Chapter 1
I was too young. I was not supposed to be known. We were not supposed to be known. But we were. And it turned our world into upheaval. I can barely remember it, but there were supernatural beings killed left and right. The humans didn’t like us sharing their homes, their food. They wanted us gone. Vampires were found staked through the heart, werewolves slaughtered in masses. We didn’t fight it. We waited for the government to start stepping in.
They did… almost too late for me.
I stood at my locker. Junior year couldn’t be this slow. I couldn’t wait to graduate.
I sifted through my bag for the stuff I would need for the first period. I worried that I left my book for english at home. Man, my teacher would not--
Something bounced off the back of my head. I turned around quickly and was caught in the face with a ball of paper.
“Witches don’t belong here.”
“Go back to where you belong.”
“Dude, she doesn’t belong anywhere. She’s a witch.”
Waste of time to deal with. I don’t get what they were trying to accomplish.
I ignored them and continued to get my stuff. Which annoyed them further and three more paper balls hit the back of my head.
“Hey, we’re talking to you, scum.”
I hunched my shoulders. I had to ignore it, as hard as it was to do so. I blocked out their comments. Just another day in a mixed school. Nothing I did would help myself.
Annnnnd… I forgot my book, I thought, looking through my bag with annoyance and wishing I hadn’t taken it out of my bag. I shoved my bag into my locker with a little too much force and waited for the bell to ring, to summon me to my humiliation of my teachers disapproval.
Thankfully, the bell rang and I joined the stream of students filtering into their classrooms. For the longest time, people sat in their ‘species’ groups. Meaning witches with witches, humans with humans, etc.
I sat with the nicer humans. In the front where the students who didn’t care I was a witch. People tended to slack off because they thought being supernatural was a good enough excuse.
“Welcome back to Language Arts 11.” my teacher, Ms. Jacobs, started in her same deadpan voice.
Ok, most humans weren’t so bad. But the adults tended to give that condescending look and be very… expectant because I was a witch. Yes, I was a smart cookie and did really well in school. Because of that, it set a high bar for all witches.
Whoops.
So, I tend to be outcasted a lot more than really necessary.
Double whoops.
“I hope you all did your reading.” Ms. Jacobs turned her bored, gray eyes on the class, staring a little longer at the vampires than needed.
Hey, I’m not trying to be unfair because “they’re vampires”, but they had something going for them. Was it their fault they were annoyingly attractive for some reason? Kinda, sorta, not really.
The ring leader of this vampire group sat back in his chair, balancing on the back legs and feet propped up on the desk. I watched Rider Moreau turn his confidence charm on Ms. Jacobs. Of course, our teacher never acknowledged it.
“Mr. Moreau, what did I say about wearing hats in class?” Ms. Jacobs asked, some emotions coming through in her voice. (Now that’s a first)
And of course he had a fancy French last name.
“Nothin’.” replied Rider Moreau, letting his chair tip back a little more, dangerously close to slipping.
You have no idea how tempted I was to summon a little wind and nudge his chair a little closer to a humiliating fall. But I would be caught by the annoying detectors installed in every place you could think of. ‘Keeping the Supernatural in check’ my arse.
“Be cocky all you want, while you’re in my class, I expect to see a hat free vampire. Understood?” Ms. Jacobs said. “Hat off.”
Rider gave a half smile and took off his hat. And made eye contact with me. I didn’t quite process that till he winked. And a few girls threw me a glare.
I looked away, scolding myself for staring as hard as I did and my cheeks burning with embarrassment. Not my fault he’s so darned attractive. But I was like every other girl and THAT bugged myself.
Like, really bugged myself.
“Now, please pull out your copy of Huck Finn. And the chapter seven review of the book.”
Oh, I was in for it. This is what I mean by the teachers getting all over expectant of me and other witches. I sat still, waiting for the wrath of Ms. Jacobs to turn on me. And she did, eyes like a hawk boring into me.
“Ms. Ryan, I said to pull out your book.”
“I don’t have it today.” I said, cheeks burning a deeper shade of red.
Here we go. Humiliating me cause I made one tiny mistake.
“Well, I thought you were better than this.” Ms. Jacob sighed, very dramatic as she shook her head, graying black curls bouncing with the movement. “I was beginning to think you were… better than this.” She said the last three words, turning her glare on the other witches in the classroom.
She gave me a look and walked to her desk. She opened a drawer, not breaking eye contact with me and pulled out a green detention slip and a red ballpoint pen.
“Wait, what?” I blurted. “Detention for forgetting my book?”
“I treat all my students fairly, Ms. Ryan.” She replied as she scribbled my name on the slip and gave me the paper. “Everyday for a week.”
I stared at the paper in disbelief. One week for missing my book?
“Why?” was all that I could say, voice quiet, looking up at her.
“I like my students to come prepared. You aren’t.”
I rarely got mad, but this pissed me off to no end. I watched in disbelief as she walked to a human student without a book.
“Where is your book at, Mr. Jackson?” she asked.
“Left it at home.” he replied, looking ready to fight the detention sentence with all he could.
“Ok, share with Ms. Taylor today.” she said, picking up her copy of the book off her desk and paged it open to the assigned chapter.
And left the kid with no slip. This wasn’t fair.
I opened my mouth to say someone tapped my shoulder cutting me off.
“Jesse, it isn’t worth it.” said a human, Kiara, behind me, quietly as Ms. Jacobs began her lesson.
I glanced back at Kiara, and back at Ms. Jacobs. I wanted to snap so badly. I took Kiara’s advice and held my tongue.
I had the feeling someone was staring at me. I looked back and met eyes with Rider, who smirked at me and winked. I looked back to the front, my cheeks burning. Ms. Jacobs glowered at me and continued with her lecture.
