The First Day

Bring. Bring. Bring.

            That was the sound that every teenager dreaded on an August morning. A hand reached out from under a mountain of six pillow, grabbed the offending alarm and tossed it across the room. A thud echoed through the room and silence took over. The hand retreated under the mountain and all was peaceful. Not even five minutes later the door to the room was tossed open and the once dark room was filled with light as the heavy curtains were shoved out of the way. The room now bathed in light was furnished with black furniture and the walls were an off-white color possibly called egg-shell. There was a mural of a curling wave on the north wall smaller waves seemed to spread to the other walls giving a sense of serenity most days.

            A frustrated sigh could be heard from the mountain as the light seeped through the cracks, two hands forcibly pulled the pillows down to escape. A large body jumped onto the mountain and bounced excitedly.

            “Azriel! Azriel! Get up! Come on, today’s the first day of school!” The body crawled off the bed and then yanked the sheets off and out came a girl who proceeded to follow the blanket and landed on the floor. “Az-ri-el! Get u�"Woah!”

            The body dodged to the right crashing into the night stand as a ball of ice raced passed their head.

            “Jaden, my dear, dear brother…If you value your life, leave now or forever hold your peace.” Azirel stated while rubbing her abused head.

            “Azzy,” Jaden whined. “Please? It’s our first day, well my first at least.  Sis will you please get up? I don’t want to face this alone.” He plead as he crouched down by her.

            She smiled and reached up and ruffled his hair causing him to scowl. “Alright Jay. I’m up. Only ‘cause I know how nervous you really are.”

            “Thanks, sis; I’ll see you down in thirty?”

            “Yeah squirt. Now get out.”

            Jaden smiled and leaned into her touch before standing and walking out of the room. He even closed the door, after she yelled at him to do so. She rolled her eyes. Her little brother was such a pain but she loved him. Azriel sighed and stood up from the pile of blankets and walked over to her vanity and frowned. Her dark brown hair looked like a rat made a nest in it. Her thick purple streak somehow survived rested to the side of her head. Rolling her eyes, she went to her closet and grabbed her clothing and want to the bathroom. The same routine that she’s had for years: Wake up, grab clothes, shower, brush teeth and hair, get dressed. It was a normal day for a normal teen.

            “Yeah right. A normal teen is anything but what I am.”

            She had just finished getting dressed. She decided to wear a pair of denim shorts with her black uneven thigh high socks and her black books with dark purple straps and buckles. Her top was a black halter style that wrapped her bare torso with a light purple flannel over the top for some modesty. She pulled her hair into a high ponytail her purple hair resting on the top of her head as she wrapped a strand around the hair tie to hide it. She donned her purple choker and wrap-bracelets.

She shrugged at her reflection “Guess this is as good as it will get.” She closed her bright blue eyes and grabbed her black messenger bag before going downstairs.

“Azriel.” A voice called from the kitchen.

She just rolled her eyes before sitting down at the table taking a good look at her kid brother who was almost bouncing in his seat from excitement. She hadn’t realized how much he had grown. He used to be shorter than her at 5’4” but now he towered over her at 6’5”. She had always referred to Jaden as a handsome fool, but now he fit the bill. He had shaggy deep brown hair, her blue eyes, and the athletic build that drew in coaches to battle each other for the right to call him theirs. He was dressed differently, he usually was the typical punk boy but he was wearing an open denim button down shirt rolled up to his elbows over a white undershirt, denim jeans and a pair of tan work boots. It was different but she wouldn’t say that she hated it, until she had to beat someone off her little brother…with a sledgehammer.

“Really Azriel, is it too much to ask that you actually show up on time for breakfast.”

“Now, why would I do that Zaphina? You would think that I was sick showing up on time for something.”

Azriel looked up at her sister with a bland look. Zaphina was her fraternal twin. She took more after their mother than Jaden or herself did. Her hair was a dirty blonde with a giant red streak running through it. She was pale with bright red eyes. She wore a burgundy boho-chic top that had mini bell sleeves with a black pleated skirt and over the knee boots. Both had cheetah spots that acted as crowns lining their foreheads and down the sides of their bodies. Azriel watched as Zaphina shook her head with a small smile taking the seat next her Jaden. As they ate Zaphina looked over at her sister.

“Azzy. Do you think that this year will be better?”

Azriel shrugged. She wasn’t a seer. She grabbed the empty dishes and put them in the sink. In all honesty, she had been wondering the same thing. “I don’t know Zap. We’d better head out though. Promised butt-head over there that we’d help him get settled.”

Azriel walked back and grabbed her bag from the linoleum floor and walked towards the front door. Jaden and Zaphira nodded before grabbing their bags and following suit. Azriel locked the door and all three of them began their trek towards the school.

