After the final goodbyes, kayla stood there, watching as her parents' carriage rolled away, growing smaller with every passing second. She raised my hand in a quiet wave, blinking back the tears that still clung stubbornly to her lashes.
Her heart ached.
No matter how strong she wanted to be, she was going to miss them terribly. Their love, their support, their unwavering faith in her—it was everything. she knew she was lucky, blessed even, to have parents like them, and she would forever be grateful.
Kayla took a shaky breath and turned back toward the massive gates of the Astral Academy. The tall spires reached into the clouds, bathed in golden light from the late afternoon sun. There were students like her all around, saying their last goodbyes. Some clung tightly to their mothers, others stood proudly, already eager to dive into their new lives.
While she felt she was stuck somewhere in between.
she walked up the stone steps, her fingers tightening around the strap of my bag. This was it. The new beginning. A chance to build a future with power, purpose, and maybe even peace. And she was just steps away from entering the place that could change everything.
And then someone stepped in front of her.
A shadow cut across the stairs, blocking her path.
Sheblinked, momentarily startled, only to find a familiar face grinning at her with smug satisfaction. Her stomach twisted.
"Matthew," she said flatly.
He was standing there like he owned the place, arms crossed, chin lifted ever so slightly, like he'd been waiting for this moment. Like this was some kind of reunion from a tragic love story.
"Are you here to see me off?" he asked with that insufferable smirk, as if the entire world revolved around him and she was just one of the many admirers orbiting in his glow.
kayla stared at him, genuinely confused for a second. "What?"
He chuckled, the sound as condescending as ever. "Come on now, Kayla. We both know why you're here. After everything you pulled at that party, did you really think I'd just take you back?"
What in the actual—? Was this guy serious?
she blinked again, once, slowly, trying to understand the sheer level of delusion kayla was witnessing.
"Are you... okay?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "Did you hit your head on your way in?"
His smirk faltered.
"You do know that Charles also studies here, right? You know, my brother?"
There was a flicker of doubt in his eyes, but it was gone almost instantly, replaced again by arrogance.
"There are only new admission students present here." He pointed out smugly, crossing his arms as he looked down on me like he always did—with condescension dripping from every word.
It was true. The entrance grounds were reserved for first-year students. Charles, being a third-year, had already gone inside.
"And I happen to be one of them." she met his gaze calmly, voice steady, before stepping past him.
Matthew's smirk faltered, his brows knitting together in confusion. "What?"
She didn't answer. She didn't need to.
As she walked past him, the crisp breeze picked up, lifting a strand of her hair just enough to catch the silver shimmer of the Astral Academy emblem—proof that she had made it here not because of him, but despite him.
She didn't look back, but she could imagine the stunned expression on his face. The boy who once thought she would beg to stay by his side was now left in her shadow.
And it was only the beginning.
As she stepped through the towering gates of the Astral Academy, a rush of emotions hit her—excitement, nerves, determination... and a simmering fire in her chest that hadn't faded since the day she died.
The grand courtyard spread before her like a scene from a dream. The architecture was nothing short of breathtaking. Marble pillars soared toward the sky, glimmering faintly with protective enchantments. Lush gardens lined the paths, where exotic flowers bloomed year-round thanks to weather spells. Students moved in every direction—some chatting animatedly, some walking with confident purpose, others gazing around wide-eyed like her, taking it all in.
This was it. The place where prodigies were born. Where power was honed. Where destinies were made—or shattered.
She took a deep breath and stepped further in.
"Name?" a stern voice called out, snapping her out of her thoughts. kayla turned to see a tall woman with a clipboard standing at an ornate registration booth. She looked as if she hadn't smiled since the last century.
"Kayla Everen," she said clearly.
She looked up briefly, eyes narrowing slightly before scanning the list. "Room assignment: West Wing, Dormitory 3B. Orientation begins at sundown in the Grand Hall. Don't be late."
She handed kayla a key with a crystal-blue insignia shaped like a flame.
"Thank you," she said, taking the key.
Then she handed me a thick envelope,
"Here are the academy rules and your map. Read everything carefully. This is not a place for the careless."
Kayla nodded, clutching the folder to her chest as she leaned in slightly, her tone dropping.
"Do not cross into other species' territories," she warned, her voice low and clipped. "If you do, there will be severe consequences."
Her heart skipped a beat.
She knew Astral Academy was diverse—legendary, even, for accepting students based purely on merit. But seeing it in print on the documents she held, and hearing the warning from her mouth, made the reality hit harder.
Vampires. Werewolves. Shifters. Not just stories or names in books, but real people… creatures? Peers.
She has never encountered another species before. After the war, most communities remained separated, mistrust lingering in every interaction. Rebuilding those connections has been slow, fragile. And now, here she was—thrust into the middle of it all.
she glanced at the map. Colored borders divided the campus like a kingdom fractured by uneasy truces.
A shiver crawled down her spine. But excitement coursed through her Charles had said he made friends with vampires and werewolves, but she could not imagine it. Maybe she will also be able to make new friends and explore new worlds.