"Work with me," I muttered at the vending machine, giving it a firm nudge with my knee. The machine whirred, blinked, and then went completely still again. "Seriously? You had one job."
My name is Serenya Valeis, and if I don't get coffee before my first class, "I'm not responsible for my actions."
"Still trying to threaten caffeine out of that thing?" Mira's voice carried across the hallway. She appeared with her usual confidence, holding a paper cup crowned with whipped cream like it was a prize. "Meanwhile, I already made friends with the cute barista and got the real stuff."
I groaned. "Don't rub it in. Not all of us can afford to sell our souls for a five-dollar latte."
"Worth it," she said smugly, sipping with a dramatic slurp. "Plus, he gave me extra cinnamon."
I jabbed the button again. This time, the machine shuddered and finally spat out a cup of hot liquid. I raised it like a trophy. "Ha. Persistence wins again."
"Or stubbornness," Mira teased. "But sure, call it a victory."
We started across the quad together, dodging clusters of students sprawled on the grass. The campus buzzed with life somebody was playing guitar under a tree, a group of freshmen were arguing about directions, and flyers fluttered on every bulletin board advertising clubs from chess to fencing to "meditation with goats."
I sipped my coffee cautiously. Lukewarm, slightly bitter, but technically drinkable. Fuel, not pleasure.
"Don't forget the bonfire tonight," Mira said, balancing her books against her hip. "You're coming this time. I mean it."
I gave her a look. "I'm still deciding."
"You're not deciding, you're hiding," she shot back. "It's the first big event of the year. Everyone goes."
"I'm not everyone."
"Exactly," Mira said with a grin. "Which is why you need to show up. Think of it as field research. You, observing the wild species of Blackthorne University in their natural habitat."
I laughed despite myself. "You make it sound like anthropology."
"Close enough." She nudged me with her elbow. "Come on, Serenya. Just once. It'll be fun. Bonfire, music, free food. And if you hate it, you can leave. Deal?"
I pretended to think it over, but her hopeful expression made it impossible to refuse. "Fine. I'll go."
"Victory!" Mira lifted her coffee cup like she'd won a battle.
We split paths near the science building. Students hurried in every direction some half-asleep, some already buried in textbooks. I tugged my backpack higher on my shoulder.
"See you after class?" Mira asked.
"Yeah. Try not to fall asleep in philosophy."
"Ugh, don't remind me," she groaned, heading toward the humanities wing.
I smiled, shaking my head, and pushed through the glass doors into the building.
The hall smelled faintly of paper and chalk, a strangely comforting scent. My sneakers squeaked against the polished floor as I joined the stream of students filing into lecture rooms.
I found my usual spot in the middle row not in front where the overachievers sat, not in the back with the ones scrolling on their phones, but safely in between. Pulling out my notebook, I glanced around at the mix of familiar faces.
Evan, the guy who always asked too many questions. Janelle, who drew in her margins more than she took notes. A couple of new transfers I hadn't spoken to yet. Normal people, normal day.
And me just Serenya Valeis, trying to stay awake through morning biology.
The professor walked in, adjusting his glasses, and the room hushed. I opened my notebook, pen poised, ready to sink into another ordinary day of lectures, labs, and caffeine.
At that moment, I couldn't have imagined how quickly "ordinary" would fall apart.
By the time Professor Alder started droning about cell structures, my brain had already checked out. My pen moved across the page, sketching tiny moons in the margins of my notebook instead of taking actual notes.
"…as you can see in the mitochondria…"
Blah, blah, powerhouse of the cell. I'd heard it all before. Across the aisle, Evan's hand shot up like it always did, ready with another question that would drag the lecture five minutes longer.
I muttered under my breath, "Here we go."
"Do you ever not raise your hand?" Janelle whispered from behind me. Her sketchbook was open, filled with doodles that made my moons look like kindergarten art. She slid me a wry smile.
I grinned back. "It's his cardio."
When class finally ended, I gathered my books and headed out into the crisp air. The quad was buzzing with students again, everyone flowing toward food like moths to a flame. My stomach growled in agreement.
The dining hall smelled like pizza, which was both comforting and suspicious. Mira was already waving from a corner table, a tray piled high in front of her.
"You call that lunch?" I asked, sliding into the seat across from her.
She raised a fry like a sword. "Balanced diet. Carbs, salt, and more carbs."
I poked at my salad. "You're going to regret that in philosophy later."
She gasped dramatically. "Excuse me, but fries are brain fuel. Besides, you'll keep me awake, right?"
"I'm not poking you every five minutes," I warned, taking a bite.
"You love me," she said with a wink.
We ate, chatting about random things the professors who talked too much, the club fair, the rumor that someone's dorm was already haunted. Mira, as usual, tried to rope me into something.
"You should join the drama club," she said.
I snorted. "Me? On a stage? No way."
"You'd be good at it. You're mysterious. People eat that up."
I rolled my eyes. "Mystery just means I don't talk enough."
Mira smirked. "Broody and quiet. Total main character energy."
I threw a crouton at her.
When lunch was over, Mira glanced at the clock and jumped up, nearly spilling her tray. "Shoot I'm late. Philosophy waits for no one. Don't you dare skip tonight, Serenya. Eight sharp. Bonfire. Be there."
Before I could protest, she was already weaving through tables and out the door, leaving me behind with my half-empty salad.
I wandered into the library next, mostly to kill time before my next class. The tall windows overlooked the edge of the campus, where the forest stretched out in dark greens. For a moment, I just stood there, watching the trees shift in the wind.
Peaceful. Almost too peaceful, like they were holding secrets just out of reach.
"Are you checking out a book or just the view?" the librarian asked, passing by with a stack in her arms.
I startled, cheeks warming. "Uh… just the view."
She gave me a knowing smile before disappearing down the aisle.
I sighed and grabbed a random book from the shelf, flipping it open at a table. I barely read the words. My mind kept drifting back to the woods, the strange pull I couldn't explain.
My phone buzzed as I left the building. A text from Mira lit up the screen:
Don't forget. Bonfire tonight. 8. Don't even think about bailing.
I laughed softly, shaking my head. Typical Mira. She wasn't going to let me hide from the world forever.
Tucking my phone back into my pocket, I headed toward my next class, pretending I wasn't already dreading and maybe, just maybe, a little curious about the night ahead.