CELESTIA

by Yumoyori Wilson

  "I like it."

  "Huh?"

  "I like your hair, Celestia. Leave it that way," Orion replied, taking my hair tie and walking out the room.

  I blinked, staring at the doorway where he no longer stood.

  "Bru-ree?" Arielle chirped, flying from the desk to land on my shoulder.

  "He's full of mystery," I replied.

  "Bru."

  "I agree. Wait...no I don't agree with you! I don't like him like him," I argued, realizing what Arielle was actually saying.

  "Bru-ree re, re," she sang happily, leaving my shoulder and began flying around the room in a circle.

  I groaned, glancing at the standing mirror near the door. "Guess I'm leaving my hair down today."

  After we gathered and ate breakfast together, which was a back and forth of 'who gets the last piece of bacon' between Hunter and Finn and the twins discussing the benefits of maple syrup, we had to get our schedules.

  Due to everything being organized alphabetically, we had all been separated. Othello was working on getting us all the same classes, but with the first two weeks being chaotic, we told him he could work on it at his convenience. Now I was two minutes from being late, but couldn't manage take another step forward after I had seen Vincent walk into the room when I'd turned the corner.

  I thought I'd be able to overcome my fear of classrooms, especially being in the same room as Vincent and his groupie of vamps. But now that I was a few steps away from starting my first class at Aslan Academy, my sheer anxiety and fear wouldn't let me walk forward.

  "Celestia?"

  I turned my head to the sound of my name.

  Theo's red eyes met mine. He frowned, walking to my side. "What's wrong? You're pale. Not feeling well? Did Caio and Cairus give you too much maple syrup at breakfast?" he questioned.

  I gave him a small smile, shaking my head. "No. I just..." I trailed off, glancing at the window of the classroom.

  Theo followed my gaze; his eyes narrowed. "Ah," he replied. He slipped his hand into mine, pulling me away from the room.

  "Huh? Theo, where are we going?" I asked.

  "You need some fresh air," he replied.

  "But class," I argued.

  "Later," he replied.

  We walked up a stairway, going from the third floor where we had been to the sixth floor of the modernized castle. Othello had explained that the castle had a mind of its own and could change colors whenever it felt like it. Today it was a dark purple, reminding me of Sia's fondness for the color.

  Theo led me up to the roof. There was a barrier along the edges to prevent anyone from falling over. We walked to a metal bench that was in the far corner of the roof. Theo suggested I sit down first.

  I thanked him, sitting down and he joined me on my right, relaxing against the silver metal.

  "Take a few deep breaths," he coached.

  I sighed and nodded, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly. He eyed me carefully while I continued the breathing techniques.

  "Slightly better?" he asked.

  I nodded with a smile. "Sorry," I apologized; my smile turned to a frown as I glanced at my hands in my lap. They trembled slightly thanks to my pent-up anxiety.

  "You don't need to apologize," Theo assured. He sat up, reaching out to cradle my hands in his.

  "I'm guessing this reaction is because of Vincent?" he asked.

  I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded, "Yes."

  "Can I ask what happened?" he whispered.

  I opened my mouth to speak, but closed it again.

  He lifted one hand to brush my cheek, tilting my head up to face him. "You don't have to," he comforted.

  I took a deep breath. "Ever since grade school, I have been bullied by Vincent and his goons. He's the only son of the current leader of their vampire clan so he was spoiled and respected by many of the students, even when we were just six-years-old. When I started school, we had to introduce ourselves and share what shifter we were. Of course, I automatically replied saying I was a unicorn shifter, not knowing then that people wouldn’t believe me, and everyone laughed. Even the teacher chuckled and asked me to be serious," I explained.

  Theo frowned; anger flickered in his ruby eyes, but he nodded, encouraging me to continue.

  "From that day on, I was bullied. Students would pull me into the washroom and beat me up. They would put mud and sand in my hair and the list of name calling...it never ended. I didn't want to tell Magnor because I didn't want to be a burden to him. He was working on a bunch of assignments and he wasn't in Versa often to come and check on me at my family home," I admitted.

