Swallowing dryly, I suddenly feel warm and flustered despite the open windows in the classroom and fan myself with my hand.    “A-are these tests done within sight of everyone?”     “It’s done in private.” She reassures both of us. “As long as your compatibility isn’t perfectly matched with another elemental conjurer during the test then you have nothing to worry about. When a friend of mine did hers she told me everything about it, it wasn’t perfectly matched with any water elemental fortunately for her, but some of her friends had an opposite response.”     “So,” I shake my head and try to get my thoughts in order. Refusing to let embarrassment over what she just told us to put off my questions. “If this compatibility test only works for those who share the same element, how come my mum and Steven are soul mates?”      “Finding your soul mate does not require the test, it is

      The next day at school, Miss Rosa acted completely fine despite her weird behaviour yesterday. She’s acting so cheery that I’d wondered if yesterday had simply been a figment of my imagination.      For today’s lecture, she’s talking about the signature elemental’s leave behind after using their powers. She explains that for each elemental a signature is unique, and it can be absolutely anything. For example, an air elemental can have a signature in the shape of a star or animal after using his/her powers on people or objects, and these signatures become something like a tag.     Someone asked if these signatures become permanent if somehow, like during training anyone of us mistakenly hurts the other with our powers, and she reassured us that it isn’t permanent. She explained that these signatures fade after a couple of days, at most, it lasts up to a week. She also talks about how and why elemental’s can have the

     Sighing, she steps closer and wraps a hand around my shoulder. “It’s a school tradition. Every year, seniors prank the freshmen pretending to kidnap them and drag them all the way here. It’s just a little game created a long time ago, other to earn your release they will send you all out on a scavenger hunt through the surrounding forest to look for a specific item and whoever brings back that item first, becomes the Scavenger King or Queen of the year.”     “Why the hell are they playing such a stupid, diabolical game?”    “We’re teenagers with nothing better to do, we’ve got to find entertainment somehow.”     “How about you all just pick up a bloody book.”    Suddenly, the loud screech of a mic makes everyone cringe in irritation and we stare at the stage in front of us. Holding a plastic cup as well, Bianca stands on stage with her mic turned upside down as the DJ th

     Steven paced down the length of his living room while Dana tended to my injured leg, the anger on his face getting darker by the second as Kota continues to explain what happened in the forest. Rae sat right next to me on the couch, holding my hand tightly in hers as her expression slowly changes from concern to guilt, then trembling fear when Prince Kota finishes.     Abruptly whirling to glare accusingly at Rae, Steven practically roars when he asks. “Where the hell were you when this was happening?”      “I’m so s-so-sorry Uncle Steven, I s-sw-swear I didn’t know-”     “You bloody promised me Rae!” He screams, his hands flying and vein lines appearing across his forehead. “When I signed that stupid petition for a bonfire party you promised to take care of my daughter. Is this how you keep your promises!”      She flinches, we both did, but me more in surpris

      It’s been a month since finding out some truth from Steven, after my freak out I left his place that night because I couldn’t listen anymore while I’d tried not to unravel under the shock and pain.      I practically lived as a zombie, go to school, come back home, eat, and then repeat. I had no energy or will to do anything, talk to anyone, or even see anyone.      Eva and the girls tried countless times to get me to talk it out, but I couldn’t. Even thinking about it now brought misery to my soul. I avoided everyone and ignored my therapy sessions. I never once attended my private lessons with Prince Kota, and I turned into someone who had a constant shadow beneath her eyes.      My weird behaviour gave everyone a reason to talk, and rumours spread around the school like wildfire. Some theorized I threw myself at Prince Kota, and due to the harsh rejection I couldn’t function as a sane p