Maine,Usa

Before the Kidnapping

Zeta:

My first week of school was something else. It honestly felt like college,a fancy private school and Hogwarts rolled in one. I honestly didn't do parties but hell to that. It depended on the theme of the party then I was in. In Heather's point of view the mansion wasn't this big or expanded and more buildings seemed to support this place. I walked through the hallway as loud electronic music boomed from their mini speakers and actual loud ones. People were dancing, laughing and chatting with their peers.

I gaped at the strange people I spotted. My roommate, Nadia advised me to stop taking those pills or drugs and watch the glamour shimmer. I felt as if the weight in my shoulders was finally lifted off me. A handsome Latino boy who winked at me seemed to distort into a green-skinned monster with light yellow eyes and claws. Nadia told me, Pedro doesn't eat and he's just like a plant. I suppressed a shudder. Specalis felt like a division of kids from X-men and actually supernatural creatures so far everything gives me nightmares.

One: Apart from the music there was nothing exciting to eat or do. I felt like I was in a college dorm where there were barely any rules. Some dudes ran around shirtless and howled like idiots.

'Ok, Zeta, I know this is hard to absorb but I want you to meet some friends.'She suggested, as we walked over to the common room. I nodded. Nadia had long brown hair, red-brown eyes and tanned skin and she's a vampire with a special bracelet that she used as a whip.She honestly reminded me of Sadie, Heather's roommate.

'Ok .How are they?' I asked, as she tapped her pink lip.

'Well, my first friend is a fool but very classy looking. Plus, he's a shifter.'I arch a brow and shrugged as three teenagers crowded on the wooden floor spinning a bottle or playing truth or dare. The common room reminded me of any average room. A wide beige room with couches, armchairs, a small braided rug and oddly, a flat screen TV equipped with an Xbox with teenage boys cheering them on with their friends.

They snapped their heads to me and the tallest guy I ever saw waved happily. He had dark brown skin, skinny and dressed in a black shirt and grey jeans. A girl with a bob of white hair and green eyes with tiny red horns pointed through her hair and she was dressed in a green dress.

'Welcome.' the Horned girl greeted. Her companion seemed busy with his phone. He wore black beanie over his long brown hair and wore a T-shirt with a skull, grey tattered jeans and had a mess of silver rings and piercings on his pointed ears and nose as the screen glared at him.

'Hi, my name is Zeta.' I said, meeting everyone's gaze as I pushed my knees to my chest.

'Oi,' Chained-guy snapped.

'Hah,' Nadia laughed, as she snatched his phone. He grumbled and shot daggers at me.

'Stop thinking of me as a Horned-girl. It's naughty sounding.' She snapped, her voice sounding high-pitch and as if someone held her nose, her hands on her waist. 'My name's Hornet.' She added, her eyes narrowed. I nodded as Chained-boy doubled over and busted out laughing. She pinched him and smirked then he crumpled onto the floor. People on the couch looked at, sniffled their laughter or shifted away from the angry pixie.

'Hornet. Seriously, not again.'Nadia sighed, and face palmed. The little pixie smirked.

Hornet leaned forward and whispered, 'Actually, the name's Haru. Hornet sounds way cooler.'

'I sense a pattern here,' Nadia remarked, placing her index finger in the air. 'Every guy who hears your name and reacts and you sting them. Hence, the name Hornet. Why don't you sting girls? I thought you had a thing for him.' She stretched and fluttered her small insect wings. Damn, the name made absolute sense now.

'I do but he was being mean. Yeah, his personality is total trash but I like what he could provide for me.' She smiled wide, exposing her sharp fangs. Yep, little pixie is very naughty.

'Aww, not this shit again.' The Long-Limbed dude ran his long fingers through his spiky icy-blue hair. 'This shit always happens.' He groaned as Nadia shoved him playfully.

'Why don't we introduce ourselves or Zeta or Goth-chick keeps insulting us in her brain.' Hornet huffed, avoided my gaze and crossed her arms.

