The Anchored

CHAPTER 5 || Fangs

CHAPTER 5 || Fangs

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At the end of the school day, I plopped down on my bed and curled up under the silk comforter with my cell phone pressed to my ear. I had the entire dorm to myself seeing as Amelie was off to her violin lessons. A smile spread across my tired face as I sank into the plush mattress, breathing in the clean scent of lilies that was infused into the air thanks to the expensive air freshener bottle my roommate liked to keep by the bathroom door.

I felt like the colour scheme of the room was plain but calming, which made me smile – during my childhood, I'd suffered through countless episodes in which my social anxiety took over. I knew the importance of calming colours, because when I was little, harsh colours such as crimson or neon pink made me feel agitated. And I knew I wasn't the only one – while undergoing the therapy that had changed my life for the better, I'd met other people like me who felt the same way.

I was past my days of anxiety, though. It was amazing how therapy really could be helpful if the patient was willing to accept the help.

Amelie's side of the room wasn't very customized. There were a few personal items on her wall such as paintings from famous artists and an elegant wood carving above her bed with an inspirational quote from William Shakespeare. She did have many photographs, though, but they were all pictures of nature and wild animals, except for a single photograph that caught my eye.

It was a family picture. Amelie stood in the centre, wearing a checkered sundress and looking a few years younger – maybe around twelve or thirteen. A young man had his arm draped around his shoulders, his white teeth exposed in a wide grin. At first glance, I would've thought he was around twenty, but from what I'd learned today in my Magix class, many supernatural creatures such as fairies were immortal and could appear young for an eternity. For all I knew, he could've been Amelie's dad or even her grandfather. Next to the man was a smiling lady with eyes identical to Amelie's.

There was a caption at the bottom of the image.

Melanie, Robert and Amelie Cruz.

On Amelie's nightstand were two vases decorated with elaborate designs. The first one had 'Mom' printed in cursive calligraphy, and the second had 'Dad'.

I knew what they were. My friend, Dariel, had a vase similar to those which contained the ashes of his cremated mother.

I decided to take a break from invading Amelie's privacy and settled on calling my father to tell him about my first day. I waited in anticipation as the phone rang until he picked up the call. "Hey, little dreamer," my father's voice crackled through the speaker – Blackwater didn't exactly have the best cell reception. I felt my heart swell at the use of his old nickname for me – when I was younger, he began calling me 'little dreamer' because I used to have the wildest dreams. "How was school?"

"It was so crazy," I told him. "You were right, Dad – the kids here are like me!"

"I told you," he said playfully, and I could easily imagine his familiar smile as he said those words.

"You should come over here one day, Dad," I said. "It's so... surreal."

He chuckled. "One day, kiddo."

"I have new friends," I said excitedly. "Well, I think they're my friends."

"Tell me about them," he urged.

I grinned before telling him everything. "There's this guy, his name's Luke and he's a vampire – but don't worry, he's not dangerous or anything. He doesn't hurt people. Oh, and then there's Amelie, she's a fairy and she's my roommate. Blake is part fire demon, and he's so funny! Kace is a necromancer and we don't really talk much, but we do have similar taste in music. During lunch, another girl joined us. Her name's Beatrix and she's a werewolf."