Crossed Spells

Chapter 2: First Day, First Sparks (Part 1)

Dawn was barely breaking on the horizon when Aria opened her eyes, pulled from her sleep by the anticipation of her first day at Ravenswood High School. The first rays of sunlight filtered through the curtains, bathing her new room in a soft golden glow. For a brief moment, she wondered where she was, before the events of the previous day came back to her.

Aria sat up in her bed, her heart beating a little faster at the thought of the day ahead. She glanced at her alarm clock: 6:15. She still had time before she had to leave, but sleep had definitely left her.

With a sigh, she got up and walked to the window. The garden was peaceful, bathed in the nascent light of day. The large oak tree cast a massive shadow on the lawn, its leaves gently quivering in the morning breeze. Aria closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the calm before the storm.

A light knock on her door pulled her from her reverie. "Aria? Are you awake, sweetheart?" Elena's voice was soft, but Aria could detect a note of worry.

"Yes, mom. You can come in."

Elena opened the door, already dressed for the day. Her face softened when she saw her daughter. "Are you nervous?" she asked, approaching.

Aria shrugged, trying to appear more relaxed than she actually was. "A little," she admitted. "That's normal, right?"

Elena smiled, placing a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Of course it's normal. But you're going to do wonderfully, I'm sure." She paused, her expression becoming more serious. "Do you remember what we talked about?"

Aria nodded, holding back a sigh. "Stay discreet. Control my emotions. Don't attract attention." She recited the words like a familiar litany.

"That's right," Elena nodded. "I know it's not easy, sweetheart. But it's important. More than you can imagine."

Aria looked at her mother, noting the worry lines creasing her forehead. Not for the first time, she wondered what had really driven them to flee their old life, to start over here in Ravenswood. There were so many things she didn't understand, so many unanswered questions.

"I'll be careful, mom. I promise."

Elena smiled, the worry in her eyes lessening slightly. "I know you will be. Come on, get ready. I'll make breakfast."

After her mother left, Aria turned to her wardrobe. Her new uniform was hanging on the door, impeccably ironed. She looked at it for a long moment, as if it represented everything that was going to change in her life from today.

Slowly, she began to dress, carefully adjusting each piece of the uniform. The navy blue pleated skirt fell just above her knees. The white shirt was impeccable, the Ravenswood High crest embroidered on the chest pocket. She knotted the blue and silver striped tie, her fingers trembling slightly.

Finally dressed, Aria turned to the full-length mirror hanging on her closet door. The image facing her was that of a perfect Ravenswood High student. No one seeing her would guess that she was different, special. Dangerous.

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. When she reopened them, for a fraction of a second, she thought she saw a silver glow dancing in her blue irises. But as quickly as it had appeared, the glow vanished, leaving behind only a normal reflection.

Aria shook her head, pushing away these thoughts. This was not the time to worry about that. She had an important day ahead of her, a day where she had to be perfectly normal.

Meanwhile, a few streets away, Lucas Blackwood was also preparing for the day. Unlike Aria, he had slept fitfully, haunted by dreams of dancing shadows and electric blue eyes.