'Ok, this is Prince, from the White Spirit Tribe. They live in cold environments and he's a white stag. 'She gestured to the tall guy who raised his punch and smiled. The Great Gatsby reference.

'Is spiked. 'He mouthed. I laughed.

'Be careful, dearie. He's a flirt.' Hornet warned with amusement in her eyes.

Then our conversation moved on and I slowly learned about everyone. Hornet migrates a lot, internally and internationally. She was born with normal parents who didn't know her secret, she concealed her powers with glamour.

Prince's parents are already supernaturals who can shift into arctic foxes but he's quite odd. He's a stag. He's playful, flirty and absolutely eccentric.

And lastly the Horned dude, he's named Aspen. He could literally materialise into smoke and turn into your greatest fears and has flings with mortals and immortals. He likes dressing as a punk, rock star or in hand-me-down clothes. He's dull, down-to-earth and extremely manipulative. He stared at me as his eyes flashed opals and tongue piercing turned forked.

We talked about how we got into the school and everyone gasped and stared at me wide-eyed. The letter is normal, everyone got the fake 'acceptance letter' but not Heather's biography. The locket, nope and not the personal note. They looked at me in a new light but not the good light or the bad one. I felt uncomfortable.

'Wait, that's not how it works.' I clarified and gulped as I looked around the group. I automatically felt like an outsider. Again. 'Is that bad?' I inquired. They exchanged pained and confused looks then I sighed deeply getting ready to leave.

'No, is fine. We're just shocked. You said you could see through glamour and hear voices. I personally think you're medium or a ghost whisperer.'Hornet wondered, deep in thought.

'So her tree is like the people Heather knew?' I asked. They nodded as Prince stared at me intently.

'Yeah,' Prince snorted. 'Is quite odd. Mr Silver addresses the tree as her is quite concerning and ridiculous.' He sipped his drink.

'You mean the tree embraced you and they allowed you into her shrine. Damn, I don't know who the hell you are but it must be that important or some weird shit is happening.' Aspen yawned loudly and blinked multiple times and glared at Hornet who busted out laughing. He woke up from his unexpected nap which knocked him out cold, he looked dead then he chose violence. He tickled her to death .I diverted my head and looked at everyone dancing, singing or just cheering. It got heated real fast.

'Wanna dance?' Prince asked, as he shifted closer to me and sat hunched. I craned my neck to him and shrugged. We slipped into the crowd and got lost in dancing bodies, we danced stupidly in the darkness not caring about being judged. I missed my steps or soon too much yet Prince was extremely bad. They cheered, stood awkwardly at the side-lines or just vibed with their friends.

At the far end of the hallway, someone clapped, loud and clear. The music stopped, the bright light flickered back to normal white and everyone froze and gaped at an emerging silhouette raised in their hands. She clapped again and whistled loudly and another figure sidestepped her and tapped numerous times on her watch. It was no other than Ares and Turquoise and they were pissed, creased on their faces and deep frowns. Ares was dressed in a tank and pyjama pants and they seemed to be in an argument about us being senseless and the tiredness for tomorrow

'Ok, guys. Time's up.' Ares snapped, her fist in the air as students filed in single lines and groaned.

'It's eleven o'clock guys. C'mon hurry up.' She yelled, gesturing to students as she crossed her arms.' I know you may not like this but I was honestly against this. I don't want you to be tired or drunk.'

'This is lame.' a male voice yelled as he vanished. Ares sighed, rubbed her temples and tapped her foot on the wooden floor then her eyes darted to me as it narrowed. I froze and laughed nervously and oddly enough Prince was cheering and doing the hula,the wiggle and the moonwalk. He took dance like no one's watching to a new level and damn, my eyes bleed and I broke the game by snorting. Stupid Zeta. Stupid, stupid Zeta.

