The first snow didn't stick. Delicate and light, it covered the gardens like cobweb only for a few hours, enough to bring a smile upon my face. It brightened up the entire weekend, making it easier for me to relax.

Still, Monday came too quickly and with it, the usual school tasks. I saw Mathias after lunch, entering the dining room as Opal, Nia and I were leaving. He was pale and visibly sleep deprived, but there was no malice in his eyes. The night of the full Moon took its toll.

I rushed to get as far away from him as possible. Now that I knew what he was going through, I intended to make his staying at the school I was now attending myself, as easy as possible.

The end of the first semester was near. Homework assignments were raining down on us like cloudbursts. It wasn't until the last week of the semester that I realized others were already working on Ms. Cyan's Legends, as we called them. I decided to focus on that assignment during the winter holidays. I figured, I would find some books in the school library and study them when I'd have more free time on my hands. But I realized that my plan wasn't well thought out.

My wake-up call was Opal. After our last history class, she stayed behind to 'have a chat with the professor'. Professor Jasper was also a dwarf. In addition to that, he taught history. Of course he would know all about the legends of their race.

I wondered whether that was allowed. Wouldn't Ms. Cyan get cross if we asked our teachers for help? Not that I had anyone to ask. Others, however, had options. Opal had not one, but two professors she could talk to and I was sure both Mr. Garnet and Mr. Jasper would be more than happy to discuss legends that involved discovering treasures.

Ardea and her three elvish friends might talk to our language professor, undoubtedly an elf. Her hair was long, silky and blonde, her demeanor graceful, her beauty undeniable. I was sure our biology teacher, Professor Ravens was also one of their race. Yes, her hair was dark but she might have dyed it. I dyed mine.

Nia could speak to our Art teacher, she had to be a fairy as well. Similarities between the two were more than obvious, infectious positivity seeping through every pore of their flawless skin.

Max and Leo had Professor Fortius, and our sorcerers had the Chemistry teacher.

That left Samuel and Nathan, the two boys whose race I wasn't able to determine yet because I didn't really develop deeper friendship with them. And it wasn't polite to just spring the question on them. I wasn't gonna be one of those who would say: Hey, what race are you?

I didn't know which race Harper was, either. Even though in most classes we sat close, Opal usually lead the conversation and she never bothered to open the subject. And if there was a connection between his wheelchair and surgeries gone wrong, I didn't want to open those wounds.

And then there was Lissa, the forest nymph. None of our teachers seemed to be her race, but it didn't matter. She didn't need anybody's help anyways. If I saw it correctly, she had already started writing her story in class, when Professor Cyan first assigned it. No doubt it would be a story about the secret life of plants.

I, on the other hand, did need help, but had no one to talk to. With only three days left till the end of the semester, I felt the panic inside me rising like a tide. I decided to visit the library as soon as possible.

I was so full of hope when I found myself surrounded by rows and rows of bookshelves, as if I were entering a maze built by walls of books. I searched through and through, picked up dozens of books, skimmed through all of them, but with no success.

The evening found me there. I walked out of the library like a defeated general off the battlefield.

After that disappointing afternoon, I wanted to spend some time alone with my thoughts. Instead of going to my room, I went to the garden. It was a beautiful evening, chilly air, but sparkling sky.

"Good evening," I heard someone say. "What brings you out on this fine night?"

Mathias. His voice sounded playful, like he was amused by something.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were here. I'll leave," I said, remembering how unpleasant the smell of my race was to him.

"You don't have to leave, just don't come any closer," he replied.

Looking in the direction of his voice, I was only able to see his silhouette, his face was obscured by a shadow a tree cast over it.

"Are you sure?" I didn't want to cause him any inconvenience.

"I'm sure. Now, what's wrong?" I found no sign of anger in his voice.

"Why would anything be wrong?" I asked, trying to get a better view of him, but the shadow was impenetrable.

"You're here, all alone, attacking your thumb nail with your teeth," he stated as if it was self-explanatory.

