"Hey!"
River turned around from where she had been sitting on the dorm bed. She had claimed the top bunk, but she hadn't really needed to claim it anyway. Miles said she could pick, and he was very nice, letting her choose what she wanted before he got the other choice or remainder.
And sure enough, it was Miles, lugging three huge boxes into the room.
"Hey," said River uncomfortably. She had gone home the night before after hanging out with Nora at dinner, to say bye to her family. After some tears, she came to the dorm to finish unpacking and spent a night there alone, so she could get used to it.
"Liking it so far?" asked Miles kindly, sitting on the bottom bunk and unpacking, while glancing up at her.
River shrugged. She put her phone away; she had been texting Nora.
It was late morning, and Mlles started to yawn. "I think we'll be great roomies," he said.
River leaped down clumsily from the top bunk and landed on the carpeted floor. "Need help unpacking?" she offered.
He shook his head and smiled. "I don't have very much."
"Are you a jock or something?" asked River doubtfully as he pulled out some trophies, most of which relating to monster sports, like broom races and things like that. She looked at them interestedly.
"Sorta," he said. "Don't you have any trophies?"
Blushing, River said, "Only the ones I make."
Miles looked over at her sad face, but she was smiling all the same. "Whatcha mean by that?" He asked, slightly confused. With another smile, River walked over to a shelf she had: it looked like a shelf you find in art stores where they put their canvases so you can look through them to buy. River's was encrusted with some sort of diamond-like unicorn material, and in it she had placed all her finished canvases.
Miles glanced at the one she brought out to hang up: it was the one with the unicorn farm she had painted for Nora as a visual. Miles looked at it in a sort of awe, but when River saw his face, she said, "Don't tease me, alright?"
"You should totally hang these up around the school," he said.
"Oh, and let someone deface them?" she snapped, "No thanks."
"No, no," Miles said, "They can protect them, like with that human tape stuff that they put over canvases."
"I don't like people seeing my artwork," she said.
"I am," he said, as if to challenge her statement.
She scowled at him. "It's not like I can hide it from you," she said, and she hung it up. Miles walked over and began shuffling through them as River climbed back up to her bunk to text Nora.
"Hey!" Miles said, "You mind if I pick a few to hang up on my side too?"
River glanced down. "Sure... but let me see them first. Some are a bit personal."
"Okay," Miles said gleefully, and began shifting through them.
Hi Nora, you in your dorm by now?
-River, 11:30 AM
Yes, Amber's a brat. Thank goodness she hasn't arrived yet.
-Nora, 11:32 AM
Okay. Miles has unpacked.
-River 11:37 AM
What's he doing?
-Nora, 11:38 AM
Wanting to know where you are <3 LOL
-River, 11:39 AM
Haha, very funny. *sarcasm, BTW*
-Nora, 11:42 AM
Nah, he's actually looking through my paintings like I'm the next Van Gogh or something.
-River, 11:50 AM
Hmmm.
-Nora, 11:52 AM
SPEAK OF THE DEVIL. Hano's here, gtg.
-Nora, 11:52 AM
Okay, see you at dinner.
-River, 11:53 AM
K
-Nora, 11:53 AM
River glanced down to see Miles retrieving a large canvas with a young girl. Her eyes were dark and puffy and swollen, and around her lower arms were twisting black tendrils, though they looked foggy and dissipating. Her hair was dark and blended in with the grey background, and the only white was of her wings, angel-like and fluffy looking. But up and down them where streams of red, dark blood, turning them into something like a demon's scarlet wings.
"What's this?" said Miles, a little squeakily.
"Something I made for some underworld workers..." said River, her voice breaking.
"Looks like you," said Miles.
"A bit," said River. "But pay it no mind, I'm sending it off tomorrow..." she turned around when a large KNOCK echoed on the door. River shimmied down the ladder and opened the door to see Nora.
"You gotta let me in," she huffed, and stepped in without warning, and yanked the door closed. "Amber's a nightmare! I-"
Nora stared at Miles, who had placed the painting back in the rack and was anchoring another one to the wall. He stared at her. "Hey," said Miles, but not in a mean voice like River was expecting. "You're Nora, right?"
"Yes," said Nora, a little nervously. Then she turned to River. "As I said, Hano's a nightmare, she keeps yapping about stuff and threatening me and stuff! You need to help me or something, she's terrible! Tell the headmaster or something about your wings and kick her out, I cant stand her!"
"I can't," said River.
"What?" said Nora.
Miles looked on with interest, "What wings? She really did hurt you?"
River stared at Nora. "The witch doctor said not to say anything, or we can be kicked out of school." she took a breath. "You could tell the headmaster, but I cant help."
"Okay," said Nora. "Fine. I'll try and tell him sometime..."
"Hey!!!!" yelled a familiar voice. In the doorway was Amber Hano. Her eyes sped over Miles, River, and finally, Nora, with a sneering manner. "So," she said to River, "you think you can steal my man?"
"No," said River. "I didn't steal him. He's not an object. He's just my roomie."
Ignoring her, Hano advanced on Nora. "So-"
But behind Hano, Randy and Angelic had been walking. "Hey Hano!" they said, their laughing muffled. Hano spun around, seeing that she was being watched, and huffily stormed off.
"That was odd," said Nora.
"Yeah," said Miles.
"Okay, hey Riv!" said Randy. "Did you figure out your monster type by now?'
"Succubus," said Miles, beaming.
"So you're an incubus?" said Angelic, looking at him and grinning. Miles nodded and Randy grabbed his shoulders.
"Awesome job, dude, for getting this one," Randy said, pointing at River.
"Nobody's got her," said Nora.
"Huh. I'm guessing you're Nora? Yeah, she's a nice looking lady too," said Randy, smiling.
Miles blushed and Angelic laughed. "Got to go," she said, beaming. "Okay, Rand, we'll be late for the club meeting! Classes start tomorrow," she added, gesturing to Nora, River, and Miles. "You guys are all in the same classes for the morning, then you have different afternoon classes."
Randy handed them a paper. "Class schedule ," he said, passing one to each.
9-10 AM: How to Blend in a Human Society (Learn about Humans Class)
11-12 AM: Monster Types (Learn about Monsters Class)
1 PM: LUNCH
2 PM: Monsters Needs (Learn about YOUR Monster Type and Needs Class)
3-4: Training (Gym, Learn About Your Powers Class)
"Sounds boring," said Miles, but River was smiling.