Luckily, Hornet and Aspen slipped away just in time as I pulled his sleeve, harder and faster while whispering his name multiple times and pointed impatiently towards the teachers who seemed to be scowling and super dazed and confused. Lo and behold he was still absorbed in his own little paradise so I dragged him and smiled wide as their eyes trailed me and I vanished into the hallway. I uncapped a bottle of water and sprayed it at him and on my tippy toes; hey, the dude was like six foot, two inches. I cupped my mouth and screamed. He blinked, laughed and raced to his dorm.

***

Honestly, my sleep was awful and very short. I was still jet-lagged and exhausted from the lack of complete sleep. My head throbbed and my body ached. Honestly, I was happy that I wasn't the only one with a hangover or exhausted. Prince staggered, slurred his words and dozed off. I yanked him to his feet as I passed the hallway to the north wing of the mansion. The mansion was originally intended for Noah and people closer but since the renovation. It had been divided for students and had restrictions of the old side of the mansion. No one could stop the curiosity of this mansion's graphic horror stories and eager kids. The infirmary was at the west and I grabbed a cold bottle of water and some paracetamol. The directors lectured us fibrously about breaking rules for drugs and drinking was strictly prohibited and strengthened with elfin magic and enchantments.

'Damn,' Aspen sighed, and rubbed his temples, 'I really thought I was gonna like this school but so far. It's shit.' Aspen complained, as he poked his oatmeal with his spoon. We were sitting in the cafeteria and to prove a point the cooks made oatmeal, fruits, yoghurt or fruit juice instead of promised frozen waffles and hot chocolate for breakfast. Fancy boarding school, my ass. 'But hey, beggars aren't choosers. 'He shrugged with a forced laugh.

We sat around a white round table of the huge cafeteria as people sat with their friends and complained about the usual but there were murmurs of excitement. Oh, I forgot, it was school through nine years to nineteen years or any age. The school lost money but gained it legally and illegally.

'My head hurts,'Prince groaned and slapped his forehead, 'ow, it hurts so so bad.'He pounded his head on the table as the bowls clattered then he wrapped his head and moaned harder.

'How much did you drink?' I asked. He lifted his hand, without raising his head and shifted from two fingers to five. Haru laughed as she drained her orange juice and Nadia snorted. Aspen got bored because no one understood his joke so he shifted to other creatures to shamelessly haunt, annoy or flirt with.

Prince was dressed in black skinny jeans, combat boots, a dress shirt and a paisley waistcoat and a cool black velvet top hat and he gave no apologies for his style as people gawked or laughed at him.

'Damn.' he cursed, under his breath as he stared at his phone.

'Anything wrong?' I looked over my shoulder as he shrugged and looked at his pointed boots.

'Well. I have Health and Fitness.' he stated. He blurted before I could arch a brow or move.

'But is not like the norm. Think of it as a gym but with magic, fights and weaponry.' he showed me his phone and I spotted business and politics too.

I sighed heavily, it was an unusually hot morning but the air smelt divine. Maybe it was the sweet and tantalising scents of flowers. I walked down the hallway after we said our goodbyes.

Biology or Botany.

No Herbs and Potions.

Since I'm a mundane and a human who is unclaimed. I have to do all subjects till they actually figure out who the hell I am. Yes, all. I hate it. My eyes widened as I entered the room or a greenhouse. No, it was the size of a ballroom. Domed-shaped as the sun filtered through the air and the scents of smells attacked my nostrils. Sweet and bitter and oddly humid. On the drawers were lined with potted plants such as cactus, alone Vera and tomatoes and various herbs. On the dome were crawling plants blooming with flowers. There were long white wooden tables and chairs with students of every kind on either side. Water gurgled everywhere from fountains and waterfalls. Plants hung above and were lined haphazardly everywhere. Every plant from gardening to flowering plants.

'Are you done admiring the classroom, Zeta. 'A loud male voice snapped, from my right at the far end of the class. I turned my head, cleared my throat and closed my wide mouth.

