bustling with students who weaved back and forth in search of sustenance during the dinner rush. Some carried trays overflowing with plates toward tables filled with people eating. Others waited in the long line that snaked to the entrance. The scent of freshly cooked food wafted through the air, a savory mix of spices, herbs, and grilled meats that would make anyone’s mouth water. The chattering and laughing of hungry students were accompanied by the clanging of silverware against plates and the scraping of chairs on the floor. From time to time, a tray would slip from someone’s hands and crash to the ground with an echoing clatter and the shattering of glass. Then, the dining hall would erupt in thundering applause followed by laughter.
After Celine and I made it through the herd of other students in line for food, we walked over to the sea of tables, trays in hand, and Celine’s head darted around. “Over there.” She motioned at me when she caught a glimpse of her friends.
Seated at the table were two girls and two guys that I hadn’t met yet, and Nathaniel. They were laughing and joking around, looking relaxed and at ease. Except for Nathaniel, though. He just sat there looking cool. I felt a little intimidated and out of place. It immediately hit me that I never had to go to a new school where I literally didn’t know a single person, not even in kindergarten. But I was determined to do my best to fit in. Celine must have sensed my hesitation because she grabbed my wrist and pulled me to the table.
“Everyone,” Celine announced. “This is Evangeline!” Celine pointed to each person sitting around the table. “Evangeline, this is Jessica, Sara, Alan, and Dean. Of course, you’ve already met Nathaniel.”
“Hi, Evangeline,” they said in a friendly chorus.
“Hi.” I waved shyly.
Dean stood up and pulled out the empty chair between him and Nathaniel. “Evangeline, you can sit here.”
“Thanks,” I said as I sat down.
Dean was what I imagined a California surfer dude would look like. He had golden tan skin, perfectly styled straw-blond hair, and bright blue eyes. He looked at me with a dreamy yet mischievous smile, nowhere near the grouchy mask Nathaniel had plastered on his face.
Even though Alan was sitting, I could already tell he was the tallest of the group. He had short deep brown hair that matched his soft brown eyes and a dimpled smile. I immediately noticed the warmth in his eyes toward Celine as she took the chair next to him.
“You’re Celine’s new roommate, right?” Sara asked.
I nodded.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Jessica said.
Sara and Jessica were twins, both blonde-haired and fair-skinned with bright blue eyes. Jessica had a pixie cut, and she didn’t wear makeup. The baggy athletic clothing she wore hung loosely off her slender frame. Sara had long, wavy blonde hair that hung over her shoulders. Her face was adorned with makeup that emphasized her warm blue eyes. Her lips were painted a delicate pink, and her cheeks had a rosy hue that was highlighted with a light dusting of blush. She had a feminine look that made her stand out from her sporty, more natural twin.
I felt a bit awkward at first, but as the conversation progressed, I found myself slowly growing more comfortable and relaxed. Everyone had a warm energy about them and made me feel at ease. We talked about our classes, what we did during the summer and other random topics.
“Are you going to eat that?” Dean asked and shoved his fork into the slice of pizza on Jessica’s plate before waiting for her to answer.
“Hey!” Jessica protested. “That’s mine!” Her face became cross as she tried to wrestle Dean’s fork away from her pizza.
“Watch it!” Sara warned, scooting her chair away from Jessica. “If you get something on my new shirt, I’m going to kill you both!”
“Keep it down, you guys!” Nathaniel snapped sternly.
“You’re not exactly helping either,” Celine said from across the table, though she couldn’t help smiling a little herself.
Alan sat back and watched them bicker, shaking his head. The corners of his mouth twitched as if he was barely containing a laugh of his own.
I watched them interact with each other. They teased and joked around, the usual banter that friends shared, and I felt a small tinge of envy. In high school, I mostly kept to myself, focusing on getting good grades to get into Hudson Heights, and now I was somewhere completely different. I couldn’t help but wonder if I had missed out on this, a group of friends I could easily laugh with. I smiled to myself, feeling grateful that I’d met Celine and now had another opportunity. It was a new experience for me, and I loved it.
