People were already there, and I quietly slipped through the entrance to the school gates, managing not to get noticed at all. I didn't want people to ogle at my deathly paleness.

Somehow managing to weave it through the hoards unnoticed, I was in front of the office, where an aged lady was perched on a flimsy stool behind a mahogany desk, piled sky-high with stacks of paperwork. Her ashy brown hair was matted and dishevelled from her gruelling work. She glanced up from her papers and asked irritatedly:

"Can I help you with anything?"

"Raelyn Skylar, new student," I said before she could question.

The lady huffed, a vexed expression carved on her face. She rummaged through a large chest, mumbling a string of displeased complaints.

A person whispered to me:

"You would be surprised as to the ungodly number of cookies that I have once stuffed in there."

I whirled around immediately, and a boy grinned apologetically at me.

I giggled. The lady glared at us murderously.

"Don't mind her, Ms. Henderson is usually this grumpy. At least you weren't there when I told her 'cookies are now your salary'." That boy mumbled under his breath.

I refrained from snickering and instead leaned over to watch the woman pull out a few dusty books and scrap paper. She pushed them over to me. Me, being totally unprepared, immediately stumbled over, nearly knocking over a passerby student. I sent him an apologetic look, while he shot me an antagonised glower. Rude.

"Azriel," he said, when he saw my brow arch up in query, "You didn't stab him, right?"

"What?" I said, a perfect definition of confused. He laughed.

"Well then, be careful, he doesn't usually have any facial expressions. I'm Alaric, by the way," 

"Raelyn," I said, sweeping my hair away from my eyes. 

"Beautiful name for beautiful girl," 

"Back at you," I said, and pink tinged his cheeks, "See you around,"

I waved and left. 

I climbed a few flights of stairs, and there was a sign with paint chipping off: do m  ro m . My eyes skimmed the number plates: 202, 203, 204...206! My hand rested on the cool surface of the doorknob, and pushed it slightly ajar.

"Oh, hey! I'm Ember" A voice-Ember chirped.

I staggered, startled. She must be my roommate.

"Hello, I'm Raelyn," I said.

"Oh, Ember, you've got a roomate," a velvety voice mused. A male figure was perched on the edge of a bed. I squinted my eyes at him, and had a better read at his psyche. His cat like amber eyes raked down my body unsubtly, and I self consciously crossed my arms over my shoulders, narrowing my eyes at him. Rude. Wait.. he is the one I stumbled over just now. Why the hell is he  at a girl's dorm? He let out a dry chuckle at my expression. I quietly cursed myself for letting anything slip on my face and made it devoid of all emotions.

Sensing my unspoken question, Ember said, reddening,"He's..."

"I'm her boyfriend," he said, smirking, "And don't look surprised when you see both of us having our rendezvous."

I gagged at his words, and Ember nudged him, scowling.

"Well," he drawled, " Don't gape at me, I don't have all day."

Before I could snap back a biting retort, he stalked out of the room, slamming the door close behind him.

Why does he hate me that much when I didn't even do anything to him?

Fuming, I sat on the deserted bed on the left. Ember cleared her throat and said," I didn't know what shit he ate today, such a bastard,"

" I though you two are in a relationship? And quite an intense one, from what i have heard?" I asked a bit sharply.

"Being his girlfriend doesn't mean I couldn't be mad when he's barking complete nonsense," I instantly liked her.

She looked at me skeptically, and asked:

"You didn't do anything, right?"

I sighed, experated.

"Well except for existing, which is a problem with him, no, nothing at all," I said, my voice dripping with irony.

She laughed, "Fiery one huh?"

"You bet," I said, winking, "How could I possibly survive here without it?"

"Most people here are nice," She said thoughtfully, "And Az isn't usually like this."

"I wonder,"

The door snapped open, "Having the annual talk of how to shut Azriel up, Skylar?'

I crossed the room to him:

"Not everything is about you, Fade,"

A look of surprise flashed upon his face. I wonder how many girls had ever fallen under his spell. 

The look of shock quickly reduced to a face coated with venom as he purred:

"You have no idea how many girls wanted to talk to me,"

"Let's not think so highly of ourselves, should we?" I said, scoffing. 

"Love talking to yourself huh? I didn't ask for your opinion," he said maliciously. 

Ember's eyes darted from me to Fade, her eyes clouded with worry, and a hint of amusement. 

I felt sorry for Ember enduring his complete idiocy and cockiness, so I smiled in the most dazzling way I can, sauntered towards the door, and slammed it right at his face. 

"That was. Wow." Ember said, stammering, a loss for words. 

"Not something you see everyday, eh?" I said, smirking, and nudging her playfully, I added:

"How could you put up with..this..ba-bas..t-"

"Bastard," she finished for me, giggling. I doubled over. 

"Well.." She said, still chuckling, she said, but there was an edge of sadness in her tone:

"He just fucks other girls and don't give a damn about them. Of course he doesn't date," She said at my questioning look as though stating the obvious. 

"He doesn't even have the ability to chain words into a sentence, that's why I'm here to pat his sorry ego,"

"I thought you guys are dating?" I said, immensely confused. 

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but closed it again. Well, I won't push her if she's uncomfortable.

"It's different," she said hastily after 3 seconds. 

Of course it is. 

"Eugh, he ruined the morning!!" I said in mock hurt, an obvious attempt to lighten the tension. 

She laughed, and I hope it was a genuine one. 

"I'll go for a while, see you," 

I nodded and she exited the room.