'Stop staring, you'll swallow flies,' he glared at me and snapped. His inhumane looking green eyes flickered to me.I gasped. 'well then take a seat.' His lips squeezed into a thin line.I took a deep breath, squeezed my books closer to my chest and walked forward.Everyone giggled and looked at me as I took a seat at the front table ,sat on a chair and looked at the teacher who stood on the black wooden podium. He was a short man with light green hair spiked to perfection. But his skin was drained of all colour.He dressed as if he was from the Victorian era. An emerald-green waistcoat, breeches, tailcoat and a coat. But if you looked closer you'd realise he also had green tinged eyes and fingers.

On the blackboard ,he wrote his name.' Mr Hedgewick.'he placed his sticky fingers on the desk and looked at all of us. My class barely had humans; it was mostly witches, nymphs and faes or faeries. In front of me was a wooden bowl and ringed around it was empty and colourful glowing vials. On Mr Hedgewick's desk were stacks of papers, quills, vails and one big red leather-bound book.

'Ok, class,' he clapped as everyone snapped their heads to the board. He cleared his throat and he grabbed a chalk. 'I am going to be your Herbs and Potions teacher. I'm a witch and a hybrid of nymph and fae.' he stated as some of the guys scrunch their faces, bit their lips and looked at one another.

'And before you laugh or scoff. Witch is a gender-neutral term.It means whatever you go by can be used. In the past it was used to shame women who wanted to be educated and they burnt actual witches. The Salem Witch trials.' he stopped and looked at me with hate and disgust and landed on my silver crucifix .He snorted and scribbled on the board.

Lesson one: Poisonous plants and healing plants.

He turned and grabbed a lab coat from the hanger which was made of a coiling tree trunk and had fuzzy green leaves in an orb. The students whispered and poked random plants that were set in front of us. His eyes flickered to the crowd then it landed at me as he narrowed his squinty eyes at me then my crucifix. Do we have a problem, sir?

'Please look at your desks for our first practical experience. We shall explore various plants to see our self-awareness.' He said. Suddenly, appeared on everyone's table with a loud gasps of disbelief and wonder were two empty pots filled with soil. Then, like a time-lapse video, various plants sprouted out. Two mushrooms grow on mine. One, a toadstool and weird, long one and on everyone's own was various strange herbs and bushes.

In a blink, he was in front of me with a nasty glare and a glare.'Zeta,' he mused. 'Why don't tell me which one is poisonous and toxic. 'My gaze flickered to both pots as I murmured to myself. I debated, 'oh, and you must have contact with it or consume it.' I was taken back as I gave him a sir-are-you-trying-to-kill-me look. I slowly removed it and licked the tip as his eyes widened and slowly his lips curled .I bit it and chewed it. I sighed and I tapped my skin for any reaction. He sighed in disappointment as he took long strides to other students who bit their lips and stared at me in anticipation. The hell?

Kay, let me be honest, though. I actually enjoyed this class but if , I said if the teacher didn't glare at me, scrunch his nose or insulted me. Like sir, we just met and now you hate me. Dick, the hell. Freaky and cool things happened, there were some unfamiliar and unworldly plants and familiar plants. A small wiry red-headed guy next me sniffed a powder-blue dandelion flower then broke out hives and his nose swelled. A girl grew wild hair and couldn't stop giggling, a boy started levitating and spoke squeaky and some grew girl till she hit the ceiling or shrunk like an ant. It was all shit and giggles. Hexes and spells for fun and pain.

After that he made us flip our textbooks –yes, there are textbooks- and people worked in pairs to make antidotes to cure their friends and without the teacher's assistance. We learnt the types of healing herbs and poisonous ones and paste and medicine. After that, we went to the green house and stared at strange plants until class was over. He told us in the real world he's a biologist and a school teacher and glamour. Now I know that they lived double or even triple lives to get income.

AN:Sorry,I wanted to try British quatatations marks.