Of Life and Death: [A Dark Academia Paranormal Romance]

Chapter 8

The airport is crowded with swarms of people and it's times like this I'm grateful to be a 5'9 giraffe because I quickly spot the shortest check-in line and make a beeline for it. Mum trudges along behind me, caught in a series of phone calls. God knows the number of meetings she'd cancelled to be here, which makes me wonder why she's really come.

We'd headed to my terminal after going through TSA. When the attendant at my departure gate asked for her boarding pass, Mum had drawn to her full height, affected that air of superiority that made most people cower, and stated she was my mother.

A lot of that is being thrown around on this day.

She was let through, not surprisingly. At present, I scan the mall for a bottle of water. On my way to another aisle, my eyes lock with startling green ones. A shiver dances down my spine and I know at once she's not human. The trance breaks and she grips her items, heading to the checkout unit.

It's soon time to board our plane. My mother rises from the reception, drawing level with me. She appears awkward. Then it occurs to me why when she holds out her arms. For a hug.

For some reason, my throat knots.

Against my better judgement, I wrap her in a hug despite her uncomfortable grunts. When I pull back, I say, "Bye."

She nods. "Goodbye."

Then I turn away, heading into a terrifying future. My mood elevates when I take my window seat on boarding. The attendants traipse across the aisles, calling out instructions to the chatter of people pouring in. My eyes stray on their own accord to the seat three rows to my right. It's the girl from the mall. She's going to New Orleans as well. Does that mean she's a student at Elmore academy?

Elmore academy has a bad rep several states wide. It's where shifters and...other go to.

I've long since accepted I fall into the latter category. I can't shift, have no specific powers of my own, and the ability to see dead people would make me a freak even by their own standards.

The academy was born out of a treaty between werewolves and the Eld, a species of immortal shifters from another dominion. What was meant to be a facility for learning and inclusivity was now a hotspot for influential politicians and tycoons looking to further their way in the immortal world. I've heard of parents injecting certain compounds into their children just to get them accepted.

I wasn't manufactured out of a syringe, though. No, that would make things a lot easier, because then I'd know exactly what made me the way I am. But I am weird all by myself ergo.

Waving down the man wheeling a beverage cart, I get a can of soda then pause, looking at the girl in front. I wonder if I'm being forward. But since forward is all I ever am, I buy a Bloody Mary, saying to the man, "Please give it to the Latina with pink headphones."

Despite myself, I watch with my breath held as he gives her the drink. They exchange a few words and he turns to point in my direction. She cranes her head around, expression bored. When our eyes meet, I start to smile but stop when she sizes me up. Wordlessly she takes the Bloody Mary, faces away, then puts her headphones back on.

Oop.

Pursing my lips, I turn my attention to the window. The airplane speeds down the strip before lifting. When we're submerged in the clouds, I let my eyes slide close.

All too soon the flight comes to an end. In the terminal, I maneuver my way through the endless swarms of people, Instantly realizing fall is going to be different here than it is in LA because it's raining buckets. Through the distortion in the glass panes, I make out the hazy swell of umbrellas. When I get my luggage, I walk into the spray, the thought of ransacking through my heavy bags for an umbrella seeming unappealing.

All around me, people rush into cabs. I squint past the wetness dabbling into my eyes, searching the sea of airport signs for my own chauffeur. I'd just clocked a sign reading Emma Richards and started for it when someone comes up behind me.

"Need a ride?"

Turning, I blink when I come face to face with the Latina from the airplane. "Um, I already have one, thank you."

A brow lifts. "Your ride's going to breakdown when you get to the city center. It'll take an hour before your driver finds someone to fix it and once you get to magazine street, it will break down again."

Surprise and indecision grips me. I take one look at my driver again. His eyes bounce around the airport, searching for me. When I look back to the girl, I don't even bother asking how she knows this. "I'm going to Elmore academy," I say.

"Good. I could give you a tour."

I trail after her as a she walks down to a beat Volkswagen. Loading my stuff, I get into the passenger seat, clothes soggy and all. She doesn't seem to mind, though. Around her rearview mirror hangs a miniature broomstick. She turns the ignition and when we start down the road, I ask, "So what are you? Some fortune teller witch hybrid?"

A laugh. "No. And everything I said earlier was a lie. The people here eat that stuff up."

"Shocking. Why lie though?"

A shrug. "Wanted some time with the new girl myself--before everyone sinks their claws into you trying to figure you out, especially Byron."

"By claws I hope you mean that figuratively."

Another laugh. "Who knows." She veers left into a new lane, rowers working crazily over the windshield. "So what's your story?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, so you mean you're here because you want to further your education and think this is a pretty reputable school?" A snort. "Why are you here, Green?"

My brows rise to the roots of my fading green hairline. "How original, Black. And even if I do have a 'story', you think I'm going to go blabbing to you when I don't even know your name?"

"You're in my car, that counts for something, right?"

"Yeah, that you lied to me twice about my ride breaking down. Way to get off on the right foot."

"Surely, you're not usually this sarcastic? I'd hate to have a mouthy roommate."

The car lurches and I shoot her a glare before saying, "Roommate?"

"Yeah, you're going to tell Headmistress Alba you don't want her assigning you a room or a roommate. Tell her your cousin schools here."

"And why would I do that?"

She locks gazes with me. "Trust me, you do not want to be rooming with any of the girls here."