"Ugh! Are you ancient people so senile that you don't even know what a lawsuit is?"
Those were the words that would stick with me for the rest of my life. Here I was, sitting in a classroom full of vampires and werewolves who absolutely hated each other . . . as the only human girl. Mr. Higginsworth, our Paranormal History teacher, had been interrupted for the twentieth time.
"Well, I have been alive for a while now—maybe two hundred years. Perhaps I've been outta touch with the human world fer too long," Mr. Higginsworth muttered.
"Well, lawsuits are no problem when you know how to erase memories," a creepy vampire guy retorted from the back of the room.
"Idiot! Only a fool would believe that you really erased someone's memories," the werewolf behind me shot back.
"Yeah, if you erased her memory of you, she must not've been that into you," a member of his pack goaded.
"Or maybe she was just so sick of you, she went along with it to start a fresh life."
The two werewolf jocks high-fived each other while their friends hooted and hollered.
The guys in my school were dogs. Literally. And some of them were cold-blooded and heartless. Also, literally! There were even goat people and fairies. So, how did I get sent to this loony bin? Well, it all started when I made one tiny mistake.
One week earlier, I was packing everything I needed for my road trip to Colorado. For my junior year, I would leave my sleepy town in Nebraska and go to a luxurious boarding school in the mountains! My friend Kylie Jade had been sent to boarding school, so I begged Aunt Christie and my parents (who were traveling overseas) to let me enroll with her so we could be dormmates.
Kylie had been my best friend since kindergarten, but sadly, she moved away a couple of months ago. We kept in touch through chatrooms and phone calls, but it wasn't the same. She was the only one who liked the same books and TV shows that I did. We were big fantasy lovers—but honestly, she may have been a little too obsessed. Especially with vampires.
Either way, I was so excited to see her again! Right now, I was stuffing the last of my clothing into a pink polka dot suitcase. Thankfully, her school didn't require uniforms, so I could remain fashionable at all times.
"Millie! Are you ready?" Aunt Christie chirped from the kitchen of our little townhouse.
"Almost!"
As soon as I zipped up my suitcase, I scurried to my cluttered bookshelf and grabbed my favorite book series: The Lunar Cycle of Love. Sure, the title was a little cheesy, but it was about a werewolf who falls in love with a human girl. And basically, she's his soulmate, so he's super protective—but at the same time, he struggles to balance his humanity with the beast within.
If werewolves existed, I would totally be someone's soulmate. Yeah, I know, the other kids at school thought I was a freak, but I couldn't help myself. Deep down, I knew werewolves existed.
Arf! Arf!
Speaking of dogs, my little corgi Jelly Bean barked to get my attention. He jumped up and pressed his paws into my legs while panting feverishly. He always got excited when Aunt Christie and I were getting ready to leave. He must have had a sixth sense, so I picked him up and nuzzled my face into his fluffy golden fur.
"Aww, I'll miss you, too, Beanie," I cooed while hugging him closely. "I wish I could bring you."
Beanie was his nickname. He was the sweetest little dog because he loved to cuddle. Aside from Kylie, he was probably my only other friend in this world. But I didn't care that he couldn't talk. I was a dog person, so I still loved him the same. Once he began to calm down, I placed him down and zipped the last of my bags.
Today, I would be seeing Kylie after two months! And then she would give me the grand tour of Frostlake High. I couldn't wait to say goodbye to this boring town. But before leaving, I opened the jewelry box on my vanity and took out the thing I treasured most.
The curved fragment of an iridescent gem attached to a silver chain.
It was the most beautiful necklace I owned. I was never able to identify the gem, but it was similar to a moonstone, except it wasn't as milky. The surface had a brilliant opaline sheen with glossy blue streaks.
The reason I treasured it so much was because I just happened to find it in the woods one day. And who had that kind of luck? This gem must have cost a fortune, but I got it for free. So, I put it on and stashed it under my top for good luck.
"Okay! I'm ready!" I loaded myself down with several bags and eagerly rolled my suitcase into the dining room.
As always, Aunt Christie was blasting Cher music while doing aerobics in her pink tie-dye loungewear. She liked to work out before a long drive.
"Alright, honey! I need to feed the lovebirds real quick, so just wait in the car." She fluffed her curly blonde hair and hurried out of the living room.
