TWENTY TWO: FOUNDER'S FESTIVAL

The next morning as I brushed my hair to go for assembly, my room door slammed open causing me to drop my brush and squeal a bit.

“What the hell!” I shouted thinking it was Phoebe who came back drunk again but when I turned around my eyes widened.

“Daphne!” I screamed and jumped on her, she caught me in a hug but almost immediately dropped me down.

“You’ve caused me some serious trouble” She said with a small smile and her voice was badly cracked.

“I’m sorry, what did they do to you?” I asked while examining her, in just a few days she had slimmed down, she had bruises and she reeked but I wasn’t telling her that yet.

“Let’s just say, I wouldn’t be able to sing for a while” Hearing her say that made me frown deeper and I genuinely began to wonder what they had done to her.

“Go for assembly, I need to have a deep bath, I’ll see you later” She said and I nodded, I squeezed her in a hug again and left the room.

I quickly head to the assembly ground, where everyone is lining up. My mind goes back to my conversation with Raphael, he said he felt something was off about me, he also caught me when I was about to fall, his actions constantly confused me and I didn’t know what to do.

As I stood thinking, something hit the back of my head hard and I saw the item, a stone fell to the floor. I looked around and found Jenna holding another small stone in her hand. She points two fingers at her eyes and then points them at me, warning me that she’s watching. As I’m still staring at Jenna a shadow comes to block the view.

“My sweet apple, how are you doing” The tall handsome vampire comes into view and I narrow my eyes at the nickname I fear is going to stick.

“I’m alright” I replied and he clicked his tongue.

“You weren’t very alright last night when you collapsed by the door, or was it all a fluke so your bully could catch you” He asked with an annoying smirk playing on his lips.

“It wasn’t a fluke but I’m alright” I replied and he hummed with a little smile.

“Come let’s go” He said but before I could ask where, Cillian grabbed my hand and tugged him with me to the front of the line of vampires. He placed me in his centre, wrapped his two arms around me and leaned his weight slightly on me. Gasps and murmurs surrounded me and I looked ahead to avoid the stares.

What did I do to this vampire that keeps bringing attention back to me?

“I’m making a public declaration of my sweet apple, don’t let anyone else take you from me” He breathed in my ear and I felt my skin become warm. I tried pulling away but his grip around me was rather firm.

I looked up at the podium and noticed the headmistress giving me a quizzical look and I immediately looked away, that woman gave me chills.

“Good morning students, glad to see that you all are doing well…..” She began

“A few announcements this morning, and a little run over some rules…”

“Firstly, anywhere forbidden in this school is forbidden, any student found breaking the rules would receive a cruel punishment, no holding back” She warned.

“Secondly, I expect everyone to be in their class when required”

“Also no wondering the halls alone after dark”

“These are rules I already expect us to be familiar with, and this is just a run over to refresh our minds” She announced and I know she’s specifically talking to me.

“Miss Forgate, the floor is yours” The headmistress announces before stepping down from the podium.

A young beautiful woman climbs the podium next and clears her throat.

“Good morning students” She said in a deep accent and we greeted her backwards

“I reckon Miss Forgate would be doable” One of Cillian’s friend say beside us and I stare at him quizzically wondering what he was meant

“You don’t stand a chance” Cillian snickered and they went back and forth about it, while I turned myself out of the conversation.

“Founders day is coming up!” She shouted into the microphone and a roll of shouts and screams followed making me plug my ears with my fingers.

“In honour of our dear founder Eldric Valerius, we would be conducting this year's founding ceremony starting next week” She announced and more cheers followed.

“This year would be no different from the last except that it would be more exciting, There would be five houses as usual and teams would be reshuffled from last year’s members” Some people cheered while others booed.

“This is the current order of houses, " she shook her hand in the air and suddenly what seemed like a hologram appeared in the air making me step back in shock, stepping on Cillian’s shoes.

“I’m so sorry” I whispered to him, he looked at me then his shoes and waved it off before turning me back to face the front.

I read what was written on the hologram.

House Valdris(era of dominion)-

House master- Ember Rosier

House Aurelith (era of grace)-

House master-Phoebe Calderin

House Elarion(era of wisdom)-

House master- Lucian Rosier

House Varyon(era of ambition)

House master- Marcus Lancaster

House Caelith(era of valor)-

House master- Cillian Everhart

“These are the houses and these are the house masters, the house masters have been chosen based on their capabilities, hard work, smartness and tenacity” Miss Forgate seemed as excited as the students around me.

“So you’re house master this year” Cillian’s friend teases him and I turn to gauge his expression and he has a smile dancing on his lips.

“These houses represent the character of our dear founder, and this Founding festival means a lot to the school, so everyone is required to participate. Next we have the members of each house” She waved her hand again and the previous hologram vanished and a new one appeared, a much wider one with the names of each house member on it.

“All house masters please step forward” She announced and Cillian left me and made his way to the front.

All the house masters lined up, a total of five with two girls and three boys, I felt proud of my room-mate for being chosen and I wondered what house I would be in.

I searched for my name in the hologram above and finally found it.

Avery Martins- House Caelith.

I was in Cillian’s house, for some reason I felt happy about it, being in the same house with Cillian was definitely going to be fun.

“Each house member, please locate your house master and make sure to familiarise yourselves”

I noticed the lines begin to scatter as everyone began to go to their respective houses.

“The games to be conducted would be announced during the week, that is all for now, you may return to your classes” She said coming down from the podium.

“There were a lot of unfamiliar faces in my house but I knew two people other than Cillian, Raphael and Jenna.