Will POV

My foot tapped on the carpeted floor impatiently, the scuffed toe of the leather boot hitting its mark steadily, the noise muffled by thick velvet.

I puff out air I didn't know I had been holding when Sam creaked open the thick wooden door of the headmistress's office.

"What took you so damn long?" I hiss, but Samantha just rolls her eyes, "The bell's about to go, you dumbass."

"Calm your baps, little brother. We have plenty of time left. Chill," Sam pulls her tangled hair into a ponytail with the green scrunchy around her wrist.

"Yeah, cus thirty seconds is plenty of time, Miss High and Mighty," I huff. As if on cue, the bell tower chimes in the distance, confirming that it was now one in the afternoon. I gesture in its general direction, accentuating my point as we quickly scuttle away from the office and down the main stairs as wooden chairs scrape against floors and students chatter increases to decibel level as we head to the dining hall.

"Did you get it at least?" I whisper under my breath after a teacher passes us, their elves cloak spreading out behind them.

"Yup," Sam says, patting her jacket pocket, "If I didn't, that whole escapade would have been a waste of my precious time. And food."

I roll my eyes and cross my arms while we walk towards the dining hall, students now flowing at a steady stream to the biggest hall in The Academy.

"Ugh- the queue better be short. It's chip day. Well, everyday's chip day, you know what I mean. I'm hungry- I mean starving- " I whack Sam's arm.

"Quit natterin' for Pete's sake, you talk like a parrot on drugs. You and Naomi both," I pull in a breath of air as my sister rubs her arm and glares at me, before her short attention span is diverted.

"Speak of the devil, and it'll arrive in pink," I mutter angrily as Naomi struts towards us, Ashlyn hanging of her arm. I follow her movements, the longing gaze of her eyes as they look towards the dining hall as she whispers something viciously into Naomi's ear.

"Yeah, yeah, we'll get you your food, honeybunch." Naomi pats Ashlyn's hand in a friendly manner while we walk towards them. I trail behind Sam slightly, not willing to look Ashlyn in the eye. For more than one reason.

I see Cade trailing behind the two girls, gazing around himself, looking more than slightly lost. I weave my way towards him, avoiding collisions with rushing students.

"Hhiiiii Cade, you okay?" I tap his shoulder and he jumps slightly, turning more to face me.

"Uhh... Yeah, I'm fine, it's just all so... strange.. ya know?" His voice is quiet, not what I'm used to, but after what we've all been through, I can understand. I try to change the subject.

"Sometimes I wish multiple births weren't so common in the shifter world. Sam annoys the hell out of me sometimes," I nod my head towards her, where's she's chattering again with Naomi and Caden's sister.

"I- I don't really mind It, to be honest, I mean, I just saw my twin after so long and I.. I just took it for granted before I suppose," Cade seems to curl in on himself and I feel a dark guilt wash over me as I run my hand through my hair awkwardly.

"Hey, do you want to get a burger or something? Everyday's chip day here.."

Ash POV

After a few days of The Academy, things seem to have calmed down a fair bit, gossip wise. Cade isn't as closed and drawn in as he was when we arrived a few nights ago.

Will still avoids eye contact with me, but I try not to let it bother me. Even though the beast inside clawsat me when I don't speak to him.

I sigh and look at the ceiling. It's the middle of the night and Sam and Naomi are snoring on either side of me. Thoughts are running through my mind, the most recent problem dominating my thoughts.

I slip out from underneath my warm covers and shrug on a jumper and flip flops before making my way across the room and slowly pulling open the door. It creaks. Flip that was loud. I pause, holding my breath. One of the girls shuffled in bed before resuming their hippo singing rehearsals.

I let the door slide closed behind me before sneaking my way down the staircase of the tower, passing many levels, balconies and dorm rooms as I go.

My feet touch carpet as I reach the first floor balcony that wraps around the entrance hall. It's empty, which is what you would expect at two o clock in the morning. The vampires were at the other side of the school or hunting in the forest.

Water, coffin, red, blood, blonde, savior, angel, chaos.

There's a small side door behind a pillar near the main entrance and I click open the lock before heading outside towards the path down to the beach.

Once I feel the sand beneath my feet and slipping into my flip-flops, I hurry my way to the water, the tide being high at this time so I didn't have to walk long.

Considering what time of year it was, the water feels relatively mild as the shimmering blue liquid laps at my toes. I wade my way in until the water rises to just below my knees.

I breath in and out steadily, feeling my self go to mindlessness and let my brain empty itself.

My feet tingle, spreading towards my calves and I gaze down absentmidedly.

Water, coffin, red, blood, blonde, savior, angel, chaos.

Silky strings of what looks like liquid pool out from my feet in hues of gold and turquoise as scales fuse my ankles together. I watch them crawl on my skin in fascination.

Water, coffin, red, blood, blonde, savior, angel, chaos.

"No," I whisper as I rip my legs apart quickly, the scales and fins disappearing instantly.

I rub my feet off on my pyjama bottoms one at a time before slipping them back into my sandals, which are just at the edge of the water. I shiver slightly as the wind whips in my face, blowing my hair around my head, pulling it loose form the messy bun I had pulled it into before leaving our dorm room.

No one could know about this. It's the second time I've come down here after my first day back.

Naomi and Sam had wanted to go down to the beach, and we all agreed. It had still been light outside, the evenings getting lighter as the months crept towards the summer.

We had splashed about as you do on the beach, but as soon as I had stepped into the salt water, I had felt that tingly burning that came with a shift, and had stepped out of the water immediately, but not fast enough to see what had been spreading along my body.

No one had seemed to notice my hasty departure from the water, except Will, who just quickly looked away again after giving me a weird look. He knew something was up, anyway.

I try to control my salt-curled hair as my flip flops slap across the dirt path on the way back to school. I go back the way I had came, falling back into bed surrounded by snores.

I hadn't noticed the flicker of a shadow being me in the entrance hall. If I had, I would have had a fair idea of who it was.