Aiden
I put the boxes full of my belongings in my room and look around. The room is not big, but it's fine. I don't know how many times I move anymore, my mother and I are used to it, but at least once I want to stay in one place. "Son!" my mother calls from below.
I walk down the stairs and find my mother in the living room of our small rental house, unpacking some boxes. Her brown hair is pulled back into a loose bun, strands scattered and framing her face. She looks tired but determined. "I thought we could go to dinner later" she suggests, smiling softly. "There's a nice Italian restaurant nearby." "Sounds good." I run a hand through my tousled blond hair, brushing it out of my eyes.
I help her finish unpacking before we head out for dinner. The restaurant is cozy, dimly lit, and filled with the aroma of garlic and herbs. We order pasta and sit in silence for a moment, the weight of our recent moves heavy between us. "How's school so far?" Mom asks, breaking the quiet. "It's okay." I shrug. "Just trying to settle in." "Well, give it time" she says gently. "You'll make friends soon enough."
I nod to my mother and take a sip of my water. "I'm just having a hard time settling in, Mom" I tell her. She smiles weakly at me and puts her hand on mine. "Aiden, everything will be okay, just be patient." Her words calm me down somewhat, but inside I'm still worried about tomorrow. I'm going to study at the most famous university in Montrevere and honestly, I'm not at ease.
As we walk home under the soft glow of streetlights, Mom wraps her arm around mine. "Remember when you were little? You always wanted to live near a park." "I remember" I reply, thinking back to those simpler days. Our conversation fades away, and we both get lost in our own thoughts until we reach the front door. "Goodnight, son." My mom kisses my cheek, then retreats to her bedroom.
I toss and turn in bed, unable to fall asleep. I can't stop thinking about what tomorrow might bring. What if I can't fit in? What if everyone hates me? The thoughts keep swirling around in my mind until finally, exhaustion takes over. When I wake up again, sunlight is streaming through the window. It's morning. Time to face whatever comes next. After getting ready, I grab my backpack and head downstairs.
Mom stands by the stove, flipping pancakes onto plates. She turns to smile at me as I enter the kitchen. "Morning, sleepyhead. Hungry?" "Starving" I admit, sitting down at the table. She sets a plate piled high with pancakes in front of me, along with a glass of orange juice. As I dig in, she joins me, sipping coffee while watching me eat. "Nervous about today?" she asks. "A little" I confess.
She nods understandingly. "It's normal to feel this way when you're starting something new. But remember, everyone starts fresh in the end." I take comfort in her words and focus on finishing my breakfast. After we've both eaten, Mom clears the dishes while I gather my things. At the front door, she pulls me into a tight hug. "Have a nice day, Aidan. Call if you need anything."
The first day of classes arrives quickly, and I find myself walking through the sprawling campus, trying to memorize the layout. Students bustle past me, some engrossed in conversations, others rushing to class. I spot a group huddled together, laughing loudly- they all wear the same kind of jacket emblazoned with the school crest. A few girls stand nearby, whispering among themselves, eyeing the boys across the quad.
As I pass them, one of the girls turns to look at me. Her gaze lingers for a moment longer than necessary, making me pause briefly before continuing on my way. I shake off the brief encounter and check my watch, realizing I'm running late for my first class. I quicken my pace, weaving through crowds until I reach the towering stone building housing my lecture hall.
The large wooden doors loom ahead, creaking open to reveal a sea of students filling the seats. I slip inside and scan the room for an empty chair, spotting one near the front. As I make my way down the aisle, I notice the girl from outside watching me again, her cold grey eyes following my every move. I sit down quickly, feeling a strange mixture of unease and curiosity.
A boy sits down next to me and smiles at me. "Hi, I'm Milo Bennett" he says, offering me his hand. I take his hand and smile back. "I'm Aidan Raine." "That's a nice name, Aidan. By the way, are you new? I haven't seen you on campus before."
