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"Tell me you got his name!"

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I DIDN'T KNOW what time Daya arrived last night, but I knew it couldn't have been early. I had awoken at least twice in that span to an empty bed across from me. Not counting early this morning. However, when I returned from the showers, she was already dressed and doing her hair.

Deciding not to think too much about it, I decided to focus on Claire who had accompanied me to the showers and reminded me to be ready in twenty minutes. I wanted to be ready on time.

"Good morning," she greeted laying her brush down on the table as she turned around to face me.

I offered a polite nod accompanied by a small smile as she moved to the mirror, checking her light makeup.

"Claire's accompanying you right?"

I glanced over at her, nodding whilst opening my wardrobe.

"Good. Classes begin at seven, don't be late," she muttered, grabbing her keys and her bag.

My eyes followed her figure as she left and I sighed in relief, now able to fully change.

The uniform was the easy part, but my hair was a jungle. Pulling a brush out I managed to pull it up in a bunny tail, just in time for Claire, who knocked once before opening the door.

"Are you ready?" she squeaked peeping in.

Yes, I realized privacy was not her strong suit but I grinned nodding, grabbed my bag and my keys, and practically skipped to the door.

Here goes nothing.

***********

"You know, this seems clever when you first look at it but when you look up close," Claire mumbled moving closer to the bulletin board, "you really can't understand a thing!" She huffed, "All I see is gibberish."

We both stared at the master classes' bulletin board. According to our schedule, we were supposed to be in classroom ZA.

"What sort of a classroom name is Za?" Claire whined and I couldn't help but agree with her. I was the last person who would know anything about 'school' as I was home-schooled all my life but right now, I wished it could have just been numbered.

Confusion was not needed right now.

The halls in the Crown were bustling with life as students lounged around, probably already knowing their perspective classrooms while we stood there looking at the map cluelessly and aimlessly.

I jotted down something in my notebook handing it to her. She looked up, eyes roaming around.

"Yes, we should ask someone," she repeated under her breath.

"Her!" she pointed to a random girl in the hallway, "she looks friendly, right?" she didn't wait for an answer, but if I had, I would have said, 'You can't even see her face,' as her back was turned toward us.

"C'mon!"

She pulled me along with her and I realized, this would be happening a lot. I had to get used to being pulled and pushed, a huge contrast from being handled like an antique.

"Excuse me," Claire began, quite breathlessly and I glanced over the short distance we had covered. Man, she was out of shape.

The girl turned slightly, from the conversation she was having with her friend, and at this point, I realized she did not look friendly at all. Both of them looked at us weirdly as Claire asked where we could find the classroom on her schedule, handing it to her.

I took this time to study them both as best as I could, my gaze unleashed.

The one to whom we were speaking was quite pretty, with her short hair that curled up to a nice bob and her freckled face. The other one had cut her hair bald, though it hadn't taken away from any of her feminine features. My eyes trailed down to her hands-

I stared in confusion at the sight of green scales that were lined, instead of skin, her nails, a human-animal hybrid form of claws. To say I was stuck staring in horror was an understatement.

"Didn't your mother teach you not to stare?" she suddenly spat, as my eyes snapped to hers that had taken the shade of a deeper green, irises mimicking slits, identical to that of a reptile.

I took a step back in shock at the sudden change. I had heard of the converts who had changed physically but I had never seen one in real life and up so close.

"Ari," the girl we were speaking to said, her hand on her friend's arm, "their new here, cut them some slack," she hummed, handing over the schedule to Claire, "your class is on the second floor," she replied with a shallow smirk, just as a bell rang.

"Saved by the fucking bell," Ari muttered as they left us standing there.  We watched everyone enter into classes. I was still glued to my spot, trying to recover.

"W-we should go," Claire stated after watching them leave.

I found a passing breath, allowing me to nod as we walked down the hallway, moving up the stairs.

"I've never seen one before either, it is rare," she whispered lowly as we walked. I glanced at her momentarily as she continued, "One that was physically Converted, that is" she added as if to make sure we were on the same page.

I nodded unanimously.

"Must have been hard for her, it's hard to keep that sort of thing from the government. As long as anyone sees you, they'd report it," she added, keeping her voice low.

We turned to the second floor, the halls quiet and lifeless. We exchanged glances as Claire motioned for us to move forward.

Glancing carefully at each door we checked for any named ZA, but our search turned up inconclusive as we waddled our way down the curve.

After we reached the end of the hallway, checking the last door, Claire groaned, "Dang it! They said the second floor!" she frowned walking further into the hallway in frustration.

I shrugged breathing out also a little disappointed, leaning against the wall.

Claire run a hand through her straight hair,

"M-maybe we should check again, we might have missed it," she huffed.

I raised an eyebrow at her. We double-checked each door as we went. ZA was definitely not on this floor, and it was a long walk, we literally half-circled the building. Curse the Crown in all its magnificent beauty.

"You're right, it's not here," she muttered, "They must have sent us on a wild goose chase."

She was probably right, not that I blamed them. I mean I did blame them; I was exhausted and I hadn't even been to class yet. Imagine walking into your first day of class physically drained, it wasn't particularly ideal.

"I could have sworn I saw her smirk," Claire mumbled. I nodded in reply as she leaned against the wall beside me, closing her eyes, "So... then we're lost."

Indeed.

