MOON VEIL ACADEMY: The Fated Mate

May's POV

Lazily, I rolled out of my warm, cozy bed when I heard the sound of my annoying alarm clock. I slammed my hand on it, grabbed my pillow, buried my head in it, and dozed off again.

"Come on, May, you'll be late for class. Get up. I already prepared breakfast," Dad said.

"Five more minutes, please, my beloved Dad. You're the best."

"That's not going to work today, May. Get up, or I'll be late for work, and that might be bad for me. I don't want to get fired. I still need to drop you off."

"Can I just skip class today? I don't want to be bullied, Dad... please."

"Come on, May. I know you can teach those spoiled brats a lesson. Stand up for yourself."

"I talked to your principal about it, but I guess bribery runs in your school. Be patient with me. I promise I'll change your school, but for now, stand up for yourself."

"Fineeeeeee... I'll go take my bath."

"I love you, May." He placed a light kiss on my forehead before leaving my small, cozy room.

I dragged myself out of bed. After tidying up my room, I walked into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. I turned on the shower, waiting for the water to reach the right temperature before taking off my pajamas. I planned on taking a quick shower, but somehow I ended up shaving my legs too.

Twenty minutes later, I stepped out with my blonde hair dripping wet. I picked up the hair dryer my father bought for me. He's been trying so hard to be both a mom and a dad at the same time. Because of him, I never truly felt the absence of a mother.

After drying my hair, I walked to my mini wardrobe, searching for my best outfit. Maybe if I dressed nicely today, Maverick (my crush since high school) would finally notice me. And just maybe, Katherine and her crew wouldn't bully me today.

I picked out a pair of baggy trousers and a crop top Zoey gave me on my seventeenth birthday. Thinking about my birthday made me smile. In just a few weeks, I'd finally turn eighteen. I also grabbed a hoodie.

"May, hurry up! We're running out of time!" my father yelled.

"I'm coming, Dad!"

I looked at myself in the mirror.

"You're beautiful, May," I whispered, trying to comfort myself.

I grabbed my outdated phone. It was already 8:00 a.m. My class started at 9:00, and if I arrived late, Mrs. Meyers would probably send me to detention.

I hurried downstairs, grabbed a pancake and my coffee.

"Come on, Dad, let's go."

"Eat first, May."

"I'll finish breakfast in the car," I replied.

"Okay."

We walked out to his less expensive car the company he worked for had given it to him as a gift.

It was only 8:07. It would take about fifteen minutes to drive into the city since we lived on the outskirts.

I still wondered why Dad insisted we move here. I remembered something strange happened to me back then, and he'd been acting weird ever since.

Story for another day.

I finished my breakfast in the car before pulling out my phone. I opened the school platform. As usual, it was filled with posts praising Katherine's beauty. I wasn't going to lie she was beautiful but she was definitely wicked. She started bullying me on my first day because someone compared me to her, and she got furious.

Thankfully, Zoey had always protected me.

I met Zoey in the school restroom. She had stained her clothes during her menstrual cycle, so I helped her. We became friends... then best friends.

"Honey, we're here already," Dad said.

I looked up at the school building and hesitated to get out. Eventually, I stepped out, pulled my hoodie over my head, lowered my face, and silently prayed not to run into Katherine and her crew.

Luckily, I didn't.

When I entered my classroom, I saw Zoey had saved me a seat. She waved excitedly, and I sat beside her.

Not long after, Mrs. Meyers walked in and began her usual boring lecture. Some students were already asleep.

I couldn't find Katherine.

Maybe she wasn't coming to school today.

Lucky me.

Unfortunately, just then she walked into the classroom with her crew.

"Miss Sweetheart, mind explaining why you're late?" Mrs. Meyers asked.

"That shouldn't be your business... unless you want to lose your job," Katherine replied arrogantly.

I wasn't even surprised. It wasn't the first time she'd spoken to a lecturer like that.

She strutted to her seat with her crew and sat down as if she owned the place.

I looked around the classroom again.

Where was Maverick?

I hoped he was okay.

A few hours later, after several lecturers had come and gone, classes finally ended.

Zoey and I headed toward the school cafeteria.

She wouldn't stop talking about Enzo.

"May! Enzo got me flowers yesterday. Then we went to the cinema. It was so romantic! He kissed me... and asked me to be his girlfriend. I said yes! Come on, May, get yourself a boyfriend."

I scoffed.

"I don't need one. Boys are scumbags."

I'd learned that from watching Zoey's exes break her heart over and over again.

And every single time...

I was the one comforting her.

"Just don't come crying to me again," I teased.

When we reached the cafeteria, it was packed with students. Zoey placed our order and paid with her card. We usually split the bills—today she paid, tomorrow it would be my turn.

She ordered hamburgers, smoothies, and dessert.

We found an empty table and sat down, chatting about how we'd spent our weekend.

"There she is... our little attention seeker."

I turned toward the familiar voice.

Katherine.

She was standing there with her crew.

"So... you really thought I forgot about you?" Katherine sneered before yanking me out of my seat so hard I almost fell.

Zoey tried pulling me back, but Katherine's friends held her in place.

"Leave her alone!" Zoey shouted.

Katherine ignored her and smirked at me.

"I did a little digging on your family. Your dad keeps acting all mysterious... now I know why."

I clenched my fists.

"And your mother..." She paused dramatically before laughing.

"She didn't just die. Everyone knows she died because of you."

My breathing hitched.

"What a shame. The woman gave birth to a monster."

"I... I didn't..." I whispered.

"Oh, please." Katherine rolled her eyes. "People say strange things always happen around you. Maybe your mother saw what you really were before she died."

Tears blurred my vision.

She stepped closer until our faces were inches apart.

"I bet your father only keeps you around because he feels guilty. Deep down, he probably wishes you had died instead of your mom."

"Stop..." I whispered.

Katherine laughed even louder.

"Look at you. No wonder nobody wants you. You're just the cursed girl who killed her own mother."

"I SAID STOP!"

The entire cafeteria fell silent.

A powerful gust of wind exploded from my body, sending tables and chairs flying across the room. Windows shattered as an invisible force blasted through the cafeteria.

Students screamed and scrambled for cover.

Katherine and her friends were thrown backward, crashing hard onto the floor.

My eyes began to glow as an overwhelming energy surged through my body.

I stared down at my trembling hands.

"W-What... did I just do?"