“Why are you so smiley?” Nathaniel asked, giving me a side-eye look while everyone else was distracted.
“Nothing,” I replied quickly, caught off guard by his sudden question and by the fact he was even looking at me. “I’m just happy that I met everyone. Except you. You’re a horrible tour guide.” I grinned.
Nathaniel huffed, but I swore he was trying to hide the hint of a smile on his lips, making his crankiness even more endearing.
My adventure at Empyrean Academy had officially begun, and I couldn’t wait to discover what else this magical place had in store for me.
I awoke to Celine’s buzzing alarm clock. Once she slammed it off, the soft melodic sound of birds chirping outside the open window slowly floated into our room. Sunlight streamed in, warming my skin and filling the room as I yawned and stretched, slowly waking from a restless sleep.
Two weeks had passed since I arrived at Empyrean Academy, and I found myself finally settling into a routine in this strange new world. With a sigh, I dragged myself out of bed and rummaged through my closet for my school uniform. Today would be like any other day at the academy: classes, lectures, and homework. Like any other college, first-year students were required to take a set of general education courses. Mine included literature, math, economics, and natural sciences. They were subjects I excelled at in high school, and they came as naturally to me here as breathing.
But my Em classes were another story. Classes like Empyrean History and Theory of Empyrean Abilities might as well have been taught in a foreign language for all I understood. The complex concepts and seemingly impossible historical events spun wildly in my brain, a jumble of nonsense I couldn’t begin to decipher.
Add to that Physical Combat and Ability Training. Let’s just say high school physical education was never my strong suit, and these classes were PE on steroids—no, make that on fire. Professor Lee’s stern glare and barked orders did little to boost my confidence as I fumbled through the practical applications of my powers. The other students made it look so effortless, summoning fire and wind as easily as if they were simply clapping their hands.
Me? I couldn’t conjure so much as a spark, even with my strongest concentration. There were days I wondered if I would ever control my abilities or if I was doomed to always lag behind, an outsider who didn’t belong in the Em world.
With a resigned sigh, I slung my bag over my shoulder and headed to my first class. At least in the familiar subjects, I could pretend for a little while that I was back in my old school before my entire world had turned upside-down.
Fortunately, I shared several of my classes with people from Celine’s friend group, so it was nice seeing friendly faces sprinkled throughout the day—even though Nathaniel and Alan were second-year students, while the rest of us were first-years. Sometimes, they were the only things that kept me going.
As Celine and I filed into our natural sciences class, the laboratory buzzed with chatter while students set up their stations with beakers and burners. My stomach fluttered a little when I caught sight of Nathaniel and Dean, and Dean waved us over to the station he’d claimed.
“Good morning, ladies!” Dean greeted, flashing his golden smile.
“Good morning,” we responded.
He grinned at me, blue eyes twinkling, and patted the counter next to him. “Saved you a spot.”
I slid into the seat, heat creeping into my cheeks. “Thanks,” I said as Celine took her seat on Dean’s other side.
Next to me, Nathaniel slouched against the counter, glowering at everyone who came near him. Dark, unruly hair fell into eyes that seemed permanently narrowed in suspicion.
In between glances up at Professor McDaniels, my eyes caught Dean’s gaze studying me intently, holding me for a long moment before turning his attention back to the teacher. His lips would flash an occasional smile at me or whisper a short quip to make me laugh.
Nathaniel’s broad shoulders tensed, catching my attention. He shifted his weight away from me as if to put more distance between us, but his scowl trained on me like a hawk, scrutinizing my every move, though I pretended not to notice. His expression grew darker, his face hardening and jaw clenching in obvious disapproval. Disapproval of me, I assumed. Was it possible for him to be even more prickly than usual?
Finally, Professor McDaniels wrapped up her lesson and handed out the instructions for our dry ice experiments. “You’ll be paired up based on your station’s seat number. Ones with twos and threes with fours.”
