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Realistic or Modern Nightshade Academy of Magick (IC)

keeruh

keeruh

boo


















Pilot...





welcome back!


Nightshade’s doors have opened once again, welcoming students old and new into its weathered halls. Nobody else had gone missing. Yet.

Tensions are high, and yet…everyone’s hoping this year would be better. Even just a little.


With the new school year comes new dorms for the students. And new roommates. The school’s Housing Committee assigned the co-ed dorms at random, meaning that *somewhere*, drama was bound to ensue.

Or who knows, maybe not.

In the woods beyond Nightshade’s warded boundaries, darkness paces, trailing clawed fingers along those magical wards, waiting.

The darkness had been waiting a long time.






























shhhh












♡coded by uxie♡

 
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veronika.





































  • mood



    frustrated
















Something about Jason’s death haunted Veronika.

It wasn’t even because she’d seen his death and intentionally kept it from him, though that bit should have bothered her arguably more than it did. No, it was the unpredictability of her visions. Regardless of what she asked for—in that case, it had been to see a solution as to how to stop the evil force stalking Jason, on his behalf—she was always shown what she needed to see, rather than what she (or sometimes a third party) wanted to get out of it.

No matter how many times Veronika revisited the vision, it was always the same: an indiscernible figure in the dark of the forest at night, a ripped page fluttering in the wind, and a blood bath. For some reason, she always got hung up on the paper, trying to make out what it said despite it being in a language she couldn’t decipher, or where it could have come from, but it was such a quick glance that there was never enough time to properly study it.

When Veronika opened her eyes, she was met again with another blood bath of sorts in the dim lighting of the girls’ communal bathroom. The newest of many cuts along her hand and upper arm oozed a thick, red liquid onto the white tiles of the shower floor. With a sigh, she rose to her feet and stepped out, only to reach back in and turn on the water just long enough to ensure that all of the blood was washed down the drain. Then, she strode across the room to the row of sinks lining the wall, where she’d left a first aid kit, and began the monotonous task of cleaning herself up.

It would seem that Veronika’s school year was starting off bad in more ways than one.

She tore through her side of the room—the messiest any living space of hers had been since she was a child—in search of her favorite brooch—an intricate black pin with a red rose adorning the center—but it was nowhere to be found. Veronika wasn’t careless enough to lose it, either, so she suspected something else was at work. Aspen, for one, had a knack for taking things that weren’t his, though she doubted he had any use for her brooch, so if he’d been involved, someone had to have put him up to it.

Still, though, Veronika didn’t like to jump to conclusions.

Pulling the sleeve of her uniform jacket down over her bandaged hand, Veronika hesitantly turned towards Bianca’s half of the space. “Have you seen my brooch anywhere, by chance?” she tried.

































anti-hero



taylor swift










♡coded by uxie♡
 
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bianca.





































  • mood



    reflective

















As a Pine Creek native, returning to Nightshade after the several month hiatus following the murders felt natural to Bianca. As if it had always been.

It was her fourth and final year at the school, and as much as she hated to admit it…part of her was sad that this would be it. That after she graduated, her time at the place that had changed her life so thoroughly would be over.

The brunette had arrived and settled into her room the day prior, and she now lay sprawled across the white duvet that covered her bed, feet kicking in the air.

There was a clear distinction between her and Veronika’s side of the room. Bianca’s side was light and airy, full of plant life and wooden accents. Her bio active tanks had just finished being set up around the space, her snakes side by side on the desk, her fish tank on a nightstand besides her bed and her jellyfish tank, the newest addition to her little ecosystem, on the bookshelf against the wall.

Her roommate’s half of the room was darker, draped in grey’s and reds and blacks, books and other miscellaneous objects strewn about as the other brunette seemed to be frantically searching for something.

The commotion was enough to draw Bianca from the book on herbal medicine she’d flipping through absentmindedly, Veronika’s question hanging in the air.

She pursed her lips into a fine line, thinking for a moment. Brooch….what brooch.

Oh!

“Do you mean that black one you’re always wearing?” she asked, sitting up, closing the book. “If you mean the one with the rose, I haven’t seen it, sorry Veronika.”

Bianca slid to her feet, coming to stand in the center of her room.

“I can help you look, if you’d like.”

































cry for love



백현










♡coded by uxie♡
 
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Esmeralda Hearthstone





































  • mood



    pissed, confused and uncomfortable

















A new term– well, another shot at it.

After the death of Jason Huxley the school had shut down for a few weeks to investigate exactly what happened. Not a lot of people knew how he died other than the fact his body was completely drained of blood.

An explanation? Nobody got one. It was either that– or Esmeralda didn’t care enough to hear it. The limousine had pulled up to the infamous Academy, the age of the castle-like school was shown in its architecture despite it being taken care of all these years.

It was her junior year and usually Esmeralda looked down on attending– but this year was going to be different.

She could feel it.

Esme adjusted the rose brooch on her blazer, an almost electric surge of excitement shot through her at the mere thought of attending class– the exact classes she failed because of her inability to conjure a spell that’d hold longer than a few seconds.

“Levare,” she repeated as per the teacher’s instructions. Mrs. Jacobs was an older woman who taught various classes mainly to those who possessed both natural, and unnatural magic– some were born with their own genetic pool of magic, and others drew their magic from the earth.

Much like what she was doing-- or... trying to.

The feather slowly hovered against the table and Esmeralda blinked, attempting to clear her mind to focus more on the energy she was trying to siphon.

She wasn’t like them.

Her gaze flitted to Khal, a secular she had become somewhat close with freshman year, her family line traveled almost farther back than her own– Esmeralda wouldn’t be surprised if she could lift a truck with a blink of an eye.

