Recess at Virelia was unlike anything on Earth. The courtyard floated in midair, suspended by radiant force crystals and orbiting slowly above the school's main tower. Tables carved from stardust trees hovered a few inches above the ground, and vines of luminescent flora curled around silver archways, whispering ancient songs only elves could understand.
All around Estella, the buzz of laughter and chatter echoed—students bonding with their new teams, already clicking as if they had known each other their whole lives. A fire-slinger from Solaris Prime shared spicy comet-snacks with a wind dancer from the Zephyrian Isles. A shapeshifter kept changing into animal forms to make their teammates laugh. Magic sparkled, powers shimmered, and friendships were forming like constellations across the sky.
And yet, at her table, silence reigned.
Estella sat rigidly, her tray untouched. A sad sandwich lay wilting in front of her. Her tight smile strained against the growing pit in her stomach.
She glanced at her team.
Solara leaned back in her seat, chewing her glowing pink gum like she owned the universe. Her skin shimmered like sun-warmed obsidian, and gold hoops shaped like little blazing stars danced on her ears. She hadn't said a word since they'd all awkwardly sat down. She just lounged like royalty, her expression unreadable.
Aurelia, in contrast, looked carved from ice. She sat perfectly upright, her back never touching the backrest, legs crossed, arms folded. Her emerald eyes weren't on them—they were fixed on the distant cosmic skyline through the arched window, where twin moons floated above the horizon. Her face didn't move. Not a blink, not a twitch. Just elegance, statuesque and cold.
And Reika… Reika hadn't lifted her head once. Her oversized Academy hoodie hung low over her face, the sleeves covering her hands entirely as she typed furiously on her round, glowing phone. The little orb floated just above the table surface, projecting silent lines of code in the air. If she noticed the tension, she gave no sign.
The silence was unbearable.
Estella could feel it pressing down on her like a thick fog. Her fingers tapped nervously on the table. Was this it? Was this how her grand adventure in a magical school would go? Friendless? Useless? Just... there?
She couldn't take it anymore.
"I like your earrings," she blurted out suddenly, her voice a little higher than she meant. "They're really nice. Kinda… giving that sun goddess energy."
The words hovered awkwardly for a beat.
Three heads turned toward her.
Even Aurelia.
Even Reika peeked out from under her hoodie, her brows raised in something that might have been mild curiosity.
Solara blinked, her gum still glowing between her teeth. Then—pop.
A smile tugged at her lips. "Thank you," she said, flipping a thick coil of curly hair over her shoulder. "They are fashionable, aren't they? Made them myself."
A brief, radiant flicker of connection. The tiniest spark.
Then silence returned, heavier than before.
Estella glanced around. The courtyard still buzzed with laughter. A group near the fountain had even broken out into a mini magic duel for entertainment. She sighed.
That's when she saw it.
Near one of the floating light crystals, a flicker.
A gentle pulse.
The kind of glimmer that called to her, like the light itself was whispering her name.
Estella straightened up, fingers twitching. Her power stirred. She could feel it tingling under her skin, itching to be let out. This—this was her chance to show them she wasn't just the Earth girl. She wasn't a joke. She had magic.
She raised her hand, palm open toward the flickering light crystal hanging just above the center of the courtyard.
The crystal began to glow.
Soft at first—beautiful, golden, warm like morning sun filtering through clouds.
Eyes turned.
A few students gasped. Others shielded their faces in awe.
Then—too bright.
Way too bright.
The crystal flared violently, golden light bursting outward in a blinding wave. Students cried out, shielding their eyes. Plates clattered. Someone dropped a drink that floated midair before vanishing.
Estella's smile faltered. "No—no, no, no—" she panicked, trying to lower her hand, but her magic had already taken over, fed by her emotions and excitement.
"Make it stop!" someone cried
Then—
CRACK—
A dark green surge of force split through the air like a thunderclap. It struck the crystal cleanly, shattering the build-up of light and instantly cutting Estella's power off.
She stumbled back, blinking, as the light faded and silence fell.
And then she saw him.
Eric.
He stood just a few tables away, arm still raised, dark green energy crackling around his palm. His hair, the color of shadowed emeralds, fell in graceful waves around his chiseled face. His eyes—golden like suns before eclipse—met hers with an unreadable expression.
Eric. Her crush since week one. The prodigy. The top-ranking student in the entire school. The boy who could command gravity with a flick of his fingers and walked like the universe bent to him.
Next to him stood her.
Celestine.
With her perfect golden brown hair laid on her back, and that saccharine smile that made Estella's skin crawl. She was as beautiful as she was cruel.
Celestine gave a high, chiming laugh. "Oh my gosh," she said sweetly, fluttering her lashes. "Were you trying to blind everyone?"
Estella's face flushed. She looked down at her pathetic sandwich again.
Celestine's voice grew louder—so others could hear. "I mean, we know your powers are... unrefined, but do you have to take the rest of us down with you?" she mocked.
A few students chuckled. Others looked away awkwardly.
Estella swallowed hard, her throat tightening.
Celestine gave one last giggle and linked her arm with Eric's—uninvited, as always. "A team of misfits," she said, tossing her hair as she turned to leave. "How intriguing."
Eric lingered a moment longer, watching Estella. His gaze was unreadable. Not warmth. Not sympathy. No, something else.
Suspicion.
Then he turned, walking away without a word.
Estella's hands clenched in her lap.
She didn't even notice Aurelia standing.
"That," Aurelia said coolly, brushing invisible dust off her sleeve, "was embarrassing."
She turned on her heel and strode out of the courtyard without looking back.
Estella stared at her tray, her eyes burning.
So this was how it felt. To be the weak link. To be the joke.
The light flickered again in the broken crystal above her, faint now.