There was once a point in my life where I'd felt this alone--this powerless. I had been eighteen years old, and my parents had kicked me out of the house. Your older sister had been accepted into college at your age. She has made something of herself and blah, blah, blah. They were always comparing me to my sister. And I hated her. Hated how she was better than me. But, in my time of need, I found myself needing her strong, I don't give a crap attitude.
Did I know she had been accepted into a secret society of magic and fairy tales? Yes. Did I know if I set foot onto that campus I would be putting myself in danger? Of course. But I needed help and she was the only one I could think of to help me.
So, I ran. I ran away from the place I had called home for the past six years, as it was engulfed in magical fire. I ran away from my duties and gave up on honor. On bravery. I knew if I stayed I would be killed. Just like they had. My little patchwork family. If I died, who would avenge them?
The journey was long and hard, and as the sun rose on the tenth day of my travel, I could hardly move. It hadn't been the smartest idea to actually run to Belgrave University, but between me and my hide, Delta, we had made it work. Taking the bus or hitchhiking was too risky. They could be anywhere.
It was extremely early in the day, and only the few students and teachers that needed to be up were walking around. I knew it would be the easier option to just ask one of them if they knew where my sister was, but I couldn't risk it.
As I made my way around campus, over expertly mowed grass and perfect sidewalks, it was becoming more and more clear that I wouldn't be able to find her on my own. But the possibility of them finding me would be greater.
Just as I went to go up to a random person, the hides tucked away neatly in my backpack started moving around. Struggling. I could feel Delta slithering around under my skin. Something was up.
"Him. Him. Him." She echoed in my mind. Him? Him who? I turned in circles, trying to find this 'him'. The hides in my bag gave a mighty shove, pulling me backward.
"Knock it off!" I hissed, swatting at the bag, like that would stop them.
"Him! Go to him!" Delta gave a powerful tug, threatening to unleash herself.
"Don't you fucking dare." I scolded. "Just tell me who him is?" The hides went still as if on the same queue. It left me in a strange, eerie silence, making a creeped out chill run down my spine. Who was him?
"Miss? Are you alright?" I jumped around; finding a very tall, very handsome man standing before me.
"Him! Him!"
"Him," I said, heedlessly. The man narrowed his blue-gray eyes in confusion.
"Uh--sorry?" God, I was dumb! I made to walk away, but the hides in my bag shifted, catching the man's eye. My grip tightened on the straps of my bag.
"One in the same!" Delta echoed.
"I was just--just looking for my sister." The man looked me over, hard confusion on his face. God this was awkward. If I hadn't been so wired from the start, this whole conversion would have gone smoother. He blinked a few times, finding that he had been staring.
"Who--who's your sister?" He asked, clearing his throat. "I'm a TA here. I might know her." I nodded my head a bit too fast, Delta restless under my skin.
"Yeah--uh--Vera. Vera Stone." His eyes went wide in recognition.
"The Chancellor?" I stood there, dumbfounded. Chancellor? I knew she worked here but--shit.
"Uh--yeah. Yep. That's right." My eyes began to sting. I needed to sleep or else I was going to collapse.
"Are you okay?" The man asked. I nodded.
"I'm fine." I gave him the best smile I could muster. "Would you mind showing me where her office is? Or just point me in the right direction." He didn't move, concern in his eyes.
"Yes--" He said a little too eagerly. His knuckles went white on his bag's strap, clearing his throat. Delta continued to slither around. "I can walk you. I'm passing that way." I gave a curt nod.
"Thank you." We stood there, in a strange and awkward silence, just staring at each other.
"One in the same." I cleared my throat, readjusting the bag of hides on my back. The man blinked a few times.
"Right. Let's roll." His ears went a bit red, embarrassed. I followed him through the campus, which was just now waking up. Students of all kinds were walking around, talking to one another. It made me feel a little left out.
Yes, I know I had made the decision not to go to college, but it still made me want everything it had to offer. Friends, stress, a diploma. The whole shabam. I pushed it all down and bottled it up. I had more important things to deal with. "So...are you visiting or a student?"
"Just passing through. I don't plan on staying longer than I have too." The hides in my bag moved, making me hold on a bit tighter. The man eyed it.
"You have an animal in there or something?" I looked over the man. What if he worked for them? No--no...ugh I don't know anymore.
"Or something." Soon we came to, what looked like, the main building. I followed him up the stone staircase and into the building. We walked down a few halls, up another staircase, and down another hall before we made it to my sister's office. A Chancellor Stone label stood proud on the wooden door. "Thank you," I said, looking up to the man who gave a small smile.
"Of course." He gave a dip of the head before walking off. Delta gave a frustrated huff, but I ignored her and the restless hides.
I turned towards the door, taking a deep breath in and out. It had been years since I had seen my sister or even talked to her. We had only talked that first year when she had gotten accepted into that magic club. At the time, I had thought it was over the top cool. I mean, who doesn't love magic? I had wanted to attend Belgrave and join in on the magic. But things changed and soon, I was forgotten. Left to fend for myself.
"Uh--I'm sorry." It was the guy again. His ears were once more beat red. "Um--I'm Hamish--Duke." I gave a nod.
"Him!"
"Nora Stone." He scratched the back of his blond covered head.
"I--I just--maybe if you're still in town tonight...you might want to get a drink?" Was I--was I getting asked out? I almost laughed at the absurdity of it. I couldn't. Not now. Not when I had just lost them. "Or not--that's fine too--I just--"
"Say yes! Say yes! One in the same!" Delta echoed, moving about. What was she talking about? The hides in my bag started moving again. I wanted to fight her on this, but I was getting annoyed, so I gave in.
"Um--yeah. That would be--nice." Hamish let out a sigh in relief.
"Okay...cool." He pulled his phone from his pocket and handed it to me, asking for my number. I found my body moving before my brain could catch up. I realized I wasn't moving my body at all. Delta. I almost growled but refrained from doing so. "I'll see you tonight?" He said it as more of a question than a statement. A smile found its way to my lips.
"Yep." Hamish gave me a thumbs up, embarrassment clear in his face before he walked off again. Alrighty then. "Delta, you're a piece of work. You know that?" But she, alongside the hides, had gone quiet. I was officially pissed at her. Turning back towards the door, I gave it a knock.
"Come in." A no-nonsense voice called from within. It felt like my stomach was skydiving. Before I could lose my nerve, I opened the door. Sitting there, in all her glory, was my sister. She hadn't changed. Well, she looked a bit older, but besides that, she was the same old Vera. Resting bitch face and all.
Her gray eyes narrowing was the only sigh I knew she was feeling something. She turned her gaze back to whatever she was working on as I closed the door softly shut behind me. "Nora. What are you doing here?"