TWO WEEKS INTO Bridewater College and I rather thought I'd already gotten the hang of it. Every day felt the same, except for the occasional deviance from the regular schedule. Some people found it boring, I found it comforting. I'd always strived in structure.

Lower Fifth wasn't meant to be a stressful year. You didn't get your Junior Certificate of Magic exams until next year, and nothing you did really mattered. At least that's what everyone kept telling me whenever I put any more than minimum effort into schoolwork, but oh well.

After prep time ended at eight o'clock, my roommates always immediately filed out of our shared room. I heard that the place to be on campus was the sports field at the back of the school, but I have no interest in heading there.

If I had my choice, I'd stay here for the rest of the night, enjoying the brief reprieve from the business and overly-social life I know shared here. But Adelina Roche, my housemate and fellow new student, had insisted I join her and meet some of her friends. For the sake of it, I'd invited Luo Yunji as well. Yunji was another of the new friends I'd made, also an international full boarder from China. Though she hailed from Shanghai, and I was from Hong Kong.

Yunji was my escape tactic. Should anything go wrong, I'd just stick with her for the rest of the night.

I pushed my chair away from my table. Casting a quick spell with a flick of my fingers, my phone flew across the room from my bed and into my hands. A basic practical spell that lets me summon small objects. My parents had always insisted I did not rely too heavily on magic, but sometimes it was just far more convenient.

I'd forgotten to shut my wardrobe doors too. So I swiped my fingers in the air, purple aura crackling on my fingertips, and the wardrobe door slammed shut. I winced at the sound, but didn't stop as I pulled the door of the room open and stepped out, quickly putting on my leather jacket.

September, and it already felt cold. Too used to the heat of the Hong Kong weather, I supposed. The cool September air was expected but still surprising. I stopped by Yunji's room first, knocking on the door.

The door swung open a moment later. Yunji had tied her hair up into a high ponytail sometime in the past hour, her dark eyes smiling as she regarded me. "Ready to go?"

"You're awfully excited for someone who most definitely already knows all the people we're meeting."

Yunji pursed her lips. "I'm not close with anyone, you know. Like, outside of house or the other full boarding students. Not even them, really."

"You could spend less time in front of the piano or violin."

Yunji shook her head. "It's going to be difficult for me to fit in now. Major mistake I made last year. Oh well. I suppose it's not completely too late for me right now. Can still give it a try."

"It's funny to know that you're the one who's been here since Fourth Form rather than me and Adelina."

"Oh, shush," Yunji growled. "Come on, let's go, let's not keep Adelina waiting."

I shrugged in reply. "If there's anything I've learnt about Adelina Roche in the past two weeks, it's that she's always late. Don't worry, take your time."

"I'm ready to go," Yunji shrugged, shaking her phone in her hand. "Come on, let's go downstairs and find her."

So we did. My dorm was on the top floor of Lok House, a three-person dorm room that I shared with two weekly boarders. Yunji lived right below me, in a two-person dorm, and Adelina resided in another three-person dorm on the first floor. We tended to gather there, since Yunji's was too small and mine was too far away. For them anyways. Me, I enjoyed the peace and quiet. My roommates rarely returned to the room except at night, finding the stairs too much of a hassle.

I can be sociable when needed, but I always needed my peace and quiet at the end of the day. The room suited me perfectly, and I'm willing to kiss Miss Royce's boots for her to keep me there for the rest of the year.

Adelina was, as I predicted, not ready. When we pushed open her door, she was sitting on her bed, and one of her roommates, Ella, was sitting cross-legged on the floor. Clearly the two had been chatting for the past while. Adelina's eyes flickered over to us, and instantly her expression morphed. "Fuck," she hissed. "I completely forgot."

I sighed, glancing at my phone. "You have... two minutes?"

Immediately Adelina jumped off her bed, and Ella watched, baffled, a small smile on her face. "What's this about?" the blonde asked, glancing over at us.

