Love Like Winter ❄️ Xavier Thorpe

Chapter 1: Welcome to Nevermore

Soundtrack:
"What was I Made For?" by Billie Eilish
"Help, I'm Alive" by Metric
"mars" by YUNGBLUD
"a little closer" by dottie da

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"I don't see why I have to transfer schools, just because my cousin had a hard time last year. She doesn't even like me anyway, so it's not like it's going to matter that I'm there," I say, sighing as I finish packing my bags.

My parents had decided to transfer me to Nevermore Academy for my 11th grade year, totally against my will. Nevermore Academy was a school for outcasts. Vampires, werewolves, witches, psychics, gorgons, you name it. My aunt and uncle, Morticia and Gomez, went to Nevermore and were pretty big deals there. And then their daughter, my cousin, Wednesday, transferred last year after killing two kids at her old school with piranhas or something? I don't know the whole story.

Apparently, last year at Nevermore, a monster, called a Hyde, had been attacking people in the woods outside of the school and it turned out to be my cousin's boyfriend, Tyler. How shocking. The headmaster was murdered by a rogue teacher who was actually controlling the monster and an evil pilgrim came back to life and nearly obliterated the whole school, but somehow, Wednesday was able to save the day.

My mother comes over to my bed where I'm packing and sits down. "Your cousin will be more than happy to see you, Annamaria. She's just ... troubled."

I scoff and shake my head. "Wednesday is more than just troubled, Mom. And besides, I'm sure everyone at the school like worships the ground she walks on now since what happened last year."

I don't look at my mom for a response because I know she's going to be giving me that look that meant she was right and for me to shut up. So I shut up. I finish packing and glance around my room once more to make sure I haven't forgotten anything. I'm not even sure why I'm being accepted into a place like Nevermore Academy anyway. I don't have any "powers" or abilities like my cousin does, but for some reason they decided to accept my application. My mother probably pulled the "we're related to the Addams" card on the new headmaster. I roll my eyes just thinking about it.

Without saying a word to my mother, I drag my suitcases off of the bed and into the living room where my father and little sister are waiting. My little sister, Carina, is absolutely obsessed with anything and everything magical and can't wait to get to Nevermore just so she could be in its presence. My father basically just always goes along with whatever my mom wanted to do, so I know there was no point in expressing my unhappiness to him.

We pile into the car and off to Nevermore we go. Carina sits beside me flipping through her little spell book that our mom got her at a yard sale. I tried telling my mom to be careful with spellbooks or cursed things, especially from yard sales or thrift stores, but she always knew better so she thought. I rest my face against the window and shut my eyes, popping in my earbuds and turning on some music to relax my brain. It's not like I'm leaving any friends behind, no boyfriend or girlfriend, nothing.

The one thing I wish I could leave behind is my anxiety. It's like an awful parasite that always lurks not far behind, waiting to paralyze me. It really fucking sucks.

I don't realize I'd fallen asleep until Carina is shaking me awake. "Anna, we're here!"

"Great," I groan, "just great."

My parents and sister are out of the car and halfway up to the gates before I even move an inch. The apprehension swells inside me like a bomb about to blow, but I force my legs to carry me to the gates where my family is waiting.

Tons of other cars are parked along the driveway with groups of families leading kids up to the gates. My sister is beside herself, as am I, but I'm not in a good way. The gates open and my parents almost immediately run into my aunt and uncle, Morticia and Gomez.