ENTRY 7:
A few weeks have passed since my arrival as well as the whole property fiasco in the cafeteria. I'm still being ignored by most of the students but I guess that's better than being assaulted all the time. Classes finally start today and in all honesty...I'm kinda glad. I've been too afraid to walk around the academy by myself and though Lucian sometimes comes to bother me...it's not like it's his job to babysit. Mr. Avera- sorry Mr. Kregan said he'd escort me around until I feel comfortable but...I'd feel like a teacher's pet...
Be strong Marzi. Persevere and learn why you were brought here. It'll take some time but I'm sur-
"Agh!" The blast of a loud air horn outside my door knocks me off my bed and onto the hard, carpeted floor. The mini, floral patterned diary that was gifted to me by the nurse flies across the room, hits the wall and lands perfectly into my trash basket. What the hell... I pick my now aching body off the floor and head over to the door. Opening it, a very annoying smirking face meets my irritated one.
"Glad to see you're awake." Lucian obnoxiously shakes an air horn in his hand.
"...An air horn, really?"
"Well I can't touch your door, so I found the next best thing."
"...You do know you can still knock- never mind, where did you even get that from?"
"I have my sources."
Rolling my eyes, I grab the knob to remove the obnoxious vampire from my sight.
"Lucian." I freeze when an angelic voice speaks behind Lucian.
Tilting his head, a girl, slightly taller but much skinnier than I, comes into view. Her short, pin-straight, glossy black hair frames a small pale face. She wears a dark purple matte lipstick and her crystal blue eyes are almost too beautiful to look at.
A small mole sits just below her right eye and her uniform, mandatory for school, looks modest and beautifully elegant on her. The chocolate brown pleated skirt falls right below her knees while the textured tan blazer with a row of golden buttons covers her white button-up shirt and chestnut-colored tie. To finish the look, she wears black tights with a matching pair of black penny loafer heels.
Quickly noticing my staring, she turns her attention to me by smiling and gently nodding her head, "Good morning Ms. Bellemy, how do you do?"
"Oh... fine. Thank you."
Nodding politely once more, she then looks to Lucian, "Lucian, don't take too long, or you'll miss breakfast."
"Kay." Is all he says.
Her face falters slightly, "I'll be waiting downstairs." With that, her heels click off down the hall and into the elevator. Wow...She's gorgeous...
"Who is that?" I ask.
"Emilyse Ludwig, she's a royal, like me." ...Obviously a better royal than you... Sweeping my eyes up and down, his white button-up is completely unbuttoned at the top and no tie nor blazer can be found.
"So... shouldn't you be going after her, she's waiting for you."
"She'll be fine."
"But...isn't she your-" I suddenly cut myself off. ...Girlfriend? Marzi, that's none of your business. But...It was pretty obvious she wanted Lucian to go with her...
"Besides, I have to make sure you make it to the cafeteria safe and sound. So, hurry before I start getting really hungry." He flashes a smile with his fangs.
"...fine, just let me get changed first."
Shutting the door, I head to my stand dresser. The brown uniform inside sits pressed and clean, ready to be worn. My hand drags across the arm of the textured blazer. Three different skirts sit on hangers. One the style of Emilyse's, a medium length. Another of a longer length, falling just above the ankles and the third is mid-thigh length of the same color but instead with two parallel slits on the front.
Instead of pondering which to wear, I pull each of them off to try in front of my full body mirror. I put on the white button-up and pull the pre-tied tie over my head to secure it around my neck. I leave the blazer unbuttoned and quickly try on the shorter styled skirt since I am the height of a child.
The cotton fabric slides up my legs, fitting snug around my slim waist. Tucking in the white button-up, I zip up the zipper and fasten the hook. My eyes drag along the mirror's length at the perfectly fitted uniform. ...Now that I think about it...how did they know my measurements? And I mean in all the clothes they gave me...they all fit perfectly...
"Hey! Hurry up!" Lucian makes me lose my train of thought as the blares of an air horn suffocate my brain. ...I thought you left already...
I dig through the pullout drawers to find different length socks and an array of shoes. Mixing and matching the pairs, I decide which fit the best. Lucian's air horn, though, makes me quickly pull on white thigh high socks and the same black, high heel penny loafers as Emilyse wore. Before leaving the mirror, I glide my fingers through glistening gold locks up into a neat ponytail. Snatching my pre-set school bag from the ground, I prep myself in opening the door to find Lucian gone.
"Sigh, thank god..."
"Well, that's rude." Lucian exhales beside me.
My body jumps at the sound of his voice next to me, "Stop doing that!"
He chuckles, "Listen, I haven't been in contact with a human in years, let me have my fun."
...years? Lucian strolls down the hallway, and I follow behind slowly. Multiple students gather in the narrow hall while saying hello to Lucian to which he replies with a nod or smile.
...How old is Lucian? I understand vampires age differently than humans but...he still looks young along with these other kids. Mr. Average looks a bit older so...how do vampire years work?
"Hey blondie, hurry up!"
"Huh?" I glance up to find Lucian holding the elevator. While other students glare with malice. Awkwardly picking up the pace, about fifteen students squeeze into the elevator and silence quickly fills the atmosphere. ...Why are elevators always so awkw- eee! The cold pressure of someone's awful touch creeps it's way across my bare thigh. Ah! Hey! Who the hell-!?
I try to elbow the hand in a subtle way but suddenly another hand roughly wraps around my waist, sending unwanted chills up my spine. Ugh! Stop you creeps! I really don't want to make a scene...!
A forceful hand grips my upper arm, yanking me to the corner of the elevator. Gathering myself, I look up to find Lucian staring straight forward, arms crossed and not making eye contact. Did he...pull me away from that?
"I hope you know you'll eventually have to fight back. I won't always be there to help you," he whispers.
...He's right...they all look at me like I'm some toy...
"By the way," I glance up as Lucian continues. "Nice choice on the uniform. I like the ponytail."
My cheeks grow hot as I avert my eyes. Did he just...? No way...he's probably just being sarcastic as usual... Right?
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! :)