(Alarm Beeping)
A girl with skin the color of bronze, and hair as ashen as snow, awakens from her sleep and shuts off the alarm. She groans and turns to lie on her back, gazing at the ceiling adorned with constellations meticulously crafted by her own hands. Her mind drifts to the vastness of the starry expanse, filled with a yearning to explore the uncharted realms of the real world.
**(Knocking)**
"Stella, honey, it's time for school. You don't want to be late on your first day of senior year, do you?" Her mother's voice is soft but insistent as she taps lightly on the door. Stella returns to reality, gets out of bed, and begins her day. What should I wear today? she muses. The sun is already warming the sky, its light filtering gently through the trees, with the sounds of nature promising a crisp but bright morning. She heads downstairs, opting for a light blue skirt and a simple white blouse.
"Morning," she greets her parents with a smile upon her face.
"You seem in a good mood today," her mother notes, noticing Stella's excitement as she places a plate on the table.
"It's her senior year, her last year of being a child. Why wouldn't she be happy?" Her father says in a deep rough voice, as he looks up from his coffee, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Daddy's right, in just a few months I'll be 18, and after this school year, I can finally see the real world," Stella says, her eyes bright with anticipation.
Her parents exchange a glance. The unspoken words hang between them, a brief moment of hesitation.
"What's on the menu today, Mom?" Stella asks, unaware of the tension in the room.
"I made your favorite, eggs benedict with a side of bacon." Her mother's voice is warm, but her eyes linger on Stella a moment longer as she lifts the cover off the plate.
The aroma of freshly cooked bacon fills the air, making Stella's mouth water. "Better eat up before you miss your bus," her mother adds, her smile a little too tight.
Stella quickly devours the breakfast, savoring the familiar comfort of her mother's cooking.
(Ten Minutes Later)
"Stella, the bus is here; hurry up before it leaves you!" her mother calls, peering through the window. Stella grabs her bag from the front door and heads out. Her parents watch as she boards the bus. Before she gets on, she turns and waves goodbye, her smile so joyful and carefree.
Once the doors close behind her, her father speaks, his voice low. "She's right, you know. In a few months, she'll be 18 and will have to make her choice. Shouldn't we tell her, or at least prepare her?"
Her mother's gaze follows the bus as it pulls away. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there." Her voice is calm, but there's an edge of worry beneath it. "This world is dangerous, but I know our daughter, she loves adventure, and she'll seek it out. That world, the real world… it's not the kind of adventure we ever wanted for her." She begins to walk to the kitchen, cleaning the mess that was made from breakfast.
The father's brow furrows and follows, "She's our child, but she's also… different. When they come, and they will come-"
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," the mother repeats, her hands slamming down on the counter, her words more firmly this time, cutting him off.
Sensing the rising tension, the father gently wraps his arms around her. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there," he echoes, though his eyes betray a lingering doubt.
(Meanwhile, on the Bus)
Stella walks to the back of the bus, where she finds her best friend Rachel, sitting there with her mahogany hair and amber colored eyes. They warmly hug, and Stella asks, "Costa Rica must've been a blast, did you go snorkeling?" Her voice filled with enthusiasm, Rachel replies, "Yes, I did and even swam with some dolphins; I wish you could have been there with me."
"I know, but my parents are adamant about me not leaving town, let alone the country."
"Didn't you guys immigrate here from Africa, why are they so worried about travel?"
"That's what I'm saying, how can they travel across the world, but I can't even take trips with my friends. But hey, aren't you thrilled about your senior year?"
With a posh accent, Rachel responds, "Absolutely, this is when we blossom into mature young women and prepare ourselves for college, you know."
They share a laugh and continue their conversation all the way to school. Upon arrival, they part ways and head to their respective classes.
"See you for lunch," Stella calls out before Rachel is out of sight.
"Not today, I want to sign up for the school newspaper, so I have to go before all the spots are taken. You know what they say, 'the early bird gets the worm,'" they say in unison.
"Well, good luck, and if it counts, your writing is fantastic, and they would be lucky to have you on the team.
Rachel blushes and turns her head away, and she quickly makes her way to class. Stella smiles to herself, she never could accept a compliment, then turns and goes to her classroom. As she takes her seat, she notices that class has yet to start like usual. Instead, there is a new face she doesn't recognize standing up front with Mrs. Eliot.