“Um, what did you mean when you asked if it would be better?”

Zaphina was the one who looked at Jaden. “Huh?”

“Nothing little brother. Just something that has been happening at school.”

Zaphina glared at her sister daring her to continue. She didn’t want Jaden to know what has been going on. It was their issue not his. Azriel shrugged off Zaphina’s glare. She wasn’t going to tell him unless there was a dire need to. She agreed with her sister that this was their problem and had been for years. No need to worry him about something that more than likely won’t concern him.

Jaden looked at his sisters with skeptical eyes. He knew that something was going on and he would find out. He didn’t like secrets. He decided to let it go for the time being. “What’s the main school like?”

“Eh? You really don’t know?”

“Azriel…he’s been at the lower schools remember?”

Azriel had the decency to look a little sheepish from her question before asking, “Jaden Do you know what the main school’s name is?”

“No I don’t Azzy.”

“It’s Witch’s Haven, Jaden.” Zaphina stated with pride only to deflate at his confused look. “I guess they didn’t feel the need to tell you.”

“Tell me what?”

“Squirt Witch’s Haven in for the mortal and immortal.”

“What? Immortal?”

“Like us Jay. Like our family.”

“Squirt how many times have we told you what we are.”

“Quite a few ‘Phina; I get that you two are witches but�" “

“That’s just it, squirt, you’re messing up the terminology. Anyone can learn to be a witch, just takes practice and belief. We are immortal. We’re demons. You’re a hafu.”

“Hafu.”

“What Azriel means Jay is that you are a half demon.”

“Yeah, your ma was a human and pa was�"was…Hey Zap what was he again?”

“…He was a Cat demon with Elvish on his father’s side.” Zaphina sighed before continuing. “Jaden this school is a school for the combination of mortal and supernatural.”

“human? They know about immortals?”

“Nah. Norms have no idea about us. The humans that attend the school are gifted, spiritually aware, or whatever you want to call it. Squirt that’s where witches come in. I said that anyone could be a witch if they practiced, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Well I wasn’t exactly truthful. Even if you practice you must have the gift to perform a spell. Hence the spiritually aware.”

“This is very confusing. How did I get into the school?”

“You’re a hafu.” Zaphina stated. “You get in by association. Even if your immortal heritage doesn’t show. Even if you are 1/16^th immortal. Humans who are gifted receive invitations and can decline if they feel they don’t belong in our world. But those who are immortal don’t have a choice. The classes are designed to help teach control should any of their heritage show up later.”

Azriel laughed at Jaden’s confused face. “Don’t worry about it squirt. You have plenty of time to learn about this stuff. There is just one warning I will give you. There are certain people you can’t trust.”

“One person in particular.”

“who�" “

“Crio Walkerman. She’s a vile snake in the grass who�" “

“Now, now Miss Azriel. Is that any way to speak about someone? Especially when they aren’t there to defend themselves?”

Azriel ran a hand over her face and sighed. “It’s way too early to deal with this s**t.”

Sure enough they had spoken her name she appeared. Jaden looked behind them and saw an interesting girl. She was decently pretty Jaden decided. She had similar dirty blonde hair like Zaphina only was in bouncy curls. Jaden could see what looked like black feathers weaved in. She had murky green eyes that resembled a hawk. She was small. She was dressed in a form fitting dress that showed off her chest. Her fingers and toes had dainty pink painted talons that set off the blue dress and pumps. Her voice seemed to be the only turn off.

“Crio. We don’t have time for you this morning.”

“Shut your mouth Zaphina we will talk later. I am more interested in the gentleman. Come now darling. Ditch the two rejects and get to know a real woman.” She smiled showing faintly sharp teeth.

The three siblings cringed at the come on. It was an odd attempt at being alluring and Jaden wasn’t going to have it. He would have given her the benefit of the doubt had she not insulted his sisters. He arched a brow at her and for some reason that caused her to start giggling. At least he thought that’s what the odd choking sound was.

“I’m not interested.” He stated before covering his mouth to yawn. “I may have invited you to hang out but since you insulted them I’ve changed my mind.”

“What do you mean may have? What do those two freaks mean to you?” Crio sneered all niceties thrown aside.

Jaden looked at both of his older sisters before looking Crio straight in the eyes. “They’re my older sisters.” With that statement, he wrapped his arms around his sisters and walked away leaving a sputtering Crio behind. “Now my dear sisters where can we find my schedule?”

Crio watched as they walked away and felt her feathers ruffle. “Just wait Stoker. I’ll get even. With all of you.”

Author's Note

The second take on the first Chapter. Decided tor revisit some of my old words and revamp it.