  "No one lived with you?" Theo questioned.

  I gave him a sympathetic smile. "Mom was in another dimension and Father was summoned as a gatekeeper. The adults of the village reassured my father that they would take care of me during his absence, but they only wanted the money he offered. Once they got their share, they went back to their families and left me," I revealed, shrugging. I grinned before shaking my head.

  "It was pretty depressing. Every day I got bullied by everyone at school. When I walked home, the villagers laughed and called me names and when I got home, there was no one there. I was all alone to make my own meals and treat the wounds I got at school."

  "But what if you got sick?" Theo asked.

  "I tended to myself. I think there was only one time that I got so sick, that when Magnor came home and found me lying there alone and weak, he rushed me to a nearby medical center. He did ask me about the villagers who were supposed to take care of me, I just made up some lies so they wouldn't get in trouble and I wouldn’t make things harder for Magnor," I admitted.

  "Celestia. That's not fair," Theo declared.

  I could hear the anger in his low voice. "Life's not fair, Theo. It is what it is. The last straw was when I was nine and Vinzent and his goons brought me into a bathroom and beat the shit out of me. Vincent always had anger issues and whenever he didn't meet his father's expectations, he used me as a punching bag. When they were done, I could barely walk. They purposely locked the door and hung up an ‘Out of Order’ sign so no one would find me. I was finally able to get out, but I'd had enough. It was raining and I took my sweet time walking home that night. Even with the rain, the villagers still peeked out their windows just to insult me," I whispered, blinking back tears. I took a second to compose myself, remembering their harsh whispers.

  “Oh, look who it is. Ms. Rainbow! Why don’t you cough up some glitter? Or they would go on about how mentally insane I was to think I was a unicorn shifter. My mom didn't leave for work, but to abandon me and my father drowned himself in his gatekeeper job because he didn't want to deal with me. It was like the world hated my very existence and that day I finally believed it. I didn't bother going home. There was no one there to say, ‘welcome home, dear, how was school?’ I couldn't tend to all the wounds I had and my first aid supplies were all gone by that point. I didn't see the point of living anymore."

  We sat in silence; a tear escaped my glossy eyes, landing on Theo's hand that held mine. He let go and lifted his hands, brushing away the fresh set of tears flowing from my eyes.

  "Was that the day you wanted to commit suicide?" he inquired.

  I nodded. "That was when Magnor found me. I knew he'd deny my request for him to train me. He always did. At that point, I figured it would be the same because everyone else hated me, he probably did too. Why would he take someone like me? I was weak. I couldn't fight off Vincent or anyone. If he discarded me...no one else would be there to convince me that life was worth living," I admitted.

  "I'm glad he took you in," Theo whispered.

  I lifted my head and saw his sad eyes. "Why?"

  "We wouldn't have met you if you died," he replied.

  "But, life would go on. You guys would have had someone else on your team. You barely even know me. I don't know a lot about any of you," I countered.

  "I've known the twins the longest. I've met Hunter and Finn on a fe
w occasions, and Orion was someone we all friended recently," Theo explained.

  "We’ve...all dealt with similar issues, especially with bullying. I can't compare our experiences with yours and I'm sorry you had to experience all of that alone. If I'd been there...that would have never happened," Theo vowed. He took a deep breath before he went on.

  "I've had my share of Vincent's bullying tactics. I...won't say much, but if it weren’t against the law to kill a shifter...I would have done so already," he revealed.

  I gawked at him. What could Vincent have done to make Theo want to kill him?

  He noticed my gaze. "What if you were something that you once loved and embraced, but thanks to one selfish person wanting to test out a theory, they were able to taint and destroy what you used to be?" he asked.

  "Like...if I was a unicorn and someone changed me into a frog?" I considered.

  He grinned, nodding. "Yup. How would you feel?" he questioned.

  "I'd kill them," I said dryly.

  He chuckled at my straightforwardness. "Exactly," he replied. His hand went through my hair, lifting up a strand of purple and pink.

