WitchCraft Academy (The First Book)

Drowsily, I turn in my sleep, colliding with an object and realize it's Axel. Attempting to sit up, he tightens his arms around me.

"Don't leave yet," he mumbles, still half asleep. His voice is deeper than normal and raspy and actually kind of sexy.

I glance at the alarm clock on the nightstand and let out a sigh. "It's almost six in the morning. I have to go before someone catches me sneaking out and thinks we did something nasty. Besides, you're going to have a killer hangover all day."

He mutters something incomprehensible, still partially intoxicated, as I slip on my shoes. Opening the door to his room, I hear him say, "Thanks for being with me last night. I wasn't in a good place."

"No problem, Axel," I whisper as I quietly close the door, sneaking through the hallway, the main room, and down the stairs to the main corridor that's lit with candles, finally reaching my dorm room shared with Juniper. It comes as no surprise to find her awake, engrossed in a book, laid out on her tie-dye bedding.

"Where have you been?" Juniper asks curiously, placing her book upside down on the bed and giving me her undivided attention.

"I found Axel passed out drunk at the bottom of the stairs last night. He was completely wasted, and I was worried he might choke on his own vomit or something, so I stayed with him," I explain, kicking off my shoes and sweatshirt while rummaging through the closet for fresh clothes.

"Jesus fucking Christ, is he okay?" She asks, her eyes widening even further. One of my favorite things about Juniper is how genuinely nice she is. She always cares about everyone.

"Yeah, I think so. He just went a little overboard," I assure her, grabbing a clean towel from the bathroom closet. "I'm going to take a quick shower before class."

"Sounds good. Ms. Reed is quizzing us on the history of witches today," she reminds me.

"Shit, I completely forgot. What topics are we covering?" I ask, pausing at the doorway.

"Historical witches throughout history. Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, Anne Boleyn, Joan of Arc and others like them," she explains.

"I am so screwed. She's only quizzing us on it because she's been around since the dinosaurs," I reply, thinking of the little old lady and making a face before hopping into the shower for a speedy wash.

We make our way to the cozy little kitchen tucked away in the heart of the girls' dormitory, opting for a simple bowl of cereal instead of braving the bustling cafeteria for our morning meal. Afterward, we venture off to our history class together.

But our history, oh, it's far from the ordinary tales that humans learn. It's a rich tapestry of honesty and enchantment. Do people truly believe that humans were the ones who discovered electricity? Or invented motor transportation and cellphones? It sounds absurd. In truth, science is a realm where magic reigns supreme, comprising a staggering 90 percent of its essence.

As the quiz unfolds before me, I find myself grappling with the questions. Academics have never been my forte, yet by the end of the class, a flicker of confidence ignites within me, urging me to hand in my completed papers. Ms. Reed, our wise and kind-hearted teacher, offers me a warm smile as I approach her with my work. Though she must be close to a century old, she never fails to bring delightful baked treats to share with the class.

"Thank you, Ms. Ashwood," she says appreciatively, and I swiftly make my exit from the classroom.

"Why aren't you joining me for Elemental Class?" Juniper inquires with curiosity, noticing my departure from our usual path.

"I'll catch up with you there. I need to speak with Mr. Grimshaw. I've been itching to try a combat class lately," I explain, my words tumbling out as I hurriedly retreat before she has a chance to respond.

Mr. Grimshaw, the father of Axel, bears a striking resemblance to his son. While Axel may be smaller in stature, Mr. Grimshaw possesses a larger build, adorned with faded tattoos that grace only his arms, unlike his son whose neck and hands bear the same markings.

Yet, they share the same cascading light brown locks that fall gracefully upon their shoulders, as well as the piercing intensity of their warm brown eyes and strong jawline. I swear, every girl with a hint of daddy issues has attempted to win Mr. Grimshaw's affections in this place. And failed horribly. Shit, I've even considered it myself.

"Ah, what brings you to my humble abode, Ember?" Mr. Grimshaw greets me as I step into his small stone office, using my first name unlike Ms. Reed.

"I'd like to enroll in a combat class. Thought it might be an interesting experience," I inform him, a spark of excitement in my eyes.

"Very well. You can start on Monday," he replies simply. "By the way, have you seen my son anywhere today?"

"No, why would I have seen him?" I quickly fabricate a lie, attempting to conceal the truth.

"I just assumed you two were friends," he responds, raising an eyebrow inquisitively.

"Well, we hang out sometimes, but I wouldn't necessarily call us friends. He has a crush on me, but the feeling isn't mutual," I explain, going into unnecessary detail, causing Mr. Grimshaw to chuckle. "But if you're looking for him, you could ask his girlfriend, Phoenix White. I'm sure she knows where he is," I suggest cunningly, knowing damn well that he's been avoiding her lately.

The day swiftly comes to an end, and Ethan and Andrew decide to join Juniper and me in our dormitory to watch a movie.

"You still can't find your DVD case anywhere?" Juniper asks, searching under my pillows and in my nightstands.

"Nope," I lie, refusing to admit that I lent it to an 18th-century warlock from a parallel dimension where witches rule and humans are on the verge of extinction. It's just too much to explain. Even to Juniper.

"You're the worst. I really wanted to watch 'But I'm a Cheerleader'," she pouts dramatically.

"Why? So you can be even more sexually confused?" Ethan playfully teases her. "Let's watch 'I Am Legend' instead."

"Babe, you know scary movies get to me. I won't be able to sleep tonight," Andrew says, giving Ethan an innocent look, and I can't help but smile at how adorable they are together.

"It's not a scary movie, baby. And I won't let anything hurt you, ever. How about 'Mean Girls'?" Ethan suggests, wrapping his arms protectively around Andrew and resting his head on his shoulder.

"We just watched that like two weeks ago," I mutter. "Alright, we're watching 'Billy Madison'," I declare, pulling the DVD out of Juniper's collection.

"Who's Billy Madison?" Andrew asks, the confusion evident on his face, and we all stare at him, unsure if he's serious.

Ethan affectionately kisses the top of his blonde head. "You have so much to learn, young grasshopper."

Juniper and I exchange knowing glances and giggle, snuggling up together. I'm ready to spend my Friday night watching movies with my best friends.