Curse of Ravens // Mikaelson

3 Most Adaptable to Change

The next morning, I woke early, and was surprised when Hope was still not in the dorms when I pulled the sheets back. I walked across the room, the cool air hitting my bare legs. The shorts and tee shirt I'd slept in weren't enough for most people with such cool weather. I wasn't as sensitive to temperature as others. Something to do with being a hybrid, probably.

I sat on Hope's bed, which was perfectly made, and looked around our shared room. Her side was cluttered with things; picture frames were hung up and she had necklaces and other items on her desk and nightstand. Her side was colorful and lived in. Mine was a stack of books by my bed and a small box containing the few possessions that actually meant anything to me. None of which included photos of my family.

I stood up and stepped closer to the photos, hung against the wall in no manner of organization. I tucked my hair behind my ears as my eyes focused in on a photo in specific. Aunt Freya and Hope, at the Grill in Mystic Falls, seeming to celebrate a birthday. The photo was recent, and despite the happy connotation, it put a frown on my face. I was closer to our father, but Hope was close to Freya. I envied that relationship. Despite the numerous times I tried to bridge the gap between myself and Freya, it never worked. The more desperate I was for her mentorship in my magic, the more distance she became.

Eventually, I stopped trying. I don't know if it had to do with our personalities or if it was because Hope was the firstborn daughter, and so was she, that our energies simply weren't compatible. Honestly, I told myself I didn't care. That I didn't need her. But I'll always hold some resentment towards her.

"Okay." I pushed my hair away from my face. I had three hours until class. I could spend some time looking for Hope. I laid out clothes. A long sleeved button up black shirt, paired with dark pants and a belt. I swiped mascara on, and braided my hair into a crown on my head. My reflection was rather stunning for the short amount of time I'd spent on it. "I suppose that's dark academia enough." I say aloud to myself in the mirror.

Unlike Hope, I didn't bother to make my bed every morning. I left the dorms, tilting my chin up as I roamed the hallways of the school. They were vacant, other than the occasional teacher who was heading to the lounge or attending to their lectures for the day.

Starting with the obvious places, I worked myself through every room until I was sure that Hope wasn't inside the school. So I went outside, and walked across the grass, my hands clasped behind my back, scanning the lawn. The sun was creeping up, but a dense blanket of clouds hid the bright star from view. The earlier morning was getting brighter, slowly.

I turned around to check the woods and jumped, seeing a figure several paces away. Which I instantly recognized. "Are you stalking me?" My arrogant inquiry was meant to mask the way adrenaline spiked my veins and my heart began to pound against my chest at the startle. The reality was, Xavier definitely could hear my heartbeat and so such an attempt was made in vain.

"You have an inflated sense of self-importance." The vampire retorted, that ever-present smirk on his cheeks.

"I think it's a family trait." My answer is immediate. "Just as dodging questions is yours."

"Something we have in common then." Xavier took a few steps closer. "What are you doing out this early?"

"You first."

He grinned like I amused him. "I like to wake before the birds." His answer was so Victorian, it made me want to dance in the rain and read poetry with a cup of tea. I couldn't help it, I liked that he wasn't a newbie vampire or a young student like everyone else. Which is probably why, despite my aversion to making friends, I amused him this morning. Or why I amused him yesterday.

"I'm looking for my sister, Hope." I specified. Xavier considered this for a moment.

"I like my answer better." He told me, and then gestured for me to come with him. "I know where she is."