"Lia, wake up." I hear someone faintly knocking or rather pounding on my bedroom door, yelling my name.
"Lia, oh god, what time did you sleep? And what's all this?" My eyes are still half closed, and the voice now sounds distinctly close, full of annoyance. Slowly, I start opening my eyes, looking out the window, only to realize that the moon has given way to the sun.
"Don't you want to be on time for your first day of school?" Rex's voice snaps me out of my drowsy state, and I quickly jerk awake, tossing aside the thick fur blanket wrapped around me and scrambling out of bed.
Oh god, I forgot. It's my first day of school, and here I am tangled up in a thick fur blanket. In haste, I throw off the furry mess that's wrapped around me and immediately get up from my slumber.
Ugh, my body feels like it's been crushed since I slept directly on the furry carpet last night. Yes, my insomnia came back again, and as usual, I'd spent the night reading horror or thriller novels. You can tell from the scattered books with various titles strewn around the carpet. I rush to the bathroom, ignoring Rex's puzzled look.
"How much time do I have, Rex?" I shout from the bathroom, starting to peel off the clothes I wore.
"Thirty minutes, not a second more. I'll be waiting downstairs." Rex yells back. Okay, thirty minutes should be enough for me to get ready.
I yawn several times during the journey to my new school, New York Haigh School (NYHS).
"What time did you sleep last night, hm?" Rex's voice pulls me out of my drowsiness, and I turn to look at him with still very sleepy eyes.
"I don't know, around two or three, maybe." I answer, making Rex click his tongue in annoyance.
"What triggered your insomnia this time?" Rex asks curiously. He's my best cousin, and he knows everything about me, including my sleep issues. My insomnia usually flares up when I'm stressed, and I guess it's because I'm still not used to the transition between New York and Indonesia. The time difference is quite substantial.
"I don't know, maybe I'm just not used to being here yet." I reply vaguely and look around again. Soon enough, our car arrives right in front of NYHS. I get out and put on my backpack, taking in the bustling sight of NYHS students.
I turn around at the sound of a car door closing.
"Why did you get out?" I ask, a bit perplexed, my eyebrows furrowing as I look at Rex.
"Of course, to accompany you, why else?" he answers, walking over to me.
"Come on, Rex, I can manage by myself. I'm not a little kid needing a guardian on the first day of school," I retort, disagreeing with Rex's idea.
"Why not? I'm just making sure you can find your classroom. I'm sure you'd struggle." he replies.
"Rex, I have this." I say a bit irritably, holding up a rolled-up piece of paper containing the NYHS map.
"I doubt you can read a map, Lia."
"But—"
"No objections, now let's go in quickly." he says, pulling my hand which I've already surrendered and following his steps. But wait, Rex isn't leading me towards my classroom. Where is he going? Don't tell me he's the one who's lost now.
"Rex, I think we're going the wrong way."
"No, this is the right way." he replies without looking at me, focusing on reading the sign on the door we're passing.
"But my class should be to the left, Rex."
"We need to go to the counseling room first."
Counseling? What for? I mean, why are we heading there again? Didn't we already go there to sort out my data yesterday? Rex and I went to that office too.
"Why?"
"To make sure of something." he answers and stops in front of the counseling room door. Slowly, he knocks on the door with his right hand, probably because his left hand is still holding mine, which has started to get sweaty. Feeling uncomfortable, I try to release his grip, but he tightens it. What's up with him? I'm not a kid who needs to be guided around.
Shortly after, the door in front of us opens, revealing a beautiful woman with an elegant demeanor. Wait, who's this? As far as I remember, the person who was in the counseling room yesterday was a tall black man.
"Hello." she greets with a charming smile. Well, the smile she's showing is directed at Rex, of course. For a few seconds, I'm caught staring at her lovely smile before shifting my gaze to Rex, who maintains a poker face.
"Please come in." she invites us into the counseling room. Just before that, I catch her gaze shifting to our intertwined hands.
Rex and I sit in front of the woman named Brenda, according to the nameplate on her desk.
"So..."
"She's Aurelya, the one I told you about," Rex interjects, causing Miss Brenda to turn her gaze directly towards me. It's a gaze that's hard to decipher, and even her friendly smile fades from her lips after Rex introduces me. I can only force a stiff smile, sensing an unfamiliar tension in the room. Well, there's an odd tension between them, and even Rex is speaking informally to Miss Brenda. Could it be because they're around the same age? I don't know.
"Hi, Lia. Nice to meet you." she responds with friendliness, her smile returning. But why does she call me Lia? How does she know? Oh, it must be Rex who told her. I bet their relationship goes back long before this.
"Aurel, call me Aurel." I correct her as politely as possible. I just don't want random people to call me by my nickname. Only close people like my family and a few friends in Indonesia can use that. Look, her smile disappears again, and this time she glances at Rex. For a moment, they lock eyes, and I'm wondering if I said something wrong. I clear my throat, trying to ease the somewhat tense atmosphere among the three of us, and that prompts them to break their eye contact.