Mrs. Eliot, a woman of petite stature but with an air of authority, stood at the front of the class with a new student in tow. Her voice, a blend of safety and warmth, resonated as she addressed the students, "This year, we have a new transfer student joining us. I know it's unusual, especially in your senior year, but please make him feel welcome."
As she spoke, the girls' eyes widened at the new student's striking good looks, and the boys' envy was apparent. Despite the attention, the new student kept his relaxed posture, there he stood a boy, no man with white hair that spilled like moonlight braided and tied up, a sharp contrast to the sun0warmed metal of his skin. His eyes, a deep and violet flame, held the weight of storms and silence and those deep purple eyes swept across the room until it settled on Stella. Their eyes briefly met, causing him to pause before refocusing.
Stella felt a pang of confusion. Do I know him? Have we met before? No, I'd remember someone this handsome.
Before Stella could dwell further, Mrs. Eliot interjected, "Could you share a bit about yourself with the class?" The new student nodded respectfully and stepped forward, "My name is Asmodeus Theos Nihelson friends call me Asmo, but you all can call me Theo. I enjoy spending time with my family and playing games, and I detest liars and cheats."
As Theo shared a bit about himself, a noticeable pressure, as tangible as the heat outside seemed to fill the room. It made everyone uneasy, yet Stella found herself strangely unaffected. She couldn't help but notice her classmate, still trying to unravel the mystery that was Theo.
Mrs. Eliot took a moment to catch her breath and then said, "Theo, please take a seat next to..." She scanned the room for an available spot and settled on Stella, noticing she's the only one composed. "You can sit next to Stella, the girl with hair like yours." Theo smiled in acknowledgment and moved to his assigned seat, maintaining his demeanor.
Meanwhile, Stella couldn't help but analyze the new student. His hair is white, like mine. Is it natural or dyed? His face is striking, almost like a character from a romance novel. And that ring... it looks ancient, centuries old, the bracelet, too—a mix of wood and metal—simple yet intricate.
Sensing someone's gaze, Theo caught her scanning gaze and teased, his voice low and playful. "Like what you see?" Stella blushed slightly but quickly regained her composure. "Your name is quite unique. Where are you from?"
Her straightforwardness surprised Theo. "We're from all over; my ancestors traveled the world looking for a place to call home until they arrived here. Asmodeus is Hebrew, Theos is Greek, and Nihelson is Persian; they stuck with that last name because it did well in their field of work."
"And, what's that?"
"That," he pauses, "is why I had to come to this godforsaken school," Theo responds, hinting at a deeper, undisclosed reason. He says nothing more and looks forward and plays with his ring. Stella takes the hint and remains focused on class as Mrs. Eliot begins outlining the school year plans and starts teaching.
(Bells Ringing)
"Since it's the first day, I won't burden you with homework but remember to turn in your summer assignments by the end of the day, 11:59 PM! I don't want to receive any emails about forgetfulness," Mrs. Eliot informs her students, who hurry to their next class. Stella leaves the room and spots Theo walking down the hall, gathering her courage, she catches up with him.
"Hi again, I was curious about your lunch period."
"Why?" Theo responds suspiciously.
"Well, you're new here, and I'm sure you'd like to make friends."
Theo raises an eyebrow, "Sorry, not interested," he retorts coldly and walks away. Stella is taken aback and stands there as he walks away, but before Theo disappears, he halts, looks back at her, and says loud enough for her to hear, "6th Period," before continuing his stride. Surprised by his sudden change, Stella lifts her head, smiles, and heads towards her class.
While walking, Theo mutters, "Why do you want me to have contact with this mortal?" In his mind, he hears a voice respond, "I know you felt the mana on her, but she couldn't feel it on you, aren't you curious?"
"My curiosity may be needless, she is clearly blessed and based on the density of the mana on her, her guardians know the true face of world but is trying to suppress their usage of mana, therefore mystery solved, no need to investigate any further."
"You're no fun young master, but there is more to the story that you don't know, enjoy the mystery and enjoy this time while it lasts, you won't have much of it when the resurgence begins."
Theo sighs, "Fine, but there better be an interesting ending to this mystery."
"There will be", the voice says as it fades away, leaving a lingering sense of the supernatural.