You spun around.

Sitting on the bench under the gazebo was a boy with violet hair and the bluest eyes you had ever seen. He was leaning on his wrist, staring at you with a tilt of the head. But it wasn't the hair or the eyes that caught your attention the most. It was his uniform. His black uniform.

"Who are you?" You asked, not sure you'd get a straight answer from this guy.

"I'm Avery..." He said.

You looked past him to where you thought Simone had run, but there was no one there. Just castle walls low enough to see the edge of the lake. 

"Have you seen anyone go by here?" You asked, walking up to him. "A girl about my height, with black hair."

The boy smiled as wide as the cheshire cat and simply peered at you through hooded lids.

"I might have," He said. "I might not have."

You raised your eyebrows at how unhelpful he was being.

"You look like the lost one here." He said slowly. 

"I'm serious." You said, crossing your arms.

"Nice to meet you, Serious." He replied, standing up. He held one hand behind his back and extended one to you, to shake it.

You sighed.

"Y/n." You told him your name. 

When you gave him your hand, he swiftly raised it and gave it a soft kiss. But his eyes didn't leave yours.

"Nice to meet you then, y/n." He said happily, letting go.

You didn't know how to react, but you suspected there were a lot of rich, or foreign students here. You just hoped he didn't see you blushing.

"Well, I should- go- and they're giving a tour-" you stuttered to break the silence.

"You're new." He said. "And you have classes just after noon, don't you?"

You nodded. He suddenly placed a casual arm over your shoulder and began walking.

"I know the school better than any second year, that's a guarantee," He said. "If you want, I could even give you a tour of the night class."

His voice was like silk. The rest of the second years were already in the castle somewhere. Even if you wanted to catch up with them, how would you find them?

"Or I could help you find your group," He said, as if arriving at the same thought. "Just as long as they don't see me."

You stopped walking. But he didn't take his arm off you.

"You're not supposed to be here, are you?" You asked him even though you already knew.

He rolled his eyes playfully.

"Not exactly." said Avery. His blue eyes darkened suggestively. "But I hear you were the reason Bel wasn't where he was supposed to be. So it sounds like nobody is where they're supposed to be."

"What's it like in the night class?" You asked. He began walking again. Wait, he knew about Bel?

"It's amazing. So much to learn. So much to do. We just love being busy at night and having nothing to do during the day." He said sarcastically.

"Really?"

"It's fine." He said. "There aren't as many of us are there are of you though."

You found yourself walking through the garden, surrounded by roses and other beautiful flowers. You were surprised they were in such good health, despite it being early fall.

"How many are there?" You asked.

"Enough that we'll be easily found out if we're walking around the plaza." He said.

"Wait- how did you know about Bel and last night?" You asked.

"He told me." Avery said. "All of us are quite close, in the night class. The boys at least; the girls are rather tiresome."

You chuckled at the thought, you couldn't imagine why. Avery was a wild type of handsome. But in a different way than Bel. You didn't see how someone could be so collected yet daring at the same time. Whereas Bel was so childlike. Suddenly you thought of one place you would like to visit.

"Do you know where the library is?" You asked him.

"That I do," He said, letting you go. "But I don't know if it's open today."

You looked off into the distance. You knew the library was something you definitely wanted to see. 

"I can't go through without getting my head taken off by the head of the night class." Avery explained.

"Cadere didn't seem that bad." You said. "Simone was determined to avoid him though."

Avery raised an eyebrow.

"My roommate." You clarified.

His eyes lit up with a spark. "Ah, I see... well. I wish the best of luck to you, y/n."

You don't know how or when, but suddenly he was very close to you. You remembered last night with Bel- Avery was slightly taller but he made that very apparent.

"Stay away from strangers." He said with a smirk.

"OH MY GOD!" A girl screamed. 

About three more squealed, running your way.

Avery raised an eyebrow as if to say, 'I get this all the time,' then waved goodbye as he took a few steps around the corner. His fan club came barreling down after him.

"Where did he go?!" One of them cried.

"I don't know!" Another exclaimed. "He's gone..."

What? Even you had to see.

You peered around the side of the castle he had just dipped under and they were right- in the street there was no one there except for a few students looking to see what the commotion was about and a boy with tan skin nearly buried under his books.

The girls split up, looking for Avery. You were glad they didn't turn to you.