"Alright, Lia—uh, I mean Aurel. Welcome to NYHS. I assume you've got your class schedule and the extracurriculars you need to follow," she explains, trying to sound professional as the head of counseling at NYHS.
"Yeah, I've received it, and thank you, Miss," I reply.
"If you need anything or whatever it is, you can contact me here," she says, handing me her business card. I glance at it briefly and smile back at her.
"Or if that number is hard to reach, you can ask Rex for my other number. That one is always active and only certain people know about it," she explains, causing me to smile awkwardly again. There's something going on between them, and every word she says makes me feel like I should understand something. Damn it, why did I get caught up in this?
After spending a few minutes in the room that felt suffocating, we finally step out. I won't stay silent; I need to ask Rex something. I tug at Rex's arm and lead him into a hallway with lockers lining both sides.
"So, tell me," I demand, folding my arms in front of my chest, waiting for an explanation.
"What?" he asks with a puzzled expression. I feel like banging my head against the locker behind him.
"Come on, Rex. I know you and Miss Brenda have some kind of history together." I ask impatiently, finally getting through to him.
"She's my ex-girlfriend." Rex answers, which surprises me. Well, he is handsome, very handsome. So why did he let go of someone as beautiful as Miss Brenda?
"And?"
"Nothing. She's just my ex and now the head of counseling at your school. That's all." Rex replies nonchalantly, which doesn't satisfy me.
"And you two still love each other?" I guess randomly, causing Rex to fall silent for a moment as if pondering my words. A few moments later, he exhales roughly and checks the time on his wrist.
"You're late for your class, and I have to leave soon since my afternoon shift is about to start," he changes the topic, stepping closer and kissing the top of my head a bit longer before turning to leave.
"I'm not satisfied with your answer, Rex. I'll ask you about this later when you're back from work." I shout, the echo of my voice resonating in the empty locker hallway. Rex just gives a thumbs-up without looking back and continues walking until he disappears behind a wall.
Oh, shit. I forgot about my first class. I start to take off my backpack and pull out the NYHS map, double-checking the location of my first class.
"I'm ready." I mutter, still staring at the map, observing the various symbols and signs on it. I need to find out where the library and swimming pool area are.
My steps come to a halt as a loud thud reverberates right in front of me. Quickly, I move aside and hide among the lockers, peeking out curiously to see what's going on. My eyes widen as I witness someone brutally hitting another person who's already battered. And there are those contemptuous smirks on the faces of a few others behind him, just watching without any intention of helping. They're probably part of a gang.
My eyes narrow, trying to sharpen my vision, which reveals something that surprises me. It's him—the wolf. Oh, God. Please don't tell me he's a student at NYHS. I hide again as his sharp gaze seems to be directed towards me. Hopefully, he won't see me and will never see me in NYHS. With so many students here, my chances of encountering him are slim, like 0.01 percent. Alright, Aurel, there's nothing to worry about.
I tilt my head slightly, no longer spotting anyone there. Thank goodness.
Slowly, I begin to knock on the slightly ajar classroom door and hear footsteps approaching before the door opens. "Morning, Miss Spencer. I'm Aurelya, the new transfer student starting today." I say a bit nervously, facing the woman with a bit of excess weight in front of me. Her lipstick is incredibly distracting, clashing terribly with her reddish-brown hair, at least in my opinion. "Yes, Miss Brenda informed me, and you're twenty minutes late, Aurel," she says firmly, checking the time on her wristwatch. "And I forgive you this time since it's your first day. So, enter and find an empty seat." She continues. I follow her steps into the classroom and am immediately greeted by a variety of curious gazes from the students. "Please introduce yourself, Aurel." Miss Spencer, now seated at her desk, instructs. I stand in the middle of the room, take a deep breath, and then truly introduce myself. "I'm Aurelya, a transfer student from Indonesia, and—" I pause for a moment, observin
Because of the two lovebirds earlier, I had to cancel my intention to spend a long time in the pool area.I shuddered in disgust as I imagined what they were doing there.Oh God, could the pool water be contaminated by them? I couldn't imagine swimming in the pool water they had used. Instantly, a feeling of nausea swept over me."Are you hungry?" Jeni asked, still faithfully following my steps."Not really, maybe I need an isotonic drink." I replied, because that's what I needed right now. My body's fluid levels had decreased drastically after witnessing that steamy scene. Oh darn, I was thinking about that disgusting thing again."In that case, let's go to the cafeteria." Jeni suggested, pulling my hand once more."Wait, Jen, could you please take me to the swimming club room first? I'm not very familiar with all the locations here, and unfortunately, I left my map in the classroom earlier." I asked for her help, hoping she would agree, since Jeni was the only person I could talk to
