In the previous chapter: Oriane and Uilliam were at odds with each other. Uilliam escorted her to Carolina, the receptionist who showed her to her dormitory.
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CHAPTER FOUR
It had been a week after Oriane arrived at Diana Mist College, and the school was filling up with students. The fourth floor of her dormitory had been mostly quiet. Occasionally, she heard the random closing of doors. She also bumped into another girl on her floor but she had turned her nose up and ignored Oriane.
During the last week, she had managed to sort through her timetable, acquire any textbooks she was missing, and figure out where her classrooms were. The lot.
Once she familiarised herself with the size of the campus, Oriane found it relatively straightforward to navigate around.
The rooms were all numerical and in sequence for the most part. The college was separated into blocks based on the four departments. The first being General Studies, the second Metaphysics, thirdly Alchemy, and the forth was Botany. Each block, which was more like a tower when looked at from afar, was connected to each other via glass tunnels.
Oriane was walking through one of them. The glass windows surrounding the whole of the tunnel was framed by silver metallic rims and the ground she walked on was paved with polished concrete and stone. There were holes in the floor where floor lights gleamed up from and lit the entire pathway even in daylight.
There were only four official tunnels on the second and fourth floor that linked up the main building with the rest of the blocks.
However according to Carolina, apparently there were other pathways underground that led to the blocks, but not widely known nor used.
The main building that greeted the entrance was in fact all residential and administrative. Housed merely teacher offices, research centres, teachers' dormitories on campus, and student accommodation.
Given the hordes of students she had seen pouring in through the gates the past few days, she had no doubt the college needed that much space.
Classes began today. Oriane had the butterflies as she walked into the General Studies block. She would be meeting her homeroom tutor along with all other elementals in her year.
Homeroom was separated by race. Oriane watched as a group of either elves or nymphs walked into the Botany block. They all had pointy ears and were dressed in a shimmery material, completely wrapped up in their own bubble.
Oriane felt almost sick. She didn't expect it would be so- so- weird.
It was like she was stuck in a dream and none of this was real.
She lowered her gaze and kept herself from looking at anyone. No need to panic on the first day.
Thankfully, Oriane made it to the block without much fuss. Once she was in, she felt more comfortable. At least the elementals had proper clothes on and walked normally-
Dear. Lord.
She stepped into a corridor and was almost hit by someone floating – yes, floating – by her, seemingly carried by the wind.
Oriane couldn't help but stare.
"What are you looking at, creep?" The girl turned to her, speaking in a very heavy American accent. Her hair whipped ethereally around her. She scrunched her face down disdainfully at Oriane.
"Erm," she stuttered, shaking her head. "Nothing. S'cuse me."
The floating girl gave her a mean look and floated down the corridor to her destination.
Fantastic.
Rule number one: don't stare.
But she couldn't help herself.
In one of the rooms, a boy played with a ball of water in one hand and fire in another. He then juggled them. His classmates cheered in delight as he did so. The faint blue and red lights danced around.
In another room, someone tore down a piece of the ceiling with their bare hands, then placed it back but not before revealing a nest of little spiders hidden within it.
What on earth had great granny gotten me into?
When she found her classroom, she was relieved nothing out of the ordinary was happening in it.
There were a few girls chattering quietly amongst themselves on one end of the room, and others sat by themselves reading.
The desks were arranged like a theatre, backs towards the windows, installed onto ascending steps. There was a modern projector and white board equipment facing the class. The floor boards were a saturated brown that matched the light wooden long desks spanning the room.
Oriane walked in and found a seat on the third row, behind the chattering girls.
At least no one was playing with their affinity – or whatever it was that they called magicks here – in this classroom.
Here she was, pretending that everything was normal. It was easy to deal with the fact that supernatural creatures existed when she hid in her room and only spoke to Carolina the vampire receptionist. Confronting it with her own eyes... that was something else.
Oriane opened her diary and examined her timetable, which she had neatly copied out into the timetable slots at the back of the book.
She had Teas for the next two hours, then Chemistry for another hour before lunch break. Afterwards, were General History and Elemental Political Theory. The next few days would be similar. Most core science subjects were an hour long, all the rest were two hours long. Her school days all finished at four o'clock in the evening.
Closing her diary, Oriane looked up and noticed that the three chattering girls had stopped talking amongst themselves and instead concentrated on a crystal ball that someone had fished out.
Two girls were sitting on the second row, while the other was sitting in the front, thereby cocooning the crystal from her direct view.
But the one in front was looking at her funny, like she was trying to figure out something.