She avoided the gaze of Veronika with disdain and a hidden envy, she could practically feel her brother’s eyes burning into her as the feather struggled to lift and it fell back onto the table.

“Thank you, Esme, you’re dismissed.” Mrs. Jacobs said, shooting a warning gaze towards a group of sophomore girls in the class to silent their muffled laughter.

She wasn’t like the Seculars, she wasn’t born into practice. She wasn’t like the Psyches– psychic abilities rarely ran in her family and the closest thing she had to an emotional connection was with…–

She wasn’t even a true Shade.

Rumors swirled around if she was even a real Hearthstone from the obvious lack of shadow abilities her brother, father, and grandfather seemed to excel at. Esmeralda could compare herself to every house here and there wasn’t a real one she’d belong to.

“You just need time.”

Mrs. Jacobs said, patting her on the shoulder before Esmeralda returned back to her seat and locked her gaze on the wooden desk in front of her as the lecture continued while another student was called up.

“You just need time.”

The words rang in her head, reeling from multiple conversations she’s had with her parents, as they tried to reassure her in her failures. Her gaze had turned into a glare as she watched Dana Cartwright succeed in the spell quicker than she did– the feather lifting… and lifting… and–

A sudden sense of envy controlled her quicker than she could realize what she was doing. “Incendia.” Esmeralda whispered under her breath, flicking a hand towards the feather underneath the desk.

Little to her knowledge, a spark of a flame flew towards the front of the room and softly landed on Mrs. Jacobs shoulder. A few moments had passed and a rage began to swirl in her chest when Esmeralda began to believe that her spell had failed, again.

The smell of smoke filled the room and screams erupted from Mrs. Jacobs when she felt the heat that was emanating off of her hair. Esmeralda glanced at her own reflection in a beaker near her while the room continued to fill with smoke.

She applied a pink-tint lipstick, following the natural curve of her lips in the pocket mirror's reflection. Esme felt her brother’s gaze on her and she glanced over at him, a sly smile hinting on the edges of her lips. “You like?” The brunette gestured towards the pin that awfully resembled the one that Veronika Hawthorne had.

In fact, it was the same one.

The Hawthornes and Hearthstones had a rivalry that dated back to the witch trials. It was of heavy importance not to associate with them– as the family tree continued, it just resulted in competition after competition.

“It was practically a steal.” She said with a hum of contentment. Aspen Bates continued to be of use– he was one of the only people at the school Esmeralda tolerated other than Khalani. He was a grade under her with sticky fingers.

You think Esme would’ve stolen it herself?

Ha, no.

She has people for that.

The limousine slowed to a stop as the driver exited the car, opening her door and Esmeralda took a step out, her eyes danced around the quad. It was as if nothing even happened in the first place– people were laughing, talking, gossiping.

Walking, skating and scooting without a care in the world. The fountain sat in the middle with clear running water that was riddled with coins of careless wishes and false hope.

The way the sun shined on the pavement, reflected on the fountain water, the slight heat that was a gentle accommodation to the brisk air.

It was almost serene.

For a second, you’d think nothing could go wrong around here.

A crow had landed on a nearby lamp post, the gentle twitch of its beak in her direction.

~

“What, is she just talking to every damn student? It’s probably her way of narrowing down whoever killed… whatever his name is, my bet’s still on a vampire.” Esme said, leaning against the wall while they waited outside the office.

Axel Jericho exited the room.

He was a shifter– a werewolf to be exact but Esmeralda always viewed shifters with disdain. They were always so… messy, it didn’t matter with what, whether it’d be feelings, actions, parties– sex.

She was convinced they were… the bottom of the barrel for the supernatural, especially werewolves. “Ay, pobre cachorro,” Esme whined, her lip pouting.

“Did she tell you she’d have to put you on a leash?” The brunette batted her eyelashes in mock sympathy. Rolling her eyes as he passed and they were called into the room– not giving her enough time to come up with another subtle insult.

A greeting and welcome back was given but Esmeralda didn’t care enough to listen to her ramble on and on. She sat on the velvet red chair quite comfortably, an aura of confidence surrounded her, one leg was crossed against the other and Esmeralda tapped impatiently on the golden armrest.

She couldn’t wait for her next class– to prove all of them wrong. Show them exactly how powerful she’d become in such a short time, it was bound to be--

exhilarating.

“Miss Hearthstone,” Janelle Cartwright spoke, prying Esme out of the daze she was in.

She was the youngest headmaster to date, and in Esme’s opinion, an extreme tool who shouldn’t have the opportunity to take care of this school in the first place.

But she didn’t always voice her opinions when wanted.

“Miss Cartwright– Mrs? Are you married? I never could tell,” Her voice dripped with sarcasm, she’s definitely spent a good amount of time in this office, and it wasn’t because she was being praised for good behavior.

The headmaster sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose and glanced towards Ezra, returning her attention back towards the younger Hearthstone. “As you know,” The older woman started, “This year has already been off to a rough start,” Esmeralda yawned, nodding along and waiting for her to continue.

“And I expect you to be on your best behavior–”

“Excuse me?” Esme spoke up, raising an eyebrow almost as if she was challenging her to elaborate. “Esmeralda, you and I both know that when it comes to your magic– you’re…”

“I’m what?” She spat, causing Janelle to take a breath, taking a moment to come up with a word. “Sensitive.” Mrs. Cartwright finished, eying the older Hearthstone with almost regret.

“The school cannot handle another… incident. The board has given you many chances Esmeralda but I’m afraid no matter who your family is, this school’s number one priority is the safety of everyone involved– including you.”