I lowered my hand instantly. "It's nothing," I replied. I looked at my feet that were playing around with a small stone on the ground. "Nothing serious, that is. Just Professor Cyan's homework. Legends of the Hidden Races."

"I remember that homework," he said.

"Where did you find your legend?" I asked, hoping his answer might point me in the right direction.

"In the library," he answered, sinking all my boats.

"I tried that. Zero success. My race is nowhere to be found."

"That's cause you're the wrong kind of aquatic creatures," he said. Although the shadow was hiding his face, I knew he was smiling.

"I'm glad my misery brings you joy," I too tried to hold back a smile, and found myself failing at that.

"Look, there must be some story you've heard growing up in your underwater home."

"There were stories, but this time I have to find a legend."

"Legends are nothing but stories," he suggested.

"I'll think about it. Thank you," I said, looking in his direction.

"Don't mention it," he replied.

"Of course not. What's said in the garden, stays in the garden," I repeated our agreement regarding Professor Fortius' office.

"I didn't mean it like that."

"I know. Thanks again," I said before returning inside the school building.

° ° ° ° ° ° °

When my parents came to pick me up on Friday afternoon, I still had nothing to write about. Happiness for going home was mixed with disappointment.

On Saturday I woke up at home, in my own bed, in a room with light blue walls and a large wall decal of a coral reef. In case I got homesick, my mother said. But ever since I became a part of the Evers family, the only time I felt homesick was when I was away from their house.

It was a single-story house decorated by light brown bricks, with a red roof and a yellow front door. Cypresses in the front garden were green even during the winter and a bush of tall grass, although brown in December, still looked beautiful with its featherlike flowers.

Coming home made me happy, not only because I got to spend time with my new family, but also because it was my favorite time of year - Christmas time. I loved celebrating Christmas with my parents, we didn't have Christmas where I grew up.

My mother prepared a special surprise for me. She bought transparent Christmas tree balls that, combined with blue lights, looked just like soap bubbles once we hung them on our tree. Helena was the most thoughtful person I knew; I was so lucky to be able to call her my mother.

On Christmas morning she woke up with the first rays of sun peeking through the windows, and once she was awake, there was no more sleeping for the rest of us either. "Come on, sleepyheads! The Christmas tree is so lonely without us."

My dad came out of the bedroom in his holiday pajama. The words naughty or nice were printed on the T-shirt. Nice was circled so Santa wouldn't get confused, as he explained. He was yawning and stretching as he walked towards the living room. "What are you talking about?" he said. "How could this Christmas tree ever be lonely? Look at all the presents under it!"

Indeed, there were six presents at the foot of it. I was impatient to see the looks on their faces when they open the presents I made them. I was getting better at art, so I drew pencil portraits of them. They weren't large enough to be hung on the wall, but they would look nice on one of the shelves.

Judging by the hugs I received, I'd say that they liked my artworks. My mother's eyes even got a bit teary.

She liked to pay attention to details, so she continued the 'water theme' in my Christmas present. She gave me a notebook. Its covers were wrapped in see-through plastic, with blue-colored water underneath. In the water I could see miniature seashells and glittery stars. It looked like the tiniest ocean was trapped there just for me.

Within a minute, we both needed tissues to discretely wipe the corners of our eyes.

When it came to my father, mother assured me there would be no surprises – we would either get socks or slippers. It was the latter.

I got to spend three weeks walking around in my new oversized fuzzy slippers before returning to school. Three perfect weeks. The only thing missing was the snow.

Thank you for reading. Any comment you might have is most welcome.

This chapter is dedicated to my Wonder Writers Book Club partner for the month of July 2018, DerangedBlueCat. She has been amazing, reading, commenting and correcting my mistakes. This is my way of saying THANK YOU.
If you're looking for an intriguing fantasy story to pull you in, check out her profile.

Thank you again for reading, and just to remind you, don't forget to vote.

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