  "I know you hate vampires because of Vincent. But remember, not all of them want to be one," Theo whispered.

  I blinked, remembering what Finn had said around the campfire.

  "No. Vampires can't shift into bats. The reason for those stories is because vampires would hunt bat shifters and force them to do their bidding."

  "You're a vampire? I mean...like were you..." I trailed off.

  He sighed, looking away. My eyes noticed the mark on his neck.

  "Vincent found out I was a bat shifter during a family get together. My family and I lived on the outskirts of Versa and didn't like mingling often. However, my dad had a business deal with Vincent's father, which is why we were there. He told us to go and play. Vincent lives on a large property so they took me out into the forest and bit me. They muffled my screams so no one would hear me and come to help me, and then they ditched me. I guess they didn't think it would work and I wasn't found until it was too late," he concluded.

  I stared at him, speechless. He lowered his head, then looked up to meet my stunned gaze. I could see the pain in his eyes.

  "The mark is still there because Vincent didn't bite me correctly or something along those lines. I ended up having to leave my family and stay in the coven with the vampires," he admitted.

  "How old were you?" I asked.

  "Hmm...about nine? We were the same age when the worst thing in our lives happened. I'm twenty-five now," he admitted.

  "Same age as me," I whispered.

  "When's your birthday?" he asked.

  "Oh...um...I guess it was yesterday," I pondered, realizing I'd completely missed my birthday because of the exam.

  "We didn't get to celebrate it." Theo frowned.

  "It's not a big deal. I don't ever do anything for it," I reassured him. I placed my hand back on his, staring straight into his eyes. "I still don't like vampires. But...I won't judge you. I shouldn't judge their race based on only the ones I’ve met. It's just difficult because I've never met a nice vampire. Well...until I met you. But you’re special," I quickly pointed out.

  He chuckled. "I like being special. Means I can be a part of Team Misfit," He winked.

  He stood from the bench, extending his hand to me. I placed mine in his, allowing him to help me up.

  "We should go back," he encouraged.

  I bit my lip, glancing at the door that led to the stairwell. "But...I'll just freeze up again," I reminded.

  Theo took a step forward and lifted his free hand to give me a comforting pat on my head. My eyes widened at the kind gesture, meeting his soft expression.

  "Finn has an ability to tell what actions calm a shifter. Whether it's singing or giving them a hug. When he sees someone in distress, he can immediately tell what will help relax them. He told us when someone gently pats your head, you calm down. He was going to mention it to you after the exam, but hasn't got a chance yet," Theo explained.

  "That's a pretty cool ability," I praised.

  Theo nodded. "I think it's one of the reasons why we ended up knowing each other. But I'll leave that story for another day." He slipped his hand into mine. "You know what Vincent hates the most?" Theo asked.

  "What?" I wondered, curious to know what Vincent despised.

  "When we walk around confidently. When he bit me and I was forced to live in the coven for a few years, I hid in my room. And that made him so happy. He'd laugh in front of my door with his friends and when I did leave my room, he loved how broken I looked. But when I turned eighteen, I’d had enough. I missed my family and I was tired of hiding. No one knew about it, but I trained every day in my room. I learned to fight and defend myself. So on that day, I walked proudly through the coven and requested to see my family. I was of age and didn't need to be monitored. Vincent tried as usual to hurt me with his mocking, but when his words and laughter did nothing to me and he realized he couldn't hurt me anymore, he got frustrated," Theo explained.

  "Why was he asking for you to be on his team? Because you're stronger now?" I wondered.

  Theo chuckled, nodding in approval. "Yup. He hadn't realized how strong I'd become until another family get together last year. When I was given permission to return home, my father immediately put me in training to improve my skills. He felt horrible that I’d spent years in that treacherous coven and felt that if he'd trained me earlier, I would have never have been changed into a vamp to begin with. When we went to the family get together, Vincent and his group tried to pick on me again."

  "What did you do?"

