouth. I wasn't sure if he was possibly deaf, or mute, but I felt uneasy about the whole encounter. It was making me anxious. I closed my laptop and put it back in my bag before I started packing up the rest of my stuff. I stood up and moved to leave, but a male voice stopped me.
"Wait! Please, don't go," he pleaded.
I turned around and looked at the guy across from me. So he could talk.
"What is it that you want?!" I barked. I admit I was a bit too harsh, but my anxiety was already on high.
The guy shrunk down in his chair a little. I felt bad. I sighed and calmed my nerves.
"I'm sorry for snapping..."
"I'm sorry for being weird," he apologized.
"Well?" I asked him.
"Well, what?"
"What did you want...?" I quizzed.
"Oh! Right, um, I just wanted you to talk with you... You seemed nice," he answered.
I sat back down and placed my bag on the floor beside my chair. I did have questions for him, what were his abilities? How many other supernatural beings had he met on campus so far? This was my chance to make a new friend, and network with other paranormal beings.
"My name is Juliet," I told him. "What's yours?"
"Danny, nice to meet you," he grinned.
"Tell me Danny, what ability do you have?" I questioned.
He grinned harder, "Actually, it's better if I just show you."
Danny took a quick look around, and I mimicked him. I knew he was trying to see if anyone was close by before he showed his power. He lifted his hand in the air, then brought it down swiftly, as if he was going to slap the table. I braced myself for the loud noise that would come from the contact as I watched him closely, but the noise never came. Not only that, but I was convinced I was seeing things! Danny's hand went right through the table!
"You're a... Phaser!" I exclaimed. I'd heard of Phasers before, beings who could pass through solid objects. According to what information I remember, a Phasers' power came from some kind of ancient magic that was passed on by bloodline.
"Quiet!" Danny scolded in a hushed voice.
He was right, I was being way too loud. I bit my lip.
"Sorry... It's just, you're the first Phaser I've met in person," I admitted.
He smiled, "Awesome." Danny adjusted his glasses and spoke again. "And what is your ability?"
As a shapeshifter, you had to train yourself to be able to control your transitions. For a long time, I had to hide my tail in my pants because I couldn't control that part of my transition yet. There were a few times while I was growing up where I remember my brothers having to stay home from school because their dog ears and noses were exposed. By now, I had full control over my ability and I was proud of that. I let my hand transform into a paw, and as Danny observed me, his mouth dropped open in awe.
"A shapeshifter! I always love meeting shapeshifters," Danny said excitedly.
I shifted my paw back into a human hand, and placed a finger to my lips.
"Shush!" I said with a small smirk, and he gave me a smirk back.
I was shocked that I made a friend at the library, but I was glad I did. Meeting Danny made me very happy.
"So, have you met any other supernaturals on campus yet?" he asked.
Supernaturals? That was different. I never heard that shortened term before, but I liked it.
"No, I haven't... Have you?" I questioned.
"A few," he shrugged. "They weren't that great... But if you want me to tell you more about them another time, I can."
"Yeah, that would be cool," I replied with a smile.
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