Esme’s fists clenched at her sides.

Safety? She’s speaking of safety when a student has died under her watch. Now she thinks she could ridicule us?

The voice had eventually gotten louder and louder to the point where Mrs. Cartwright’s voice was nothing but whitenoise.

Tell her off.

Tell her that you’re not that same girl you were a year ago— a few months ago even, that you’re stronger than half of the—

“You’re right.” Esmeralda spoke and suddenly the voice was as good as gone, gaining surprise from the headmaster and her brother alike.

The tension in her fists began to relax and Esme laid them to rest on her lap. “I… acted irrationally, I wasn’t in full control and I apologize for any harm I caused to Mrs. Jacobs. It won’t happen again.”

Janelle seemed baffled for the first few moments, struggling to come up with an answer before she finally spoke. “... Thank you, Esme. You may go.”

Esmeralda stood up, adjusting her skirt and took a step towards the door, hesitating. “Please tell Mrs. Jacobs she was right as well,” Mrs. Cartwright raised an eyebrow, indicating her to continue. “I just needed time.” Esmeralda smiled softly her way and left the room.

The door to the office closed behind her and a familiar blonde locked eyes with Esme. “Dana,” She greeted, almost sickeningly sweet.

“Gosh, how are you? I heard that…” Her voice dropped to a subtle whisper as she approached the cheerleader. The blonde put her head down and shook her head, “Yeah, I found Jason when…” Esmeralda’s smile dropped and she blinked.

“Oh, wow… I…”

“Oh, were you not gonna say that?” Dana questioned, and Esmeralda’s lips thinned. She couldn’t exactly make that STD insult now, could she?

"... 'heard you made head cheerleader, congrats." She said, desperate to change the topic of the conversation.

"Yeah, I'd tell you to try out but I wouldn't want our pom-poms catching on fire." She joked and Esme met her eyes, a soft smile appearing-- but it was everything but friendly.

"I actually have a lot of control now actually--"

"I heard," Dana said, standing up from her seat and a subtle shrug rose to her shoulders. "Finally caught up, huh? Always knew you were just a late bloomer." While her words seemed genuine-- Dana Cartwright wasn't. You'd have to be a complete idiot to believe she was.

"Mm, mhm. You know, maybe I will show up at tryouts? If not to... tryout at least it'll be decent entertainment."

"Yeah, definitely, I'll see you there."

As soon as Dana turned around, Esme pulled up her phone, a plan already brewing.
what are you doing after school?

gonna need your help with something.


































escapisim



RAYE










♡coded by uxie♡
 
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axel.





































  • mood



    irritated > happy > confused
















“This situation certainly isn’t ideal. Wouldn’t you agree, Mr. Jericho?”

The “Mr. Jericho” in question wasn’t paying attention in the slightest to what Miss Cartwright was droning on about, if the glossed-over state of his blue eyes was any indication. His mind wandered far away, meandering out the door and down the winding halls of Nightshade Academy, leaving his body on autopilot as it usually was, his knee bouncing subconsciously to some unheard rhythm. A part of him knew he should be listening to what Cartwright was saying—she didn’t want him to still be here any more than he did, and maybe she had some helpful advice for once—but he couldn’t seem to bring himself to focus on anything—or anyone—but Livanna Moore.

Over the summer, they’d drifted apart by some reason entirely unknown to Axel (other than the fact that on his part, his parents had been breathing down his neck after the news had broken of him having to repeat his senior year, practically keeping him on house arrest to have some control over where his focus laid), and during their first semester back—the one cut short by Jason’s death—Liv had done a good job at ignoring him as if he’d wronged her in some way, which would have been totally valid if only he could figure out what he’d done to warrant such a thing. As far as he knew, he was innocent for once.

“Mr. Jericho?”

“Yes?” Axel said finally, head snapping in Miss Cartwright’s direction. The word came out sounding more like a statement than a question, and it seemed to appease the Headmistress, as her lips pulled into a thin smile before continuing.

“We don’t need perfection from you, Axel—only improvement—but you have to put in some kind of effort. You think you can handle that?”

Axel shrugged, fingertips drumming on the arm of the chair.

“I need a yes.”

Fighting back an eye roll, Axel met Miss Cartwright’s gaze, supplying her with a forced, “Yes,” that lacked any sort of genuine sincerity, though he hoped the Headmistress could overlook that for the sake of them both being able to carry on with their days.

“Good,” Miss Cartwright replied, again with that tight-lipped grin that said she didn’t want to be having this conversation.

A heavy silence settled between them, which Axel took as a welcomed cue to leave, getting to his feet so eagerly that he knocked the chair back from the sheer force of the motion before making his exit...

…Only to run into the Hearthstones on the other side of the office door.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Esmeralda Hearthstone has always had a big ego and the mouth to match, but ever since her powers fully developed, she’d been absolutely unbearable to anyone unfortunate enough to cross paths with her, and that just so happened to be Axel’s luck today.

He raised an eyebrow at Esmeralda in mild irritation. “No, but keep it up, and I might ask her to put a muzzle on you.”

Before they could really get into it, though, the siblings were called inside Miss Cartwright’s office, leaving Axel free to do as he pleased at long last.

There was still time before classes started for the day, and Axel debated on going back to his dorm but ultimately decided against it, in case his roommate was still there. He and Milo didn’t always see eye to eye, especially when Milo got in another of his moods, which, judging from his behavior earlier that morning, he was in one now. Ever since Jason’s death, it seemed to be a never-ending one. A lover’s death, Axel thought, was a good reason for being upset, so long as Milo didn’t direct his moodiness toward him.

