Aurora woke up at 6:00 AM, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. She stretched her arms and yawned, then swung her legs over the side of the bed. She began her morning routine, starting with a quick wash of her face to wake herself up. She patted her skin dry with a towel and then brushed her teeth, making sure to get rid of any morning breath.
Next, she filled the bathtub with warm water and added some calming essential oils to help her relax. She soaked in the bath for a few minutes, letting the warmth seep into her muscles and calm her mind. After getting out of the bath, she dried herself off and put on her new uniform. The crisp white shirt felt smooth against her skin, and the dark blue skirt flared out and stopped just above her knees, making her feel like a true student of Ashwood High. She put on her long white socks and shiny black shoes, feeling a sense of pride and belonging.
She added a final touch to her uniform by putting on the dark blue jacket with the silver crest embroidered on the side. The crest sparkled in the morning light, and she felt a sense of connection to the school and its history.
She packed her long, dark brown hair into a ponytail, letting a few loose strands frame her face. She added a touch of makeup, dabbing a little powder on her cheeks to give her skin a smooth finish. A quick swipe of transparent lip gloss added a hint of shine to her lips.
Feeling almost ready, she headed downstairs to the kitchen, where her mom was already making breakfast. "Good morning, sweetie!" her mom said, smiling. "I'll drop you off at school today and then head to work. You can come home by yourself, okay?"
Rory nodded, feeling a tiny thrill of independence. She ate her breakfast quickly, then grabbed her backpack and headed out the door with her mom.
As Natalie drove her to school, Aurora was nervous but excited at the same time. She kept looking at the passing trees and shops, taking in the sights and sounds of the morning. When they got to the gates of the school, she gasped in awe. The gates were very tall and gothic in style, with two gargoyle statues perched at the top on either side, their stone eyes seeming to watch her as she arrived. Most students were just arriving, pouring out of cars and chatting with friends, while others were already moving inside.
Aurora settled in her seat and took a deep breath, her hand reaching for the door handle. But her mum said, "Wait," and she turned to look at her. Natalie's expression was serious, making Aurora feel more nervous than she'd like. Natalie stared into her eyes and suddenly took one of her hands. "Listen to me, Aurora," she said, her voice low and urgent. "You are a witch, and though you don't know much about your family history, as you walk into those gates, keep reminding yourself that you are a witch - not just any witch, but a powerful one at that. You are a Micheals, dear - Aurora Isla Micheals. That's who you are. Don't let anyone intimidate you, no matter what supernatural they are. I know you've never used your powers before, but don't doubt yourself. They are in you, so don't let anyone intimidate you. Hold your head up high and show them you're not scared, okay, Isla?"
Aurora looked at her mum with a mix of confusion and wonder written all over her face. Her mum had never spoken to her like this before and she rarely used her middle name, she usually addressed her as Aurora or Rory, but she quickly snapped out of it and said, "Yes, mum, I promise." Then her mum said, "One more thing, sweetie." Natalie reached behind Rory and undid the clip of her necklace, letting it fall into Aurora's lap. Immediately, Aurora felt something within her, like a rush of air. She felt lighter, and she closed her eyes, breathing deeply. She suddenly felt like she could breathe better, and when she opened her eyes, the world seemed clearer. She looked down at her hands and felt like there was electricity pulsing through them, even though she couldn't see anything. Then she looked back at her mum and asked, "Mum, is this... is this my magic?" Natalie looked at her with a loving expression. "Yes, dear, it is. Now that the necklace is off, you can do magic, and now that you're here, there's no need for you to wear it anymore. But you can keep it with you if you like."
Aurora chose to keep it with her, quickly placing the necklace in her bag. Then she looked at the time - 7:30 am. "I have to go now, mum." She unlocked the door and was about to step out when she hesitated, turning back to say, "Thank you, mum, for everything." Natalie smiled and said, "You're welcome, sweetie."
Aurora stepped out of the car and closed the door. Natalie waved her goodbye and said, "Enjoy your first day, sweetie." Aurora said, "I will." Then her mum sped off, leaving her alone in front of the big gates of Ashwood High - her new beginning.
Aurora took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and said to herself, "Well, Ashwood High, here I come." With a determined look, she walked towards the widely opened gates, ready to face whatever lay ahead.
As she walked forward, Aurora found herself in a massive courtyard with a huge fountain at its center. She marveled at the grounds, which resembled an estate, with trees bearing different fruits on either side. Beyond the trees, she saw even more land, including two fields - one for basketball and one for football. She was surprised to learn that the supernatural had sports teams just like humans.
Distracted by the scenery and the students milling about, Aurora bumped into someone and fell back. She heard a sound and realized the person had fallen too. Apologizing profusely, she opened her eyes to see a pair of shiny black shoes and long white socks. Her gaze traveled upward, meeting a pair of dark brown eyes and pink hair belonging to Mia, the girl she had befriended the other day.
"Oh hi, Mia!" Mia stretched out her hand to help Aurora up. "I'm really sorry about that, Rory. For a second, I didn't see you there."
Aurora took her hand, standing up. "Yh, I'm sorry too. I was distracted by... well, everything. Is this place a freaking estate or what?"
Mia looked amused. "Well, it actually was, and still is. It belonged to one of the original founders of Ashwood, and after being passed down a few generations, the mansions and the estate were turned into a school."
Aurora's eyes widened. "Wow, that's really something. Wait, did you say mansions as in plural?"
Mia laughed. "You really are new here, and you're standing around when classes will be starting soon. Oh shoot, it's 7:45 am! Well, Rory, hope you're a good runner."
Aurora looked confused. "Uhm... yes?"
Mia looked relieved. "Good, because we gotta go, like now." Before Aurora could protest, Mia grabbed her hand and sprinted toward the huge mansion ahead. Aurora had missed it earlier, but now she saw it was enormous, with smaller mansions behind it.
They soon reached the doors of the mansion, which had two round knockers attached. Mia stopped running, and Aurora asked, "Why did we just run all the way here?"
Mia chuckled. "Because, my ignorant friend, classes officially begin at 8:00 am, and since you're new, we gotta get you to Mrs. Hopkins, the headmistress. There's actually a whole council behind her, but we'll talk about all that later. Let's go."
As they made their way up the stairs, Aurora noticed the building's gothic architecture, which surprisingly didn't creep her out but made her more excited. They reached the top of the stairs, and Mia turned around, asking, "You ready?"
Aurora replied, "As ready as I'll ever be."
Mia turned back, pushed open the tall doors, and in a dramatic flourish, faced Aurora, spreading her arms wide. "Aurora Micheals, welcome to Ashwood High..."