Yumi stormed into her room, slamming the door shut behind her. Her dark eyeliner was perfect, her black lipstick unblemished, and her combat boots clunked against the floor as she dropped her bag. "Another day in this goddamn fiery pit," she muttered, collapsing onto her bed. Cerberus, now Kikidori and Ere'ana's family pet, padded into the room, his tiny Chihuahua form hopping onto her bed.
"Ugh, Cerberus, don't even start. I know Mom and Dad sent you to 'check on me,'" she said, rolling her eyes. Cerberus barked, looking up at her innocently.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. You're a good boy or whatever. Go tell them I'm alive, okay? Jeez." She patted his head, and the little dog trotted off, leaving her alone to brood.
High school in Hell was both exactly what you'd expect and absolutely not. Sure, the walls were lined with jagged obsidian, and lava rivers ran through the cafeteria courtyard, but the drama? The same as any mortal High school. Yumi had her own circle of friends, her locker decorated with tiny skull stickers and black roses, and her relentless crush on her best friend, Elnora.
Elnora was everything Yumi wasn't—or at least thought she wasn't. Where Yumi was sharp-edged and sarcastic, Elnora was soft-spoken and kind. Her long, shimmering hair seemed to glow like moonlight, even in the dim halls of Hell High School. She was the light to Yumi's dark, the calm to her storm, and it drove Yumi absolutely insane.
Yumi sighed, staring at her phone. Her group chat buzzed endlessly, filled with messages from her crew—other popular kids at Hell High who worshipped her sass and confidence. And there, in a private thread, was her last text from Elnora: Can't wait to see you tomorrow, Yumi!
"Why are you like this?" Yumi groaned at her phone. She tossed it onto her bed, grabbed her black hoodie, and stomped downstairs.
Ere'ana was in the kitchen, her angelic glow clashing horribly with the fiery decor of Hell. "Yumi, language," she said without even looking up from her tea.
"What the hell did I even say?" Yumi shot back. Ere'ana raised an eyebrow.
"Right, fine. Sorry," Yumi mumbled, grabbing a piece of toast and biting into it aggressively.
Kikidori strolled in, his wings brushing the doorway. "What's her problem this time?" he asked Ere'ana.
"High school," Ere'ana replied simply.
"Figures." Kikidori grabbed a mug and poured himself some coffee. "Yumi, you going to brood all day, or are you actually going to school?"
"Jesus Christ, Dad! Yes, I'm going to school! Stop nagging me!" Yumi snapped, storming toward the door.
"Watch the name-dropping!" Kikidori called after her, smirking.
"Whatever!" Yumi yelled, slamming the front door behind her.
The hallways of Hell High school were buzzing with activity. Demons of all shapes and sizes filled the space, but all eyes turned toward Yumi as she walked in. She flipped her black hair over her shoulder, smirking slightly as whispers followed her.
"Yumi's here."
"She's so cool."
"I wish I could pull off that look."
"Who does her makeup?"
She spotted her group of friends lounging near their lockers. "Yo," she said, leaning against hers.
"Hey, queen!" said Marax, a demon with glowing red eyes and a wicked sense of humor.
"Yumi, you look amazing, as usual," added Lilith, a succubus who doubled as Yumi's unofficial stylist.
"Yeah, yeah. Thanks," Yumi said casually, though the compliments always made her feel a tiny bit better.
And then, there she was. Elnora, walking down the hall like she didn't know she was the prettiest damn thing in Hell. She waved at Yumi, her smile brighter than the flames surrounding them.
"Hey, Yumi!" Elnora called.
Yumi felt her heart stop for a moment. "Hey," she managed, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Are you ready for the project today? I was thinking we could meet up after school to work on it," Elnora said, stopping in front of her.
"Yeah, sure. Whatever," Yumi replied, crossing her arms.
Elnora tilted her head. "You okay? You seem... grumpier than usual."
"Grumpier? What the hell does that even mean?" Yumi snapped, then immediately regretted it.
Elnora just laughed. "Okay, Yumi. I'll see you after school." She turned and walked away, leaving Yumi to bang her head lightly against her locker.
"Smooth," Marax teased.
"Shut up," Yumi muttered.
Later that day, Yumi and Elnora sat at Yumi's kitchen table, working on their project. Ere'ana floated in and out, offering snacks and smiles, while Kikidori sat in the corner, watching with a smirk. Cerberus was curled up under the table, occasionally growling when someone's feet moved too close.
"So, I was thinking we could add some flames here," Elnora said, pointing at their presentation.
"Flames? On top of flames? Isn't that, like, overkill?" Yumi asked, raising an eyebrow.
"This is Hell, Yumi. There's no such thing as overkill," Elnora replied with a grin.
Yumi chuckled despite herself. "Fair point."
As they worked, Elnora's hand brushed against Yumi's, and Yumi froze. She looked up, meeting Elnora's eyes, which were filled with something Yumi couldn't quite place.
"Yumi?" Elnora said softly.
"Yeah?" Yumi croaked, her usual confidence utterly gone.
"Thanks for always being so cool," Elnora said with a smile.
Yumi stared at her. "Uh, yeah. Sure. Whatever," she muttered, looking away quickly. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire, which, in Hell, was saying something.
That night, Yumi lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Cerberus snored softly at her feet, and her phone buzzed on the nightstand. She picked it up and saw a new message from Elnora: Thanks for today. You're the best. <3
Yumi groaned, burying her face in her pillow. "What the hell am I supposed to do with that?" she muttered.
Cerberus barked in his sleep, and Yumi sighed. "Yeah, yeah. I know. I'm screwed."
The End of Chapter 1