Axel explored the halls instead. There always seemed to be something to do at Nightshade, and if there was anyone who’d be able to find trouble, it would be him.

Trouble, as it turned out, manifested itself on this occasion in the form of Aspen. He was bent down fiddling with the lock of a broom closet door, attempting to maneuver a twisted bobby-pin into the mechanism. Axel had no idea what was going through his friend’s mind that had prompted this, but he was sure whatever it was would turn out to be some sort of entertainment to him later. In the meantime, though, Aspen’s concentration on the task at hand created the perfect window of opportunity for Axel to sneak up on him.

Axel scooped Aspen up in a tight hug, spinning him around before setting him down on his feet again. He stepped back, eyeing the younger boy teasingly. “Have you gotten taller?” Axel asked. Then, brushing away an invisible tear, he mused aloud, “They grow up so fast.”

For a while, the two fell into a comfortable, easy conversation, Axel leaning against the wall to keep watch while Aspen returned to his work, but the sound of approaching footsteps startled them silent.

He almost didn’t see her at first—a flash of long, dark hair and a black and purple uniform in the corner of his eye—but as realization set in, Axel was muttering a quick, “Shit, I’ve gotta go. I’ll see ya later,” to Aspen before abandoning him in favor of chasing after Liv.

Axel didn’t bother to announce his presence as he came up behind her—he wasn’t so sure that Liv wouldn’t continue to ignore him, maybe even run off, if he did. He quickly and wordlessly seized her small hand in his and tugged her into the closest empty classroom on their left.

The lights were off, but it didn’t matter—they were standing so closely to each other that Axel could make out the pretty features of Liv’s face despite the dimness of the space. His eyes narrowed, brows pinching together as he studied her for some sort of telling reaction.

He usually didn’t like confrontation, but he’d avoided this one for as long as he could stand it.

“What’s your problem?” Axel started, his voice coming out low and harsher than he’d intended. He backed away with a huff, dropping Liv’s hand to run his fingers exasperatedly through his already-mussed hair. “You’ve been avoiding me ever since we got back, and I can’t take it anymore. Why the silent treatment?”

































without me



eminem










♡coded by uxie♡
 
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ezrael.





































  • mood



    panic

















“Your grades last semester before we closed early for the year, Ezrael,” Ms. Cartwright spoke, leafing through a file full of documents, the contents of which Ezra could not see, “we’re commendable. Things are all lining up nicely for your graduation this spring.”

His sister had left the room moments before, in a storm of brooding anger and contempt, in typical Esme fashion.

She’d grown bolder since she’d suddenly developed her powers, her newfound skills lending the younger Hearthstone sibling a boost of confidence that she certainly didn’t need.

Ezra’s hands gripped the arms of the blue cushioned chair he sat in, knuckles white. He didn’t want to think about graduation.

He didn’t want to think about the responsibilities that his parents and everyone around him liked to add to the pile of shit he was already dealing with everyday.

He nodded.

“I know your parents had mentioned something about understudying one of the Council members this coming summer,” the headmaster pressed on, adjusting a tiny wooden figurine of a badger on her desk before meeting his grey-green eyes. “I can put in a word of recommendation for you with their leader, Gabriel, if you’d like.”

Silence followed. Ezra blinked. Once. Twice. He suddenly found it very hard to breathe, like all of the oxygen had been sucked from the room.

Ms. Cartwright sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose with manicured fingers. “This is a huge offer, Ezrael. I’d like some sort of response.”

In all honesty, there was a ringing in his ears and pressure in his head like nothing he’d ever experienced before, rendering him unable to speak. A drop of sweat slid down his temple, and Ezra blinked again, desperate to shake some of the fog from him eyes.

“If that’s what my parents mentioned,” he ground out slowly, “then I suppose that’s the plan, no?”

Another exasperated sigh followed.

“Great, then I’ll start on my letter of recommendation right away. I’m sure your parents will be overjoyed,” the woman announced, closing the file.

“Great, so if that’s all, I have some stuff to do,” Ezra said, rising from his seated position. He was halfway out the door and into the hall before she spoke again.

“Oh, and Mr. Hearthstone?”

He paused for a moment, looking over his shoulder at the auburn haired woman expectantly.

“I expect you’ll keep a close eye on your sister, no?”

He left the room without another word.

































cry for love



백현










♡coded by uxie♡
 
Last edited:



Khal





































  • mood



    unsettled, trying to relax

















She could feel it everywhere she walked. Hear it, smell it, see it. There was no part of Nightshade that was left unscathed by what had happened to Jason. That kid, spiked like a hellish example to be witnessed, to infiltrate nightmares and grab hold of your very core. Khal chose not to think about it too much, not wanting to fall down that rabbit hole until she was good and ready to do so. Something dark was out there, lusting after students & faculty at Nightshade, and the thought of a war between the school and that thing made the air smell sour if she pondered it for too long.

Instead, she would focus on a forcibly successful year at Nightshade, once again. Perfection was the standard if you were a Noh, anything less and the Secular guilt was unbearable. Her family's connection with the school only made it worse, with teachers and faculty constantly harassing her with "Your father donated a great deal to the program this year, I assume that means you'll be joining us?" or "Your father sends his regards, we had a long chat last night about your progress!" or even the occasional "Khal, your mother called last night to check in on you. Have you spoken to her lately?". No, she hadn't. And wouldn't while she was at school. Khal had texts to decipher, spells to master (though, as Esme had put it before, anymore mastery and Khal would be teaching classes) & family to not disappoint.

Oh, Esme.