"Yeah, I am" I say, shaking his hand. "First day and already overwhelmed." Milo laughs sympathetically. "I get it. This place can be pretty intimidating." He gestures around the crowded lecture hall. "But you'll get used to it. Trust me." "Thanks" I reply, feeling a little less anxious now that someone's talking to me. "So, what year are you?" "Junior" he answers. "How about you?" "Freshman."
The lecture begins, and Professor Harris rambles on about the syllabus, but I struggle to focus. Instead, my thoughts keep returning to the girl with the cold gray eyes. I glance sideways at Milo, who seems absorbed in taking notes. "Hey" I lean over and whisper, "do you know that girl? The one sitting a few rows behind us?" Milo looks back discreetly and raises an eyebrow. "Who?" "Dark hair, gray eyes…"
Milo follows my gaze and spots her immediately. "Oh, her," he says, lowering his voice. "That's Selena Valkari." "Is she a junior too?" I ask. "No, she's a senior" Milo replies. "She's part of this really exclusive group called The Bloody Muses. They're basically untouchable here." Untouchable? That makes her even more intriguing. I try to act casual, but I can't help stealing another glance at Selena.
She catches me looking and smirks, a hint of challenge in her expression. I quickly turn back to Milo, trying to hide my sudden interest in this enigmatic girl. "What do you mean by untouchable?" I whisper. Milo leans closer, his voice barely audible over the professor's droning. "The Bloody Muses are legendary here. They set the rules, control the social hierarchy. If they want something, they take it."
♠️
The bell rings, signaling the end of class. Milo gathers his books and grins at me. "Want to grab lunch together? I can show you around campus a bit." I hesitate, glancing back at Selena, who's already packing her bag and heading towards the exit. She doesn't spare me another look. "Sure" I agree, turning my attention back to Milo. "Lead the way." We leave the lecture hall and step out into the bustling quad.
As we walk through the campus, Milo points out various buildings and landmarks. He talks animatedly about different clubs and societies, but my mind keeps wandering back to Selena. I wonder why she was staring at me earlier, why she seemed so intrigued. And what did Milo mean by 'untouchable'? "Earth to Aiden" Milo says, snapping his fingers in front of my face. "Sorry" I mumble, shaking off my thoughts.
Milo raises an eyebrow. "You sure you're okay, man? You seem a bit distracted." "Yeah, sorry" I reply, trying to refocus. "Just... adjusting to everything." "Totally get it" Milo says, clapping me on the shoulder. "Let's grab some food, yeah?" We head to the dining hall, where Milo introduces me to several other students. Everyone seems friendly enough, but my mind is still racing with questions about Selena.
"By the way, did you hear that tomorrow night there's another hunt and the Huntresses are going to hunt us again" said one of Milo's friends. I raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's this hunt?" "It's a ritual called the hunt. Officially, it's a voluntary game: students sign up and on a certain night they're released into the nearby woods wearing glowing bracelets. They run away, and a group of masked girls - "The Huntresses" - chase them" says Milo.
"You're joking, right?" I ask, incredulous. "They actually let people hunt each other like animals?" Milo shrugs. "It's supposed to be safe, controlled. The Huntresses have rules they follow." "But why would anyone willingly participate in something like that?" I shake my head, still not believing what I'm hearing. "That's the thing," Milo explains. "It's anonymous. No one knows who signed up or who was caught during the hunt."
"Do you know who the hunters might be?" I ask. Milo shakes his head and rubs his chin, thinking. "They wear masks when they hunt, and each of them has a weapon" Milo explains. "The leader is especially dangerous and is easily recognized by her pink mask and the chains she wraps around her arm to catch her prey." I shiver at what she says. "That's creepy."
Later that evening, after dinner with my mom, I find myself alone in my room. The small space feels even smaller as I pace back and forth, anxiety gnawing at me. The conversation from earlier echoes in my mind- the hunt, the masked girls, their weapons. I can't shake the image of the leader with her pink mask and chains. It's unsettling, but there's something else too-a spark of curiosity mixed with fear.