The Zodiac Trials

Chapter 2

Violet was lost.

A study group. A study group got her into this situation.

All she did was come to study at... well, she didn't know who's, house. After arriving at the mansion and assisting the other students there with their homework, she had gone to the bathroom to... well, that didn't matter right then.

That was the last thing she remembered. After disappearing to the bathroom, it was like she had blacked out. Violet ran the calculations through her head. There was no way someone could have carried her all the way from the bathroom to the dining hall. How had she gotten there?

While mulling over possibilities, she barely noticed the bang of the dining hall doors flying open. Whipping her head around, she watched two people walk in.

The first was a girl with seep brown hair and blonde highlights. She looked extremely tired, with bags under her eyes that almost covered up the constellation of Aries on her cheek. Her attire, a shimmery black halter top with a miniskirt, looked more akin to a party than a study group. What the hell is she doing here?

The other person, Violet couldn't discern their gender. They had a sky blue pixie cut with deep brown skin and white patches. A few spots across their chest almost looked like Pisces. That must be vitiligo, Violet realised. They were wearing fairly normal clothing, and she remembered their unique skin and hair from the study group she went to.

"Another person!"

Violet was immediately called to attention as Blonde Highlights ran towards her. The other person rolled their eyes and followed.

"How long have you been here?" Vitiligo asked, cocking their head.

"I'm not sure", Violet replied nervously, adjusting her purple glasses. "I just woke up."

"Ah," Blonde Highlights said, as if that explained everything.

Vitiligo rolled their eyes again. "I'm sorry about her. I'm Penn, and this is Aria."

Blonde Highlights, Aria, waved and smiled. Violet awkwardly waved back, blushing.

"Where you at the party last night?" Aria asked, throwing the pair of silver stilettos that she was holding onto the floor. Before Violet could reply, Penn shook her head.

"I remember you from the study group. Violet, isn't it?"

Violet nodded.

Aria laughed, before wincing and rubbing her temples. "Woah! You have a great memory!"

Slowly, Aria staggered away towards another door. Penn giggled, jokingly. "She got a massive hangover from the party last night."

Violet still didn't know anything about a party, but she decided to keep quiet.

"In case you're wondering, apparently there was a massive party last night. I have been up for hours looking for people, and I only found Aria about ten minutes ago. She woke up with her face on a desk, so I'm sure that waking up in here is better than that."

Violet smiled, though she was beginning to get a headache. She may as well have had a hangover, as she was experiencing major withdrawal from... never mind. She felt empty.

Both Violet and Penn turned to watch as Aria struggled back into the room with a glass of water in hand. There was an awkward silence for a moment as she sat next to Penn and Violet, drinking her water surreptitiously.

Violet's ears perked up at the hint of a light thud, thud, thud coming from a few rooms away. Penn and Aria gazed at her wide-eyed and she knew they had heard as well.