The sound of a bell chiming had never sounded so sweet. We had managed to endure an hour of geography review with very little deviation from purely academic topics. The class stood nearly in unison and began to file out of class.

“Hey Atlas! What class do you have next?” Kirura pushed through the crowd and was standing right behind, gently touching my shoulder to get my attention. I startled and froze for a second, eyes locked with his. My hands scrambled to my blazer’s breast pocket and hastily pulled out my course schedule.

“Oh, ummmm... Astronomy.” I smiled as his face light up.

“Perfect! That’s my next class. Let’s walk there together.” He sped up to match my pace. We maneuvered our way through the hall in silence. As we made it to the stairs up to the second floor, he spoke up.

“Just so you know, not everyone believes those rumors about Malhers being savages. I mean, you clearly are not.” I smiled weakly in response.

“Thanks.” I mumbled.

“Hey.” He paused, waiting for me to look up from the steps, “You need more confidence. I want to see you fight all the ignorant assumptions and their ignoramuses.”

I mustered a stronger smile and stood just a touch taller for his benefit.

“Got it. I will.” My words sounded hollow even to me.

“Heavens, and that Kaia was such a... anyways, this is the Astronomy classroom.” He turned to me and absentmindedly reached up to my neck. My eyes shot down to watch his hand as it moved to touch my blazer.

His eyebrow raised in amusement and his hand slowed, coming to rest on my collar which had somehow gotten flipped open. As he slowly flipped it back in place, my face grew warm. I blinked a few times and mustered a grin; and yet my face betrayed me, as it grew warmer when I noticed his hand was lingering.

Kirura let his hand drop to his side, took a look at my face, and laughed. His playful caramel-colored eyes were shining and all encompassing.

“Alright, let’s go see the stars.” He strolled into class with myself in tow.

Standing at his desk was Professor Novespeire, a short stocky man with pale ruddy skin and wisps of balding white hair. He smiled jovially to each student that entered until the bell chimed and the last few students filtered in.

“Aaaaalright. Welcome to Astronomy. I am Professor Novespeire. We will be studying the stars, planets, and all heavenly bodies. We will cover constellations and their changes over time. We will address significant theories from each culture. And we will discuss practical applications such as navigation.”

He took a moment to sit down in his chair, leaning over his desk. Among several disorganized piles of papers was a leather bound manuscript that he read silently, mouth forming each word.

“Right, well let’s get started.” He stood, and grasped one of the piles of papers, heaving it onto the nearest students desk. As he began to had out an assortment of papers to each student, he continued, “Before the start of the semester, you received a small manuscript for Astrology. You will still need that. However, I have a few more texts for you each to read. We will read through the first of these texts today in class. And then you will be expected to continue the readings on your own. Each class from here on out will begin with a short quiz. That quiz will cover one full text’s contents and concepts. Do not worry. There is an expansive list of astrologers, each with their own theories. So we will not run out of reading or quizzes by the end of the semester.”

With the pages all dispersed, he returned to his desk with belabored breath before plopping down in his seat again with an excited grin.

The remaining time in class was spent reading as a group, periodically switching between students speaking. Nearly halfway through the class, Mikal’s distinctive voice began to read. He was on the other side of the classroom, and had been slouching low in his chair. I startled and leaned forward to get a line of sight between the other students.

“Fantastic...” I muttered under my breath. Kirura sitting next to me leaned closer.

“What?” He whispered in my direction.

“Oh, nothing...” I whispered back. I watched as he craned his neck to get a better look at Mikal. His full, rosy lips moved, muttering something about ‘can’t compare’, but the background noise drowned out his words. I leaned towards him, wanting to say something but not quite able to form the full thought.

Instead, the moment passed as another student took up the reading and Kirura flashed his signature smile to me. I twirled my pencil absentmindedly as I smiled back.

As the bell rang, Professor Novespeire stood.

“Reminder! Read at least one subsequent text. Though I suggest at least three!” He called out over the din of students chatting and filing out the door.

“Biology next?” Kirura asked earnestly. I shook my head.

“Arithmetic.” I stated blandly. He rolled his eyes and made for the door.

