We arrived outside of Ms. Lyn's classroom just as the first bell rang.

Myscheif looked me up and down' "well were here, so I guess see you later".

"Thank you", I called softly as he turned and walked away back down the hall waving his hand as he went.

I looked towards the door my hand shook a little. I just couldn't seem to control myself since coming to Woodbrook Academy. I had never been this socially nervous in my life. So why then did I now suddenly feel so different? If anything I should be feeling like I finally belong.

I steadied my hand determined to not let this feeling win, I would never allow then to win. I placed my hand firmly on them the doorknob and turned.

The classroom was almost exactly like every single classroom I had ever been in. The walls were a plain white, the floor much the same. Desks lined the room maybe half of them filled, unfamiliar faces all staring at me.

Ms. Lyn was standing in front of a large brown desk gripping it like it was the only thing keeping her standing. Even though she still looked to be quite young maybe around twenty-five or so, I got the feeling she carried weight far heavier than her years would lead you to believe. When I stepped through the door she turned to look at me her brown eyes red and puffy like she'd been crying.

In a small way, she reminded me of my mother like she was ready to float away at any second.

Without a word, she beckoned for me to take a seat.

The room was quiet, quieter than any classroom I had ever been in. The feeling in the air was almost electrical.

Finally after what felt like hours, but was in reality only a minute or two Ms. Lyn composed herself and spoke.

"I have bad news". Her breathing hitched on the words, and she took another moment to steady herself before continuing. "Another student has gone missing. Acorn was last seen by her roommate Basil last evening at lights out, like all of these recent disappearances she was gone by the time morning came. We are still investigating, but as with most of these disappearances, no clues have been found. She looked out at us her eyes shining like she was on the brink of tears. "Please if anyone has any information about any of this see me or one of the other teachers after class".

Ms. Lyn let out a soft hiccup as the tears gave way slipping from her eyes like raindrops from the heavens. She turned away, no longer able to stand there pretending that everything would be okay. I knew that look I had seen it every day for years, the face that greeted me every time I looked in the mirror.

Sparks and whispers of speech swirled around the room a soft murmur against the quiet peace. My head was spinning unable to process the words whirling around inside my mind. There had been multiple disappearances, and now this girl, Acorn was also missing.

I thought back on the night before the quiet fear that swirled through the halls, the dread in the face of the girl I had talked to, I wondered who she was, for all I knew she could have been Acorn.

After a few more minutes Ms. Lyn turned back towards us her eyes were still puffy but she no longer seemed to be crying, she spoke but I heard no words thoughts of my own were all I heard, questions whirling around with no answers.

Every few minutes a part of what Ms. Lyn was saying would poke through, first, she was talking about the basics of fire magic, then calling a ball of flame into her open hand and instructing us to do the same.

Without even thinking about it a ball of flame sprung into my hand, eating away using my energy to sustain it. I sat there still entrapped in my own mind. Through the corner of my eye I could see the flame dance there was no effort to it just fire, pure blissful flame. Students all around me lit their hands looking towards Ms. Lyn for guidance fresh tears dotting their eyes. The flames danced in the air a fiery memorial for a missing friend.

When she finally extinguished her flame to let the cold seep in once more we did the same. She talked a little longer about fire, but it wasn't long before the bell rang leaving us with a feeling inside that would likely never fully go away.

As I approached the door Ms. Lyn pulled me to the side, her eyes still puffy and her voice soft. "You're the new student I was told about right? Do you have your schedule yet"?

"No, I haven't been given one yet".

She nodded, digging through her desk, papers falling all around her. When her eyes met mine once again she held a paper in her hand.

She handed me the paper, closing the door behind me.

As I walked down the hall I could hear the sound of tears coming anew from Ms. Lyn's classroom.

I heard nothing else about the disappearances the rest of the day. The teachers not even acknowledging that anyone was missing. There face's unreadable slates I couldn't make out, hiding any ounce of there real feelings on any of it.

At lunch I searched out Myscheif again, he was still the only person I had really talked to.

I found him on the far side of the cafeteria. A girl was sitting next to him, her cream-colored hair falling over her shoulders like a waterfall.

I slid into a chair. "This seat taken"?

"Nah take a seat". Myscheif let out an infectious laugh patting my shoulder.

The girl looked over at me smiling. "So your the poor roomie who has to share a room with this guy huh? I'm Cascade by the way.

Myscheif looked at Cascade looking a bit hurt. "I will tell you that I happen to be a great roommate.

Cascade chuckled. "Says who, your dirty socks"?

"They don't smell that bad".

"Yes they do, don't try to hide it".

"Tell her Ember, I am a great roommate right"?

I smiled, "yeah your a pretty good roommate". Better than Jade at least.

As I watched the two argue I felt a small lump in my throat, growing up even though I was a pretty outgoing kid I'd never really had friends like this. Ever.

I hated to interrupt the two, but there was suddenly a question burning in my mind.

I looked at the two people sitting across from me, "did either of you know a girl named Acorn"?

A/n

Guess who's back. I know it has been like a month since I updated this, but I really haven't been feeling that great. Luckily it seems that whatever bug I had is finally going away.

On a side note, I am starting a second book, though this one I don't plan to realize until it has some real substance, maybe five or six chapters depending on how I feel.

Have a great day/night, and hopefully, I will be updating this again in a week or two.