Eve Chambers...
Once I step inside Miss. Nightingale's office, she inclined her head to the chair sitting opposite her desk and I sank down taking in the large space. Bookshelves dominate one wall and are over-flowing with thick hardbacks. The spines cracked and bent with the evidence of being well read. Looking closer, I can see that there doesn't seem to be even one book that hasn't been read. As a book lover myself, I can recognise and appreciate just how much care she takes with these items, and it makes me trust her more because I am the same way with the very few books that I own. Although, I doubt we have similar tastes. The walls are painted an eggplant-purple giving the illusion of opulence and sensuality. Black fittings and fixtures match those out in the main body of the building but this room screams with Miss. Nightingale's personality. There is a table off to one side, it's small and made from what I gather is a chiselled down tree-stump, varnished to give a gleaming top where you can see the rings of life vividly. On the centre of this table is a huge amethyst stone – it's curved and hollow insides also show a similar display of rings of life that the table does, each ring descending into a lighter shade of the usual purple of the stone. It is mesmerising and one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. The floor is black slate tile with a huge oriental rug that I felt apprehensive about stepping on. A large, plum-coloured sofa sits by the table with the crystal and is over-stuffed with plush cushions that definitely would lead to a comfortable spot to sleep. One large bay window lets in a sliver of the moon through the gap in the long black net coverings.
"I think that you should talk to your roommate about what you are studying in Magical-History since it will be your first official class on Wednesday," she informed me, but there is something else there, something that she is trying to tell me without overloading me with information tonight.
Honestly, I am grateful as much as I am frustrated because a-part of me is curious about this new world I have found myself immersed in but another part of me is afraid that I have reached some sort of limit tonight. "If I'm not mistaken in where they are in their studies, you will find it most helpful. Unfortunately, because of how late you have arrived in the term, you are going to have a lot of work to catch up on. I will get you a tutor to try and help you catch up,"
"I'm sorry-"
"Eve, there is nothing for you to apologise for, powers are a fickle thing, they only come when they are ready, believe me there is nothing you could have done to coax them to come earlier even if you had known they were possible!" She explained but I get the sense that she doesn't quite agree with what my mom and dad agreed upon when it came to giving me the truth. And honestly, I can't even say I disagree with her either, "alright," she is rifling through a box that she had resting on her desk, "this is everything that you will need, uniform, text-books, code for the tunnels and keys for the dorm house and your room,"
"Tunnels?"
"Yes, we have three tunnels that link this building with the three dorm houses, each tunnel has its own entrance code to get to the house you belong to. They are closed at night-time but open during the day mainly for the vampires to move around campus without being subjected to the sun," she told me. "All the windows are reinforced to ensure no harmful rays can touch our more sensitive students," handing me the box she moves back towards the door, "we will take the tunnels tonight, it is quicker,"
I am in no position to argue with her, so I simply nod and follow her out of the beautiful office, almost hating to leave because it is just so warm and holds a sense of safety that I haven't really felt all night. "What about my luggage?"
"Already at the dorm house waiting for you,"
Alright then.
We walk in silence to a door near the back of the building where she points further ahead, "that is the dining-hall, all meals are served there and the opening and serving times are on your timetable,"
"Ok, thank you,"
Pushing the large steel door, that honestly looks so out of place that I have to double-take to ensure I am seeing what I think I am seeing. Definitely steel, studs punched around the frame, a large crank-like handle is pushed down with ease by this woman next to me. It makes no sound as it opens towards us, and we are presented with a set of winding concrete steps. There are lights hanging from sconces on the wall to light the way. When we reach the bottom, I am surprised to see that it is decorated as if it were simply another room in the main building. I guess I imagined that they would be cold damp walls and packed-dirt to walk on. Wooden flooring echoes with the clip of Miss. Nightingale's heels, my own feet make zero sound due to the sneakers I have on. There are photos on the walls, like some sort of weird shrine to people I don't know. "These are all past students who have gone on to do well for themselves, some are higher-up officials who have helped the academy in some way or another," Miss. Nightingale explained, lending more evidence to my theory of mind-reading.
My little legs have to practically scramble to keep up with her long legs and brisk pace. Finally, we reach a small round gathering section in the tunnel where I can see three separate tunnels, each sign-posted with which species dorms they lead to. Miss. Nightingale points to the tunnel she says will lead to the witch's dorm-house. She punched in the code, and we step through the door, closing it firmly behind us and there is another shorter corridor that leads to another set of winding stairs.
