Chapter 3
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It looked like a normal city, save for the fact that the names and buildings were structured differently. A building sprung up like a giant fang, and through the windows, so many figures were walking through, busy doing one thing or the other.
On it were the words, *Fang That Thang.*
Another building had the words, *Vamp Golden Glow.*
I never knew Vampires didn't want to look as white as they did.
"My bus!" I suddenly exclaimed as I recalled it was leaving in a minute. I looked around frantically, then spotted a bus heading out of a park.
"Hey!" I shouted, waving my ticket crazily at the bus. It slowed, and thankfully, I was able to run into it, brushing past the men and women seated. I settled in an empty seat next to a fat woman, who was taking out from a snack bag what seemed to be mini versions of a human heart. She chewed as she tapped on her phone, seeming to enjoy it wholeheartedly, while the man before me enjoyed a hamburger.
So they had human food, and whatever snacks they produced in their world, uh.
The buildings had funny names, while some were in languages I couldn't comprehend.
Either way, it simply felt like I was in a human city, and not in a city from another world entirely.
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I got down from the large bus right at the school gate, while it zoomed off, leaving a trail of dust rising in its wake.
The iron gates swung open of their own accord, and I gazed up at the gigantic white buildings standing tall with stunning glass windows.
My head fell back while my mesmerized jaw dropped. This was beautiful.
"You must be Cecilia Perez," A woman said with a smile. She had completely green skin, and green hair that was shades darker than her skin.
I blinked.
My God. These were creatures I'd been told stories of all my life. It was so weird to see them in reality, and weirder to see them in a setting they didn't belong in. I'd imagined ball gowns, princes and princesses, cottages, forests… not all these modern grandeur.
"Y…yes," I said, wanting to hit myself for stammering.
"You're beautiful. Look at those dark eyes, and those lush silky waves on your head," she said, smiling at me, looking like she wanted to tuck my hair behind my ears.
I know.
"Thank you," I said, and followed her, the wheels of my traveling bag making an irritatingly grinding noise on the ground. She took me into an office where another lady immediately stood up. She looked perfectly normal—short wavy brown hair and large round glasses that sat sweetly on her nose, "Miss Perez!"
You may wonder what's with all these greetings. So yeah, my parents both come from a royal line. My mother was a Princess, while dad was a Prince. They met at an only-royalty party and fell in love. Both of them are, like, really powerful, so everyone kinda expects me to be a mad combo that's gonna raze the earth to pieces, but what my fame fed on is my uselessness.
"Hi," I said, and instantly felt weird, "do you…greet 'hi' here?" I added in a low unsure voice.
She laughed, "Times have changed. We have adapted to the world. Hi, baby. I'm Senei. Come over here," she said, walking out from behind the large arched counter, while the green lady walked out, still smiling like she was enchanted to smile. Senei went to a locker, and typed in a code, opening it.
"Here's your phone," she said tossing a brand-new phone package to me. I caught it unsteadily while she wheeled out another traveling bag, "Your parents compiled snacks they feel you'd love."
"How? When?"
"They contacted us."
"But dad said we can't reach each other."
"A letter, dear. A letter. They don't have access to our phones here. Our phones are strictly tracked, so any incriminating information about us that can be leaked will not function," she explained, "they reached out to us via letter because they want to ensure you feel safe, and enjoy your stay."
"I see. Thanks," I said dryly, taking the bag from her.
"Genevra!" She called, "Genevra!" Her tone was higher, more frustrated, and a fat woman came out, looking displeased.
Genevra had a human's body, but goat legs. Her hooves knocked on the ground as she came to me, and I couldn't help furrowing my brows as I tried to analyze what exactly I was seeing.
"What you lookin' at!" She snapped, and I nearly jumped. Woof, she had no patience… for a goat.
Well, goats don't have patience, do they? They're stubborn, and never listen.
"I'm sorry…I …"
"Don't you look at me like I were some maggot!" She stomped away, walking out.
"Uh, should I follow?" I asked Senei quietly.
"Why don't you wait for me, so I lay a princess' bed for you right there!' the goat woman snapped before Senei could reply.
Ah, sorry. She's a faun. Dad told me about them. They love music and merriment. I wasn't so sure about this one though. If anything, she looked like a fun spoiler.
I followed her into one of the large buildings. The ground floor was a large space, with a restaurant to one side, mini basketball court, a mini parlor to one side, a snack bar and drink machine… wow. This was insane. Why did people keep writing about mythical beings in the world of the eighteenth century, and why didn't Dad ever buttress on how advanced Mysia was?
We walked right into an elevator, and she slammed the button to the top floor.
"So you're the delinquent who had me searching all the rooms for spare beds. You resume school after two weeks of session, like you're the King's daughter, who can just decide to resume school whenever she wishes! Not even the royalty here behave like you do! So all a pesky mortal needs is connections to…"
"I'm not really a mortal, so…" I shouldn't have said anything, right? I know.
She flashed me angry eyes that seemed to tell me she hated me more than she probably did moments ago, "Says? You're not a mor…"
"I wouldn't have come here if my life wasn't in danger. It's…"
"Oh! So we have to pay because you decided to bend your head the wrong way in the womb, and have your magical powers reside in your butt to have it as round as it is!"
My brows twitched. What was wrong in having a round butt, or a sexy figure? Either way, arguments weren't helping. I swallowed, allowing my eyes slide to the ground.
The elevator doors opened, and I followed her in. Her hooves knocked on the tiles as we walked into a corridor, with sleek white doors on either side. White light flooded the whole area, with portrait of students on the walls. Dad told me there were portraits of the best students of the year placed on the top floor. Those students were those who were exceptional, outstanding and kept to the rules.
She went to the last door, which had the room number. 0001 on it, "These brats get to complain!" She snarled, before pushing a key in.
Complain? Were my roomies going to be rude? A weird feeling pooled in my chest, spreading to my belly heavily. It was dread. These weren't humans. They were mythical creatures. They could choose to murder me. I didn't think they would like me if the goat lady didn't—ah sorry, I meant faun. Calling her goat lady or goat woman really doesn't seem right.
The door clicked open, and wow! There was a living room with white sofas, a large television, striking chandelier, sculptures, art pieces, and over to the edge was a dining table with seven chairs and around it were three girls and a guy, laughing and talking, as they tore bags of snacks, messing the whole place up. They stopped in their activities, and turned to us. My gaze went to the floor immediately.
Intimidation.
Damn it! Raise your head, CECI! Intimidation won't help!
"And she is?" A voice came, from the left, and we turned. There was a mini arched staircase around the living area on the top of which another guy sat.
Dark hair was falling over his face, and his green eyes seemed to shine, causing a crack in my heart, then a split through which some kind of intense warmth broke through.
His green eyes, porcelain skin, pink lips pulled into a surprised smile… and his figure…
My snack traveling bag fell heavily to the floor.
He was… BEAUTIFUL.