The one friend that the viper had managed to make, both becoming chummy due to a similar distaste for most of their classmates. Esme was a fresh breath of air in a valley of pompous, polluted teenagers. She spoke her mind, wasn't afraid to piss someone off by being herself & that girl's taste for revenge... and they called Khal the viper. Perhaps Esme was more of a boa constrictor... she liked to toy with her meal while Khal liked to snap it's neck and be done. And with Esme usually came her brother, Ezra. Being the only child in her branch of the Noh family, Khalani loved watching their sibling dynamic. Ezra was protective of his sister, quiet but calculated and intelligent and her best friend's brother which made him never anything more than a brother figure to her... nothing more. The two shades held a special place in Khal's cold heart, giving some seasonal warmth to it's otherwise cold, closed gates.

As Khal walked onto the grounds of Nightshade after an early morning trip to the cafe around the corner, she couldn't control the shutter that rippled through her being and sent goosebumps down her arms. An old, patchwork copy of The Magus (a spellbook written in France in 1801) was tucked neatly under her arm as she glided past huddles of students. Some dared glances at her that were promptly met with that black, emotionless stare that she had perfected over the years. Whispers from lowerclassmen would emerge as Khal rounded a corner, shrugging her black leather backpack higher onto her shoulder and adjusting thin titanium lenses on her nose. Try as she might, it wasn't easy to block out those murmurs and mutters and incredulous stares. Most of the Seculars would read tales & histories of the Noh family in their classes this year, some may have already peeked at their textbooks. The thought made Khal's pace quicken up up up the stairs to her dorm, hands sliding into the pocket of her semi-fitted joggers to pull out a single key attached to a black fox charm. She wasted no time shoving the key into the lock, twisting it open and hastily shutting it behind her.

One day, Khalani knew, she wouldn't be able to outrun her family. Her father's legacy and her own destiny, as Mr. Noh liked to put it. But for today... at least she could lock her door.

It turned out that the lithe witch's roommate had decided to defer until next term, leaving Khal in a room to herself, alone as she liked it. The dorm was decorated with dark greens, blacks, a few lighter shades of sage and tans and the occasional silver lurking somewhere on an altar or decorating an ancient text. Plants littered the corner by the windows as well as the windowsill, ranging from a large leafed monstera to long, flowing pothos that framed the entirety of the window and some smaller, but still creeping string of hearts & string of turtles. If there was one thing Khal was good at it was keeping things alive.

Crystals were scattered about here and there, a tarot deck neatly placed in a dish of salt on the desk, surrounded by smaller chards while just below said desk a pull-out cart of snacks and copious amounts of popcorn bags lay hidden from sight. Somehow in the chaos of it all, it was still neat. It had to be.

Throwing her back onto the forest green comforter and discarding her glasses to the bedside table, Khal felt a vibration in her pocket and fished her phone out. A smirk made it's way to her lips, dark eyes seeming to smile as she read the message from her dear Shade friend:

what are you doing after school?

gonna need your help with something.

whatever you need. just remember i've got eyes on me 24/7. my dad is crawling everywhere this year


Khal tossed the phone onto the bed, checking the time with a sigh. Her first class would start any minute and it would go how it always did. Whatever professor of whatever class would stop her at the door with some idiotic rant of We're so proud of you, your family name speaks through you, consider tutoring this year, we wish you would engage with your classmates more, if you need more advanced work tell us! More work was the last thing she needed. Quickly, Khal changed from her comfy, preferred clothes into tight black, high-waisted jeans accompanied with a white blouse (tucked in, of course) and a loose black satin string tied around her neck. A black belt cinched her waist in a bit and black, scuffed boots covered her feet before the look was completed with a buttoned and lined cardigan that matched Esme's. Snatching her backpack and smoothing out her hair once more, Khalani double checked for her keys before exiting her lonely little dorm, heading out of the building and down to her first class, Lost Artifacts of Magical Beings, where Esme was positively fuming as she sat in the Hawthorne girl's seat. And what would you know, the professor did exactly as predicted... how uncomfortable.

"Meeting with the headmaster go that well?" Khalani chuckled before striding over and plopping down next to the Shade, giving her a coy grin before fishing out a pack of Twizzlers that she had snagged from a gas station on her way home from the coffee shop. Khal plopped the candy in front of Esme. "Eat those, you look like you're about to rip someone's head off." Pulling out a pad of paper and a pen, Khalani readied her desk before twisting to face Esme once more. She really was a beautiful, mischievous girl who just happened to have the vengeance of a lion. "So tell me, my dark friend, what exactly am I helping you with?"




































escapisim



RAYE










♡coded by uxie♡
 
Last edited:



veronika.





































  • mood



    so irritated
















“I would take you up on that offer, but,” Veronika paused, her pale eyes flitting across her side of the room, “I don’t think it’s here at all.” Another break in speech as she checked the dainty watch resting on her right wrist for the time. “There’s not much you can do to help, unless you want to come with me to the lost and found before class.”

Veronika was surprised when Bianca agreed to the trip—not many people were eager to willingly assist the Hawthorne girl, which she came by honestly—and the pair made their way across campus to the office, where the lost and found box resided.

There was something so deeply humiliating and vaguely unsanitary about rifling through a box of abandoned and discarded items, the owners of which, there was no telling. It was like an advertisement for one’s carelessness, and to come up empty handed was even worse, to have gone through all of that for nothing. Veronika was glad, at least, for Bianca’s company, as she had a way with diffusing the tension. Veronika wasn’t one for much conversation—or most people in general—but Bianca filled in the silence with remarks that were much less venomous than what Veronika was used to.

When Veronika at last admitted defeat, there was just enough of a window left for the girls to return to their dorm to retrieve their things before departing again for Lost Artifacts of Magical Beings.

