The Beginning of The End |•|•| Fate : The Winx Saga

Chapter 2

Bloom's POV

The gates of the school loomed ahead, towering and imposing against the backdrop of the early morning sky. The air felt crisp and fresh, with the faintest hint of dew still clinging to the ground beneath my boots. My heart raced with excitement and nerves, the buzz of the unknown humming around me like an electric current. This was my first day, my first step into a new world, and every little detail felt amplified, more significant than I could put into words.

As I stepped through the gate, the bustling campus greeted me with a mix of voices, laughter, and the sound of footsteps in all directions. Students milled about, all heading in their own paths, lost in their thoughts or conversations, yet somehow each face carried the same undercurrent of energy that matched my own nervous anticipation.

Before I could take in any more of the scene, I was met by a tall figure stepping into my line of sight, blocking my view of the bustling students. His blonde hair shone in the sunlight, and his bright blue eyes locked onto mine, soft but confident.

"Hey, I'm Sky," he said, his voice easy and warm, almost as if he had been waiting for me to appear. He extended his hand towards me in greeting, the gesture casual but sincere.

I hesitated for a brief moment, but then smiled and shook his hand, feeling the warmth of his grip. "I'm Bloom," I replied, my voice tinged with the same mixture of excitement and anxiety that was stirring in my chest.

I wanted to say more, to ask him something, but before I could, something—or rather, someone—caught my attention.

My gaze drifted away from Sky, and there she was. The girl standing with a small group of others, her back straight and poised in a way that seemed to draw attention without her even trying. She was smiling, listening intently to one of the other girls who was animatedly talking about something that seemed to captivate her. I couldn't look away, my breath catching as I took in the details.

Her long, wavy dirty blonde curls fluttered slightly in the breeze, catching the sunlight in such a way that it almost looked like they shimmered. There was something ethereal about her—something radiant. Her skin appeared flawless, glowing softly, and there were these two beauty marks on her face, one just under the left side of her nose, and the other almost directly beneath the right side of her mouth. They were delicate, perfect in their placement, and I couldn't help but feel captivated by them, by her.

Her brown eyes—or were they hazel?—glowed with warmth, and the sunlight seemed to cling to her in a way that made her seem almost like she was absorbing it, basking in its glow. I had never seen someone so naturally... luminous.

"Uhm...you good?" Sky's voice interrupted my thoughts, bringing me back to reality. I blinked and turned to him, my heart suddenly pounding in my chest.

"Who is that?" I asked, my finger instinctively pointing toward the girl, unable to hide my curiosity.

Sky's eyes followed my gaze, and a soft smile curved his lips, as if he were used to this reaction.

"Oh her? That's Elara, Elara Dowling. She's Headmistress Dowling's daughter," Sky explained, his tone casual, like it was just another piece of information I needed to know.

I felt my shoulders sag slightly in disappointment. Of course, someone like her would be out of my reach. She was stunning, undoubtedly popular, and probably ran the school in her own quiet way.

"Headmistress's daughter?" I repeated, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. "So basically I have zero chance with her." I stared down at the ground, my eyes tracing the intricate patterns in the stone walkway, unable to look up at the idea of a girl like her even noticing someone like me.

Sky let out a short laugh, almost as if he hadn't heard me correctly.

"Actually, you might have a chance with her," he said, his grin widening. "She's really nice, you should go talk to her!"

I froze, my mind racing with panic. "Wh-what?! No! No, I really shouldn't!" I blurted out, my face burning with embarrassment. I didn't belong in her world, not in the slightest.

But it was too late.

Before I could make my escape, Sky had already yelled over to Elara, his voice carrying easily across the space, loud enough for her to hear. My heart sank as I watched her head turn in our direction, her eyes settling on Sky, and then on me. Her expression remained neutral, but I could see the polite interest behind her gaze as she began walking toward us, her every movement graceful, fluid.

'Oh shit oh shit oh shit what do I do? I'm gonna make a fool of myself,' I thought frantically, my stomach twisting with dread. I tried to retreat, to blend into the crowd, but somehow, the crowd seemed to part just as she reached us, as if fate itself had decided to keep me here, unable to escape.

She finally stopped in front of us, her presence commanding without being overt. Her eyes, warm and kind, focused on me, and I was struck by how effortlessly poised she was.

"What did you want, Sky?" Her voice was soft, yet laced with a subtle confidence that reminded me of someone who had grown up in a world where attention came naturally. It was a honeyed sound, the British accent lacing her words in a way that felt royal but not arrogant—like someone who knew their worth without needing to boast about it.

Sky gestured toward me, his grin widening at my evident discomfort. "This is Bloom, Bloom, this is Elara," he introduced us, his tone suggesting he expected me to take over the conversation, to do something—anything—to make this awkward moment pass.

"Hello, Bloom," Elara said, her smile polite and genuine as she extended her hand toward me. I could feel the warmth emanating from her, almost like an invisible aura that made everything else fade into the background.

"Hi," I said, barely managing to get the word out. My voice felt small in comparison to hers, and my mind was buzzing with all the things I wanted to say but couldn't. Internally, I was freaking out, my pulse racing as I fought to keep my hands from shaking.

It seemed that Elara noticed my anxiety, her smile widening ever so slightly as she glanced at Sky before turning her attention back to me.

"I have to go meet my mum in her office, she wanted to give me my schedule early," she explained to Sky, the words coming easily, without any hint of pretension. "It was nice to meet you, Bloom. I hope to see you around." Her smile was warm, like sunlight itself, and with that, she turned and started walking toward the main building.

As she walked away, her figure bathed in the fading light, I could feel a strange ache in my chest, a longing I hadn't expected. I wanted to see her again. Needed to.

Sky let out a loud chuckle, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "I'd say that went great," he said, his grin nearly splitting his face in half.

"Yeah. Great," I muttered, rolling my eyes but not hiding the small, embarrassed smile that tugged at the corners of my lips. I turned away from him, making my way down the path with quick, purposeful steps.

I really hoped I'd see her again. I didn't know why, but something about Elara had gotten under my skin, and for reasons I couldn't explain, I knew I couldn't forget her.