"Hey new girl, what is your affinity?" she asked suddenly, her hands leaving the crystal ball. She was Asian. Her slanted brown eyes were highlighted by eye-liner and long eye-lashes that were likely stuck-on. Shoulder-length hair was curled at the ends and pulled back with two clips on the side. "You have a huge aura and my crystal is going crazy with the energy," she said animatedly.
Oriane felt all eyes on her at that moment.
She opened her mouth and closed it. Her mind went blank, not understanding what auras had to do with affinities. The Chancellor did mention something about auras but she wasn't paying attention.
"Oh my gawd. That's so rude, Charlotte!" another girl chimed in. "You can't just ask someone what their affinity is." She wore a pair of spectacles that had a diamond embedded on both sides of it. She was quite tanned and she spoke with a Spanish accent. Her wavy brunette hair was cut short, emphasising the elegant golden pendant of a pentagram she wore. It looked like the one Miss Palmer had when Oriane met her at the Chancellor's office.
"Yes, Charlotte. Learn your manners," said another girl from across the room. She had straight blonde hair that reached her waist. Her finger nails were painted with glitter as she held a book elegantly in front of herself. "Why the college even let the Siders in, I'll never understand. They never get elemental etiquette."
"Shut it, bimbo!" the Spanish girl retorted. "The Lowerys aren't any better with your track record."
"My parents, the Lowerys, are both on the elemental council and that says everything you need to know about me. Unlike you sideliners..." the blonde replied, then sent a glare Oriane's way. "Only Siders enrol as new students at Mystic High."
"That's not fair, I've been here since eighth grade!" exclaimed Charlotte.
Lowery rolled her eyes. "My point exactly."
"The stupid environmental council they're on doesn't do anything. I can't believe you'd proudly announce that," Spanish smirked.
"They're on a council, unlike you mortales."
The Spanish gasp. Fireballs appeared in her palms which flew in the blonde's direction. A thin shield made of water erected around the girl easily doused the fire.
"Hey!" alarmed a guy sitting behind the blonde. He was hidden behind his laptop.
"Manners, Sider." The blonde flicked her hair back and let her shield down.
"My manners? Who's the one calling names?"
That's normal, everything is fine. Oriane murmured to herself as she watched the two obviously powerful elementals in her class quarrelled.
Rule number two: don't get caught in a fight.
While the argument ensued, the girl sitting next to Spanish turned to her and whispered, "Don't worry about Marian and Elle. They're always at each other's throats."
She had long wavy caramel-coloured hair that had the sides tied up behind her in a braid. She didn't wear much make-up unlike Charlotte and Marian but only put on lip gloss. She also had a British accent.
"Where are you from?" asked Oriane. "I was living in London before I came here."
"A fellow Brit! What a coincidence! My family was from Canterbury in Kent," she replied. "My name is Jessica, Charlotte was scrying you on her crystal, and Marian," she nodded in her direction, still bickering with Elle.
"I'm Oriane. Nice to meet you."
"Marian doesn't like being called sider or mortales. She thinks it's discriminative – which I'm not saying it isn't," Jessica explained. "You are a sider or mortales if one of your parents is mortal or you weren't integrated into the system at birth."
"Why should that be a bad thing?"
"Precisely!" Jessica clapped. "But those who were born into the immortal world tend to be stuck up and like to call us names. They think we'd be weak."
Oriane had nothing to say to that. She was going to prove them right. Not only was she a 'sider', but she also had no affinity.
Charlotte winked at her. "What's troubling you, girl?" she asked. Had I looked upset? "Gee, you must be really powerful to be put into this class on your first day."
"Why do you say that?"
"The elemental homeroom classes are split based on your ability. There's about ten different ranks and each class has about twenty students, but the top classes only have a handful – since there's hardly anyone who's on par with those at the top."
Oriane looked down at her timetable. Class B_3_2. She's on the third floor so...
"This is the second-top class at Mystic High, girl!" exclaimed Charlotte.
"But-" Oriane didn't want to say anything to them, but what harm could there be? They would find out soon enough anyway. "I have no affinity. I didn't even know I was an elemental until a week ago w-when the Chancellor brought me here. Why would I be in this rank?"
The classroom came to a hush, just when a few more students came in.
Attention shifted from her to the newcomers quickly. The five guys that entered were tall, graceful, and lean. All five of them wore grey robes of different hem colour on top of casual wear. The robes looked solid and heavy, like what the Chancellor wore but matte. They took seats at the front of the classroom, flipping the robes elegantly away as they sat.