For the entire walk to class, Veronika’s dark red nails fidgeted with the straps of her black leather bag. There were too many things bugging her today, too many unanswered questions swimming through her head.

The icing on the cake, though, was Esmeralda Hearthstone sitting in her seat.

Veronika stopped dead in her tracks, gaze boring a hole into the side of Esme’s head from where she lingered in the open doorway. The rivalry between their families extended back to a time before any of the currently living members were even born—the Salem Witch Trials, to be exact. Sure, the reasoning for the hatred among them had twisted and evolved through the ages, morphing into something to better suit their needs, but the bitter flame still burned brightly.

Disregarding Khalani and the conversation she was having with Esme entirely, Veronika approached the Hearthstone girl, coming to a halt at the front edge of her desk. “Could you—” The question remained unfinished because the rest of the words died in Veronika’s throat as she caught sight of her missing pin glistening on the lapel of Esme’s jacket.

Veronika’s jaw tightened as she glanced back up to meet Esmeralda’s eyes, exhaling sharply through her nose. “Why are you wearing my brooch, Esme? How did you even get it?” At her side, Veronika’s slender fingers flexed in agitation as she fought the urge to reach forward and snatch the piece of jewelry off of Esme’s person. There wasn’t anything stopping her, really—it was her brooch, after all—except for the fact that she wasn’t too keen on drawing that kind of unwanted attention to herself, especially not when she knew that was exactly what Esmeralda was hoping to draw out of her.

Esme had a flair for dramatics—she was one for causing a scene everywhere she went—and the last thing Veronika wanted to do was fall right into the clutches of her waiting trap. She feared she’d already given the girl too much satisfaction by confronting her in the first place.

































anti-hero



taylor swift










♡coded by uxie♡
 



aspen.





































  • mood



    happy

















Aspen’s summer had been…eventful, to say the least. When the death of his classmate, Jason Huxley, had caused Nightshade to prematurely close for the semester, the shifter had been left with a choice: take his chances staying in Pine Creek, and find a hostel somewhere, or return home to the states, to a mother he wasn’t even sure noted his absence.

He’d decided he’d take his chances, and had spent the last few months running amuck through the Irish hillsides when he didn’t have to work at Chance’s Tavern in town. The measly paycheck the place provided him was enough for a room at a discounted rate on the Tavern’s top floor, as well as three meals a day.

He supposed he should be grateful.

The Raven shifter made a considerable amount of cash playing the drunks that frequented the talent in various card games, the majority of which Aspen shamelessly won within a few well thought out moves, with perhaps a bit of sleight of hand here and there.

He felt no remorse swindling these poor saps of their money, as well as any valuable they decided to flash in a bout of drunken egocentrism.

None of them were pure men anyways, he was certain.

When Nightshade had announced that school would be returning to session that fall, Aspen was surprised to find himself…quietly happy. The ancient stone hallways of the building had come to feel more like home to him in the months he’d been there than his apartment in the states, anyways.

The move into his dorm, which he didn’t get to himself this year, much to his dismay, was quick. It wasn’t like he had much to unpack.

But he was glad to be back.

And…he was showing it by breaking into the janitor’s closet by the headmaster’s office. He was crouched by the brass doorknob, jerryrigged puck lock pushed into the keyhole. His ear was pressed against the wood of the door itself, as he listened for a click, signaling the lock’s release.

He was so focused on the task at hand that he didn’t hear someone come up behind him before he was hoisted up, spun around and set back down rather gracelessly. Aspen whirled around to face his attacker, a grin spreading across his face as Axel’s features came into focus.

“Axel you sly dog,” Aspen greeted the older boy joyously, the lock picking momentarily forgotten about.

God, he’d missed his friends.

“Of course I’ve gotten taller,” he informed the hulking brute of a senior, straightening his posture dramatically. “I’m a whole six foot now.”

He was 5’11”, but six foot sounded better. Nobody would notice he was an inch of anyways. Right?

The two caught up for a few minutes more before the older boy had class, and Aspen, who was getting the year of to a great start, was skipping his first class.

It was syllabus week, he could afford it.

































cry for love



백현










♡coded by uxie♡
 
Last edited:



Livanna Moore





































  • mood



    : )

















Flashes of blood splattering against the wall, the fear in her chest subsided and was placed by a sense of rage and sudden euphoria as she tore into his neck, his screams for help went unheard, the soundproof studio granted them a moment of sanctuary, Liam choked, sobbed and wailed against her attack– his arms flailed, grasping the collar of her shirt while his grip grew weaker and weaker until he let go completely.

Liam fell to the floor with a heavy thud and the glazed over rage had suddenly disappeared at the sight of him unmoving.

Her hands were covered with blood that wasn’t her own and she stumbled backwards, a sense of fear flooding her body once again but for a completely different reason than before.

~

“Popstar Livanna Moore was rushed to the ER, sources say, due to an overdose. She’s reportedly stable and seeking help at a private rehabilitation center in Ireland.” The television switched off and a heavy silence sat in the living room, adjourned with heavy reds, golds and hints of silver— the furniture in this room was as old as she was— which wasn’t very old but you get the point.

“I just don’t see why we had to tell them I was an addict,” Liv complained quietly, vampires had a stronger tolerance than most and if Liv was a mortal– there was no doubt her body would crave substances more than the… nutrients she needs to survive today. Besides, with the tabloids, paparazzi and countless rumors that surrounded her–

“It’s as good a cover story as any,” said Silas, a huff of breath escaping his nose while he paced around the room with his hands around his back, clasped tightly in worry.

