ARADIAN

CHAPTER 1

It's the very first day of college, and Raven Williams is beyond thrilled to embark on this new chapter alongside her besties, Katie Anderson and Ember Michaels. As she's getting ready, she catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror, and a big, beaming smile spreads across her face. Just then, her phone rings and it's a group video call with her friends. Raven eagerly grabs her phone and answers with a booming voice, practically screaming with excitement, "Oh my gosh, you guys! I can't believe it! The day we've been eagerly waiting for is finally here – our first day of college!" Katie said with pure excitement in her voice – 'I cannot wait to meet the hot boys!' But Ember, being the voice of reason, chimed in, 'Oh please, Katie, take a break from boys.' Raven couldn't help but let out a soft laugh and said, 'I'm thrilled to be embarking on this journey with you guys. I love you both so, so much.' And in unison, they replied, 'We love you too!'

“Raven! It’s time to go, we don’t wanna be late on our first day of college now do we?” Mrs. Williams called out, interrupting Raven's phone conversation. "Coming!" Raven swiftly replied a sense of urgency in her voice. "Okay, girls, I gotta run. See you real soon!” she hurriedly exclaimed as she jumped up from her bed. "Bye, girls!" Katie chimed in, and with that, they all ended the call.

Raven sprinted down the stairs, reaching her parents waiting at the front door. She couldn't help but turn around, casting one final glance at the house. With a deep breath, she let out a sigh and confidently declared, "I'm not gonna miss this place." As she hopped into the car and closed the door, Mr. Williams revved up the engine, and off they went. At Katie Anderson's house, she held an old family photo in her hands, gazing at it for a while. Her eyes welled up with tears as she stared directly at her dad in the picture. With a mix of emotions, she whispered, "I don't miss you at all. I'm glad you left us. Mom, little Finn, and I are so happy on our own." Just then, Mrs. Anderson entered the room, noticing Katie's sniffles. Concerned, she approached her daughter and asked, "Are you okay?" Katie quickly reassured her, saying, "Of course, Mom. Why wouldn't I be? It's the first day of college, and I'm thrilled that it's finally here. I just wish Dad could be here to see it, but he had to go. But I'm fine, Mom, I promise." Mrs. Anderson pulled Katie into a warm hug, offering comfort. "Will you be okay while I'm gone?" Katie asked. "I'll be just fine, darling," Mrs. Anderson replied, a reassuring smile on her face. "Now, let's go eat!" With that, they both made their way down to the dining table, joining Finn, Katie's younger brother, who was still in high school. "Hey there, big guy," Katie playfully said as she ruffled Finn's hair. Finn, busy eating his cereal, responded with a casual "Hey, Katie." He then mentioned, "You're finally leaving Mom and me alone in this house." Katie quickly interjected, "Hey! Don't say that. You know I'll always be there for you." She held his hand, looked into his eyes, and reassured him, "Plus, you can always call me anytime, okay?" Finn glanced down at his bowl of cereal, a hint of sadness on his face. "Yeah, I know. I'm just gonna miss you, that's all," he admitted. "I'm gonna miss you too, big guy," Katie replied warmly. And with that, they all sat down for breakfast together. The school bus arrived to pick up Finn, and he waved goodbye to Katie and his mom. "See you soon, big guy!" Katie called out, waving back. Mrs. Anderson cleared the table, and Katie helped her mom before they both headed off to college. At Ember’s house, Ember and her sister Ingrid always had a rocky relationship. While having breakfast with the whole family, Ingrid couldn't help but make a snarky comment. "Finally, now I can get the bigger room once you leave," she said. Ember quickly fired back, determined to protect her territory. "You will do no such thing! I'm not moving to another planet, just going to college. I'll be back, so you better not set foot in my room while I'm gone," Ember warned. Ingrid replied with a dismissive "Whatever!" accompanied by an eye roll. After breakfast, Ember headed into her room on a mission to find a special book her late grandma had given her. "Hey, Mom! Have you seen the magic book Grandma left me?" Ember called out. Mrs. Michaels replied, "Which one, honey?" Ember responded loudly, "The Codex of Aradia Secrets!" Unfortunately, Mrs. Michaels hadn't seen it. As Ingrid walked by Ember's room, she cheekily demanded payment. "That'll be 50 bucks, please," Ingrid said. Frustrated, Ember confronted her sister, threatening to involve their mom if the book wasn't returned immediately. Ingrid denied taking it but offered to help search for a fee. Annoyed, Ember let out a frustrated scream and retreated to her room to search for the book herself. "Got it!" Ember exclaimed, a smile lighting up her face as she retrieved the book from its hiding spot beneath her bed. With her luggage packed, she carefully placed the magic book into her small bag and made her way downstairs. Mr. Michaels kissed Ember on her forehead before she left for college.

Raven arrived at college, the University of New Orleans, eager to set up her dorm before her friends arrived. Wanting to surprise them, she grabbed her room card and headed to her room. As she approached, she noticed the door was already open. Excitedly, she wondered if it was Ember or Katie inside. Opening the door fully, Raven's excitement turned to disappointment when she realized it was neither of them. "Hey... there," she said, her tone reflecting her letdown. The girl inside greeted her warmly, introducing herself as Nora Robert and extending her hand for a handshake. Raven introduced herself as well, shaking Nora's hand. Just as they were getting acquainted, Katie and Ember entered the room, clearly surprised to see someone else there. Katie stepped forward, dropped her bag, and exclaimed, "Nora! Nora Robert!" with a shocked expression.