"Adelina says she wants to bring us to meet a couple of her old friends," I explained, lifting my shoulder in a shrug. "And, well, seems like she forgot."

"Shut it," Adelina huffed. The girl yanked off the rubber band holding her hair in a loose bun, shaking it so the locks cascaded onto her shoulder. She adjusted her black tank top, quickly checking her reflection in the mirror—flawless, as always.

Adelina rarely didn't look perfect. Even when knee deep in Advanced Combat class, completely drowsed with sweat, she could still look completely and utterly flawless. It was a talent, I've long decided.

I tugged at the scrunchie on my wrist. "Come on, come on, it takes a whole two or three minutes to get to the cafe." The destination tonight was the student cafe at the bottom of the Klairns Building, where most of our classrooms were. The cafe was technically closed after five o'clock, but it was still regularly used as a place of gathering, since the common rooms of each house were usually too cramped and inconvenient for students of different houses to meet up in.

And since the cafe was in the Klairns Building, it had been very fitly named the Klairns Cafe.

"Coming, coming, coming," Adelina stumbled out of the room as she pulled her shoes on, glancing at her phone. "My god, he's going to kill me."

"You know," Yunji said politely, "you've never told us who exactly we're meeting. Honoria might not know who they are, but I certainly will."

Adelina shrugged. "All I know is that James will be there. And he says he'll bring his friends. Not sure who they are, though."

Yunji deadpanned, "There's at least five James in our year."

"Withington," Adelina said. "James Withington."

Yunji's jaw practically dropped onto the ground. "You're friends with James Withington?"

"Childhood friends, yes," Adelina grumbled with a nod, "if you could count us as friends. We hate each other. But our parents are best friends, so we had no choice but to put up with each other's presence every day."

"You grew up with James Withington?" Yunji demanded. "And you never told anyone?"

Adelina blinked. "Is that that big of a deal? You're friends?"

"No, no," Yunji immediately explained. "But James is like... the most popular boy in our year, probably. Everyone knows or knows of him."

Adelina shrugged. "Well, I'm not surprised. He'd always seemed like he'd grow up to become that kind of boy."

"Well, now I'm curious," I murmured. "He's in Wadsworth House, isn't he? He's in a couple of my classes. But if you've known him for so long... why now?"

"Well," Adelina said impatiently as she pushed the doors of the house open, letting in a gust of wind, "I never said we got along, did I? Quite the opposite. Couldn't agree on how to do this. Our parents wanted us to 'meet up and chat about life', but neither of us wanted to do it alone. So I guess it's a group effort now. But really, you're all just there to act as a buffer."

I said, dryly, "I feel very safe and appreciated now, Adelina."

"You won't get hurt." Adelina twirled around, offering a little grin. "Promise."

"Well, then, hurry up," Yunji said, who seemed far more enthusiastic now than she was before. "We don't want to be late. You don't want James to have something to be angry at you for, do you?"

Clever move, because Adelina almost immediately broke into a small sprint. I let out a snort, casting Yunji a glance before speeding up as well. We passed by the other girls' dorm house, Sorren House, and took a turn to the doors of the Klairns Cafe. There weren't a lot of people, and only a few tables were occupied. Adelina pushed the door open and we stepped in behind her. She took a glance around before her eyes fixed on a group in the corner. Five boys. Only one I really knew.

"Is that Sebastian Hong?" I asked, incredulous. "Isn't he in Aesir House?"

"My dear Honoria," Yunji said, her eyes rolling. "People of different houses can be friends, you know?"

"Yeah, but... you know what? Never mind." We trailed behind Adelina as she sauntered towards the table, arms crossed.

She looked like she was about to kill someone. And that was how I knew this rivalry was real.

James Withington was blonde, fair-skinned with ocean blue eyes that locked onto Adelina before quickly scanning the two of us behind him. He offered a nod as we neared. "Adelina. Yunji, it's great to see you here... and I'm afraid I don't know your name."

