Chapter 1

Novia

It is the first day at my new school, just a year after the war of the races has ended. Factions are starting to form again, creating a divide among the races once more. At the end of the war, counsel began to give each race a voice in any decisions. The only species that didn't get wiped out were the humans, vampires, werewolves, a few witches. This newly formed council believes that creating these schools will help the races integrate before we have another war. After being homeschooled for so many years, I don't think I remember how to talk to people other than my older brother, Killian. Our parents were the leaders of the humans in the war, they died just a few months before the war ended, so it is only my brother and me now. We don't talk much anymore; he was there when our parents died. He says, "I ask too many questions," but he won't answer any of them either; he just shuts down and won't tell me what happened to them. Killian is the human representative on the council now since he took my parents' place as the humans' new leader. My parents made sure I was a skilled fighter, good enough to take on a vampire or werewolf, but they never let me fight. I was never allowed to fight in any battles, even though I explicitly trained for it. They said it was because I was too young, but I knew it was because they didn't think I could handle myself.

The front door slammed, roughly breaking me out of my deep thought; I put her journal down and walked out into the hallway. "V! What are you still doing here? You're going to be late for your bus," Killian exclaimed as he walked around the corner. "Crap," I spat as I looked down at my watch, seeing the time. I ran back into her room frantically, grabbing my stuff, trying to remember to get everything. I ran out of my room, passing Killian, "Gotta blast," I say, laughing at a very unamused Killian as I race down the stairs. As I ran down the driveway, I realized how I hadn't left my house at all. I mean, I go out into the backyard to train, and I help with the gardening out front, but that's it. I had never noticed the trees that surround our house as I ran down our long driveway. I see the bus coming down the street; I sigh in relief that I wasn't going to have to walk the twelve miles to the school. I jogged to the bus, barely get there just as the last person was getting on.

The bus ride to school was pretty boring, but my nerves kept me on my toes. I don't recognize any of the faces bus's, and everyone is pretty much keeping to themselves. I don't think they know anyone either, which makes me feel a little better for some reason. Trying to calm my nerves, I just stare out the window, trying to survey my surroundings. There wasn't much to see, only many tall trees followed by long stretches of pastures. It was so beautiful everything has pretty much grown back after the war, after all the fires trying to smoke us out of our homes. It's fall, so all the leaves change colors and fall, giving the bright green grass some contrast as the wind knocks more leaves off the trees. It was only about a twenty-minute ride, but it felt so much longer. I was dreading today; all I could think about is how long I am going to feel. I am already three grades ahead of everyone because I was homeschool, and my parents never let me out of the house, so I should technically be a senior. I don't need to go to the school, but Killian thinks it would be a good idea so I can "socialize." I haven't talked to anyone but my brother or parents since the war started probably about five years ago. Now that my parents are gone, I have felt so isolated and alone, so maybe this could be good for me. Even Killian barely speaks to me anymore, and when he does, it chastises me at practice for leaving my weak spot open. I am so tired of it just being him and me, and at this point, I would take any social interaction over that, even if it's an unfriendly face.

The bus came to a stop, snapping me out of my thoughts; my head quickly snapped to the side to analyze my surroundings. The school looked ancient like nobody had attended here in years. Duh, there has been a war going on for the past five years, I thought, letting out a little laugh, causing some of the passengers ahead of me to turn around and stare. Everyone stood up and went in the single-file line of the bus. I didn't want to be the first off the bus, so I just stayed in my seat till the last person got off the bus. As I finally started walking towards the doors, everything started to seem so surreal. I haven't been to an actual school since I was 10. The last day we ever got to go to school was when the first attack happened. My family sent guards to retrieve my brother and me from school because we had targets on our back as of the first attack. We were the children of the human faction leaders, the only living heirs of the Vala line, and we had to stay alive at any cost. We lost a lot of our men that day, and that is when my training when from all play to all hell breaks loss. I stepped onto the sidewalk that wrapped around the parking lot surrounding the school. I looked around, hoping to see someone I knew finally, but I had no luck. It was like staring into a crowd of faceless people. Everything was so foreign and terrifying. I was dreading being here even more by the second.