"Just great," fretted Elle, she flipped her book down and crossed her arms.
The guy who wore the robe with blue hem leaned back on his bench and smiled at her. "What's bothering you, sweetheart?"
Elle flashed him a sweet smile. "You're so sweet, Zach. But it's nothing really. I'm just concerned at the quality of education at the college," she purred. "You know I take my studies real seriously."
Jessica scrunched her nose up in disapproval. "She's always been such a suck-up."
"Jealous Jessie?" bemused Marian quietly.
Jessica gave Marian a look. "Just spotting the slapper in the room."
Charlotte looked at Jessica odd and asked, "What's a slapper?"
"Someone who comes around...," answered Oriane softly with a smile.
"You're on it!" Jessica shared giggle with her then, "I don't care if you're an elemental or not, but you're fitting right in."
Oriane cleared her throat awkwardly with a cough. I don't know about that but, "Thank you."
"That's impossible. My crystal is buzzing with energy. There's no way–"
Just as Charlotte was about to finish her sentence, clucking from heels silenced the room and Charlotte quickly turned around and faced the front of the class properly.
A woman came into the room wearing a pantsuit and holding a cane. She looked nothing older than thirty at the most, but her eyes told a different story, aged from experience and tragedy. Her hair was in a tight bun and her skin pale. The woman commanded attention from everyone in the room as she peered at all the students. Even Elle sat up straighter in her seat and Marian adjusted her spectacles.
"Hmm..." she murmured. "Good morning class."
"Good morning," the class said in unison.
"I am Professor Nyla Dennings and will be your homeroom tutor this year. Welcome to yet another semester at this fine institute," her voice was smooth but she sounded exhausted.
Professor Dennings left her cane against the teachers' desk and took out a white board marker, writing her name on the board.
"I teach and research mathematics with Professor Gottlieb. I'm sure you are aware of her research contributions even if you are new to the institute," she said notably at Oriane.
Oriane had never heard of Professor Gottlieb, perhaps she was someone important amongst the immortals? "I have a few announcements to make before I let you off to your classes. Firstly, the Chancellor has bid me to introduce Miss Oriane Moore to the institute. Her great grandmother is well missed."
Oriane's cheeks heated at that. What did Professor Dennings mean by that her great granny is missed?
"Secondly, I would like to congratulate Elle Lowery for her contributions to her parent's environmental projects, who have been nominated at the yearly awards for global achievement." At that, Elle stood up and curtsied to Professor Dennings. "That's fine, Miss Lowery. Please stay seated."
Marian snickered.
"Thirdly, a reminder from the Sports Club that all club activities do not begin until next week. Sign-up sheets for after class activities will be up until Friday. If you fail to sign up, you will have to speak with the coordinators in your own time.
Fourthly, please make sure you have chosen your elective subjects for the year," she paused, looking down at a sheet of paper. "Well, none of you are late in your subject submissions which is good. Any questions?"
Nobody said anything. Professor Dennings gave the class a nod and dismissed them.
While Charlotte packed her bags, she turned to Oriane and continued what she was saying before. "You can't not be an elemental. My crystal shows how much power you've got! You should've realised your affinity way before any of us!"
"I don't know, Charlotte. I'm just as confused, if not more."
Charlotte was dissatisfied with her answer, "Well, whether you have an affinity doesn't really matter. It only matters if you have affinity classes. All the other classes are theories and textbook-based."
Meanwhile, Marian leaned over to Oriane's diary. "What class have you got next? Urgh, Teas. That's gonna be so boring. They're gonna to teach you how to bake and boil herbal medicine and then force you to drink them."
"Oh that doesn't sound pleasant, does it," grumbled Oriane.
"Don't scare the girl off, Marian!" Jessica broke in. "You must be in my class if you've got that next. Teas is rather alright actually. It can be kinda fun! But the professor, who is the Head of Alchemy's wife, does make you drink everything you make. It's an incentive to make sure you put the right ingredients in there."
Oriane was sure it was going to be a disaster, but she nodded and followed Jessica to the class in the Alchemy block. There was a large greenhouse that the Alchemy and Botany departments shared. The class was held in one of the seminar rooms sharing the greenhouse.
When Oriane peered into the windows, she felt dread settle in her stomach as she saw two pots of plants talk to one another – or well, appear to talk. They were definitely communicating.
She was not going to eat anything out of those plants in the greenhouse.
"You'll be alright, Annie," remarked Jessica. "Can I call you Annie?"
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