Eve

Chapter Two: Auras and Annoyances

Mary walked briskly to the school gate, her steps filled with irritation. She didn’t have a car, nor did she have any spare change for a bus. Kassia had left earlier that morning, leaving her to fend for herself after another draining encounter with the spirits in her room. Every inch of her body screamed for rest, for peace, for silence. But that wasn’t her reality.

Mary hated people. It wasn’t just dislike—it was a deep, visceral hatred that made her wish she could go through life without seeing anyone. In her case, it wasn’t just because she found people annoying. No, it was because she saw things, spiritual things that others couldn’t. Ghosts, demons, spirits—they were everywhere, and they never left her alone. It was driving her mad.

Every person had an aura. Some auras were good, warm like spring, while others were dark and icy, like the dead of winter. Some people were corrupting, changing from good to evil, and their auras shifted like seasons in turmoil. It was overwhelming, and worse still, Mary couldn’t see her own aura. Was she good, bad, or somewhere in between? She didn’t know, but she was sure of one thing: she wasn’t one of the "good" ones. Good people didn’t feel like they were trapped in a constant state of misery.

This ability was why Mary stayed indoors as much as possible. She didn’t want to see the truth in people, didn’t want to deal with the horrors that came with it. She could count her friends on one finger—Kassia, her only real friend, whose aura was a blend of spring and autumn, so warm and refreshing it was no wonder Mary clung to her. Ever since they met, Kassia had refused to leave her side, even when Mary slipped into her isolation periods. Kassia was her breath of fresh air, the one good thing in her life.

As Mary neared the school, she mentally braced herself for the upcoming chemistry test. She wasn’t sure why she, a computer science major, had to take chemistry. But it was just one more thing to add to her long list of grievances. "Fucking school," she muttered under her breath.

And then, of course, there was Victor. She spotted him a little way off, his aura as confusing as ever—a mix of autumn warmth and sudden hurricanes. He was Kassia’s annoying boyfriend, and for some reason, he had a crush on her. Wonderful.

“Mary!” Victor half-yelled, his voice echoing through the hallways. Heads turned, and she mentally tore him to shreds. "This boy needs to learn how to shut up," she muttered to herself, her mood darkening even further.

Victor finally reached her, slinging an arm over her shoulders like they were the best of friends. Mary immediately shrugged it off, pushing him aside without a second thought.

“What?” she snapped.

“You ready for the test?” Victor asked, completely unfazed by her attitude. “It’ll be like extra credit for the course.”

“Did you study?” Mary asked, ignoring his annoying optimism.

“Of course. Chemistry’s my thing,” he replied with a smirk.

Mary rolled her eyes, unimpressed. “Good for me, then. You’ll sit behind me,” she said flatly, her mind already moving on to the test. “Where’s your girlfriend?” she asked, finally looking at him.

“Huh?” Victor seemed momentarily lost, probably wondering why she was asking about Kassia instead of him.

Mary sighed, dismissing him with a wave. “Get out of my way. See you during the test.”

She spotted Kassia at the end of the hallway, waving at her with that familiar warm smile. For a moment, Mary felt a flicker of relief. At least there was one person she could tolerate in this mess of a day.

"Bitch!" Kassia's voice rang out loud and clear, even though Mary was already walking toward her.

She couldn’t even get mad if she tried; It was cute, especially with that warm, playful smile on her face. But be it anyone who yelled her name like that she would wish the tear their guts out.