𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚
Hope felt excitement in her chest as she stood in the courtyard with her backpack slung over one shoulder.
Her excitement slowly dimmed as she noticed some students clustered in little circles, some laughing, whispering, and watching her, while others were minding their own business.
Taking a deep breath and putting a smile on her face, she made her way towards some witches by the greenhouse.
''Oh no, why is she coming over here?" She heard one of the witches mumble as the others snickered.
"Hi, I'm Hope. I'm new here-
"We know," one girl cut in, her lips curled.
"You're his daughter," another added, and just like that, they turned away.
Hope stood frozen, her throat tight. She's gotten used to whispers back in New Orleans. But here, they didn't just whisper. They excluded.
She tried, she really did.
In the library, she spotted a group of siphoners sitting around spellbooks and gathered the courage to ask, "Can I sit here?"
Lucas glanced up from his page with barely veiled disdain. "Maybe try the empty table across the room. We like to keep the drama to a minimum in this school"
By lunchtime, her heart was sinking fast.
Everywhere she turned, eyes followed, filled with caution, contempt, or curiosity. The name Mikaelson followed her like a curse, an unwanted echo of chaos and broken legacies. She took her tray and sat under the trees at the edge of the yard, where the shadows were kinder than the people.
Why does it always have to be like this? She thought bitterly. Why can't I just be a normal girl for once?
But she already knew the answer.
Because of him.
Her father.
Everything always came back to Klaus Mikaelson.
The destruction he left behind. The people he hurt. The fear that clung to his name like smoke.
And now she was cursed to bear that name.
Hope wrapped her arms around herself and stared down at her lunch. It wasn't just the students. Even Alora and Jace, her siblings, wanted nothing to do with her. Because of him.
Because he abandoned them.
Because he loved and ruined someone else before he ever knew her.
Her throat tightened again, this time not from embarrassment, but fury. It wasn't fair. None of it was.
Then the laughter started.
Two vampire upperclassmen passed by, deliberately loud.
"Think she's here to claim her father's throne?"
