First Day
~Euphoria~
“Hey, wake up.”
I opened my eyes to find Niera sitting on the edge of my bed, gently shaking my shoulder.
I sat up, stretched my arms above my head, and let out a long yawn.
“Hello.
Good morning.
What’s up?”
“I’m hungry.
Let’s go to the cafeteria and see what this place offers for breakfast.”
She stood up immediately, like the word breakfast had given her a reason to live.
“What time is it?” I asked.
“I don’t know.
The sun’s up, though.” She shrugged.
“I’d be happy to join you.
Let me just get dressed.”
Niera woke her sister next, but she left Clara sleeping peacefully in her bed.
“Shouldn’t we wake Clara?
She might be hungry too.”
“Fuck her.
She snoozes, she loses.”
“But Niera, she can’t help who she’s related to.
She’s just another victim of circumstance.
We should wake her.”
“Fine.
Wake her up.
I don’t care.”
Niera threw her hands into the air before turning toward the closet.
Her posture had gone stiff, and I could tell I’d annoyed her.
Shoot.
I hope I didn’t make her mad at me.
“Did I upset you?” I asked quickly.
“I’m sorry.
I didn’t mean to.
I just feel bad leaving our roommate behind.
We’ll be living together for the rest of our time here.”
“However long that is.” Niera sighed.
She grabbed a dress from the closet.
“Last night, when I went to the bathroom, I heard some girls talking.
A human girl was already attacked.
She’s alive, but she’s in the infirmary.”
She disappeared into the changing room before I could say anything else.
I stood there for a moment, thinking about what she’d said.
Already?
We had barely been here a day.
That thought made my stomach twist.
When Niera came back out, she was wearing a soft blue dress with golden clips holding the straps together and a matching chain belt resting delicately around her waist.
She looked beautiful.
I felt incredibly lucky to have such nice friends during my first few days at this school.
I walked over to Clara’s bed.
“Hey, Clara.
Wake up.
Let’s go get breakfast together.”
I gently rubbed her shoulder.
“Mmmm…”
She groaned and pulled the blanket farther over her head.
“Five more minutes, Mom.
I’m still sleepy.”
My hand flew over my mouth to keep myself from laughing.
That was adorable.
Before I could say anything, Niera shouted from across the room. Visit g.com for the full chapter.
“Clara, there’s breakfast downstairs.
If you want food, get the hell up.
Clarice is probably already there talking shit.”
That lit a fire under her.
Clara shot upright so fast that she startled me.
“Shoot, you’re right!”
I stumbled backward, barely catching myself before I fell.
A moment ago, she’d looked half-dead.
Now she was moving with military precision.
I couldn’t help but laugh.
I changed into a soft white blouse with puffy sleeves and a long, flowing blue skirt.
After braiding my hair into pigtails, I tied little ribbons at the ends.
When I stepped out, Clara looked me up and down.
“It’s honestly unfair how pretty you are with literally no effort.”
Her compliment immediately made warmth creep into my cheeks.
“You even blush like a Disney princess.
That’s annoyingly cute.”
She disappeared into the changing room before I could respond.
When she returned, she was wearing a long green dress with a lace shawl wrapped around her torso and secured with a gold clasp.
“Are you guys ready?” Natari asked from the doorway.
She stood there with her arms crossed, looking effortlessly cool as usual.
“Yes.
I’m starving,” Niera answered.
I nodded and followed them out.
The cafeteria was just like the rest of the school.
It looked like something pulled straight from the pages of a storybook.
The room stretched up two entire stories, making me feel tiny the moment I stepped inside.
Sunlight poured through towering arched windows, spilling across the polished floors.
White walls gleamed beneath dark wooden beams that crossed the ceiling overhead.
Off-white curtains trimmed in gold swayed gently in the breeze.
Elegant lantern-style chandeliers hung above us, their warm light making everything look even more magical.
At the far end of the hall sat a massive buffet that stretched across almost the entire back wall.
This looked less like a school cafeteria and more like a luxury resort.
The first floor was filled with long, rectangular tables made of dark polished wood.
Above us, an open balcony wrapped around the room, with smaller round tables scattered across the second level.
It almost felt like the upper floor was reserved for the elite.
Everything about this place screamed wealth and privilege.
Something I’d never known.
“Wow.
This place is stunning, even for someone with money,” Clara said.
“Shit, I’ve definitely never seen anything like this,” Niera agreed.
Neither had I.
But before I could say anything, I noticed people watching us as we walked by.
Some whispered to one another.
Others openly stared.
A few quickly looked away when I caught them.
The closer we got to the buffet, the more intense it became.
I could feel their eyes digging into my back.
My throat went dry.
Why was I suddenly so nervous?
I tried to ignore it.
I wasn’t doing anything wrong.
I was just getting breakfast.
That’s all.
The buffet itself was incredible.
Coffee.
Tea.
Juice.
Fresh fruits of every kind.
Pain au chocolat pastries.
Pancakes and toast.
Bacon and sausage.
Gyeran-jjim.
Congee.
Youtiao.
Baozi.
Akara.
My mouth watered.
I was eating a real breakfast for the first time in months.
I slept in a bed.
I woke up in a room.
I could fill my stomach.
And drink tea.
Wonderful, delicious tea.
I stared at the food for another second, almost afraid it would disappear if I looked away.
Then I grabbed a plate and started loading it with a little bit of everything.
“Damn, girl.
That’s a lot of food for someone your size.
You sure you can eat all that?” Niera asked.
I nodded confidently.
“Mmm.”
“This I’ve got to see,” Natari said.
If there was one thing I excelled at, it was eating like every meal might be my last.
Because, honestly…
sometimes it felt like it could be.
“There’s a table by the window.
Let’s claim it.”
Clara pointed toward an empty table near the windows.
We settled in, with Niera on one side of me and Clara on the other.
Natari sat across from us.
I looked down at my plate.
So much food.
For once, I didn’t have to wonder when I’d eat again.
I picked up my fork.
Then suddenly…
Heat rolled down my back.
It felt like I’d stepped into a hot bath.
I froze.
I glanced around.
No one had spilled anything on me.
There was no obvious source of the heat.
Yet my skin felt hotter by the second.
What is this?
I fanned myself with one hand.
My face burned.
My skin flushed.
The heat spread across my neck and down my arms.
“Are you okay?” Clara asked.
“I don’t know.
I suddenly feel like I’m melting.”
“You’re a little young for menopause,” Clara said.
I gave her a confused look.
Was that supposed to make me feel better?
“I’ll be right back.
Maybe splashing some water on my face will help.”
I stood from my chair and hurried toward the doors.
My heart was pounding.
My skin was burning.
Something wasn’t right.
What is going on?
Move, Ria.
Get to the bathroom.
🌸This chapter has an image in the Pictures Auxiliary chapter🌸