I have always said that theres something magical about winter and its gloomy weather. I loved the rain, especially when the palm trees hit the bedroom window and you could hear the drout as the water trickled down it like a river. 

To me, a dark sky just looked outright beautiful. With its grey/black sky and the chill in the air which wakes you up especially if you have had no coffee in your system yet. Which I didn't. and I mean at this time of day I seriously needed a steaming mug of joe.

Sadly They didn't offer coffee which made me instantly sour. They were afraid we would get addicted. You know, caffeine. Plus the doctor said something about it interacting with our meds. If you ask me I thought stark house was just hiding the good stuff on purpose. There were also no junk food on campus. That meant no desserts which were just about my favorite thing to eat. Anything sweet, really.

I wasn't excited about going to my first ever group class. What was it for? I had no stinking clue.

The instructor was all bubbly and talkative. I wanted to punch him. No one should be this chipper. Especially this early in the morning. It was seven in the morning. Breakfast was done a half an hour ago. It was nothing worthy of talking about. Brown looking mush, and one piece of toast without the butter and milk. I felt groggy from the medication. At least I wasn't the only one who felt a similar way.

I kept looking around, searching for a purple mohawk, and when I reminded myself that she wasn't here anymore my heart felt sad. I didn't like to talk about it. The wound was too fresh to pick at.

The instructor got my attention when he cleared his throat and whistled saying "alright everyone the group lesson is about to start. Anyone who wishes to participate you are more than welcome to sit with us and learn something new."

Which was word for get in the green room, sit, and participate by raising your hand.

We dragged our feet by walking into the common room and took a seat.

Josh, my changeling, sat close to me as he normally did these days. Now on the usual I wouldn't let anyone that close to me but he was my changeling. And It was his job to protect me. His posture was straight as a pole, his gaze looking out for danger. I told josh nothing was going to happen. It was too soon for them to attack us. And while we waited for the ball to drop, we had to be deligint in our search for this weapon everyone had so badly needed.

Josh leaned into me. "you alright?" he whispered in my ear.

I shrugged my shoulders. "im pretty much the same." Which was true. In a sense. I was me but I wasn't. You see, I was seriously struggling with the fact that my aunt Avalon was alive and seeking out to kill me as vengeance. What that had to do with the black rose i had no clue. Thankfully I had a group of friends that were there to protect me. the black rose. My alma matter. The same one my mother was recruited into.

"you don't have to talk about it but when you are im here for you. We all are." Josh murmured low for only me to hear.

I struggled to keep my façade up.

There were at least twenty chairs that went in a circle. The weather outside was dreary, dark, and cloudy. Whilst inside the mood was stagnant to say the least. the imagary from earlier from this morning came to mind. me standing in front of the only window in my adjoined room. the view of tall trees, the pit pat of rain falling down the trail of a river.  

I didn't want to be here.

Even worse i didnt belong.

I crossed my arms and waleked over to a blue sofa chair and sat down, feeling anxiety run at max.

"Looks like we have a few newcomers." There were a few good hellos and then class started. "Everyone say your name and we'll go in a circle." When it was my turn I mumbled my name and the instructor didn't push me which I was thankful for. Mainly I just listened to the instructor, Jett, as he went on about this and that. I couldn't really hear most of it because I was too in my head to think of anything else or to pay attention to my surroundings.

I quietly looked around me. Everyone was either half asleep, bored, or chirpy. More so the first two. The chirpy ones were the students who participated freely, always had something to say, and generally wanted to get the hell out of dodge, aka, get a get out of stark house card.

Once the half hour was up we were free to leave. I got up to leave with josh in tow right behind me and accidentally bumped into someone familiar yet not.

For a second i thought why not? A guy like him could be in a place like this. But then i dida double look. He had 'the look'. It was in his eyes. The hard set of his jaw. No twinkle alll hard expresiveness. "Excuse me, have we met before?" i asked. Josh put a protective hand on my elbow as if to stir me back to my senses but i stilled.

When the guy smiled i could see not quite perfct stained teeth. "Oh I just have one of those faces." He smiled warmly

"orientation, right? What was your name again?" I don't know why I cared but for some reason his appearance struck me as odd. He was so normal looking in a place full of outcasts.

He grined "I didn't give it to you." He offered his hand. "Rider, Rider Grant. And you are?" Rider asked me.

"Aislin. Nice to- formaly..." i cleared my throat so that i wouldnt choke out more embarassing words that i would impropmtly forget. "Its good seeing you again." we shook hands.

"And this is..." i said elbowing my changeling in the side of his stomach. every part of him was lean muscle. i should know. we have p.e. together.

Josh only nodded and then continued looking around like one would as if he were simply on the hunt for his next watch. I nodded at him. Whatever. I thought quietly to myself. You just dont change.

"I do so hope that we get to see eachother soon, aislin."

We let go of eachthers hands and Rider winked at me as he turned his back on us.