Fair enough. I opened my mouth to answer, but Sebastian beat me to it. "That's Honoria Song," he explained. "She's new this year. Also from Hong Kong."

"You Hong Kongers," Yunji sighed. "You outnumber us so."

"Get used to it, Yunji," Seb smirked. "Over here, you're the minority."

"The minority of the minority," I commented softly. "My god that's depressing."

Adelina cleared her throat. "Right. We're here now, you rat-arsed bastard. As you requested."

Yunji's eyes snapped to Adelina. "Language! My god, Adelina, can't believe I thought you were an elegant and well-spoken person when I first met you."

Adelina waved her hand in the air. "Well, I'm very clearly not. That's the opposite of what I am, my dear Yunji, I'm sure you've figured it out by now."

"Adelina is anything but elegant and well-spoken," James agreed, nodding. "I realised this when I was two and she pulled the head of my action figure."

"Nice job," I said admiringly, turning to Adelina. "Wish I had done that with my cousin somedays, honestly."

"Not nice job, Honoria," James huffed. "That was my favourite action figure."

I raised one brow. "Does it matter? It's the message that counts, not what was actually done. I'm sure you were too scared to mess with her for a little while after that."

"I was," James said ruefully. "But only a little while, and because I was so young."

"We believe you," one of his friends laughed. "We totally believe you."

"Yeah, James," Sebastian sniggered. "Absolutely."

James scowled at his friends. A small smile crossed my face. I liked the vibe of this group. The light banter, the friendly fire. I'd studied at an all girls' school all my life before coming to Bridewater, and the competitiveness of it meant I had very few close friends. This was... a welcomed change.

"James," Adelina said, her voice tight, "won't you introduce us to your friends?"

"Oh, right," James turned backwards to gesture to them one by one. "Well, you all seem to know Sebastian here. This is Clark—" Clark was a dark blonde, brown eyed boy with a smug smile "—and this Tom—" a chestnut haired boy with grey eyes waved "—and this is Victor." Victor had light brown hair with brown eyes. "Clark and Tom are in Wadsworth with me, but both Victor and Seb are from Aesir House."

"We're all in Lok House," Adelina said, though I was quite sure they already knew that.

"Tough luck," Clark said sympathetically. "The Lok girls... not the best reputation. I'm sure Yunji can tell you why."

Yunji sighed. "It's a long and painful story, but I'm sure you two have already noticed it by now." I had. Compared to the girls in Sorren House, most people tended to... look down on the girls in my house, at least those in my year. People liked the presence of the Sorren girls far more, while we were mostly cast in a negative light. Not me precisely, but most of the other girls.

I didn't mind it much. The girls in my house didn't seem to either. In fact, they seemed to revere in it more often than not.

"I have," I said, one brow raised. "They're all nice people, though."

Clark shrugged. "Highly debatable."

"Ignore him," Seb said, snapping his fingers. "Man here did not have the best experience with a specific Lok girl last year, you see. Still brooding over it, my man? She's moved on, you should too."

Clark just glowered.

I went through my head at all the gossip I'd picked up in the past two weeks. After lights out, my roommates liked to stay up and chat, and when I wasn't tired I'd listen. Clark... Clark... Clark Ford.

I let out a little snort. "Wait, you're Queenie's ex?"

Now Clark directed his glare at me. "She told you?"

"No, no, Lucy and Kate told me. I room with them, and they talk."

"Too much," Tom muttered under his breath.

Adelina slanted him a look. "They're nice."

"Nice, but they talk too much," Tom said, flashing a toothy smile. "Am I wrong?"

"I like it," I argued stubbornly. "Makes life interesting. Brings some joy, you know."

"Whatever you want to put it as," Tom said, throwing his head back. "After what Queenie did to Clark last year..."

"I've heard," I said, nodding. "My sympathies, Clark."

