Descendants Academy: Young Adult Urban Fantasy, Belle Malory [motivational novels for students .txt] 📗

I knew the houses were big on rivalry, but I never considered I might not be welcome in Aphrodite. Were they all going to hate me?

Ugh. I couldn’t worry about it right now. It was almost time for class.

Half an hour later, I was showered, dressed, and ready to go. I chose the white toga, hoping to blend in since it was a universal color. The fabric was silky, and the fit was flattering. I spun in front of the floor-length mirror, checking it out in appreciation. No wonder Mythonians loved these things so much. The shoes were nice too, a pair of soft leather sandals that wrapped all the way up my calves.

My books arrived last night, left stacked by the door in a neat pile. I went to put them in my new messenger bag, but as soon I touched the first one, I dropped it, flinching. It zapped me. I slowly picked it up again, noticing a sort of electric current surrounding its bindings. These books weren’t normal books. Then again, this school wasn’t a normal school, and neither were its students. Magic radiated from everything.

Quickly stuffing the books into my bag, I hurried out the door. Voices buzzed from every direction. Several girls in lavender togas gossiped in the stairwell. They talked about the professors and compared each other’s schedules. One of them looked back at me and whispered to her friend, “Do you think that’s her?”

One look around told me I was the only one there. Zack told me this would happen, I reminded myself. Aphrodite students were curious.

Downstairs, everyone hung out in the community room, a myriad of white, lavender, and pink togas. Everyone in this house was so pretty and feminine, even the guys. It made me feel a little lackluster in comparison.

I stood in line at the breakfast bar, looking over the spread. There were bowls full of fruit, piping-hot porridge, scrambled eggs, an array of pastries, coffee and juice to choose from. My stomach was too tied up in knots to eat though, so I passed on most of it. Instead I grabbed a single blueberry muffin and waited for the coffee pot. The brunette in front of me turned and offered a friendly smile. “First day jitters?”

“Yeah,” I said, smiling back. “This place is…overwhelming.”

She handed me the pot once she was done. “Ah, I thought I recognized that freshman anxiety.”

I winced. “Is it that obvious?”

She grinned. “Don’t worry, it becomes second nature eventually. I’m Penelope. Second year.”

“Sheridan…” A group of kids over by the sofas started pointing at me.

“What professors do you have?”

“Um, first period is Ambrosia.”

She scrunched up her nose. “Loud and rule-heavy, but she’s great at teaching magic, and her tests are open book.”

Whispers, funny stares, and the pointing all continued. I glanced down at my toga, wondering if I spilt anything. This was awful, not knowing why I stuck out. I was used to blending into the background, not being noticed.

Penelope started to catch on too.

“Do I have something on my face?” I whispered, laughing nervously.

She slowly shook her head, her eyes widening a brief moment. Suddenly, her entire demeanor changed. A second ago, she was laid back. Now she was stiff and obviously uncomfortable. “Good luck with your classes, Sheridan.”

“Thank”—I frowned as rushed away from the breakfast bar—“you.”

She disappeared so fast, I barely had time to blink before she was gone.

All around, kids continued to stare and whisper.

“Thorne girl,” one of them said.

“Ares descendant,” said another.

My knuckles whitened against the handle of the coffee pot. I pressed my lips together, feeling the heat of their gazes burn my skin. Ignoring them was impossible. I couldn’t stay there one second longer. I grabbed my muffin and made a mad dash for the door. To make things worse, they all watched me leave, like I was a mouse working its way out of a maze.

“Sheridan, there you are!” Zack was out on the lawn, all smiles as I hurried down the steps. His familiar and welcoming face was a breath of fresh air, especially after being in that suffocating house.

“Come on.” He twirled one of those crystal arrows like a baton. “I’ll take you to your first class.”

I latched myself to his side. “What’s going on, Zack? Everyone in there was being super weird.”

“Whoa, calm down,” he said, chuckling. “It’s probably just curiosity. You’re from the human world, and you’re an Ares descendant.”

I didn’t buy that. Those Aphrodite people dissected me like I was some kind of magical superfreak specimen.

“There are lots of freshmen,” I pointed out. “How do they know who I am?” I stared him down, letting him know I wanted answers.

He sighed. “Look, I might be the incarnation of love and cuteness, but it doesn’t mean I understand how teenagers think.”

Ugh, he was no help.

At least the walkways were safe. Out here, everyone minded their own business as they made their way to class. Togas of all shades dotted the grounds, and I blended into the fold without much notice.

“Oh, that reminds me,” Zack said, tossing his arrow back into his pack. “You have a message from Xander Arius. He said to meet him at lunch in the woods by the courtyard. Looks like you’re already making friends in high places.” He clapped me once on the back, wagging a brow. “Good for you, Thorne.”

I straightened at the name. He told me he would find me, but I was kind of afraid to find out why. Not only that, but why in the woods? I really wanted to stay out of trouble. If I met with Xander, even secretly, I would be directly disobeying Grandpa’s orders. And even though he wasn’t here to catch me, I had a nagging feeling he’d find out.

“He’s not a friend,” I said to Zack. “I don’t even know the guy.”

“Everyone knows him. House leader of Ares. Highly skilled with magic—he’s kind of a star around here.”

“Well, I heard he was trouble,” I said, thinking about what