I walked into the cafeteria for dinner with the rest of the boarding students. I was plugging my earphones in when someone crashed into me from behind. Hard. It seemed a little intentional. I turned around, seeing eye to eye with him. 

The one and only, Atticus Sylvaine. "Sorry," he said, clearly not meaning it. 

"Are you ever going to stop causing unnecessary problems?" I lifted a brow at him. 

"Are you ever going to apologize?" He stepped forward daringly. 

"So hot-headed," I chuckled. "Always ready to fight, aren't you?" 

His jaw ticked. 

"Oh, I'm sorry, am I blocking your way? Here, by all means. Go ahead." I moved aside, leaning against the open door. 

His friends pushed him forward, convincing him not to pick a fight. He continued walking, shooting me a glare. 

I sent him a wave, smiling at him fakely. "Son of a bitch," I mumbled to myself, pushing myself off the door. Everyone was still settling down. I know Wyatt is cooped up in his room finishing the painting he was working on. So, I'll just take my dinner with me. 

I grabbed a tray, grabbed the food that was for dinner, and then turned to leave. I heard my name at Atticus's table. I glanced at him from the door, my glare hardening when he looked my way. I turned my head to the front but it was a little too late. I crashed right into her. Again. 

"This is the third time, are you kidding?" she huffed, running a hand through her hair. 

Daisy elbowed her ribs gently. 

"Actually, the first two times, you bumped into me," I stated. It's true. She's the one who wasn't looking. 

"So? Right now, you're the one who—"

Someone's arm nudged mine on their way out and my coke can fell off the tray. She caught it quickly and put it back on the tray. "What was I saying?" she asked Daisy. 

"Whoa, your reflexes are like... wow," Daisy chuckled. 

"What?" she asked, utterly confused. "What was I... yeah." She turned to me. 

I raised my eyebrows, amused by her acts. She has no idea that her reflexes are faster than other people's. 

Is she... No, the principal said she's a human. 

"Right now, you bumped into me," she scoffed. 

Daisy started pulling her inside. 

"And you're welcome. I saved your can of coke," she said, pointing to it before turning the other way and joining Daisy in line. 

I left the cafeteria and headed to my room. 

She's different. 

"She's fucking weird," I said to myself before teleporting to my room. I sat at my desk and ate while writing my English Lit paper that's due tomorrow. After that, I got ready for bed and then lay down. 

It's not like I ever get sleep anyway, most nights I just lie awake in bed. Well, actually on most nights after midnight I end up going to the highest balcony. It's through a hidden staircase that's deep into the library. I'll probably end doing that tonight too. 

I woke up the next morning to my alarm. Four hours of sleep. What a miracle. I got ready like I normally do and then headed down for breakfast. I stopped at the single rose that was sitting on my desk. 

It's been there since I got here to Arcane High. And I've kept it alive since. Her name is Rosie. No shit, I hope you know why. I traced the petals and then ran my finger down the stem and it bloomed back to life. I grabbed my bag and pulled it over my shoulder and then headed out, tucking my keys into my pocket. 

My phone buzzed in my pocket and I stopped to pull it out. It was a reminder. My parents are visiting this weekend. Then a text came through from my mother. 

I'm so excited to see you this weekend. Has everything been okay? 

I quickly typed out a reply. 

Yes, mom. Everything is fine. You don't have to ask every two weeks. 

Then I put my phone away and headed downstairs. I grabbed a cup of black coffee and then headed straight for class. 

History. The good thing is, we only learn about the history of Ilea. It's interesting to most students here because it's all about the supernatural. If you are one, naturally it's more interesting. You learn things about yourself. If you aren't supernatural, then it's still interesting because you learn about things you never thought were possible. I sat in my regular seat as the class filed in. 

Oh no. She's in this class too now? 

She walked in, waving Daisy bye at the door. She looked around, taking a seat in the corner of the room, a few chairs down from me. I looked over, checking her out. 

You know, she is pretty, I won't lie. 

She took out a notebook and then her phone with it. 

I looked to the front when the teacher walked in. Mr. Billy. Yes, that's really his name. He's actually a nice old man. A little too nice and innocent for his own good. "Morning everyone! I hear we have a new student." 

