Across the Table, chapter 1

I wrote this short story which turned into almost 3,000 words (29376 words to be exact). The idea for this story came from a dream I had which was so vivid I couldn't stop thinking about it so I had to write a story for it. Spite fuels many things, writing included lol One day I might turn this into a full story, its open enough to expand the story. Plus I think I've come up with a cool concept for a magical school (suck it terf who shall not be named!).

The premise of the dream was being at a event with a longtime friend, who I also had a crush on, and we had a intense staring contest while sitting across each other. He looked like a cross between Kaz Brekker (Shadow and Bone tv show) and Viktor (Arcane tv show). Yes I went lazy with the name and just called him Kaz, it fit well enough I couldn't think of anything better.

Enjoy chapter 1! Next (and final for now) chapter in another post!

As I walked through the double doors my eyes widened in surprise and delight.

The room was huge! Tall windows, some with stained glass, lined the walls and bright light poured in.

Chandeliers filled with large white wax candles hung from the ceiling casting more soft light down upon the heads of the people pouring into the large room.

Thick rich red fabric was draped around the windows, looking heavy with age. The room was lined with long tables of rich dark wood, it looked warm to the touch.

Chairs filled every space available, some not even at tables, it looked like they tried to make as much sitting space as possible in a short amount of time.

Which is silly considering this is one of the most prestigious magical schools on the continent.

Ravendance Academy was the best of the best, and yet whenever anyone talked about it (unless you were some stuck up ass) it was always spoken about with words of humility.

Because unlike some magic schools, this place took everyone. And I do mean anyone. There was an age requirement (of course, that makes sense) but otherwise

anyone of any age, race, gender, sexuality, ect could apply. And as long as you cleared the entrance exam you were accepted!

Ravendance had the reputation of being the friendliest, most welcoming place.

“A shelter from the storm of life” was one of the school mottos. Not the official one, but started by students years ago and it stuck around.

They were also known for not having school Houses or Factions. Instead there were groups for specific types of magic or study,

but even within those there were their own groups. So you could find the subjects you excelled in and join the group for that, and you could join as many groups as you wanted.

There were no points awarded, no overhanging goal to reach by the end of each year. Every student's accomplishments, on their own or in a group, added to the school and were treated with pride.

Anyways, back to this amazing room!

The tables had more candles on them, as well as arrangements of flowers and greenery (it was just before spring, but of course magic can produce all sorts of amazing things).

Despite the dark wood and the heavy curtains, the room had a lightness to it. Perhaps it was the tall ceiling, stretching far above us, or the many windows, or the flowers, but one didn’t feel stifled.

Even with so many people trying to find seats.

New students excitedly grabbed seats, trying to stick together with their friends or siblings while also trying to take the room in. It was mild chaos.

I hung back a bit, trying to let some of the people settle first before finding a seat. Plus I had lost sight of my companion while coming in and I didn’t like leaving him alone in a crowd.

“Well well, this is quite the site isn’t it Willow?” a soft voice filtered into my ears, cutting through the noise. I relaxed and turned and see my friend. My very best friend in the whole world.

Who I also had a massive crush on.

I’ve known Kaz since we were young teenagers, we were in our mid to late 30's now, and we had been fast friends ever since I had fought off a pack of bullies who were picking on him.

You see, Kaz had a limp in his left leg, he had an accident when he was a child and it never fully healed. Not that it ever stopped him, I swear nothing could stop this boy (he was too damn stubborn at times).

He walked with a cane, but he didn’t always need it. It never bothered me, I always saw him as a whole, it was a part of who he was just as my scar was a part of who I was.

I was born with an unusual heart condition and had to have surgery when I was very young, they had to cut into my chest. So I have a scar running from just below the middle of my ribs to just under my collarbone.

Kaz said it never bothered him, that it gave me character. Guess we’re more alike than we realize.

He stood just a bit taller than me, just enough that I had to turn my eyes up to look at him. Tall and kind of gangly, but I knew better because he could keep up with me in a sparring match, so he wasn’t just skin and bones.

But he did look very long and thin, especially his hands, but naturally so. A mess of straight black hair that he would often slick back, but it wouldn’t stay that way for long (especially if he was working) and it would fall into his face

which annoyed him to no end but he insisted it was short enough (“and I’ve got a undercut anyways, it seems pointless to cut it more”). He had large dark eyes, pools of blue and brown like a magical well framed by long lashes.

His face was sharp, slightly sunken cheekbones and jawline you could cut yourself on and a long sharp nose. I would tease him and said he had a mean resting bitch face, but he would agree with me which

always made me laugh harder because it’s true.

But he was kind, often blunt and to the point, but never cruel unless he didn’t like you or you were “a wanker” (his words, not mine).

He was always kind to me. And he was pretty (because boys can be pretty don’t judge), so pretty…

ANYWAYS!

