East Side High was a treacherous place. I walked down the hallway, watching my every step, knowing that at any moment, my bully Jackson Carrington could strike. Jackson was the star of the school, a towering six-foot-two with piercing blue eyes and blond hair that flowed in the wind. He was the envy of every girl in school and had a group of followers who hung on his every word. But for me, he was a nightmare. He taunted me regularly, calling me a "faggot" and making me the subject of his cruel jokes. And on this particular day, he decided to take his bullying to the next level.
As I walked past him, Jackson pushed me hard into the lockers, causing me to stumble forwards. I stumbled and hit my head, feeling weak and defenseless. Jackson and his gang surrounded me, and he leaned in, the stench of his cologne filling my nostrils.
"Hey faggot, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be picking up trash somewhere?" He jeered.
I tried to ignore him, tried to walk away. But he wasn't done yet. Before I could even blink, he punched me in the stomach, sending me crumpling to the ground. He and his friends began to kick me, over and over, while the other students stood by like statues, unwilling to intervene.
As I lay there, writhing in pain, Jackson leaned over and snatched my sapphire necklace, the only keepsake I had from my deceased mother. I demanded that he give it back, but he merely laughed, tossing it into the air and letting it shatter on the ground.
I was filled with rage. It was like something inside me had snapped. The lights flickered, the lockers rattled, and suddenly Jackson and his friends were lifted into the air, their bones cracking as they were slammed back onto the floor.
As I walked away, the lights settled, and I gathered the broken pieces of my necklace. I went home with a heavy heart.
My father saw me but didn't mention the bruise on my face, which I had tried to cover with make-up. As we ate dinner, he asked me about school. I told him it was "okay," despite the fact that I was devastated about my necklace. I lied and said I had taken it off so I wouldn't get it dirty.
There was a knock on the door, and my grandmother, Sheila, walked in. She hugged me and told me that I had magic in me, passed down from my mother's side of the family. When she noticed the flickering of the lights, she smiled and said, "It's just a little magic."
That night, I went to bed feeling confused and upset. The next day, my father and grandmother dropped me off at Hecate Academy, a school located inside a cave. As I walked towards it, my father stopped me.
"Be careful, Ezra. I lost your mother, and I couldn't bear to lose you too," he said, hugging me tightly.
As I went inside the cave, a flash of light engulfed me and when it subsided, I found myself standing in front of a magnificent castle. The headmistress greeted me and handed me my schedule. I looked at it and saw Potionemistry, Magic Studies, and Plant Studies. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before.
It was a new beginning, a new chapter of my life. And I was eager to see where this new journey would take me As I opened the door to my dorm room, A16, I had a small accident and bumped into someone. "Oh, I'm so sorry," I said apologetically, trying to regain my balance. Suddenly, a tall blonde girl with a haughty demeanor pushed through the crowd and shouted, "Watch it, you idiot!" before walking away with her friends without looking back.
After entering my dorm room, I found Iris Gunnar, Luna Clawthorne, and Evie Floshem already there. I introduced myself and the others followed suit. The dorm room was spacious, and each of us had a private room and bathroom.
I checked my schedule for the next day and found that I had Potionemistry, Magic Studies, transformation magic and Plant Studies. The next morning marked the official start of my time at Hecate Academy, and I was set to have classes with my dorm mates. However, the professor was running late.
Suddenly, the door opened, and a middle-aged man dressed in black entered the room. He introduced himself as Professor Snicket and whispered, "There will be no foolish wand-waving or incantations in this class. You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making."
Later that day, in Magic Studies, Professor Saltzman told us about the history of magic and its origins with the goddess Hecate, who gifted humans with her magic and gave rise to witches, fairies, and elves. She also mentioned the later emergence of vampires and werewolves.
At lunch, the blonde girl from earlier accosted me when I tried to sit down. "What do you think you're doing here?" she demanded. "This table is only for the most popular kids." Luckily, Luna and I stood up to her, and she eventually relented and let us stay.
Later, I bumped into Damon Vlad, a tall, muscular boy. We exchanged apologies and introduced ourselves. He warned me about the blonde girl from earlier and said, "She can be a bitch sometimes, but don't let her get to you." We said our goodbyes and parted ways.
In Plant Studies, Damon was present, and we kept exchanging furtive glances at each other while we learned about naming different plants and their uses. After classes were done, I spent time exploring the castle and stumbled upon a picture of my mother. Professor Snicket appeared behind me and revealed that he knew my mother and that she was one of the most powerful witches in their year. We talked a bit more before he walked away, leaving me to spend the rest of my night studying.