Finally, we step into the basement of the witch's dorm-house. The light in here is dim due to it being nothing more than a kerosene lantern. More steps lead up to the main body of the house. As soon as I step into the hallway, I literally bump into a very huge, very hard body and my eyes travel up the torso until I see the guy from the diner, the one who the girl called J-J.
"Hey diner-girl!" He greeted me warmly, his bulk even more defined in the black sweat-pants and white figure-hugging t-shirt, ink leaked from the sleeves of the shirt in a way that gives him an edge of bad-boy that is undoubtedly attractive.
"Hey, soda-dude!" I smiled at him, and he barked a laugh. I had gotten such a warm sense of who he is as a person in the diner, and it is nice to see him just as he was.
"I've been called worse. Welcome to the Witches Corner!"
"Thanks!"
Is he a witch?
Does that mean the people he was with are witches too?
Do species even mix?
There is so much about this world that I simply don't know, and I can't help but feel like it's a disadvantage that will hinder me in more ways than one. "You're welcome. Sage is waiting for you and I'm warning you – she is excited!" He winked and nodded his head at Miss. Nightingale before sauntering off in the direction of the front room that I gather is some sort of common room as there seems to be a few people in there.
"Sage!"
"Yes, I believe you met her at the same time you met Mr. Jackson there,"
No way.
The beautiful girl who intimidated me is going to be my roommate. Nerves burst through me. Please let her be nice. I don't want to get off on the wrong foot with my roommate because we are going to be stuck with each other for a while, if there is any tension it is going to be torture.
"Follow me, dear!" My new Head-Mistress instructs me as she strides towards the stairs and I scurry to catch up, catching the eye of a girl standing near the entrance to the common room, long flowing white hair, robin-egg-blue eyes that narrow in her inspection of me. She was pretty in an obvious way and clearly some sort of Queen-Bee as she met my eyes in some sort of challenge, and I felt that skittering tingle in my head. My mind shuts down on instinct, which of course only awards me to a scowl from her.
I am going to have to be on high alert here. The hatred washing off her is the same as I have dealt with, with every bully I have ever had. This girl doesn't like me. Not even a little bit. Not even enough to warrant me the benefit of the doubt. Pushing thoughts of bullies out of my mind for the moment, I reach the top of the stairs and follow Nyx along the hallway to a room with the name Sage plastered over a blood-red slip of paper and what surprised me is that my name is now there too – evidence that I belong here. That I have a place in this new world.
With that one little gesture, Sage has made me feel more welcome than I could have hoped for. I think we are going to get along well. And hopefully, she can explain the dynamics of the house before I make some sort of social cancelling misstep.
Sage Prescott...
For as long as I could remember all I had ever wanted was to come to Never-More Academy. My mom and dad had both come here in their day, all my aunts and uncles, and all my cousins too. It was almost like a family tradition to come to this particular branch of the magical school system.
There are other Never-More Academy's all over the world. I could have gone to the one near our home in New York, but this was always the one I strived to attend. Even though my parents had moved us closer to the family witch community in New York. The witch community in the big apple is massive and it's such a supportive community that going to the academy there would have been much easier for me, but I didn't want-easy.
I have always been independent; my mom and dad, even my brother had said stubbornly independent. I just felt like it was more important than not to make my own path in life. I wanted to have my own coven. I wanted to be removed from the safety net of having my family close by.
When I arrived, Miss. Nightingale let it be known that she is the one in charge of assigning room-mates and for me she hadn't found the right fit.
You see, to create bonds – the school rule is that whomever you are roomed with, will be your partner in all classes too. It is to develop the type of connection that is needed when creating potions and practising spells. If you think about it, it makes the most sense – the things we are learning and creating have the potential to be damaging if not done with care, so you have to trust your partner whole-heartedly. Hence the room-mates and class partners going hand in hand because who else can you trust more than someone you share an intimate space with?
I had all but given up on Miss. Nightingale finding me a room-mate this year. Every time I had asked her, she would simply say, she is not here yet.
What did that even mean?
It was frustrating. I mean, I know that everyone is different and when magic first presents itself to us is different for everyone. It was maddening when I had to do class projects alone – there was no other way to feel like a true Billy-no-mates than having to do it all on my own.
Earlier today, I hadn't even bothered to ask Miss. Nightingale about my room-mate when we had our meeting but that was when she gave me the best news I had received since arriving here. My room-mate was arriving tonight.