“And Ireland? Can’t you just tell them that–”

“It was my idea, Livanna.”

“What?” Disbelief and a pool of tears clouded her vision, he failed to look her in the eye, his movements coming to a stop and glancing away instead of in her direction.

“'I've held it off for as long as I can, but I think the school will be… a good opportunity for you, you’ll be taken care of– and taught how to handle your cravings, as much as I hate to admit it,”

He swallowed. “They could do a far better job than your grandparents and I combined.”

“Dad,” She pleaded,

“Arrangements have already been made, the label’s been spoken to, you can continue to work on your music remotely and…” She tuned him out, her hearing focused on the television in the background as they played a combination of commercials instead of her father’s voice, his unsettlingly steady heartbeat and her pounding own.

~

Two years later…

Her last year.

Livanna couldn’t believe she was a senior! It was like these years went by so fast— she had half the mind to fail this year on purpose. She spent her sophomore year getting closer to the rest of the shifters and junior? Completely falling head over heels for Axel Jericho, who was the most perfect guy in her class– at this entire school even, let’s be honest.

Despite the familial concerns, she couldn’t break away from him– not entirely. Until her grandparents heard word of a Jericho engagement and they couldn’t wait to break the news to her.

That summer was unlike any other. Filled with unknown substances, alcohol, nightclubs and random feedings– it was a miracle she wasn’t caught… Some girls dwelled in their breakups over love letters, throwing away their gifts and ate a ton of ice cream.

Not Liv.

“You’re so hot,” The girl mumbled while Liv trailed kisses down her neck, “Follow me,” she said, the redhead obeyed and soon enough, the stranger was pressed up against a brick wall in the alleyway.

The girl fiddled with the buttons on her blouse, Liv caught her hands before she went any further, making eye contact and her pupils dilated, a sense of guilt already creeping into her stomach as she spoke the words; “Stay calm,” Liv’s lips inched closer to the crook of her neck and she felt her fangs grazing against the girl’s jugular before she sank them in.

That pit of guilt in the middle of her stomach never left. The girl survived of course– though there’d been many close-calls.

All her one-night-”stands” always ended with her compelling them to believe that they just had an amazing time together and dropping them off with whichever friend-group she’d stolen them from hours before.

But all of that… all of that was a moment of weakness.

The last thing you wanted to hear is that your boyfriend, ex-boyfriend was engaged to a girl ultimately perfect in every way– and she coped with that in… very unhealthy ways.

Liv was… better now though. She had her time to get over their breakup– even if it wasn’t official and entirely forced… Axel had made his choice and Liv needed to respect that.

Not for her sake, for his.

It wasn’t like she was going to see him anyway, at least– she believed until she’d seen him and Aspen talking on the quad. Liv didn’t know that Axel failed his senior year until she arrived a few days ago, her grandparents didn’t know either or else they probably wouldn’t have sent her back for her final year.

Nevertheless, she kept her distance. Liv wasn’t a homewrecker– even if she really, really wanted to be. Who was she to step in the way of his happiness?

Somebody he loved, she hoped.

They never actually… you know, said it– but Liv knows how she feels…

But right now, the only thing Liv feels is the constant reminder of her summer that made her almost unable to look at herself in the mirror. All those nights were nothing like the incident with Liam but it’s a memory she tries to repress because of the feelings associated with it.

She’s never felt like that before.

It was unlike any other high she’s been on, it didn’t scare her because it was the first time she fed on someone, it scared her because she almost killed him– and she liked it.

When she wasn’t out distracting herself from Axel’s happily ever after, Livanna had found a box that belonged to her mother and shifted through it. It was mainly junk besides the picture she’d found of Ella the day of Liv’s birth, behind the photo had... a bunch of numbers she didn't really understand with a quote underneath;

"In my life, you are the sun that never fades and the moon that never wanes.” A bracelet that looked like... tiger's eye maybe? And finally, a paper with numerous dates and mentions of Nightshade all signed by a doctor.

She wasn’t told much about her mother, She knew she was originally a human before she was turned– Liv knew Ella left a little while after she was born but… her father never opened up about it. It’s hard to say why other than it being a sore subject for her family.

She knew about the string of murders left in her wake, the trail that led… absolutely nowhere, and that the council had gotten involved before her father could find her.

Nobody heard anything about, or from her since then. Everyone including her family was convinced that the council were forced to put her down. It didn’t… bother her much. It was hard to grieve someone you didn’t know, all of this came from word of mouth and she wasn’t sure what but something about it just didn’t add up.

Her interest was merely curiosity and a deep embedded fear that perhaps the reason why temptation was so strong that day with Liam was because… she was exactly like her?

What if she was a monster? The same monster that everyone was thoroughly convinced she was despite Jason’s puncture wounds nowhere near his jugular. After his death, a heavy suspicion laid on the vampires at Nightshade– students heard that he was drained and that was enough to blame the easiest target.

Not Liv specifically, she’s not very threatening– she doesn’t seem very threatening is the right word.

She was in her dorm, re-reading the same piece of paper she’d found months ago.

Subject is showing signs of a manic episode; first injection may be the most painful, will continue to keep watch. –Nyx

Her lips thinned in thought before pulling up her laptop.

The thin bar continued to blink while she racked her brain of what to search up. It was the night before the term started-- and the whole thing about vampires not needing sleep was a myth. They just didn't need much sleep.

That was one of the only things about herself she didn't completely despise.

Dr. Nyx was one keyword-- and it led her to a doctor in Florida for heart disease, she sighed, her index finger tapping against the keyboard in disappointment. Liv wasn't really one for research but she had an idea. Over five-hundred dollars and twelve hours later, Liv was going through her twenty-seventh family tree of yet another Nyx family.

