The Midnight Heir

Making New Friends is like Pulling Teeth

Introduction

As autumn gracefully unfolded its presence, a wave of anticipation for the harvest season swept through the residents of Maple Hearth. Acorn strings and maple leaves adorned every window; locally grown pumpkins stood sentinel on brick-lid pillars, and the air swirled with the fragrant spices of the season, enlivening the many shops and cafes which would soon be crowded with caffeine-starved students.
     This was the busiest time for the higher-education institution which resided in the outskirts of the city. Atop the tallest hill, obscured by the thick morning fog, awaited Numen Hall University. Much like every early October, the buzz echoing from the dormitories and the ground floor resembled a busy hive. On one hand, the fresh faces, eager and wide-eyed, navigated the labyrinth of unfamiliar halls, rolling or carrying their belongings into the rooms which would be their new home for the next six months. On the other hand, seasoned students returned to the familiar embrace of their old dorm abodes. By the grandiose entrance of the institution, students were bidding their families farewell with only memories of their summer to hold during the upcoming chilly nights of autumn.
     The sun-dappled steps leading up to the classroom wings served as one young man's chosen workspace, where he sat down surrounded by a spread of syllabus sheets from different subjects waiting to be revised, as well as a book in his hands. Clad in a combination of scholarly yet casual elegance, with a bone-white button up underneath a warm, oversized brown sweater, he posed as a soft yet masculine figure. His slender fingers, adorned with a touch of burnt-orange nail polish, grazed the pages of what appeared to be a romantic fantasy novel. Shaggy waves of chestnut-brown hair fell around his face in relaxed layers, obscuring the view of his brows. His sun-kissed skin bore a dusting of freckles across the bridge of his nose and cheeks, and sat atop said nose rested a pair of oval-framed glasses in translucent shades of brown, their tinted lenses reflecting flickers of amber sunlight whenever he moved. However, his eyes, colored in hues of honeydew and seafoam, were anything but focused on the words before him.

     The young man's attention was captured by the ethereal presence of a newcomer. From where he sat, he could observe this young lady talking with an older woman, which he already recognized as the senior student body counselor. However, the fresh arrival's whimsical energy beckoned Elias' attention like a mesmerizing flame. Her tawny-blonde hair caught the sunlight, creating a golden halo that cascaded from the front of her face to the middle of her back. All she was missing was a pair of angelic wings, though Elias could have sworn that the tree branches dancing behind her were shaped just like them.
     Before his thoughts could further wander into the realm of fantasy, a smooth and low-pitched voice disrupted his reverie. "Are you alright, Elias?" his roommate Trevor inquired, unable to bite back a chuckle.
     Startled, Elias blinked and attempted to shift his attention from his new classmate. He tilted his head up to see his friend, a tall and lean young man whose rich hickory skin seemed glossed over with sunlight. He timidly met the other's dark yet soft eyes. "Hi Trevor, um... I'm okay I promise." he stammered with a nervous chuckle, a slight flush creeping onto his cheeks after reassuring that his feet were still on the ground. "I... I was just... focused."
     Trevor's laughter danced through the air, a lighthearted melody that exposed his subtle amusement. With one dreamy smile, he managed to increase Elias' shyness. "What, in your new book? What is it about?" He asked, lowering to crouch beside him, and follow his line of sight.
     Elias attempted to maintain an air of seriousness, though his bashfulness was undeniable. "It's nothing, really." He toyed with the book in his hands, before deciding to be done with his pretense and close it.
     Trevor's grin only widened, the mischievous glint in his eyes betraying his innocent facade. "Nothing, huh? Well, if it's truly 'nothing,' how about a little dare?" He proposed, sitting down beside Elias and fixing his long black trench coat as he did.
Elias arched an eyebrow, intrigued yet cautious. "A dare?"
     Trevor leaned in closer, his voice a conspiratorial whisper. "I dare you to talk to her for a minute."
     Elias felt his heart race at the thought, his pulse quickening. His gaze returned to the young woman, who held a substantial pile of textbooks against the chest of her tan wool coat. "That's... I don't know, Trevor, that's easier said than done."
     Trevor's smile remained, his encouragement unwavering. "Come on, Elias. It's only a minute. Her name's Naree, make sure you pronounce it right."
     Elias watched, from a comfortable distance, how Naree's expression brightened up into a warm smile, her darling slanted caramel eyes focused on the counselor, laughing at whatever was being said between the two. She was too pretty for him to simply approach, so he shook his head no. Trevor rolled his eyes playfully and dabbed his elbow against Elias' arm gently. "Just one minute. Do it, and I'll get you a meal once we get a chance to leave campus."
     Elias exhaled a reluctant chuckle, realizing that his attempts to appear nonchalant were futile. "Alright, fine. I'll give it a shot."
     Trevor patted him on the back, a little too strong for comfort. "You're not too hard to convince huh? Food is all it takes?" He teased with a bright grin. "You'll do great I promise." He observed his friend's expression for a moment, and was met with a blissfully innocent smile. He had never caught Elias so enthralled by anyone before, but having a crush seemed to suit his friend. It made him look softer, and temptingly shy. Trevor sighed softly and gave him yet another tough pat on the back, before reaching down to help Elias pick up his paperwork. "Let's get going, Ellie. Wouldn't want the wind to sweep you, and your papers away." Elias merely nodded at this, starting to move and removing his gaze from Naree.

     As the two collected the pages, the once tranquil environment they shared seemed to shift delicately. Elias' movement slowed as he caught a prickling warmth on the back of his neck. It was as if an unseen spotlight had focused solely on him, creating a heightened sense of self-consciousness. Such vulnerability prompted Elias to turn his head with caution, half-expecting to meet the source of that penetrating gaze.
     Unable to find anyone at first other than Naree and the counselor, who were already walking away, Elias cast a glance towards a nearby tree where he quickly spotted a lurking figure which made his breath catch in his throat. Sat down on grass and dried leaves, was a figure hunched over like a creature stalking prey, with bright amber-looking eyes fixed deeply into Elias, shadows cast on their angular face by long locks of thick, black hair. Despite the unnerving nature of their gaze, Elias soon recognized this person as familiar. It was no other than his childhood best friend, Muriel. He swallowed thick once they met eyes, thoughts raced in his head with concern that he had done something wrong to earn such a discerning glare, but Muriel soon smiled and nodded in acknowledgment of him, before casually adjusting a pair of heavy headphones on her head. It was as if she had changed her nature in a split second once she had been caught.
     Trevor said nothing about her, but Elias sensed that his observant roommate had taken notice. He granted Muriel a smile as well, though his own was stiffer. He could only wonder how long she had been staring for. Had she been watching him fawn over Naree? With a lingering unease, Elias stood and stuffed his belongings into his leather bag, half expecting Muriel to stand and approach him, but she sat still and returned her gaze to her sketchbook. "One would think she can teleport, hm?" Elias toyed with Trevor, trying to liven up the tension.
     "Muriel? She's just so perfectly still and silent that she becomes nearly invisible." Trevor shared his opinion with a halfhearted grin. Muriel's behavior had always unsettled him and struck him as unnatural. "But she probably teleports, too." The roommates pondered on the advantages of teleportation as they made their way to their first class of the day, unaware of the watchful eyes settled upon their backs. Muriel's dark brown eyes gleamed a fiery red under the sun and followed Elias and Trevor until they climbed the stairs and walked out of sight.