I was about to close my eyes and wallow in our stupidity when I caught a movement coming from the stairs. I opened my eyes wider, as a steady form walked toward us. I momentarily spotted what seemed like another shadow behind him.

My heart hammered against my chest, eyebrows weeding together, believing my eyes were playing tricks on me. He walked like he commanded the room, well hallway, yet darkness seemed to follow. A sort of shadow that wasn't technically seen, but I couldn't exactly explain how I felt it was there.

His dark hair tumbled over his face, standing at a perfect height, and blue eyes that seemed to have the power to turn any soul to ice, glimmering in the stray ray of sunshine. My breathing sharpened as he approached, eyes straight ahead, not seeming to notice either one of us.

I nudged Claire and she opened her eyes, about to ask something when her eyes saw what I saw, condemning her to the silence. Her shallow breaths were the only thing that convinced me she was still alive.

He passed us by still not bothering for our concern, long strides that meant he didn't see or bother to acknowledge our presence. I tugged Claire handing her the book I had just jotted something in, rather forcibly as her attention didn't seem to shift. Her shaky hands grasped it, reading over the words,

"Me?!" she whispered harshly, finally turning to me, "No way! Why don't you ask him?!" she whisper-squealed. I gave her a look, and her jaw dropped.

"Oh. Right..." her voice was shaky as she looked at his retreating form.

Thank heavens the halls were long, or he would have disappeared seconds ago. She turned as if to approach him when she suddenly spun back.

"I can't," she panicked turning back around. I took hold of her arm, prodding her forward but she kept shaking her head profusely, "w-we will find someone else," she huffed, her tone far from reassuring.

I frowned, knowing everyone else was in class. Pushing her forward, I shut my eyes at the action I would do next. It was a tactic my mother did whenever I refused to take a bath or any other activity when I was younger.

I shall not disclose if it still happens.

With a swing of my hand, I spanked her butt... hard.

As unladylike as it was, if Mother could do it, then so could I. I am my mother's daughter after all, and besides...it worked.

"EXCUSE ME!!" she yelled, spinning around to look at me in shock, her eyes wide, and one hand on her butt.

I grinned in ultimate victory, as she slapped her mouth shut realizing what she had just done but the damage had been done. She spun around as I looked up to see the boy who had stopped in the middle of the hallway.

He turned slowly, and the minute of victory I had shattered, my eyes finding their way to the floor.

Honestly, I couldn't even tell if he was looking at me at this moment but something about his gaze made it feel like he could turn you to ash if he so wished. I was more than glad when Claire spoke up, even if it was a broken stutter.

"Uhm..., uh.... s-sorry," she squeaked.

She glanced at me but honestly, I could have been of no help apart from the subtle 'go on' nod I gave her.

Truthfully speaking, I had never been happier being unable to speak at that moment. Problems like this were easily avoided. She took a timid step forward, braver than I had ever been.

"W-we uh..." her voice was a blubbery mess, "n-new h-here and..." she trailed off her voice disappearing into nothingness.  After a moment of silence, I looked up to see her frozen, his eyes strained on her and I didn't blame her one bit for freezing. I honestly was extremely proud when she blurted out one word after an evident gulp.

"ZA!"

I bit my lip, cringing immensely my gaze crashing to the floor. In her defense, I'm pretty sure it wasn't meant to come out that loud or sound like a bleating goat.

Maybe we should have let him walk away.

"ZA," he repeated, raising one of his dark eyebrows. His volcanic tone came out clear and stable. Not asking, but plainly stating. His accent was thick on that single word, yet I hadn't the slightest idea where he could have come from.

Clair held out the piece of paper unable to do anything more. I was proud yet internally cringing at the same time because her hands were visibly quaking like an avalanche.

However, I was not one to judge as I had kept a safe distance away from him, staring at the floor whenever his gaze lingered away from Claire, lest I become a blabbering Zombie.

And this, dear Claire, is another reason why I didn't do boys.

He sighed as if slightly annoyed, taking quick strides toward us, probably realizing we had no intention of ever moving. He stopped before Claire took the paper, and glanced over it. This was the only time I had the chance to take in his features. His pretty features.

Dark blue eyes, ash hair, firm jawline-

He looked up and caught my gaze, my heart thudding tremendously, and like the dead body in the toilets, I couldn't look away. He held my gaze as if a trophy, refusing to let go.

"Z. A," He clarified, separating the letters.

He was dark.

"3rd floor, first door to the left,"

He was English.

"You can't miss it," his gaze fell back to Claire allowing me to take a much-needed breath, handing her the paper, before storming off, disappearing around the curve. Claire turned around, my current reaction, mirrored in her eyes.

"Tell me you got his name!" She whispered; eyes wide.

I looked at her like she hadn't just been through the same thing as I had. How would I have asked his name? We could barely speak a proper sentence or write one.

"His uh...his..." she touched the bridge of her nose as if trying to get the words out, "Name-tag?" she added quickly, her voice still trippy.

I looked at my book, jotting down with shaky hands, my handwriting suddenly resembling that of a 6-year-old.

'I couldn't get past his eyes.'

Claire swallowed, grabbing my arm, sending her shakes through me, her voice dry and bare.

"Neither could I. I kept thinking he would steal my soul."

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I hope you enjoyed the update! Leave a comment on your thoughts on the chapter, vote to boost the book if you're enjoying it! Feel free to leave me a comment or a question on my discord channel, (link in bio)

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