So, I know I said that I'd update on Fridays, and it's not Friday, but my To Do list got a little out of control. This chapter's shorter then usual because of the same reason but I'm gonna try to not make that a regular thing. As of right now I'm not sure if i'll be updating the Friday after Thanksgiving but I'll let you know during next weeks update.

It was a beautiful day outside, and as she walked through the familiar streets of her hometown she smiled, listening to the overlapping chatter of early mornings in the small city.

She let her mind wander as her feet instinctively took her down the familiar paths to her destination, Meadowlock Academy. She was almost there when she suddenly felt herself falling forward. She had just enough time to turn and land on her side instead of her face as her mind was forcefully pulled back to reality and the sounds of condescending laughter echoed around her.

“Watch where you’re going, Stray.” She looked up at the glittering heels of the last person she wanted to see, Sapphire Hills. Sapphire was a member of the wealthiest witch family in town, raised with a silver spoon in her mouth and a chip on her shoulder, there wasn’t anything she wasn’t immediately deemed the best at, except being nice. She paid more attention to her nails then her classes and wouldn’t walk in the rain because she wasn’t legally allowed to form a magic shield to keep herself dry, so if Nic had to name one person as her worst enemy, she’d pick Sapphire.

Technically no witch was allowed to freely use magic until they turned 18 and graduated high school but there were a few exceptions to that rule. Those being controlled environments for teaching purposes, and if it was deemed absolutely necessary for a job and the witch had the required paperwork. That being said, Nic doubted Sapphire even had enough skill and brain cells to maintain a shield and walk at the same time.

As Sapphires lackeys cackled at the overused insult Nic rolled her eyes and got back to her feet.

“Whoops, better wipe that dirt off your clothes Stray, or was it there before you fell?” The girls cackled again,the sound high pitched and as fake as their nails, but Nic merely turned and continued walking.

She had long ago learned that there was almost nothing she could do to stop her bullies. She didn’t come from a wealthy or important family, and she had no magic. Plus, no one in town would risk upsetting Sapphires father by upsetting his ‘precious little angel’ of a daughter. She was just an orphan girl living with her older brother, but today she was determined to not let Sapphire get to her, at least not before school had even started.