"Did you sleep at all?" Her roommate asked and Liv just mumbled unintelligibly, she wasn't even sure what she thought she'd find. Possibly a name she'd recognize? Something that led her to believe that her grandparents knew more than they were leading on?

She was never gonna find-- Liv squinted, leaning closer to the laptop when she noticed a photo in one of the Nyx's family tree.

Effy Nyx.

Huh, that kind of looked like--

~

"Celeste." The door to the lab closed shut behind her.

It was only the two of them here, the place was riddled with beakers and gorgeous but harmful liquids she was sure would explode if you mixed the wrong chemical with-- Liv wasn't really a science gal, alright? "How are you? Good, I hope, coolcoolcoolcool, ummmm...." They weren't very close, no. They ran in very different social circles and Livanna Moore was... an acquired taste. She was known as wild, mildly-annoying and a chatterbox to the entire academy.

Oh, and everyone knew she couldn't keep a secret.

"Okay so don't get mad or... scared or something, I don't really know why you changed your name? Unless it was more for like... an aesthetic thing? Because that I totally get, I wouldn't want to be named Liv but nothing else really fits me so, I think Celeste fits you super well though? Effy is kinda... iffy to me, but--" Her ramble was cut short when she noticed the look on Celeste's face.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry. I just... I found this and did a lot of digging..." She slid the paper onto the desk.

"The um, the patient is my mom, I was just... I wanted to see if you knew anything?"

Liv really hoped she didn't scare her off with the sudden name drop.

Gosh, she's so stupid, why not bring it up gradually?

Oh well, what's done is done.

































Looking Out For You



Joy Again










♡coded by uxie♡
 



desirae.





































  • mood



    oh god

















Her mother sat at the head of their dining table, hands clasped in front of her on the polished ash wood—poisonous to werewolves, if it pierced the skin, and her family’s sick reminder to themselves that they too, had weaknesses.

The table, long enough to seat twenty people, had hardly ever seen use in the 18 years Desirae had lived.

Family dinners weren’t really their thing.

“I really wish you hadn’t dyed your hair, Desirae,” Juliette chided from her seated position, locking eyes with Des where she stood at the base of the staircase leading to the manor’s second floor.

The woman’s face was a reflection of Des’s own, only aged forward twenty five or so years. For someone in their early forties, she was beautiful, with high cheekbones and long, silky black hair that framed a heart shaped face and wide green eyes.

The eyes were the only difference, most people said. Desirae sported her father’s golden brown irises instead, the color closer to honey than Juliette’s spring green.

A hand drifted up to touch the red dyed ends of her hair, and Des frowned, breaking eye contact.

“You really wish I hadn’t done a lot of things lately,” she informed her mother, lifting her chin and squaring her shoulders.

The red was a spontaneous decision made during a particularly bad bout of boredom the night prior, when she’d gotten sick of packing for her return to school.

The crimson stained porcelain of the sink in her bathroom would be her parting gift.

“Where’s dad?”

Her mother’s sharp intake of breath before she spoke told Des everything she needed to know before the words even left her mouth.

“He got called out of town for a business meeting this morning,” Juliette said sharply, annoyance written across her fine features.

Johnathan’s job was still a sore spot in their relationship, despite having been married for well over twenty years.

“He sends his love and wanted me to tell you he’s sorry he can’t be here to see you off,” she continued, lifting a pale hand to examine her manicure. “He also wanted to be sure you’d give greetings to the Jericho boy as well, when you arrive in Ireland.”

Des’s groan of annoyance couldn’t be contained this time. The whole sham of an engagement was a joke to her. And to Axel, who Des begrudgingly considered a friend.

Tentatively. Desirae wasn’t completely interested in becoming her fellow senior’s girlfriend’s snack.

“I’m sure he did,” she quipped sarcastically, moving to the side as one of the house staff brought yet another one of her bags containing her luggage to the car, which was waiting in the driveway to bring her to the airport.

“Such attitude isn’t befitting a young lady of your status,” Juliette chimed from her seated position, never once looking up from her scrupulous look over of her acrylic nails.

Desirae walked out to the car without a look back.

—
Her arrival at Nightshade, a grueling nine hour flight later, was even less pleasant than her farewell to her mother.

With Esmeralda Hearthstone as her roommate, a Shade a year younger than her with a knack for starting trouble that surpassed even Desirae’s own, the year was sure to be interesting.

If Desirae didn’t end up cutting her own ears off in annoyance first.

Hoping to avoid drama her first night there, Des barely got her half of the spacious room set up before she tumbled into a deep, dreamless sleep, preparing her for classes first thing in the morning.

As it was her senior year, her class load was light. Her morning began with a spellwork class taught by Professor Albright, a balding older man who’d been around longer than Nightshade had been open, or so it seemed.

Normally, this wouldn’t be so bad, given Des and the professor had an amicable relationship. He was one of the only teachers in the school that didn’t dislike her, and she preferred to keep it that way. But when she walk through the door into the lecture hall and saw Esme, Veronika, Bianca and Khal already seated, she swore under her breath.

Of course she couldn’t be placed in a class relatively devoid of people she knew.

“Greetings, Mr. Albright,” Des spoke as she crossed the room to an empty seat, directly behind where Esme and Veronika were. “I hope you missed me while we were gone for so many months.”

She grinned, unwrapping and popping a piece of gum into her mouth with a flourish that seem practiced.

“I can’t wait to start this semester. It’s sure to be interesting.”

































cry for love



백현










♡coded by uxie♡
 
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