I have been buzzing around the room trying to get everything perfect for her arrival. I think it is safe to say that it is going to be Eve. The girl that Jensen, Nathan, and I were charged with keeping an eye on yesterday. I had gotten a good feeling about her. I liked to think that given the chance that we would have become friends and now it sounded like I was being given the chance to prove that to be true.
"Miss. Prescott, are you decent?" A loud firm knock at the door pulled my attention from my mental musings.
"Yes, it's open!" I stood from the bed where I had been lounging for the past half hour, having done everything in my power to ensure the room was clean, tidy, and looking as good as possible.
The door pushed inwards and there was Eve. The relief on her face when she spotted me was as clear as I knew that my own face looked.
Thank the Gods for giving me this girl as my new room-mate. I needed a friend here. I have been here almost five months now and I have pretty much been on my own for the duration. Sure, some of the other girls were nice and friendly at first but as everyone was slowly paired with others, I was the one left alone. There is an isolation that comes from that, and I am not entirely sure that Miss. Nightingale realised that.
"I believe that you two ladies have already met," our Head-Mistress smiled knowingly.
Was it possible that she had seen this all along?
I won't lie, I have wondered what her process is for teaming students as room-mates but is it possible that she has some sort of foresight? It would certainly make sense as to how she was so determined to wait for my room-mate.
"Hi-" Eve gives me a nervous smile.
"Hey, welcome home!" I don't have time to ponder if what I said is the right thing or not because the smile, she throws at me tells me in an instant that this was what she needed to hear.
"I shall leave you ladies to get better acquainted," Miss. Nightingale smiled warmly at both of us.
"Thank you for everything, Miss. Nightingale!"
"You're welcome, dear, and welcome to Never-More Academy!"
With that she sweeps out of the room, leaving behind what I associate as her signature scent of sweet violets and lavender, it's a calming scent that screams safety and warmth. The soft click of the door clicking closed echoed around the room as we are left alone.
"Oh-my-God, I am so happy you are here, are you happy to be here? What's your power? Nyx said your only half witch, is it from your mom or dad?" The questions tumble from my mouth as they tend to do whenever I feel a little nervous. The slump in her shoulders eases my worry that she would be resistant to this whole new world.
"I am happy to be here, even if I am a little nervous-"
"Nervous?"
"Yeah, I had the pleasure, or displeasure of meeting the welcome committee when I came in-"
"Blonde hair? Looks that could sear your soul with the mark of the devil?" I asked and she burst out laughing.
"Yeah, that's the one!"
"Kristy!" I sighed.
Kristy Franklin was the resident bitch. I had my own run-ins with the girl and to be honest, I worry about her stability. She is clearly vying for top-dog in the dorm, but as witches we tend to follow our hearts and create our own packs. Kristy, however, seems to think that this house is hers to run, and it tells me only one thing – she wants to be a high-priestess, just like Miss. Nightingale. Unfortunately, for her she simply doesn't have the temperament.
"What's her deal? I mean, you'd have thought I pissed in her coffee the way she looked at me!"
"Yeah, she likes to think she is the one charge around here, and she will go after anyone she deems a threat to her position. Please just be careful around her," I offered.
"Thanks for the tip!" Eve nodded softly. Slowly she began to look around, "this place is amazing!"
"You like what I did with it?"
"I love it!" She nodded as she moved to her twin bed where her bags were resting to be unpacked.
"So, what's your power?"
"Uhm, I'm not actually sure what you would call it – I kind of shoot energy from my fingers!" She looked down as if she were ashamed.
"Are you serious?"
"Yes, why? Is it regarded as lame or something?"
"No. It's extremely rare, it's the power over the elements. I don't think that there is any other witch here with that power -"
"Power of the elements, what does that mean?" She looked at me as she gave up unpacking and slumped on the edge of the bed.
I sat next to her, wanting to soothe her because the energy she was giving off was screaming that she was more than nervous. This was all new to her, I could tell. For whatever reason she had no idea of what our world could offer or what the politics were.
Had her parents not told her what to expect?
How could they leave her blind in the matter?
I explained to her what her power could mean for her and how it was one of the rarest powers, some believed it was so rare because even nature knew that giving someone all that power over the environment could be dangerous in the wrong hands. I guess the saying is true – absolute power corrupts but I have a good feeling about Eve.
She and I were going to be the best of friends. And I will do whatever I have to, to ensure that she is in control and as powerful as she can be without letting it corrupt her.