“Ah well. Nevertheless, I’ll see you later.” I sighed as he walked away, before I turned and walked the opposite direction to the stairs. Already I was not enthusiastic about trudging up and down the steps between the first and second floor, especially during the day when the Institute began to heat up. It had only been two hours since I woke, and yet I was ready to lay my head down and nap for the rest of the day.

The next class wouldn’t be helping with that desire. I had struggled with Arithmetic for as long as I could remember. I would have to endure, as I was intent on making a good impression on the first day at least.

Thankfully, I had less to worry about that I had thought, as Professor Mabel was an energetic, tiny woman. Her straight, chestnut brown hair swayed as she enthusiastically greeted each student, and then she alternated between checking a list in her light ochre hands and pointing out assigned seating to the huddle of student that had accumulated.

I sat at the desk and began to look through the pages already laid out in front of me by Professor Mabel. A groan from a familiar voice made my shoulders droop as I looked up and caught a glimpse of Kaia walking past my desk.

I closed my eyes slowly and let out a sigh as I heard her slide into the chair behind me. There was no way I was going to fall asleep, whether I wanted to or not.

Professor Mabel began to write her name on the blackboard in large, flowing letters as soon as all of the students were in their seats. She turned to face the class before speaking.

“Hello all! This class is dedicated to the understanding of Arithmetic. Please see yourself to the door if this is not the class you were intending to join!” She smiled for a moment before continuing. “Right! We will be primarily focusing on the basics, although you may notice the bookshelf in the back of the room... which contains more advanced problems and solutions. Even a few problems with no solutions... yet! You are more that welcome to borrow from those shelves if you thirst for more.”

As she twirled back to the blackboard to erase her name, her baggy, oversized sleeves rubbed against surface and took part of the lettering off. She began to write an equation on the board, then turned to face us again.

“Just like you, this is my first year. However, that does not mean that we will be taking our time or only learning simple, easy topics. In fact, this equation on the board took the mathematical genius, Nabopolassar Rapi, thirteen years to solve. Together, we will have worked through the equation and have it solved by the end of the week! I understand that Arithmetic often confounds and frustrates students. As such, my door is open from sun up to sun down every day to assist you. We will be working hard, but I am determined to see you all succeed.”

As Professor Mabel continued, I heard a whisper from behind me.

“No boyfriend in this class, huh?” My ears perked up at the sound of Kaia’s voice, and I fought to keep myself facing forward and expressionless. “I can’t wait to see if you’re as bad at math as you are at geography.”

The students on either side glanced at both Kaia and I while she taunted me.

“You know he’s the son of the Royal Cartographers Guild Master? He’s actually really important. His father has met  Seinhart. You should be asking yourself why he would want to talk to you of all people.” My expression remained blank, but I could feel a pit forming in my stomach.

“Not like he doesn’t have friends. Surely you’ve seen how popular he is, and how many people want to be around him. Actually, it’s kind of selfish to make him associate with you when he has more important people to fraternize with than you.“

Professor Mabel began to cover the schedule for each topic for the rest of the year, as I felt my face redden and warm.

“I saw you oogling him in the hall after your Astronomy class, aren’t you worried you’re going to make him uncomfortable with your-“

My hand shot up in the air, and Kaia went mercifully silent.

“Yes, mister... Atlas?” Professor Mabel inquired as she noticed my hand.

“Are you actually going to tattle?” Kaia whispered, yet she was quieter this time.

“Um, may I be excused to the restroom please?” I asked as sweetly as I could muster.

“...Yes, I suppose. Don’t dawdle though! Mind you, we are going over some information that is relevant for the rest of the year!”

“Thank you!” I stood swiftly and scurried out of the classroom.

From the campus tour on the first day, I knew there was a restroom on both floors. Taking a left, I took a second to breath and slow to a stroll in the empty hall. There were too many thoughts swirling in my head, insecurities incited by Kaia. I just needed a minute of quiet...

Shut up shut up shut up shut up-

I repeated the thought as if it were a mantra, quelling any other thoughts that were threatening to break through.