"Where should we run, Aurelya? Come on, think fast," I kept taking long strides, leaving the cafeteria behind, hoping the gray wolf leader wouldn't chase after me. Is that the meaning of his name? In a panic like this, how can I think about the meaning of his name? Oh well, what were his parents thinking when they named him? Did his parents also have unique names like theirs? Red Wolf or White Wolf, oh, whatever, Aurelya, you're overthinking. Now, think about where you'll go because the new class will start in twenty minutes. I can't just wait in the classroom for that long.My steps came to a halt right in the middle of the corridor. Which way should I go? Ah, damn, I'm not good at remembering the layout. Oh yeah, signs and directions. What a dumbass. Why didn't I notice the signs earlier? Twenty minutes, that's the time I have. Alright, I guess it's enough time to take a look around NYHS's library. I was about to step forward following the directional sign to the library when my arm
Damn, what's wrong with me? It's hot and incredibly painful. I remember this sensation. I experienced it last weekend, and it feels the same. I struggle to walk slowly towards my room. Even taking steps is difficult. Sweat is starting to drench my entire body. My blood feels like it's boiling, ready to burn me to ashes.And finally, I can't endure this pain anymore. I collapse on my bedroom floor, my breathing heavy. Someone's grip tightens around my neck, making it hard for me to breathe. All I can do is clench my fists and try to control myself as the sound of the door being forcefully opened interrupts my concentration."Gray, what's happening to you?" I can't even answer Brenda's question. I can only see her concerned face."Damn it, I need to do something," she says, and then a blue light radiates from Brenda's hand. She's my sister, capable of doing anything with her powers. Unlike me, who's now writhing in pain in front of my sister.Brenda directs her power towards my chest, a
"How was your first day of school?" Rex asks while occasionally glancing at me before returning his attention to the road ahead."Not too bad," I reply, still in my comfortable position, leaning back in the car seat with my head against the headrest."Did something bad happen?" Rex questions. Ah, he's my best cousin, always able to tell when my mood is either good or bad."If I said yes, could you take care of transferring me to another school?" I ask hopefully, even though I know Rex's answer will likely be no."Is something bothering you?" he asks again, this time with a serious expression. Yeah, something is bothering me, and unfortunately, I've felt his gaze on me, especially in the school parking lot earlier. He looked at me like a piece of meat ready to be devoured at any moment."No, it's just that the school is too big. Even on my first day, I got lost three times," I respond nonchalantly, making Rex chuckle before ruffling my hair."If something's bothering you, just say it."
"Rex, I'm just going to stay in the dorm.""No.""I'll find an apartment.""No.""Then I'll buy a bike.""No," Rex replies, standing by the car before opening the door, causing my steps to halt as I follow him."Can you answer anything other than 'no'?" I exclaim, frustrated, holding the straps of my backpack tightly."No," he replies for the umpteenth time, fueling my irritation."Fine, then I'll just walk to school." After uttering those words, I start walking past him. However, my steps are halted when Rex easily grabs my backpack and pulls it back, causing me to stop in front of him again."Get in, I'll take you!" he says, making me fold my arms and glare at him."For how long will you keep driving me, Rex? I don't want to keep disrupting your work schedule. It's better if I buy a bike." I answer, as sometimes Rex has to wake up early or take time off work to drive me to school, which makes me uncomfortable. I'm not a kid anymore; I'm seventeen, and the distance between home and s
I was transfixed by the blue light emanating from my palm, a simple power I've controlled since birth. In our nation, there's nothing special about it except to humans, who'd consider me a trivial deity. But this time, it feels different, as I sense the energy flow from this power. "Are you fighting him again?" The voice causes the light to fade as I turn to face Rex, who's approaching."I'm too bored just to play with women," I reply curtly, and Rex's face hardens. He, a newly resurrected human in our race, now looks at me with disdain. Even he, with his half-wolf blood, was resurrected before me, a pureblood."You'll make Brenda face your father again," he says, and I glance at him from the corner of my eye. I try to summon my power again; the blue flames reappear, silencing Rex."You're still worried about my sister?""I just don't want her to deal with your mess again," his response almost makes me laugh. I turn to him, blue flames in my hands. Without warning, I hurl them at Rex
I can't understand what's with the students here. How can they just be spectators when some of them are about to kill each other? Even now, my knees are still weak, and my hands are trembling from watching the fight earlier. I don't know which gray wolf fought with the ash-gray one, but they were both equally strong. They were evenly matched; when one struck, the other retaliated.I abandon the idea of going to the music room and end up sitting on a bench in the park, sipping mineral water until it's gone, hoping to calm my trembling."What are you doing here?"Byurrrrr."Sorry, sorry, I didn't know you were drinking," Jeni apologizes, feeling guilty, and I wipe my wet mouth, staring sharply at her."You startled me.""Sorry," she replies with a wide grin."What are you doing here?" she asks again."Calming down," I m