Yeah, Aunt Christies owned two lovebirds: Cupid and Psyche. They were gifted to her at her wedding to bring prosperity to the marriage, but her husband divorced her five days later because he couldn't stand the constant cheeping. So, I guess they were more like divorce-birds.
Either way, I headed outside and loaded the trunk of Aunt Christie's yellow Volkswagen Beetle with my pink luggage. Of course, I made sure to bring my earbuds because I knew Aunt Christie would blare boyband music from the '80s for the entire trip. And sometimes on long highways, she sang along to the lyrics, so in case that happened, I also had noise-canceling headphones.
"Okay, honey! Let's get this show on the road!" Aunt Christie slid into the driver's seat and touched up her mascara in the overhead mirror. Her pineapple-mango martini perfume was so deadly, I think it lowered the air quality. If only I had a gas mask.
It was a five-hour drive to Colorado, but Aunt Christie had booked me a room at a nice little hotel that looked like a Tudor. There, I would be picked up by the school's chauffeur, and then I would meet up with Kylie at her dorm.
And so, the five-hour drive to my new life began.
•❤•
The next five hours consisted of disco music and gas station sushi. While I nibbled on a turkey sandwich, Aunt Christie balanced chopsticks in her hand while keeping her other on the fuzzy zebra-print wheel.
Finally, we passed a rustic wooden sign with the hand-painted words: Welcome to Colorful Colorado. In the distance, I was able to see snowy mountains that blended into the blue horizon. Excitement bubbled up inside of me. I couldn't wait to see my new school! According to the pictures on the internet, it was a modern building in a forested area with sleek windows and polished sidewalks. It even had an indoor waterpark with surfing and water slides!
Thankfully, my parents had the money to send me to such a glamourous place. They worked hard at owning virtual air. Basically, they made cellphones work. Don't ask me how. They just did. Anyway, since they were always traveling, I lived with my aunt Christie. So, it was just the two of us along with Beanie and her lovebirds.
Eventually, the bleakness of the desert faded away as we drove into the heart of Colorado. The trees glowed with the vibrance of autumn, and the golden sunlight grazed the mountaintops. The scenery mesmerized me until finally, we took a turn down a winding road that, according to the GPS, led to the hotel. Anticipation made me bounce up and down in my seat. The setting sun flickered through the leaves of the dense forest. We slowly cruised down a narrow bridge that stretched over a turquoise lake. The pink sky glazed the water like strawberry frosting.
"Look!" Aunt Christie pointed forward.
Finally! We made it to the hotel. The three-story Tudor matched the exact same photo from the internet. The building was nestled on a grassy hill next to a pond where little ducks floated on the water. Honestly, it looked more like a manor than a commercial business.
Aunt Christie parked in front of the inn, so I hopped out of the car and stretched my arms to the sky. The fresh air of the chilly forest gave me a burst of energy. I quickly popped open the trunk and gathered my bags. Before leaving, Aunt Christie rushed out of the car and smothered me in a tight hug.
"Oh, sweetie. I'm gonna miss you!" She kissed me on the cheek one last time.
I laughed. "I'll miss you, too."
Honestly, it felt strange to think that I would be on my own, but I was confident. Maybe Frostlake High would give me the life I had been dreaming of for years.
After saying our goodbyes, Aunt Christie headed back to the car, so I rushed into the hotel, more excited than ever. The lobby was almost pristine, yet homey at the same time. Then, I headed to the front counter to sign in. When the clerk handed me my keycard, I headed to the elevator with my luggage and pressed the button for the third floor.
The old elevator vibrated as it slowly ascended. After several seconds, the doors opened, so I walked down the carpeted hallway until I found Room 217. At long last, I scanned my keycard and gained access to my little room.
It had everything I needed—a bed, a flat-screen TV, and a microwave. I had a couple of hours until the chauffeur arrived, so I needed to freshen up and take a shower. But before anything, I ate a small dinner of gas station nachos and enjoyed the view of the mountain range from beyond my window.
Once I was full, I took a quick shower and brushed my mocha brown shoulder-length hair. After I clipped my bangs to the side with an adorable puppy barrette, I changed into my cutest ensemble: a flared denim skirt, a blush pink sweater, and my favorite "I ♥ My Corgi" t-shirt. The fabric was pink, and a picture of a cartoon corgi was printed on the front. Lastly, I stepped into a pair of white wedge sandals with a flower-shaped clasp.
