Shadow.

“Wait wait ,wait, wait....wait! Your brother? Jace Leister, the grumpy is soon to be the vampire king?” Eve asked again with full attention. She seemed more curious in knowing about him than I was.

“Yeah. But it’s a little complicated. He doesn’t like when I talk about this stuff. I mean whenever I talk about him.”

“Well, that’s what big brothers are usually like, I guess,” Eve replied and I just sat there listening to them gossip.

“Ouch.” I wince in pain again as I look down at my arm. It was growing deep purple.

“What the hell?” I murmur to myself, still gaining the girls’s attention.

“Woah, Hailey! Are you okay? How did your arm get scraped up like that?” June asked.

And I only stare at them blindly. Because I didn’t know how I got this scar too.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” Eve questions. She looks at June, then at me, all confused.

“Look, all I know is, I got this scar or whatever when I was a kid. I fell off a small cliff or something..I don’t know. My parents never told me the whole reason.”

“Can I..see?” June asks politely as I show her my scar.

She touches my skin softly, and weirdly, my pain starts to fade away.

“How did you say you got this..injury?” June questioned.

“I may have fallen off a cliff...why?”

“Hailey, this isn’t from falling off a cliff. These are ripped bite marks. Marks from a vampire.”

“What did you just say?” I ask her again, my eyes all wide because hell no. That couldn’t have happened. My pack always stayed aloof from vampires. We always minded our business.

“Yeah. It seems like a vampire bit you, and to free yourself from the pain, you tried shoving him away but because the ‘vampire’s teeth’ were stuck in the holes, the aggression or some force, made your skin slice off. Almost like a cut from a blade.”

“How can you be so sure about that?” Eve questioned.

“I can sense it. Not only that. I can almost sense the person who...”

“Who?” The pause made it more dramatic and curious. I needed to know what was the reason behind this shitty ass injury. And finally, I was about to get it...But..

--Knock knock--

The door got knocked and before any of us could answer, we saw a small piece of paper being slid down from beneath the door.

“What is that?” Eve asked as she made her way towards the paper. She picks it up and her face brightens like fire.

“Ooooh...yes!”

“What?” I ask as she begins to jump up and down.

“Eve, you’re going to wake the other kids. Stop it!”

“Oh, they’re already awake, as they’re all at the welcoming party!”

“The welcoming party?” I implore. “What is that?”

“Don’t you know? It’s a party organised by our seniors, especially for us newbies. Come on, let’s go!”

“Well, I don’t know about you, but I do want to meet some fresh...faces.” June teases us as they both finally stare at me.

“Oh. No, no, no. Parties are..No. I’m simply not a celebrating...type of person. So..”

“Oh, come on, Hailey! You have to! We may make some new friends, who knows?

“I..”

“Please, Hailey?” Eve and June torture me with their puppy, wide eyes. I knew what they were doing, and I’m not ashamed to say it. I kinda liked it and fell for this trap within seconds.

“Fine, but not for long.”

“Yes!” Eve screamed as she half-hugged June in excitement, catching her off guard. And almost falling.

“Alright, let’s go,” June exclaims.

We all walked out of the dorm, locked it and made our way to the party. I gotta say. When my parents first told me about this place, I said no immediately. But after my Dad sat down and talked to me for hours, trying to get me to say yes.

I’m now glad that I did.

I never thought I’d be getting fond of a crowd like this. We werewolves always stick to our pack. We meddle in our own business and we fight for our own people. This place was a whole new world for me.

It was like getting out of my own cacoon. It was beautiful.

We reach the party venue. The party was such a blast. The place was filled with juniors and seniors. Some were enjoying it so much that were making out within seconds of talking.

Not a single person here judged the other. Well, I’m glad they don’t. It’s not like I’d find everyone here like Jace.

Speaking of him, why hasn’t he come here? I mean, I know he’s a senior, but it’s not like there aren’t any seniors here. Without realising it, I found myself looking for Jace. I wasn’t sure why would I look for such a grudging guy who I just met for like, 25 seconds, but I was.

“Hey?” June calls out to me through the noise of the music.

“Y-yeah, sorry.”

“What do you want to drink?”

“Oh, no. I don’t drink, June. I’ll just take a glass of water.”

“Come on, don’t be a party buster...here.” June hands me a glass of transparent liquid, water-like substance. I smell it accidentally and my whole body goes electrified and irritating.

“What is this?”

“It’s vodka, try it.”

I eyed her and was a little hesitant at first, but what the hell. You only live fucking ones. I clipped my nose with my fingers and drank my drink in one sip.

Coughing instantly.

“You really got the beginner’s luck, Hailey,” Eve teases me as she sips her drink herself. After a few more shots, I find myself swaying with the music. My body loosened up. It was like I wasn’t even controlling myself but my body was being controlled by someone else.

The feeling was amazing.

Deep into the night, me, Eve and June started dancing and meeting new people. This night sure became the one I know I would never forget.

“I...I gotta go use the bathroom,” I say to Eve, who had no sense of where we were.

“Okay, bring me a cupcake, as well.” I laugh as I pat her shoulder to keep on with her behaviours as I exited the scene.

After a 2-3-minute walk with seemed like hours, I reached our university. Since the corridors had like...50 rooms, I found it really hard to search where the bathroom was.

Eventually, I figured I was lost.

“Okay, this is literally not the good time to get kidnapped, Hailey. Focus.” I gained 20% of my consciousness as I continued my search.

But..no luck.

“Ahh,” I looked down at my arm and it was again turned purple/blue. “Why the hell are you burning up now??!” I wince in pain as it grew stronger.

Suddenly, my vision went blurry and my eyes were forced closed.

“N-No..H-help.”

I drop down on the ground as I tried moving my muscles..I had no absolute luck.

“Help..me,” I call out to someone as my body starts to lose its control...when finally...I see a dark figure walking towards me.

My stomach got filled with chills and I pulled my hands up in protection but my vision went completely..

Dark.