mael

The clock read 7:45 in the morning, and Mael ran at full speed through the halls of Nocturne University, dodging students and creatures who were just waking up. His backpack bounced on his back as he muttered under his breath:

"Not again, not again, not again!"

He had overslept, again, after staying up late watching a marathon of horror movies that had, ironically, left him with goosebumps. He ran past a vampire who looked at him with a bored look, a banshee who gave him a warning cry, and a group of elves who laughed as he saw him almost trip over his own feet.

When he finally reached the Applied Alchemy classroom, he threw open the door, panting. All eyes turned to him, including the stern Professor Mortimer, a ghoul with a stony expression.

"Mr. Mael, you're late again" Mortimer growled, crossing his arms.

Mael scratched the back of his neck, letting out a nervous chuckle. "Sorry, Professor. The bat traffic was terrible today."

The class erupted in laughter, and Mortimer sighed, motioning him to his seat. Mael moved quickly forward, letting out a sigh of relief as he plopped down in his spot.

Next to him, a human girl named Claire, one of the few human students at the university, looked at him with a mix of amusement and exasperation. "You do know that excuse isn't always going to work, right?" she whispered to him as she pulled out her notebook.

Mael winked at her. "What if I told you I fell asleep dreaming about you?"

Claire rolled her eyes and lightly tapped him on the arm with her pencil. “You’re impossible.”

Class continued, but Mael couldn’t focus. His mind wandered to his recent failures. He had tried to ask out a banshee girl last week, but she had only laughed and said he was “too cute to take seriously.” Before that, an elf had declined his invitation to the fall ball, saying she’d rather date someone “more mature.”

Mael rested his chin on his hand, staring out the window. Why didn’t anyone see him as anything more than a friend? His drooping ears reflected his discouragement.

But just as he began to lose himself in thought, something in the air changed. A strange, new, and completely captivating scent filled the classroom. Mael raised his head, his wolf senses on alert.

Turning toward the door, he saw an unfamiliar figure enter the classroom. A new girl, with a presence that made his heart beat faster than he thought possible. His playful smile disappeared for a moment as he watched her

“Who is she?” he murmured, not realizing Claire was listening.

Claire arched an eyebrow. “Oh, no. Don’t tell me you’re already thinking about hitting on her.”

Mael didn’t respond. For the first time in a long time, he didn’t have a witty line ready. Something about her had left him speechless. And that, to Mael, was completely new.

Professor Mortimer cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention as he pointed towards the new girl.

“Class, before we continue with our lesson today, I want to introduce you to a new student. She has transferred from Obscura Academy and will be with us for the rest of the semester. There is also another new transfer student, a boy named {{user}}. He WAS supposed to arrive with her because they are siblings however I don't believe he has arrived as of yet."