What did she see, to think that Kirura and I are...

I let my thoughts slip as I found my way into the restroom and to an empty stall. I was eternally grateful the bathroom was empty.

Shut up shut up shut up shut up-

I look down at my hands and notice with horror that drops of black, shimmering liquid had begun to form at the tips of my fingers, and one was quickly tracing a path down the length of my arm. I hadn’t worn my gloves since the first day, removing them nearly as soon as my father had left. I thought I had it under control...

I rushed out of the stall and dipped my hands in the cool water basin while I  thought of the words my mother had repeated often enough to have me memorize them.

You are safe here... breathe in. This is not an emergency... breathe out. You can control this... breathe in. You are strong... breathe out.

Never in a million years would I dare tell another living soul that I still repeated a childhood mantra to help calm me when I struggled with the iridescent liquid... but it truly helped.

Within a minute, my hands were back to normal. No more drips. I hurriedly dumped with water from the basin and refilled it with fresh water. I grabbed a cloth hand towel, dried my hands and then tossed the moist cloth in the chute, then stopped by the door to watch my hands.

I had to make sure. After a minute, I was satisfied and made my way back to class.

I had to endure a dozen more whispered taunts from behind me for the rest of class, but I was more prepared this time. I steeled myself and ignored the barbed words.

I was the first out of my seat the moment the bell chimed, and hurrying out the door without looking back. Not only was I leaving the torment behind, but I was also excited for my next destination; lunch in the cafeteria.

I had learned over the past week all the best foods to look out for, what went fast, and what the daily rotation tended towards. Each day had a few select, delightfully salty meats, and an assortment of desert vegetables bursting with juice, and a perfectly sweet dessert to tie the meal together. Typically there would be side options of a mash of some sort, a warm stew, and a flavorful loaf. And each day had a new signature dish, an exotic or fantastical recipe that the cafeteria staff were particularly proud of serving.

Today was no different; a pan-seared cliffbrooke fish filet, lightly flavored with both purple and white sauteed rhizallium, and laid on a bed of lightly mashed solanu. On the side was sliced citrouze.

I gladly took a plate when offered as I slowly moved through the line. Today was understandable the busiest I had seen the cafeteria since I had arrived, and I had to weave through the crowd of students to find an empty seat at a table in the far back corner of the cafeteria. Only a few minutes after I began to dig in, a light tap on my shoulder interrupted me.

I turned to see Kirura had found me, standing with a plate of his own and a welcome smile on his face.

“I know of a quieter place that’s more comfortable.” His voice was raised above the sea of small talk around us. He stood motionless for a moment, waiting for me. I gathered all my belongings and lunch, and stood up hesitantly.

“Are we allowed to... leave the cafeteria?” I asked to the back of his head. He turned, then slowed down to allow me to catch up.

“The five and six years can leave. Just pretend, no one will even notice.”

He was right, not a single person gave us a second look as we left the cafeteria and turned down the hallway. He led me down a hall towards the rear wing of the Institute. The air warmed as we left the main building and arrived to the building with the indoor gymnasium and impressive library. But our destination was further, down a side hall at the very end.

“What is this?” I asked, nearly whispering in the dark, empty room.

There were luxurious armchairs and sofas around the room, an impressive bookshelf next to a large table, complete with a desk in the corner.

“This is one of the study lounges. One of the more secluded ones.” He smirked as he pushed open one of the heavy curtains to bathe the room in light. A smattering of dust took to the air in an eloquent dance.

“I hope you don’t mind. I invited a friend to join us. He said he would be-“ As I tried to hide my disappointment, the door opened. And in walked Mikal.

***

Bonus Underground Level Layout! Both left and right dorm wings have a restroom/showers across from a study lounge. The main wing in the middle houses ten full-time on-site staff (1 Headmaster, 1 Vice Headmaster, 1 Nurse, 3 Cafeteria Workers, 2 Librarians, 2 Janitors/Groundskeepers, idk why I planned all this out so in depth... worldbuilding :P) as well as having room for storage, a janitors closet, water cisterns, and pumps (they're magic pumps lol)