My First Love

The wind moved strangely that morning. Not the soft kind that simply brushed past skin—but a restless wind, like it was searching for something… or someone. Ariana tightened her school bag strap as she walked through the long stone pathway leading into St. Liora Academy. The school wasn’t ordinary. It was known for one thing no other school admitted openly: Some students here weren’t entirely… normal. She didn’t care about that. At least, she kept telling herself she didn’t. “I just need to survive this term,” she muttered, stepping through the tall iron gates that opened on their own as she approached. The moment she entered, the air shifted. Whispers. Not loud—but present. “Is that her…?” “She looks ordinary…” “She doesn’t know anything yet.” Ariana frowned. “Great. First day and already rumors.” She adjusted her uniform and continued walking, ignoring the stares. That was when she felt it. A pressure. Like the air itself had stopped moving. And then— BAM. Someone bumped into her shoulder. Hard. Her books fell instantly to the ground. “Watch where you’re going,” a cold voice said. Ariana looked up sharply. And froze. He stood there like he didn’t belong to the same world as everyone else. Tall. Calm. Unbothered. Dark hair falling slightly over sharp eyes that looked almost… glowing under the morning light. But it wasn’t just his appearance. It was the feeling around him. Cold. Heavy. Dangerous. “Excuse me?” Ariana snapped, bending to pick up her books. “You’re the one who ran into me.” He didn’t even bother helping. Instead, he looked down at her like she was a minor inconvenience. “That’s not how I remember it,” he said flatly. Ariana stood up immediately. “Are you blind or just rude?” A small silence. Then— A faint smirk. That smirk annoyed her more than anything he could’ve said. “You talk too much,” he said. “And you don’t talk enough,” she shot back. For a moment, something flickered in his eyes. Interest. But it vanished quickly. He turned away. “Stay out of my way.” And just like that, he walked off. Ariana stood there stunned. “What is his problem?” Behind her, another student whispered nervously: “You don’t know him, do you?” Ariana turned. “Should I?” The girl swallowed. “That’s Kael Draven…” A pause. “…the one who controls shadows.” Ariana blinked. “Controls what now?” But when she looked back, he was already gone. Only a shadow remained on the ground where he stood… and it moved slightly on its own before disappearing. That night, Ariana couldn’t sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw his face. That cold stare. That annoying smirk. And the strange feeling in her chest she refused to name. Meanwhile, somewhere else in the academy… Kael stood alone on the rooftop. The wind moved around him—but never touched him fully. His shadow stretched behind him… behaving like it was alive. “You felt it too,” the shadow whispered. Kael didn’t respond at first. Then quietly: “Yes.” A pause. “She’s different.” The shadow shifted. “Dangerous?” Kael’s eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the distant dorm lights. “No.” A beat. “…Interesting.” And for the first time that day— He smiled.