Evaline:
The heat hit us the moment we stepped out of the building.
Not brushed. Not kissed.
Hit.
It wrapped around my skin like an overenthusiastic lover I absolutely did not want, thick and suffocating, clinging to every inch of exposed flesh. I barely made it three steps before I felt sweat gathering at the back of my neck, my shirt sticking uncomfortably to my spine.
Stars above, it was hot.
It was Wednesday - second day of the new term - and yet the Academy felt oddly sluggish, like even the walls were too tired to pretend otherwise. Classes had been… light. Professors usually went easy during the first week or two, an unspoken apology for the absolute torture they inflicted during the final five weeks of every term.
Still, "easy" didn't mean "optional."
So there we were. Trapped by schedules, uniforms, and the merciless early-September sun.
