Averyn's POV
The first day back at school always feels really tough. It feels like a weight is pressing down on me. Starting the new school year is just not easy.
Averyn stood outside the gates of Evershade High. She adjusted the strap of her bag. The noise from all the students arriving was loud.
There was a lot of laughter and complaints about schedules. Some students were trading gossip.
All of this sounded very familiar to Averyn. It was comforting. Yet, at the same time, she felt a tightness in her chest. It was as if she was getting ready for something. She didn't know what Evershade High had in store for her.
Jade, sitting beside her, expressed her frustration about being there so early. "Tell me again why we have to be this early?" she asked, pulling on the bottom of her hoodie.
Jade really didn't want summer to end. "Summer should be against the law," she said.
Gianna remarked, "You say that every year." She looked around the campus, as if trying to figure out how to escape. Gianna checked every path and door, planning in case she needed to leave in a hurry.
The campus was quite big, and she seemed to know it very well. She was familiar with every building, every street, and every corner. That knowledge allowed her to map out escape routes in her mind.
Carmira smiled softly. "At least the weather is cooler today," she said.
Ruelle tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. To her, the air felt different, lighter.
Averyn almost spoke but caught herself.
The hallways were alive with the noise of students slamming their lockers, while teachers shouted their reminders. People exchanged their timetables, aired their grievances, and made plans for lunch.
It felt completely normal.
You could say it was even a comforting feeling.
However, Averyn couldn't get rid of her feeling that someone was spying on her.
That wasn't the case.
There were no stare or someone being right behind her all the time.
That obscure sensation She felt was something like when you are under the open sky and know a storm is coming from a far place but you do not see it yet.
"You okay? "
Carmira thus talked to the students as they stopped near the stairs.
"Yeah, " Averyn made the decision quickly to lie.
"I'm just tired. "
That morning, the library was so silent that it was completely quiet when Averyn sneaked in.
She was trying to find a place where she could relax and breathe freely.
There were numerous shelves that seemed to go on forever.
The sunlight poured in through the huge windows and the room was filled with the smell of old books and furniture.
It was like being in a quiet, sealed, off place.
"May I help you?"
Averyn turned.
The woman behind the desk was a stranger. She was tall and calm, with dark hair neatly pulled back, streaked with silver. Despite being a librarian, Averyn had never seen before, her eyes were serene, observant, and seemed to know too much.
"I—uh—no," Averyn said. "I'm just looking around."
The woman smiled slightly. "My name is Lunara. I have just recently moved here. Take your time."
Feeling uneasy for no clear reason, Averyn nodded and stepped further into the piles. She didn't notice that Lunara was watching her.
Lunara took a slow breath, letting it out across the room.
It's started, she thought.
She was surprised by how close the girls were, closer than was safe. The Codex was also stirring.