That was weird. Were the night school boys really that popular? What was Avery even doing out in the garden... you were starting to think they were all just a bunch of trouble makers- the night students. If the girls were anything like the boys, you could see why Maurice would have a GREAT time at the night class dorm.

You sighed to yourself before deciding whether to follow your group or head to the library. Even if Avery said it might not be open today, (it being the first day and all), you decided to give it a shot. Maybe you'd run into Simone there. But at least you'd seen her- so she was fine.

Leaving the beauty of the garden behind you, you picked up the pace as you followed the way you came in and headed towards the library.

Nearby

"You look satisfied." A blonde boy said when he walked into the room. He was addressing the taller one with orange hair.

"And so do you," The one named Roman answered. "But not in the same way."

Bel shook his head and jumped over the dangerously high railing and landed next to Roman, who was lounging lazily on a regal sofa, reading an old novella. He didn't peer up from the book.

"You're telling me you went through all that trouble, and didn't get anything?" The boy snickered. "Well, I shouldn't say that. You went to town, didn't you?"

"That's right." said Bel. 

"Why?" Laughed Roman. "You had a girl right in front of you. Or was it not wanting to make a mess in front of Cadere?" 

Bel grew red in the face.

The book was snatched out of Roman's hands and ripped right in half. The pages littered the floor.

Roman rolled his eyes. He showed no emotion in the light of Bel's anger.

"It wasn't even mine." He said. "Lucian's going to be pissed."

"Well how about next time I tear apart something that is yours?" Bel snapped.

"I'm not in the mood for a fight," Roman said with a bored expression. He walked past Bel and hit his shoulder.

Bel grabbed Roman by the throat and lifted him against the wall. Considering Bel was the shortest night student, their height differences were more than a little obvious.

Roman's eyes opened wide- but not in fear.

"You smell good." The orange haired boy said to Bel.

"I- what?" Bel uttered, releasing his grip suddenly.

"I said, you smell good." Roman repeated, leaning in and smelling the blonde.

"Get away from me-" The smaller boy said, pushing him away.

"It's only one scent." Roman thought out loud. "Didn't you go to town?"

Bel patted himself down and adjusted his collar. "Yes- I already said yes- you don't have to make me feel worse."

"No. I mean, why do I only smell one human?" He asked. His orange eyes flared.

"I know," Bel said softly. "I smell it too."

Both boys turned to the door before it opened. A confidant young man brushed himself off at the entrance. 

"Avery," Said Roman. "I thought you were upstairs."

"You thought wrong." The boy said.

Bel looked crestfallen.

"Why do you smell like her?" He whispered.

"Who?" Avery smirked. "Your friend?"

Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, y/n stood where Avery was standing. She leaned over and gave him a flirty wave. Roman raised his eyebrows and Bel threw a pillow from the sofa at Avery. But Avery just caught it against his chest and turned back into his purple-haired self.

"He smells even better than you do," Roman said to Bel. 

"You're stupider than me, going out during the day like that." Bel said, crossing his arms angrily. "At least I went out at night."

Avery rolled his eyes and strolled into the room.

"What are you gonna do? Tell on me?" Avery asked with dark eyes.

Without warning, a figure in a dark cape burst into the room, sending fear across the night dorm.

Any bit of arrogance on Avery's face drained, and his face was suddenly very white.

"Cadere, I-"

Avery was backhanded across the face so hard, he flew across the room and into the wall. The paint broke and crackled as the actual wall itself was damaged beyond relief. Avery didn't look much better.

"You know better." Cadere said in a low voice. He turned his attention to Bel and Roman, any essence of amusement gone completely.

Avery slowly struggled to at least sit up. Pieces of the wall where he struck crumbled to the floor.

"And fix that with your tricks." Cadere hissed, before bringing his cape to his face and disappearing before their eyes.

Nobody said anything.

Roman stood with his hands in his pockets, afraid Cadere would come back. Bel walked over to Avery and offered his hand. Avery was reluctant to accept but Bel pulled him up onto his feet.

The two looked at the wall and the damage that had been done.

"If you think that's bad, wait until Lucian sees what you did to his book." Roman said to Bel.

"Lucian..." Bel said, "Where is he?"

"Where do you think he is?" Roman said, rolling his eyes.

Avery suddenly chuckled even though he was still in a lot of pain. The two other boys looked at him like he was crazy.

"This should be interesting." He said with a smirk.