Everyone glanced around to figure out their seat numbers, but Celine figured it out for us. “I’m with Dean. Evangeline, you’re with Nathaniel.”
I rolled my eyes. Great. Just great.
Nathaniel’s scowl deepened, but he grabbed a pair of gloves and a chunk of dry ice, dumping it into the container.
I moved over to his side of the table and cleared my throat. “Hi, Nathaniel,” I said, attempting to sound nonchalant. “How’s your morning been?”
“Fine,” he replied curtly, not even bothering to look at me.
“So, uh, you never told me what your powers are.”
No response. The dry ice hissed, fog curling from its surface.
“Is it a big secret?” I grinned, attempting to be lighthearted but still genuinely curious.
“Quit the small talk.” His voice was a low rumble, rough around the edges. “Let’s just get this over with.”
Heat flooded my face. What was his problem?
“I’ll follow the instructions,” he continued. “You write down the results.”
Is he ordering me around? I bit back a retort, determined not to let his antagonism get under my skin.
Don’t take it personally. That’s just how he is. Celine’s words repeated in my head.
I looked around and noticed the other girls in the lab who fixated on both Dean and Nathaniel. Their heads subtly swiveled to follow the boys’ every move, their lips slightly puckered and their eyes sliding over them appreciatively.
Both Dean and Nathaniel had tall, muscular frames perfect for attracting the right kind of female attention, but that was where their similarities ended. Dean had a charismatic personality with honey-blond hair, sparkling blue eyes, and an even brighter smile. Nathaniel’s dark, unruly hair and intense stormy gaze made him enticingly mysterious, despite his constant scowling expression.
I shook my head, irritation simmering in my veins. What was it with all these girls fawning over his brooding nature? Fun and dreamy Dean, I get it. But Nathaniel? What was it about rude, obnoxious jerks that made them irresistible?
Nathaniel worked in silence, my frustration growing with each additional terse command he gave. By the time we finished, my jaw ached from clenching it.
After class ended, the four of us lingered in the hallway for a few minutes. Dean shifted slightly to face me. I examined his features closely—his sky-blue eyes, his powerful jawline, and his perfectly golden skin—along with that charming smile that attracted attention in whatever room he stepped into. He grinned at me, his golden hair catching the glare from the sunlight streaming into the hallway. Unlike Nathaniel, Dean always seemed eager to engage with me, his charm and infectious enthusiasm making it impossible not to like him. He was like a Ken doll, almost too perfect.
“So,” Dean said as he ran his hand through his blond hair. “That was boring as hell.” He flashed a flirty smile at me. “The only thing that made it bearable was sitting next to you.”
I felt my cheeks flush under his gaze and was at a loss for words. “Uh…”
“Ahem.” Nathaniel cleared his throat behind us, making me jerk away from Dean.
The scowl on Nathaniel’s face seemed more disagreeable now if that was even possible. Trying to break up the awkward tension, I nervously blurted out, “We should probably get going, or we’ll be late for class.”
Nathaniel gave a quiet grunt before shoving his hands in his pockets and stalking off without a backward glance.
“Hmm. He’s in a mood,” Dean observed. “How was working with the Ice Prince?”
I snorted. “About as fun as a root canal.”
“Yeah, sounds about right. Anyway, see you later, ladies.” He gave a little wave before walking in the opposite direction as Nathaniel.
I grabbed Celine’s arm tightly as we walked to our next class.
“What the heck was that about?” Celine asked.
“I have no idea,” I replied with slight concern.
“I see Dean seems to have taken an interest in you.” She smiled coyly.
I shrugged. “But why do I feel like Nathaniel is pissed off?”
She shook her head in resignation. “No one ever knows what’s going on with Nathaniel.”
My mind still reeled from Dean supposedly flirting with me, but my mind stayed on Nathaniel’s aloofness. I didn’t know why I cared what he thought. Why was he so determined to keep an invisible barrier between us when all I wanted was to learn more about him? I wanted to break through that icy shield of his and figure out what was underneath.
