Chapter 5: First day of School

Evangeline

The Headmaster dismisses us with a wave of her hand. We all file out one by one. The boys immediately start walking down the hallway, not saying a word. I brisk walk behind them, palms sweating. "Um, thank you for your trouble." The one with horns, Raphael, stops in his tracks and turns to face me with a smirk. "What trouble?"

I give him a confused look. Isaiah scoffs with disdain. "Oh, honey. We ain't walking you to class. Handle it yourself, human." The two snicker and continue walking. Adam pauses slightly. He releases the cat from under his arm. The cat lands lightly on its feet and comes toward me.

I stare down into its eyes, pools of liquid gold, unsure what to do. When I look up, Adam is gone. I smile faintly. "Little kitty. Are you gonna walk me to class?"

-

After getting sidetracked and lost in the many corridors of the East Wing, I finally reach my classroom. The first period on the schedule is History. The feline was of no help at all, but what did I expect? It disappeared down one of the hallways somewhere along the way. I assume those assholes will go find their own cat. I barely make it to the classroom before the bell rings.

The room is has rows and rows of desks, but only half are filled. Students of ages ranging 12 to 17, all with light grey ties, stare openly. Oh, the irony, I think to myself. Shouldn't I be the dumbfounded one here? But this is the norm for them. Humans are basically aliens.

I quietly keep my head and eyes down, shuffle to the back of the class, and take one of the empty seats. No books or materials were provided for the lesson. There is a drawer in the desk, which I pull open to find a leather-bound notebook and fountain pen. Gosh, these are old. Mom told me that her grandmother used them back in the day.

A rotund, middle-aged balding man waddles in through the door. He sets his books down and pushes his oversized glasses up on his big nose. "Class," he sniffles. "We have a new student." Every eye in the room lands on me. Their gazes feel like weights on my skin. I wave awkwardly. "Evan Marshalls." When the teacher sees me, his squinty eyes fly open like he can't believe what he's seeing. He blinks and scans me for the so-called Traits. "Sure you're in the right place?" A girl with orange spikes for hair in the front sneers. The professor coughs and rushes to begin the lesson.

Throughout the rest of the morning, I get pretty much the same reaction in each of my classes. Theatrical choking from the various professors, sneers and judging eyes from the students. To them, I am scum of the scum. Third Grade has the worst developed students at Blackwood. I have no Traits or power whatsoever. Could the Headmaster be mistaken?

I decide to skip the lunch break and stay in my assigned dorm, because all the Grades will be present at the cafeteria. Seeing the treatment from my supposed 'guides' and First Grade students, I can imagine how well me being there will go.

Unfortunately, my plan was not to be. On my way there, a hand grabs me by my collar, lifting me off my feet. I yelp in surprise. "Such a wimp." Raphael sneers. Isaiah and Adam are behind him too. I open my mouth, but Isaiah shoots me a cold glare. If I make a sound, I will regret it.

Hand still fisted in my shirt, the devil single handedly carries me to the bustling cafeteria. The moment he and his gang enters, everyone falls silent and stops whatever they are doing. Again, the dead weights on my skin.

"Look, guys," Raphael booms. "We got a rat."

"Human," someone in the crowd spits venomously. "He doesn't have Traits, yet gets special treatment from the Headmaster." Another one sneers. Isaiah grins cruelly, a strange expression on that angelic face of his. "And what shall we do with this fake Hybrid?"

"Awaken his mysterious power!"

"Teach him a lesson!" A call from the back, followed my raucous cheers. A chill goes down my sine. Uh oh. I find myself levitating off the ground again, but there is no one behind me. Magic?I kick and flail helplessly, hands grasping at nothing but empty air.

Splat.

A sticky substance drips down my cheek. Food? No. It's a dull green slime that leaves a prickling sensation wherever it lands. I then realise they are not going to throw that. They at least have that much sense to not waste precious resources. Food security is still an issue, obviously. Instead, they are going to use their abilities on me. Isaiah must have seen the spark of dread in my eyes. His lush lips twist into an even more sinister expression. "Fire."

Jolts of electricity. Stings on my skin, it feels like a thousand needles pricking me, but not drawing any blood. I scream in pain, but the attacks keep coming. I spot Adam's pale face. Will he help me? I was a fool to think that, though. He may not have participated or said a word, but he is just standing by, all the same. I meet those gorgeous eyes for a split second from an unseen whip, my vision twirling, spinning, distorting the faces of the crowd.

Something invades my senses. That familiar feeling. The one from yesterday. I hear a faint, panicked shout. The hold of magic on me loosens, suddenly weak. I am dropped unceremoniously on my ass. The onslaught of magic has ceased, but the phantom pain still remains. What happened?

"Where is it?" Someone whispers. "It was just our powers mixing together," another hisses back. No one touches me for the next 30 seconds. They simply stare, so I take the chance to rise to my feet, disregarding the intense pain, and dash out of the place. No one follows.