As for me, I was almost the opposite of him looks-wise. I was chubby (which I loved) and had an hourglass shape, all round and soft curves. But under that softness was pure muscle,

I could bench press Kaz with one hand if I wanted (and despite his appearance he wasn’t a light guy). My face was fairly round, a long but wide nose and eyes that were green and brown.

Even my glasses were round! My hair was short and curly, naturally turning into loose bouncy curls that were fiery red (and never stayed where I wanted them to).  Some said I looked like a

forest fairy that would beat you up for looking at her funny and they… aren’t wrong. But I’m nicer than that I promise.

At Kaz’s comment I turned and smiled.

“It sure is! This room is amazing! Oh it looks like it’s calmed down a bit, lets try and find a seat”

We made our way through the tables looking for two open seats, I kept an eye out that Kaz wouldn’t trip on anything. I trusted his ability to get around

and take care of himself, but I still kept an eye out for him. Finally we found a table that had two open chairs at the end of the table inside the middle aisle.

The seats were across the table from each other but we decided it was the best we would get so we went with it. I sat on the seat facing the door,

Kaz facing the back of the room where the teachers would sit.

The students sitting next to us struck up conversation and we chatted happily for a while. I found myself looking at Kaz, he was framed by the light behind him and he seemed to glow.

For once he was in the mood to socialize and he seemed to have found a common interest with the student next to him, I could see the way his eyes lit up when he talked about something that he cared about.

I was still talking with my table mate but my eyes kept drifting back to Kaz like I had no control over it. Did his mouth always look so pretty… suddenly Kaz caught my gaze and for the briefest moment I saw

something flash in his eyes. Something dark. Not bad, I could tell he wasn’t mad, but it was… something. He flashed a grin at me then turned back to his conversation. My heart did a little leap in my chest.

“So what are you planning on studying?” the pretty girl wearing a flower crown next to me asked. I slightly shook my head to clear my thoughts.

“I’m not exactly sure, but I looked at the classes they had for physical activities and I’m thinking perhaps the “Self defense, weapons and magic” class. Maybe not right away, but at some point.

I’ll probably start with the basics then go from there”.

“And what about you?” she turned to Kaz, who momentarily seemed caught off guard but caught himself.

“I’m going to be studying cartography and making diagrams of magical instruments, buildings, that sort of thing. Dry I know but it’s my passion”. He smiled shyly, he didn’t always know how people

were going to take to his unusual interests (I found it HUGELY fascinating, even if I didn’t always understand it no matter how many times Kaz tried to explain it).

The girl smiled widely.

“Wow that’s cool! I couldn’t imagine doing something like that, to many numbers but I’m glad you enjoy it! I want to take the “care of magical plants” class, I can only imagine what kind of unusual plants

and flowers they have in the greenhouses here”. She sighed dreamily and the color of the flowers in her crown changed from pink and white to orange and yellow.

Suddenly there was a ringing of a bell, it somehow rang clearly across the entire room and slowly the chatter and noise died down. A man in rich purple robes and dark skin stood at the end of the room

(I had to turn in my seat to see). Once he had everyone's attention he spoke.

“Welcome my new friends, one and all. I welcome you to Ravendance Academy! I hope your trip was well and safe. I am your Principal, but you can call me Teacher Brex. I wish you all an easy time settling in, it can be hard being in a

new place with new people. If you ever have any problems or concerns, no matter how trivial, please come see me and I will do what I can. We want everyone here to find their place, their hive of comrades, their self and your place in our

never ending Universe. The vast resources, teachers and knowledge we have here is for you, to learn and grow your magic into something incredible. I can’t wait to see each and every one of you bloom over the coming years.

Please everyone, give yourself and your fellow students a hand!”

The room, which had been silent with quiet breath a moment before, erupted into uproarious cheer and clapping. Suddenly out of nowhere flower petals started falling from the sky, somehow not being burned by the candles. Everyone was

covered in flowers, some students scooped them up by the handful and threw them back into the air, some brushed them off as an annoyance. I was filled with a sense of wonder and amazement, I cheered and whooped as I let myself be covered in flowers.

As the cheering went on around us I turned to Kaz to see if he was okay and found him staring straight at me, he must have been watching me the whole time. I felt my face warm but I matched his gaze. For a moment the room around us faded away and all

I could see was his stormy eyes, that dark look having come back. It burned into me like fire and my chest felt tight. I stared back just as intensely, a smile still on my face but it had turned into more of a smirk which he matched (the bastard). For a crazy

moment I thought he would reach across the table and take my hand, touch me, something. But suddenly someone came up to me grabbing my shoulder cheering and yelling in delight, I looked away and the spell was broken. I felt the air come back to

me and remembered where I was. I laughed with the person and we threw flowers at each other, out of the corner of my eye I saw Kaz shake his head with a smile on his face but I still felt his eyes on me.

Boy this was going to be a strange time. Wonder how long I’ll hold out.