“So which one is Jesse, then?”
“Jesse has green eyes and dark skin,” Larissa said.
I couldn’t remember if I’d seen him, but then again, Asher had been taking most of my focus.
Larissa left and I changed out of my clothes and into a tank top and panties, ready to crash into the soft bed. My mother always told me I was born at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve. I’d never known if that was true or not; she was off her face and full of shit most of the time, but I still celebrated my birthday starting from midnight.
This birthday would definitely go down as the weirdest of my life.
And maybe the best.
8
Islept surprisingly badly considering how amazing the bed was. I couldn’t settle. My mind was awash with information and my body was filled with nerves. Being on my own allowed all the doubts to creep in. All the thoughts of not being good enough, of trying to wrap my head around the new fantasy world I’d somehow found myself in.
If the barrier hadn’t let me into the school, I’d have almost convinced myself by now that this was all a mistake.
At 5:00 A.M I gave up trying to sleep and dragged myself into the nearest bathroom. It was quiet in the hall, no one up and about yet, which allowed me to sneak in and out unnoticed.
Once I was back in my room, my long hair dry, I went in search of this uniform. It was exactly as Larissa had said, six sets, neatly hanging in my wardrobe. They were literally the only things hanging in there, because the rest of my clothes filled half a drawer.
Maybe I could find a part-time job here and earn some money to get new clothes in Queensborough, the nearby town. I’d ask Ilia when I saw her today. I also wanted to know how her date went. The thought of dating a supernatural sent a twirl of intensity through my stomach.
I mean, he was a shifter. What if he went furry while you were having sex or something? That felt really weird to me, but it might be normal in their world. I was definitely intrigued by the prospect of learning more about the four races. Hopefully I could “keep my human from showing” today.
I also really wanted to know more about the Atlanteans, and not just because of Asher. The myth of Atlantis was one that had long fascinated me; I’d always sort of believed it had been real. Even when it was just a Plato fable. I really hoped I was in some sort of history class here.
Pulling one uniform out, I laid it across the bed before ditching the pj’s I’d pulled back on after my shower. I’d have to ask about a washing machine soon, because I was down to my last clean set of underwear and clothing. I guess I could always wash them in the bathroom. Wouldn’t be the first time.
The uniform was dark blue and white, with orange piping and crest embroidery on the jacket. It was a classic private school uniform, and I wondered why they made college supernaturals wear a uniform. It still felt weird to me.
The skirt fell to midthigh. Black tights underneath, which I struggled to get on. This might have been the first time in my life I had worn tights, but I eventually figured it out. The white shirt buttoned up snugly and was tucked into the skirt. The jacket went over the top, and it was comfortable. Which I hadn’t expected.
It was almost as if these clothes had been tailor made for me. There was a full-length mirror in my room, so I checked myself out, and almost died at how different I looked. No one would be able to tell that I was Maddison James, street kid who basically raised herself.
I looked fancy.
I wasn’t sure I liked it.
“Lucky the orange is understated, or it would clash horribly with the pink.”
I let out a low shriek, jumping and spinning to find a stranger framed in my doorway. I was positive I closed that door after my shower—old habit from living in shitty neighborhoods—but it was clearly wide open.
“Uh, who are you?” I said, trying to catch my breath.
She strode forward, her long white-blond hair streaming out behind her. “My name is Deeann, but everyone calls me Dee. I’m a third-year magic user focusing on healing.”
I shook the proffered hand quickly, feeling a slight tingle across my skin when she touched me.
“Maddison, everyone calls me Maddi. This is my first day.”
Dee smiled, crossing her arms as she looked me over. She wore the same uniform as me, but she was short and curvy, filling it out in all the right places. She was pretty and cute at the same time.
“What sort of magic user are you?” she asked, her expression curious. “I can’t really get a read on your energy.”
I shrugged. “Would you believe that until yesterday I had no idea any of this even existed?”
She straightened, and her eyes got really wide. “A virgin.”