I trudged into the Combat & Training gym, my shoulders already hunching under Professor Lee’s judging gaze.
The gym was twice as large as my old high school gym. The sound of rubber sneakers squeaked on the shiny, polished wooden floor, part of which was covered by padded mats. Heaved grunts and powerful kiai shouts rang out from students sparring inside two large circles painted on the ground for hand-to-hand combat. Fists thudded into punching bags and training dummies that lined the walls, and the occasional roar of fire or buzz from energy beams echoed off the walls before hitting their practice targets. The hum of the bright fluorescent lights that hung from high ceilings filled the rare seconds of quiet.
But what I found most fascinating was the center of the gym, where a student stood in a large circular arena surrounded by translucent walls that glowed with a faint blue light. Across from him was a holographic combat drone, its metal frame whirring with an eerie hum and blinking with bright orange lights.
The guy, however, seemed unfazed by the drone’s intimidating presence and stepped forward to meet it head-on. A stream of water launched from his hands, as he used his abilities to deflect the drone’s relentless onslaught of punches and jabs. Given the chance to unleash his attack, he released a torrent so intense that the drone was instantly submerged and lay drenched on the ground. The spectacle mesmerized me to the point where I could only stand in awe with my mouth gaping.
“Take your positions!” Professor Lee barked, pulling me back to my class.
That day, we were practicing offensive attacks, and I knew this was going to be a long hour of watching the other students hurl fire and punch through bricks while I stood by completely useless.
Though small in stature, Professor Lee’s presence commanded respect. The stern gaze of her black eyes burned with intensity, and her straight black hair was pulled back into a tight no-nonsense bun. Her dark eyebrows looked as if they were permanently furrowed, and the thin lips of her frown were ready to snap a reprimand with the sharpness of a pit bull at any moment. While I’d never seen her powers, I was convinced she could create concussive sonic blasts with her voice.
A line of students in their heather gray training shirts and shorts formed along one side of the gym. The others moved with purpose, a variety of energy crackling at their fingertips. I hung back, dreading the moment when Lee would call on me to demonstrate my powers.
A girl conjured a spear of ice, flinging it across the room. It shattered against the targets Lee had set up, sending ice crystals raining down.
“Good. Next!”
One by one, the students attacked targets with gusts of wind, jets of fire, and burning laser beams. I tried to will the energy inside me to stir, but it remained dormant, as unresponsive as ever.
At last, Lee turned her glare on me, arms folded over her chest. “Well? Let’s see it, Evangeline.”
My heart seized. I stared down at my hands, willing them to do something, anything. But they remained empty. Not even a spark. Useless. I shook my head, heat flooding my cheeks. “I’m sorry, Professor. Nothing is happening.”
Professor Lee’s frown grew deeper. “Make sure you practice more outside of class. Next!”
As the professor continued with the next student, I was very grateful that none of my friends were in this class to witness my humiliation. Though no one seemed to pay attention to me, I still ground my teeth and blinked back tears of embarrassment. The other students were able to use their powers, even if it was only momentarily, but I couldn’t even manifest a spark or a tiny snowflake. I felt like an impostor.
When Professor Lee called on me again, her gaze sharpened with expectation. I shook my head sadly. Nothing happened. Again.
My frustration and self-doubt mounted as I watched my classmates display their powers with ease while I struggled helplessly just to manifest mine. What was wrong with me? Was there something missing inside me that kept me from doing what everyone else could do?
When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of class, it sounded like a reprieve from my own failure and inadequacy. As I filed out of the gym with everyone else, I wallowed in defeat.
I’d spent my entire life focused on school so I could get into the college of my dreams. The only time I had ever used my powers, I scared the shit out of my family, had to abandon my dream, and landed here at this academy. Surely, the universe must have had a purpose for giving me these abilities. But now, my hope of finding a new dream was crumbling away. Was it possible to get kicked out of Empyrean? Maybe the universe made a mistake in picking me.