It was almost 6:00 PM, so I gathered my luggage and headed outside. The chauffeur would arrive at any minute, so I waited in the pavilion and reread my favorite scene from The Lunar Cycle of Love. Basically, the werewolf boyfriend shows his true form to Lily for the first time. And he turns into a giant silver wolf under the full moon. It's just so romantic because he pledges his lifelong love. He even gives up dumpster-diving to be with her!
Just thinking about it made me let out a dreamy sigh. But suddenly, a cool breeze crinkled the pages. It was a little hard to read with all this wind, so I put my paperback away and pulled out my sketchbook, instead. Aside from reading, I liked to draw flowers and mythical creatures.
Ding!
Suddenly, my phone went off. The school had texted me!
Your chauffeur Madame Sherrie is on the way.
Ooh, she sounded fancy. Now, I was too excited to even draw, so I eagerly waited for the lady to show up. Ten minutes flew by, and I started to feel a little bored . . . but then a wacky red bus with a curved roof turned into the parking lot, sideswiping a poor Lexus. Hot pink curtains covered the inner windows, and swirly gold trim embellished the body. It looked like a gypsy caravan from one of those renaissance fairs.
Either way, it was a pretty cool concept. I was always amazed by the creativity of cosplayers. But I don't think the driver knew exactly how to control that thing.
The top-heavy bus made a sharp turn on its two little wheels, nearly sideswiping a row of minivans. I could have sworn the thing was gonna topple over, but it came to a creaky stop at the entrance of the hotel. Before I could question anything, the clunky door popped open, and a plump woman in a skin-tight "Vegas Baby" tank top stared straight into my soul. She loudly smacked on a piece of gum with her mouth open.
"Alright, kid, move it or lose it," she rudely spat. "I got a hot date at Poubelle dis evenin'."
. . . Poubelle? Hot date? Who was this freak? Was she drunk? The suspicious fumes coming out of the bus made me wonder.
"Uh, who are you?" I asked.
"Sug, let's skip the frivolities. I'm the driver. Dat's all ya need to know." She then blew a pink bubble and popped it with her snaggletooth.
"I think you have the wrong person. I'm not going to the renaissance faire. I'm actually waiting for a private chauffeur to pick me up."
"Honey, 'daz me. So, scoot yer boot."
Scoot my boot?! "Uh, are you Madame Sherrie?" I carefully asked.
"Yup. Says so on mah nametag."
Uh, okay . . . maybe the school was just understaffed. I was expecting a traditional school bus, but maybe they were eccentric. Rich people loved tacky stuff. Against my better judgement, I picked up my bags and shuffled into the stuffy bus. A creepy bobblehead of a hobo clown decorated the dashboard, which kind of creeped me out. A curtain of turquoise beads served as a partition, so I reluctantly slipped into the back and quietly sat down.
Weirdly enough, it looked like a school bus . . . but the seats were upholstered in hot pink velvet, and the floor was covered with a flashy tasseled carpet. Even the ceiling was colorful. The smell of incense, however, clung to everything. Nobody else was on the bus, but maybe that was a good thing.
Suddenly, my body jerked against the seat as the bus moved forward. At that point, I didn't realize that the route I was taking would change my life forever.
🐾 Hey, guys! I'm so excited to finally present to you my first original story on Wattpad! I've always loved high school stories, so I wanted to write my own—with a paranormal twist.
Just so you know, I plan to release this entire book freely on Wattpad and Quotev. It's always been my dream to be an author so I can share my stories with the world. Right now, I'm currently working on a four-book fantasy/humor/romance series called The Wyvern Chronicles—which I plan to publish and illustrate soon.
For now, I hope you enjoy this new series. As a dog lover, I've had so much fun writing it. So, if any of you are dog enthusiasts, I hope you get a kick out of this book! (Also, I plan to illustrate it so you can see some of the characters! The art above is actually by me).
Also, I started this series a while ago. So, I have tons of chapters already written, haha. I plan to publish a new chapter daily until I run out. Then, I'll plan to publish a new chapter weekly or so.
Thank you so much for reading! It makes me so happy! 🩷🐶