I tried to stay calm. Few people called me that in school. Those who did, were okay. I knew this. But my body was still forcibly trying to prepare me for the worst. I turned my head to see Janice and Suzy walk up to me with a big smile. I forced a smile at the twins. It was okay. They were early. Everything was fine. We could go into this together, like how we've taken on this school the past years. I waited for them to reach me, whilst trying to calm my nerves. Suzy gave me a grin as she looked me down.

"Where did your mom find that one?"

"Trust me that if I'd known, I wouldn't be wearing it," I said sourly.

"You look nice in it, though," Janice added.

I blushed. I nodded at them, giving them a once over. "You two aren't looking bad yourselves."

The twins grinned, each twirling in a skirt of their own. Janice's blond hair was loose, while Suzy had tied it in a pony tail. Both of them were, like me, holding a bag with most likely their own precious object. I wasn't the only one who took notice of it, of course. Suzy nodded at my bag. "So, what did you bring? We brought these."

I hesitated for a moment. I'd never really shared that I still slept with a stuffed animal. It was after all something only little kids had. And seeing as I was almost fifteen, it was rather embarrassing to admit. Both of them were grasping in their own bags, as they both pulled a near identical locket out. I recognized it, of course. The twin lockets they'd been gifted by their grandparents, with their own initial on it. Expensive to say the least. According to them, it had costed their grandparents a total of seven silver Lindwurms, 23 bronze Wolves and 40 iron Rats. I don't think I'd ever seen a Lindwurm and their family had managed to save up for seven. The most my family ever had were three Wolves. I'd always thought it was supposed to function as their own heirloom to give to their own kids.

"You're certain you want to offer that?" I asked.

Janice was the first to look away. Suzy maintained some air of indifference, but the light quiver of her lip spoke volumes. "Well, no. But that's the whole point of it, isn't it? Offer something you're attached to?" she said.

I nodded slowly. However I felt even worse than before this day started. My offering was a stuffed animal. One that had cost a few Rats for the fabric and stuffing. The eyes were buttons from an old, tattered jacket of my father. Even Max had offered a book. One he'd bought for thirty Rats. I had Mousey. I didn't even want to offer him. I didn't know how I would even make it through the upcoming year without him. And now I honestly doubted I'd be getting a decent familiar if I offered him. But I had nothing better. Mousey had been mine and mine alone form the start. Everything else were hand-me-downs.

"So?"

Suzy's question snapped me out of my thoughts. Both of them were looking expectantly at my bag. I huffed. I could not not show it to them. It wouldn't be fair. Slowly I opened it up and saw him looking up to me. My hand found its place around him and I pulled him out, showing him to them. I didn't look at them as I did. Instead I stared hard at the ground and awaited their response.

"Well, I'm not surprised you would bring such a disappointing offering."

My breathe hitched. I looked up and behind Janice and Suzy I saw the one who spoke up. Judith, a girl and a nightmare from my year with her sister Shirley, who'd been my bane three years prior. Next to Shirley sat her familiar, a young vicious looking badger. She and Judith smiled viciously at me. They approached, pushing the twins aside who both spoke up.

"Hey!"

"Don't!"

I was still staring at the two of them. I'd been hoping to avoid Judith and her group at least until we were forced to mingle. And I certainly never had thought of seeing Shirley here. My grip tightened.

"What are you doing here?" I said.

Judith pulled up an eyebrow, before rolling her eyes. "We're in the same year."

Her sarcasm steadied me a little. While she had nothing but insults for me, I never backed down from her sneers.

"I know that," I snapped. "I was talking to her."

While Judith sent me a glare, Shirley remained smiling. The scary thing about her was that she was older. She'd picked on Max during their time in school and by extension me as that hurt Max as well. However, I was never one to shy away from hiding behind teachers or my parents. The past three years that she'd been gone were a blessing, as her sister was only half as harsh as she was. And more easily ignored. Judith never became physical. Shirley however...

"My third year at the Guild starts tomorrow, but you wouldn't know that since your failure of a brother couldn't make it," she said. I stopped myself from telling her that wasn't true. Though that was only because she immediately continued and that history taught me that interrupting her was a stupid thing to do. "So I'm here to see my little sister uphold the proud family name."

I was shortly distracted by the badger, that had gone towards the bag I'd dropped on the ground when I pulled out Mousey. I snatched it away before it could get to it. It hissed at me and I glared at it, before the words settled in.

"So another trash eater to feed off the leftovers of the nobility," I said viciously.

I snapped my mouth shut. This was what always got me into trouble. It didn't matter who it was I was talking to, I never thought before I spoke. And right now it was preparing me for an early grave. Suzy and Janice gasped at my words. The two sisters I'd insulted both glared at me. Judith with her usual glare, but Shirley had developed a new look since I'd last seen her. Her smile was still there, but her eyes narrowed. The promise of pain flickered in them. Her badger hissed fiercely and snapped at my feet. I took a step back and pulled Mousey close. Judith took a step forward, most likely to start one of our usual rows. Shirley halted her with a hand on her shoulder. She pulled on a scroll on her belt, showing an elaborate magic circle to me.

"I presume you know what this is. Even a cockroach like you should recognize it," she said, her voice dangerously even.

I dared to look a little closer, recognizing the glyphs of the gods on the left and right and the glyph of lightning at the bottom. The glyph up top, along with the scrawling around it were too elaborate for me to figure out. However, knowing her it could only be a destructive spell that used lightning. It also reminded me that she had a lightning core that functioned properly. To save face, I pulled my eyes from the scroll and gave her my best stare.

"Of course," I said, my voice hitching a little.

The corners of her mouth went up a little more, spreading her grin to monstrous proportions. She carefully touched the paper, and I swallowed as she traced the lines. I waited for the tell-tale sign of magic use, the lighting up of the symbols, but the circle remained dormant.

"Well then, would you like me to help you understand what the consequences are of insulting a Sorcerer or her family?" she said, her eyes slowly going from me to Mousey.

I hugged him even closer. Judith only grinned at me now, clearly enjoying the panic I was definitely showing. I took another step back.

"You're not a Sorcerer yet," Janice said, stepping in beside me.

"And attacking a child is something even the Guild frowns down upon," Suzy added.

I didn't dare to sigh in relief. Instead I looked at the both of them in alarm. They were putting themselves in danger. Shirley had been a witch back when she still attended school. But now with already two years of the Guild behind her, I dreaded what she could do. She looked at all three of us. Was she planning on harming all three of us? Or was she seriously considering backing off? That would be a first.

The bell rang, indicating that we had but a few grains left to make it to the auditorium. It surprised the six of us. Shirley's badger skittered back to her leg, making a high pitched whine. Shirley herself looked almost as shocked. The bell had caused my heart to hammer even harder, before a feeling of relief washed over me. I could get out of this! We could! Shirley scowled before rolling the scroll back in the holder on her belt.

"Off you go. There's a Summoning you need to attend."

I blinked, surprised this went so easily. But I didn't let her say it twice. I turned around and immediately made a dash for the building. I pushed Mousey back in my bag, promising myself he wouldn't leave it until I would do my Summon.