Withington waved his hand in the air. "My god, people, we didn't come here to argue about houses. Our parents wanted us to socialise. We're socialising, Adelina, aren't we?"

"Yes we are," Adelina agreed. "Ought we take a picture to commemorate this moment and serve as proof to our dear papas and mamas?"

"We most definitely should," Withington nodded.

Yunji choked on laughter. "My god, this is the most stupid thing I've done in my life."

"Get used to it," Seb snorted. "This happens a lot around this bunch."

He was saying it like we'd become the best of friends, would hang out together all the time. How optimistic of him. He highly underestimated me and Yunji's tendency to keep to ourselves, something I was trying to change, but really I just couldn't find the energy to keep up with a lot of the people here.

They thrived in groups. Actively sought out the noise and company. I didn't. It had been one of the main problems I'd thought about when I was discussing with my parents over whether or not I should come here. I'd get little privacy, little peace.

"One should never get used to stupidity," I said slowly, "because that means you'd get dumber as well."

"Diu," Seb laughed, swearing in Cantonese. "Don't be like that."

"I'm just being honest," I said, a small smile on my face as I slowly sat down on the arm of the sofa. "So, do you guys still need to take that picture or what?"

"Yes, yes." Adelina raised her phone, quickly snapping a selfie of all of them. "I'm sending that to my mum. James? Do you need one yourself?"

"Done," James said, raising his phone to snap a picture of Adelina. "That's all they need. Too much and it'd seem faked. Or scripted."

"You'd have to socialise for it to be scripted," I pointed out.

"True," he said thoughtfully. "But no. I'm too tired to explain that to my parents."

Adelina said, "We're meeting up for dinner this Friday, didn't your parents tell you?"

"They did," James nodded. "To my eternal chagrin."

"You think I want to go?" Adelina demanded, crossing her arms. "I'd rather eat my own foot."

"Let's not do that," Victor sighed. "Please, god no. I don't need that image in my head now."

"No one wants that," James agreed. "So let's not say that, Lina, yes?"

"Do not call me that."

"Lina—" Yunji started in a singsong voice, but Adelina immediately whisked her head around, pinning her with a firm glare. Yunji clamped her mouth shut. "It's a cute nickname."

"See?" James asked, raising his hands. "It's cute! Very befitting for you, my demonic friend."

There was a moment of silence as everyone stared at Adelina, awaiting her reaction. From where I sat, I could clearly see Adelina gritting her teeth, eyes furiously darting among the group. Her fists were clenched, until she finally sucked in a deep breath and said, "Whatever. I don't give a fuck anymore. Call me Lina all you want."

"Aww, are you angry, Adelina?"

"And now we're back to my proper name?" Adelina grunted. "You need Jesus, James Withington."

James just combed his fingers through his silky golden locks. "Already got his help, didn't really do much, as you can clearly see. I'm still the exact same as I was before, and I love me this way."

"Narcissist," Adelina hissed.

"Confidence," James said with a proud smile. "It's called confidence, my dear."

"No, it's definitely just narcissism," Victor deadpanned. "You're the most self-absorbed person I've ever met in my whole life."

"That is so not true."

"It is," Sebastian said with a sad nod. "You are, James."

"Okay," James said with a look of disgust. "This conversation is over."

"Aww," Adelina pouted, "but we were having so much fun!"

"You were, I wasn't," James replied.

I said, one brow raised, "That doesn't seem very fair, does it? You're the minority. We're the majority. What we say overrides yours."

James turned towards me, a look of pain on his face. "I thought we were friends, Honoria."

"Are we?" I asked gently. "We just met, James Withington. I wouldn't say we're necessarily friends yet."

"I say we are," James said, raising his head. "And since we're the only two people who can actually decide this, it's fifty fifty."

"Tied. Still doesn't mean we're friends. Acquaintances at best."

James lowered his head. "You wound me. You truly wound me."