  "One of his friends tried to pin me down. I broke his arm and beat the living shit out of him. I washed my hands and walked out. Since then, he's been trying to get me on his side." Theo grinned proudly.

  "Revenge," I grinned.

  "It tastes bittersweet," he joked. He tightened his grip on my hand. "Celestia. You’re strong and that's what ticks him off. Don't let him see you so afraid. Lift your head up high and prove to him he's nothing but a pathetic rodent. And if it makes you feel better, know that Team Misfit will be right there to back you up," Theo confirmed.

  "Thanks, Theo...and thank you for sharing," I whispered.

  "Thanks for not judging," he replied, his cheeks tinged a light pink.

  I grinned. "Were you worried I'd turn you away?" I asked.

  His cheek grew redder. "No."

  "You were worried."

  "I wasn't."

  "Uh huh."

  "We're late for class," he reminded, tugging my hand as he walked forward. He was blushing so hard that even his ears were turning red.

  I laughed. "Theo, you sure are cute," I giggled.

  "I'm not," he huffed. He grasped the doorknob, stopping for a moment. "And Celestia?" he asked, looking over his shoulder.

  "Yes, Theo?" I asked.

  "Let's celebrate your birthday soon. I'm sorry we missed it, but there’s no harm celebrating it a little late." He grinned, opening the door and tugging me along.

  I smiled and felt the fluttering of butterflies in my stomach. I didn't know what I did to deserve this amazing team. But I hoped they would stick around and I'd learn more about all of them in time.

  "He was so frustrated. I thought he'd explode," I laughed.

  "I wish I could have taken a picture of his expression," Theo chuckled.

  "You wouldn't need to. I bet his face is going to be like that the entire day," I joked.

  "Entire week," Theo replied.

  We'd just finished our first three-hour class and it was the best learning experience I'd ever had. Theo was very knowledgeable in magic, explaining during the break that he'd taken many classes back at home. Because they lived far away, it would have been too hard on his mother to take him to school, so he was homeschooled. After returning home from the coven, he picked back up with his studies and that was when he'd really gotten into magic usage.

  C
lose combat was his specialty and that was why he used short blades or daggers to fight. He could still do different spells for long ranged attacks, but it was more draining on him physically.

  I told him about my training with Magnor and the huge number of books he had in his library, some of which both Theo and I had read and enjoyed. Theo had a tough front, but he was actually very easy to talk to. Or maybe it was just me since he'd glared at five different girls who tried to approach us at our shared table.

  Time flew by and then class was over. We were all in different classes for the next lesson, but all of Team Misfit agreed we'd meet up at the lockers beforehand. We turned the corner toward our section of lockers; Hunter leaned against the gold and purple lockers that our team had been assigned.

  "Hunter," I called out.

  He noticed our approach, pushing off the lockers and giving us a slight wave. "How was class?" he asked when we reached his side.

  "Made Vamp boy red-faced for the entire class. It was epic." Theo grinned, opening his assigned locker.

  "He was in your class?" Hunter asked, looking down at me.

  I smiled "Yup."

  "He didn't cause you any trouble, right?" Hunter inquired.

  "Nope. We used the confidence technique and ignored him and his group of assholes," I replied.

  Theo nodded, closing his locker. "Where are the others?" Theo asked.

  "Caio and Cairus have the same class as Orion and left first. Something about the teacher being a bitch or so they heard," Hunter replied, shrugging.

  "And Pixie Boy?" I asked, wondering where Finn went. Arms wrapped around me from behind, pulling me into a tight embrace.

  "Hey, Cutie Pie. Did you miss me?" Finn asked.

  I looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. "Wow. Did we move to second base overnight, Pixie Boy?" I asked, looking down at how close his hand was to my boob. I gave him a smug grin when his face grew red, pulling away.

  "That's...not...I'm not like Orion," he huffed.

  "Of course you’re not. Orion would take advantage of the moment instead of getting all red-faced and embarrassed. You gotta think ahead, buddy," Hunter sighed, shaking his head while Theo laughed.