I glanced at her, biting back a smile when I saw her mumbling curses and dragging a hand down her face. 

"Clara Desmond?" 

"Here," she cleared her throat. 

He looked over, grinning widely at her. "Welcome to Arcane High. Let's welcome her, everyone." 

"Oh no, it's—" 

"Welcome Clara," the class sang, teasing her with it. Such pricks we all are. 

She sighed, slumping in her seat and staring at her desk. 

"Okay, now let's get started. I'm giving you all an assignment today. Every class is one hour, that should be enough time to complete it. The powers of supernatural beings, there is a list of all the powers in your textbooks. I want everyone to choose one, come tell me what you're choosing, please. I don't want more than one group working on one power. And then you all will go off to the library. Do your own research, take notes and then write an essay on it. It'll be due the day after." 

Then he went around the class, asking all of us individually which power we'll work on. We're twenty-two people in the class and there are eleven powers. I know since I have them all for fuck's sake. Obviously, that means we're working in twos. 

"Fire! Who wants to study fire?" 

I put my arm up, leaning back in my seat while reaching for my phone that buzzed in my pocket. 

"Perfect. Callum and Clara, you two work together on fire." 

"What?" I asked, looking to the front. 

"You want to study fire, so does she. So you two work on it together." 

"I want to work alone," I argued. 

"Then work alone," he shrugged. "I want two essays on the power of fire. Yours and hers. Do it together or alone, it doesn't matter. But yes, it would be easier to look in the library with someone. Anyhow, it's your choice. Water manipulation, who wants to study that?" 

"Sir, water manipulation isn't a power anymore," someone corrected him. 

"Oh, that's right, sorry. Flowers and blooming them." 

Water manipulation was a thing. Back when the school was made. But it just naturally faded out. It's a rare power to have and it was difficult to master. So naturally, people who had it didn't use it and then its power faded out into nothing. 

"Off you all go!" The class filed out, everyone heading to the library. 

She was walking a few steps ahead of me. I could see her ponytail bobbing around. She plugged earphones in and followed the crowd. Once we all entered the library, instead of looking around like everyone, she went to the front desk. 

We've all been here for a long time and the library is huge. And two floors. So, we don't even know where everything is. 

She is clearly using her head. She asked the librarian for directions who pointed to one aisle down here and then one aisle upstairs. She smiled with a thank you and then spun around, walking into the aisle she was directed to. 

I, on the other hand, know the library very well, so I went upstairs first. They have more books on the power of fire. 

I was sitting on the floor, taking notes from the books I found when I heard footsteps padding on the carpet. "It's not good to wander, you know," I said, knowing she could hear me. I looked up, seeing her appear from the staircase. 

"Wander? I'm looking for the books to make notes from," she scoffed, searching the shelf. 

"You won't find any here." 

She looked to the pile of books to my left. "Those aren't yours to hoard. You have to give me some of them," she said, walking over to me. 

"What are you doing to do? Make me?" I smirked. 

She rolled her eyes, looking around for someone to help her, probably. "You won't share those?" 

"I found them," I retorted. 

"Fine," she shrugged, sitting on the floor to my left, the pile of books between us. "Don't share. But then don't blame me for copying your notes." She looked at me smugly. 

I removed my arm from the pile of books, leaving them for her to take. 

"That's what I thought," she scoffed, picking up the first one and opening the contents page. 

"I'm Callum," I said without looking at her. 

"I know who you are," she replied, also without looking at me. 

I turned to her, brows furrowed in confusion. Depending on who told her about me, she probably already has an opinion formed. 

"You're the one who doesn't watch where he's going," she said, looking up at me. "Isn't that right?" 

Or not. Maybe she doesn't let what others tell her make her judgment for her. 

"And you're the one who is twice as blind as me, aren't you?" I smirked. 

She rolled her eyes and focused on making her notes. 

"Clara Desmond," I stated, keeping my eyes on my paper as I wrote. 

"How do you know my last name?" 

I chuckled, finishing the sentence I was writing before turning to her. "You're the new girl. Who doesn't?" A lot of people, actually, because the principal didn't mention her name. 

So, how do I know her last name? Truth is, I have no idea. But it was the name that came to mind. So I took a guess and said it. I feel like I know her. Do I?

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