Archaeology, Knighthood and Pegasi Riders.

I couldn't stop thinking about it as I walked back to my dorm house. Did I seriously just sign myself up to two of the highest-merit clubs? The one I overheard that all the wild and competitive ones sign up for!? 

I walked aimlessly towards the dorm thinking about how I'd already screwed up. 

My goal here was relatively simple, I just had to get stronger and escape this hell disguised as an academy in addition to keeping my limbs attached while still being alive. 

So signing up to those clubs didn't seem to align with my goals but perhaps I could explain to whoever is in charge of the clubs that there seemed to be an error in the system.

The door swung open as I flinged my shoes to the side spinning around, eyes closed feeling free as I waited for Mother to nag at me telling me to pick up my shoes and stop fooling around.

My eyes shot open as the silence continued to play with no nagging to interrupt it. 

Right…I wasn't at home. Home was destroyed and mother was gone. 

I looked around the house polished, fancy and large. But there was a strange sense of emptiness despite the grand piano station carefully by the window, the star-shaped lights clinging onto the ceiling, as I cling to my life, reminding me of the galaxy. Space. So beautiful, so dark yet so bright. The academy was a star yet all stars burn out eventually.

I chuckled at the thought of that.

I sat on the couch alone staring into thin air. My first class was tomorrow. Magic theory class. 

I knew little to nothing about magic, education wasn't even common for commoners. What a pain…I could already imagine all the noble snobs holding their heads high with pride because they knew everything they needed to know while us commoners had to struggle to fill in the puzzle with gaps which seemed impossible to fill in.

I headed to my room slammed the door closed stripping down naked as I entered the bath the size of my room back home. The wall was made from black marble that shined despite its dark colour the cold floor was glossy reflecting my gloomy self. White mist flowed out of the bathtub followed by an enchanting smell relaxing my tense muscles as I moved closer to the bath 

I settled into the bath. Warm. The water slowly engulfed me. I sat there in silence. Staring into space. I want the ocean to swallow me whole, I want to dance with its waves, with the animals not being alone. I want to drown in the ocean sinking to the bottom of the darkness. I let myself submerge into the bath slowly but peacefully, not bothering to hold my breath. Maybe it is because I have nothing left to hold onto. I didn’t bother to breathe. I already felt like I was being strangled by the tight ropes of fate, of laws. 

The bandages still stayed attached to my wounds as water seeped in sending a stinging sensation through my body. I jerked up coughing as I shook my head laughing. I got up wrapping the soft towel around my body and drying myself. I opened up the basket Liliana gave me, taking out the hair creams and oil and carefully applying it to my braids. I rummage in the drawers already filled with a few top-quality clothing. They had everything. Everything. 

I paused as I stared at myself in the mirror dressed finely in a simple PJ. A white silk dress came up to my knees matching my white bonnet, my toes buried in the fluffy slippers. 

I looked different. More clean, more elegant. Not too long ago I was either covered in the stench of fish or covered in dirt and cotton or I was borrowing clothes from neighbours.

I settled into my bed sinking into its warmth yet I still felt a familiar sense of coldness preventing me from falling into a peaceful slumber. 

I’ll fall asleep soon. I closed my eyes and I could slowly imagine the mutilated bodies that slowly buried me into darkness. I quickly shot open my eyes as my heart raced and my body shivered.

Let's try to fall asleep again. But I couldn’t. I tried again and again, over and over again but I just couldn’t. I sat there in silence just waiting to fall asleep. So I waited and waited, not daring to close my eyes, not wanting to be buried in a rotting corpse. When I was finally about to drift off to sleep I was awakened by extremely annoying sounds coming from the kitchen. Who the stars was awake at this time? I groaned as my ticket to dreamland disappeared before my eyes, the noise only grew.

Fish. I turned to the door with a familiar smell by my nose. I stumbled out of my bed using my energy-drained body to get to the source of the smell. If I was going to be sleepless then I'll at least fill my empty belly with a midnight snack.

Midnight. 

I got out of my room, finding all my housemates already out. 

Liliana and Winter both cuddled up together in their uniforms. Liliana's skirt was rolled up like before with her makeup done flawlessly before taking a half-bitten snack that looked familiar from winter and eating it away as her middle finger was held up toward T who looked annoyed but also in his uniform. All this despite being midnight.

I yawned - probably loudly - as they turned to me looking confused a few seconds later Liliana covered Winter’s eyes. 

“Are you not gonna get dressed,” Liliana asked as she looked me up and down in my pj

“That some gloomy aura coming from you,” T stated as he looked at him 

“Shut up T before I gouge out those pretty eyes of yours but anyways why are you still in your PJs?” she snapped at T before she looked me up and down  

I rubbed my eyes feeling a bit dizzy like the world was moving and spinning a bit too fast for me. I glanced up at the star clock hanging, which seemed to be the new expensive model, carefully by the entrance.  3:50 am….10 minutes to get ready for breakfast but then that meant I was awake all night.

“Ahh shit,” I grumbled under my breath, retreating into my room to get ready. My eye bags were dark and noticeable evidence of my lack of sleep. 

I took a quick shower but even that couldn't wash away my tiredness. Button all buttoned up including my top button despite the discomfort, I quickly, in a messy manner applied hair cream to my braids as they dangled down to my knee. My blazer sleeve rolled up slightly unlike my skirt long up to my knees. 

Okay, now I was ready. 

I stepped out with sluggish movement plastering an awkward smile as their attention fell on me again.

“Remind me to teach you how to apply an eye mask,” Liliana muttered, breaking the silence. However, it was like she had just seen a zombie. 

“Okay now that everyone is here, let's go?” T said readjusting his sunglasses.

Liliana got up from Winter's lap as everyone headed to the door while I stood there a bit confused but I still followed after them.

“Umm were you guys waiting for me?” I asked entering the magic lift with them.

“Well yeah breakfast period is more like registration where we eat with our housemate and then go to homeroom so we just decided to wait for you cause you're the only first-year between us,” Winter explained glancing at Liliana who was fixing up her makeup.

“Oh um I see thanks,” I replied as I rubbed the back of my neck. Liliana was complaining about her makeup as Winter played with her, and T was reading a book named ‘The Master and the Maid’ while subtly dissing Liliana as they argued like cats and dogs. All while I stood there a bit out of place.

They all seemed to be good friends. I wonder if I would be able to experience something like this.

Ping!

The magic lift opened as we arrived at the dining hall so grand and large with the scrumptious foods laid out on each round table carefully, its delicious aroma only made my hunger grow, and I had to stop myself from drooling a river. This could have fed the entire village for months. 

“T put that indecent book you are reading away, for the thousand time,” someone called out, it was Miss Smith.

“This is a book of art not that you'll understand,” T corrected as he shook his head in disappointment.

“Liliana for star sake please roll down your skirt,” She turned her head to Liliana, looking her up and down.

“I'll roll it down when I see you burn to ashes alongside the school,” Liliana stated with a warm smile rolling her eyes.

“Liliana, do not make you give you a demerit and Winter go get fitted clothes” 

“Fitted clothes make me feel hot,” He yawned, glancing at Liliana.

She paused as she looked at me thinking of something to nag about “Maybe invest in some eye mask but I'll let you off since you're a first-year,’

Did she seriously just lecture for having eye bags!? 

These teachers were seriously another level of petty.