Yunji said, "Are we meant to feel bad for you? Because it's not working, you know?"

James casted a glare in her direction. "This was planned, wasn't it? All of you planned this to bully me."

"No, no," Yunji said, clearly very pleased with herself. "We're just backing Adelina up here. Girls must help girls, you know?"

"In bullying me?" James asked in disbelief.

"Well, that's not an exact rule, precisely, but we can make it so?" I asked, one brow raised, flexing my fingers.

"This is abuse," Seb huffed. "Not that I'm against it. James needs some good bashing every once in a while."

"This is betrayal of the highest degree," James said bitterly. "We're friends no longer, Sebastian Hong."

Seb just shrugged in reply. "You're lying and we both know it. What would you even do without me, bro?"

"A lot of things?" James asked incredulously.

"Nuh-uh," Tom said, shaking his head. "You need us, bro. We're partners, we're a team."

"I do not need you false friends," James hissed. "Traitors, every single one of you. See a bunch of pretty girls and now you're all against me."

"Aww," Adelina grinned, "you think we're pretty? You think I'm pretty?"

James seemed to finally get what he had just said, slowly and angrily turning his head to face her. "I despise you, Adelina Roche."

"Yeah, but you think I'm pretty." She flashed a little grin. "Isn't that right?" she asked, punctuating the question with a quick flip of her light brown hair.

James glowered. "I should have never said that. Now your ego is fed. And I'm the narcissistic one?"

"You're both cut from the same cloth," I hummed. "Made of the same stuff, I swear."

"Made for each other," Victor said, offering a smile that showed teeth. "Completely and utterly made for each other. Same narcissism, same ego, same exuberance."

"Do not liken us," Adelina warned, "and if I hear you people start shipping me and him of all people, blood will be shed."

"You wound me, Lina, you hurt me so much."

I coughed. "Dear god almighty."

Seb turned his gaze to me and smiled. "Get used to it, Honoria. We're all crazy around here. It was difficult for me to get used to it at first too, but I adapted. You will, too."

"Or you won't," Yunji said, "and you'll become like me." There was something bitter in her expression and voice. "A social pariah."

"You are not a social pariah," James scolded. "Don't think of yourself as that."

"Well, I'm irrelevant, at the least."

"I'm not sure you want to be relevant," Clark said. "I mean, I'm relevant. Because Queenie cheated on me with god knows how many people."

I shook my head. "You were all thirteen. We're only fourteen right now. Why is anyone even dating in the first place?" Back home, in Hong Kong, I'd never seen anything like this. And though it could just be because I studied at a girls' school, I swore there wouldn't be as many couples as this even in a co-educational school. Of all the things I could have gotten culture shock from, it was this."

Seb was the one who answered. "It's like this around here. Much more free and open than home, I think."

"I mean, hell, just imagine what's happening on the sports ground right now." Yunji wrinkled her nose. "I'm getting some water, anyone want some?" There was a water machine at the side of the cafe.

I raised my hand. "Get me some, please."

Seb asked for water too, as did Victor. I'd forgotten to drink some water before coming here, and I was beginning to get rather thirsty. I felt dehydrated, at any rate. One of the things I'd promised to do when coming here was to take better care of my skin, and water was meant to help with that.

I wondered if I ought to figure out some enchantment to remind myself to drink water regularly. Phones were confiscated during school hours, so I couldn't do it there. Perhaps I could set it on my tablet instead? I wasn't sure there was a spell for regular reminders. If there was, I hadn't learnt it yet.

Yunji went off to get the water we'd requested, and a new discussion started merrily and quickly. I let myself relax, let myself fit in. They all seemed like trustworthy people. Clark, despite his clear prejudices against the girls of my house—and, well, Queenie did cheat on him with a lot of people—was still pleasant to talk to. And they were all handsome. That was a plus, though I had absolutely no interest in dating at this point in my life.

(It was just soothing to the eye, that's all.)