Saint Haven Academy

6: The Classroom

With a joyful ding, the students, including Lucian, flush out into the lobby while I'm left alone with now jumbled thoughts. Snapping from my daze, I recognize Emilyse sitting on one of the couches browsing a magazine. ...She did wait...

Noticing Lucian, she joins his side as he chats with another student. He looks annoyed as she smiles at him but his annoyance quickly turns into laughter. Feelings of stirring bitterness painfully prick at my lonesome soul as I stand completely by myself. I pace out the elevator and awkwardly pass them to go through the double doors outside. Sigh...obviously what he said to me didn't mean anything...

Forgetting the thought, I leisurely pursue the cobblestone path up to the academy. A fresh breeze of the wind causes the forest of trees to sway and rustle gently; the calm sound somewhat soothing. Bright rays of sunlight just barely shine through the trees as it slowly rises from the east. Some students sit atop the grass while others kick a soccer ball to each other. Two students who look to be a couple, giggle and cuddle up at one of the picnic tables.

...These students... if you saw them just like this...you would never guess they were blood-drinking vampires... While pondering random thoughts, a glimpse of opposing pops of bright color peer out from beyond the locked gate lined with the towering leafy hedge. Red...flowers? Could that possibly be...a rose garden?

"Ms. Bellemy." ...hm? Looking ahead, crystal blue eyes meet with mine. The pretty lady from before...her eyes are the exact shade as Emilyse's.

"Good morning, how are you?" I ask her.

"I should be asking you that." She smiles. Her hands sit in the pockets of a clean white lab coat which match her white jeans. The ruby-red pumps she wears goes with a neon red lipstick as well. The only subtle thing about her is the navy blue blouse under her coat. ...so she is the school doctor.

"...I'm alright, thank you."

"On your way to the cafeteria? I'll escort you." ...I wonder if she came just to check on me...

We follow the path up to the large archway which is now wide open. The courtyard that was once empty is now bustling with hundreds of teens. Some lounge on the edge of the fountain while competitive commotion escapes the basketball court.

Well would you look at that... Now looking closely, the ears of some students range from normal to pointy to extended. Wings of pastel and vibrant colors lay mounted on some students' backs vast in sizes and shapes. ...Toto, we're definitely not in Kansas anymore...

Reaching the cafeteria, tons of students sit chatting away at the round tables. No one notices me or avoids me as we walk through to find a spot in line.

"...Hey, how come no one's bothering me anymore?"

"In a way, they lost interest. Now, don't get me wrong, if there's a moment when you're vulnerable, they will attack. But in an obvious place like this, they'll leave you alone." ...Like in the elevator... "So what are you hungry for?" The nurse hands me a tray. I look ahead to find students' tray's filled with breakfast foods— eggs, hash browns, pancakes, and other normal things. I scrunch my brow in confusion.

The nurse giggles, "We have adapted to eating normal human food, it just doesn't sustain us as much as blood does. Just for the same reason we have classes during the day, we want our students to adapt so that one day they can coexist with humans." My eyes lower. How sad...

After choosing my food, which was just about everything offered, the nurse and I sit down at one of the empty tables, "Hey, I don't even know your name yet," I mention.

"Oh, I'm sorry! My name's Alessandra Ludwig, the nurse slash doctor of this school. You can call me Alice if you'd like." ...I was right...

"Uh by chance are you...Emilyse' sister?"

"Ah, so you've met her already! Yes, I'm her older sister."

"I knew it. You two are practically twins."

"Oh my! You're too sweet! Twins? Me and her? You make me blush! I ca..." Alice continues speaking as I drown her out. So telling her she looks like Emilyse is her sweet spot...noted.

After eating, bells chime throughout the school. All the kids simultaneously rise to pile out the double doors or go up the staircases. I look to Alice with loss.

She rises from the table, "Time for homeroom." Alice leads me up the stairs to the third floor. We stop at a metal door with a small plaque reading 'Introductory Skills'.

"Here we are! If you need anything just call my name okay. I'll come right away!"

"...Thank you." Her ruby red heels trail off down the hall. With a sigh, I open the door and find I'm being stared at in unison. Here we go again...

The classroom is shaped similar to that of a college lecture classroom, only a bit smaller. The seats are in rows and go up at an angle with a set of stairs going down the middle.

All the students focus on my position as I walk up the stairs and pick one of the empty seats in the second-highest row. Tossing my bag on the desk in front of me, I shove my face into the canvas material to avoid eye contact. Of course, everyone's gonna stare, I'm the only human who's now in their class... ugh what a great way to start junior year...

"Oh so you're a junior!" a soft voice behind me causes me to lift my head. I turn around to find two girls smiling at me. ...I swear I said that in my head...

The one sitting is quite petite with a pale complexion accompanied by speckled freckles. She wears a cute short brown bob with blunt bangs and big round hipster glasses hiding gorgeous topaz eyes that are almost seductive. The girl standing up has flawless mocha skin that complements her dark eyes. She rocks voluminous flaming red curls that bounce with every move. Her plump pout is stained a subtle maroon color.

"Charlotte! Don't use your powers on the poor girl!" The red-haired girl flicks the sitting girl in the head. Charlotte I now presume, immediately rubs her head in pain. "Sorry about that, she gets excited when meeting new people." Red looks apologetically to me.

Charlotte turns angrily, "Hey! There's nothing wrong with that!" ...Interesting...these two are a lot like Sara and Karen...

"Yeah, but how about not reading someone's mind as a greeting!"

Charlotte lowers her head defeatedly, "Sorry..."

A huffed laugh escapes my lips unintentionally and the girls turn to me with confused looks, "Sorry, you two just remind me of my friends back home..."

Red grins and extends her hand out to me, "Name's Willow."

"...Marzi." I extend my hand as well.

Willow points to glasses girl, "This here's my idiot best friend Charlotte, sorry she read your mind."

I look to Charlotte who's twiddling her thumbs, "How did you do that?"

"Oh uh if I touch you, I can get a gist of what you're thinking. I guess you just didn't feel my hand on your back cause you were so deep in thought." She wiggles her fingers as if they had powers of their own.

"I see...please don't do it again." I tell her.

"No promises." She giggles. Willow quickly smacks Charlotte in the back as they continue to bicker with one another. I watch the two and feel a gentle wisp of relief in my heart as a small smile forms on my face.

...Maybe this school won't be so bad.

***

Chapter 6 is done! We have a few new interesting characters who we'll learn more about in later chapters ;P

Hope you liked it, don't forget to leave your likes, comments, or concerns! 

Bye for now! :)