I rode with the group of students on the bus stood in an awkward group, murmuring and shuffling around. I am just glad I'm not the only one that doesn't know what the hell we are supposed to do. After a few minutes, someone in a suit finally started walking towards us; I hope he will give us some direction.

"Welcome everyone, I hope your ride was enjoyable, seeing as most of you haven't left your homes in a while," the man in a suit stated. "If you will follow me, I will show you to your designated meeting area for our orientation this morning."

I wanted to ask how many more humans had arrived before us, but I was trying to keep a low profile since nobody seemed to know who I was. We walked towards the school's side to a big grassy area with a concrete slab right in the middle. There were already a few groups of students standing around waiting for the speaker to start. There was concrete seating all around the concrete slab, all facing the center. I am assuming this is the courtyard where we are to have lunch. As we reach the other students, I looked around, and there were at least three more slabs just like this one. It was so beautiful back here. Rose bushes were lining most of the pathways, flowerbeds in full bloom, and a magnificent water fountain in the middle of it all. I surveyed the people who were already in their seats.

"Novia!!!!" a boy shouted from across the yard.

I spun around to see who it was and almost ran to him. It was my best friend, Hiraoka Kikugoro.

"Hiro, I am so happy to see you," I practically screamed as I threw myself into his warm hug. He had gotten taller and honestly more attractive than she remembered him. They were both the nerd in their class, and he fit the part. Tiny glasses and braces, however now he did not wear his glasses. I pulled back to look at him one more time to make sure it was real, to make sure I was seeing my best friend. He gave her a warm smile, "No braces!" I exclaimed, causing him to let out a little chuckle.

"Well, it has been a little over five years since we have seen each other," Hiro said, still laughing a little. I pushed him back a little in complete shock, "Your voice, it has gotten so deep, you are like almost a man now," I said, teasing him a little. His previously shaggy jet black hair was now perfectly groomed and combed back. His light olive skin glistened in the sunlight as he smiled down at me.

"Wait, you're so tall now. That's not fair," I whined as I stared up at Hiro's chocolate brown eyes. I wrapped him in another big hug before we made our way back over to the rest of the group again. By the time we got back to the group, an older woman had appeared and started talking. We missed the first part but made it just in time for the actual crucial information.

"I will have my assistant pass out a map of the school to each one of you, and I will be calling each one of you up in alphabetical order to come to receive your class schedule and locker number and combination," the short blonde lady said, too enthusiastically.

I did not notice the table in the middle that the blonde lady walked over and sat down at. As she sat down, she started calling names three at a time. Her assistant handed them a map as they approached the table.

"Baines, Cuevas, and Hicks," she continues. Wait, Baines, as in Toby Baines. I thought he and his family died in the bombings of the third division. A strange sense of relief rushed over my body; unfortunately, I feel like today will be full of these unfamiliar emotions. What 15 years old, should she feel relieved to find out someone she barely knows is not dead. I watched him as he retrieved his schedule, catching his eye as I quickly turned away.

"Kik… Kiko. Kikugoro, …." the blonde stuttered but quickly recovered, calling the next two.

"Haha, looks like you are up next, Kiko," I laugh, elbowing my friend playfully in the ribs.

He shot me a dirty look as he walked up to the table with confidence she had never seen in him before. As he walked back, I noticed that most of the girls started at Hiro the entire time.

"Rohane, Vala…." she stopped and looked up. Great now everyone will be staring at me; why did she have to pause on my name. "and Vanda," she finished. We all walked up to the front. I took the map and said my thank yous' and the blonde did the unthinkable. As she handed me my schedule, locker number, and combination in front of everyone, she had to say. "I just wanted to say I am so sorry for your loss. Your parents were wonderful people and great leaders."

"Uh, thank you, ma'am, I appreciate that," I said, trying to stay calm. I kept my head down, feeling everybody's eyes on me as I walked back to my friend's side. Why did she have to say that in front of everyone? Now they know who I am…