Chapter 3 Monsters and Roommates.

CARIS

The tour guide was less than impressed after she found me running out of the garden with flushed cheeks.

"I’m Merida.” Were the only words she said as she started her tour.

I was amazed by how large the school was and it seemed it had everything. From a volleyball court to swimming class and even mountain climbers.

The whole thing was almost like I was thrown into a movie.

I was about a hundred questions deep when she stopped in front of a stained glass window and began explaining the academic house system.

My brain, without my permission, reminded me of what I had just seen in the garden. I could still vividly remember his face and the length of his…

"Fisher."

I snapped out of my thoughts to see Merida glaring at me.

"Are you listening?" She asked and I nodded. Her eyes narrowed. "What did I just say?"

I opened my mouth and closed. I couldn’t remember.

She threw me another glare and muttered something about humans. But I wasn’t sure I heard her correctly.

I fell into step beside her and focused very hard on what she was saying.

The place genuinely was extraordinary, though.

The library alone was three floors high with a rolling ladder system, and the common rooms had fireplaces that burned without wood.

"How did I get in?" I finally asked.

Merida glanced sideways at me. "What?"

"I didn't apply. I didn't even know this place existed a week ago. A letter just appeared in my room" I gestured around the hallways. "How does that work? How did they find me?"

Merida was quiet for a moment longer than felt comfortable.

"ThornHeart finds who it finds," she whispered, her eyes looking faraway.

I frowned. "That's not an answer."

"No," she agreed. "It's not."

She kept walking and I stood still for half a second, staring at the back of her head.

What was that about?

I shook my head and followed her, because what else was I going to do?

She showed me my dorm room and I was going to have two roommates. Merida left immediately after that while I walked into the room.

The first one I met was sitting cross-legged on the bed near the window when I walked in, surrounded by colored pencils.

She had warm brown skin and natural hair pinned up haphazardly. "Hi, I'm June! I figured you want the middle bed because it's equidistant from both windows which feels fair.

She moved closer, grinning brightly. “But if you want the window one just say so and we can discuss it, I've only been here three hours so I'm not attached-“

"Middle is great," I rushed out, grimacing. "Thank you. And I’m Caris.”

The second roommate walked out from the bathroom and she was pale and dark-haired, with the kind of face that belonged on the front covers of magazines.

She glanced at me once, slowly, from head to toe and back again.

"Just great.” She muttered and strolled to her bed.

My hand which was already raised in a wave, I quickly dropped down.

“Don’t take it personally.” June whispered in my ear. “That’s just how Calla is.”

I nodded, but I shot the girl one last look, mentally deciding to stay far away from her.

My uniform arrived minutes later with a note to visit the headmistress office once I changed. I wore the uniform, surprised by how fitted it was against my body.

How did they know my size? Yet another mystery.

June and I were in the same year which meant our first class was at the same time and we could walk together.

She kept talking about supernatural creatures and how a human like me ended up here.

At first, I waved it off as silly talk but when she pulled out her sketchbook, showing me drawings of monsters, I wondered if she had gone insane.

“There’s no such thing as monsters, June.” I said and she smirked, shaking her head.

We came out into the main hall and there were other students heading in different directions.

“Wait!” June grabbed my hand, tugging me to the side.

I wanted to talk but I noticed everyone was clearing a path down the middle and there were loud whispers. I followed their line of sight, wondering who they were looking at and I saw them.

There were four extremely good looking boys walking down the hallway. I could barely tear my eyes away from their beauty.

“Goodness,” a shocked whisper fell from my lips.

I wasn’t the only one staring at them, half the girls had their mouths open and the rest were screaming like crazy.

My gaze raked over the four of them and landed on the one that had dark hair that fell across his forehead.

My stomach jumped when I realized he was the one I saw in the garden. The one who was… my entire face went hot.

I turned so fast I nearly walked into June.

""They're something, aren't they," June said, staring past me at the four of them. "That’s Nero, Ronan, Kai, and Fen. The Monsters of the Academy.”

I smiled tightly. “"I'll meet you in class. I should go to the headmistress?”

"Are you blushing?" She asked.

I scowled at her. "Goodbye, June."

I turned on my heel and sped off, my face was flaming hot. Thanks to the map I received, I was able to find the headmistress's office at the end of the hall.

I knocked the moment I arrived.

"Come in." She called and I walked into the spacious room.

There was a desk at the far end, and behind it sat a woman with silver-white hair and porcelain white skin.

She was looking down at something on her desk when I stepped in.

"My name is Caris Fisher, Ma'am," I said. "I was told to come before-"

She looked up and the expression on her face stopped me mid-sentence.

Her eyes went wide and then she shot to her feet.

"You," she hissed.

I blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"What the hell are you doing here?" She snapped.