✗ | 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘, larissa weems

𝟎𝟐𝟔

˗ˏˋ༻ʚ♡︎ɞ༺ˎˊ˗
𝐓𝐖𝐘𝐋𝐀'𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐕

"no, it's thirty thousand different plant species that are used in medicine," i corrected bianca's worksheet, a smirk playing on my lips as she groaned in frustration.

it was amusing to watch her angrily flip her pencil around to erase the incorrect answer.

beside me, yoko's voice interrupted our little exchange. "how is it that a nymph knows that?" she asked, her words laced with curiosity.

i glanced at her, noticing the pointed fangs peeking out as she spoke. yoko adjusted her blacked-out glasses on her nose, shielding her sensitive eyes from the bright sunlight streaming through thornhill's greenhouse's glass roof.

"yeah, i thought your kind didn't believe in medicine, twyla?" bianca added, her tone dripping with condescension. i rolled my eyes at her remark, not taking offense.

"more specifically, modern medicine. however, herbs and homemade remedies are completely fine," i clarified, taking the opportunity to share a bit of my culture.

"imagine my shock when i found out weed is illegal in some countries," i added with a hint of humor, hinting at the common use of cannabis among my kind for medicinal purposes.

bianca gasped dramatically, playfully slapping my arm. "i knew it! you're all a bunch of little stoners, aren't you?" she exclaimed, causing me to chuckle.

"it's the only thing i miss about greece," i admitted, returning to my work. bianca raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smile forming on her lips.

"what? getting high and playing piano?" she guessed, her grin widening as i nodded in agreement.

"yes, exactly that," i confirmed, sharing a laugh with bianca as we leaned into each other.

i noticed bianca's gaze drifting away from mine, her attention drawn across the table to something that seemed to captivate her.

"oh, christ, she's imprinted again," she joked, subtly pointing towards the opposite side of the desk.

i followed her gaze, catching enid staring at me for the third time today. i examined her mesmerized blue eyes, wide and intrigued like a puppy.

"have you mistaken me for a full moon, enid?" i asked, a hint of playfulness in my voice, feeling a slight blush rise to my cheeks.

bianca's hand waved in front of enid's face, finally snapping our classmate out of her daze.

"oh, sorry!" enid exclaimed, her eyes widening further as she realized she had been gawking at me again.

attending nevermore revealed the exhausting nature of hiding who i truly am. witnessing vampire fangs, siren scales, werewolf claws, and even gorgon snakes was both new and fascinating to me.

here, not a single student felt embarrassed or judged for their differences, which encouraged me to embrace my own.

my lengthy auburn hair, styled in a half-up, half-down 'do adorned with beads, threads, and gold jewelry, exuded a beautiful fairy aesthetic that i hadn't embraced in years.

however, due to the hairstyle, my pointed ears were on display, sparking enid's infatuation with me.

nymphs are typically forbidden from revealing their differences so openly, especially in front of those outside our realm. whether it's our pixie ears or our mythical abilities, strict laws are in place to keep our identities hidden.

despite the little voice of my parents, warning me about the disgrace it would bring if they ever found out, i buried that fear deep down.

if the council discovered my unique pointed ears on display, they'd be cut off in an instant. but i didn't care anymore—i made the decision long ago that i was never going back to greece.