I miss my fae powers. I miss calling out the real pixies who are part of Team Zhee (they sometimes do the dirty work for me). I miss going invisible and escape from home. I miss using glamour to change my physical appearance. Heck, I even miss being scolded by my parents for my mischievous acts.

Oh, my. Glamour. I miss it so badly because I’m wearing… rags.

Actually, it’s my part-time job’s uniform but this is too low for me. Humans have bad taste when it comes to making clothes. There’s no real harmony of colors. Everything’s for efficiency.

I itch. I itch to shed these clothes. I miss my clothes I left back home. Those were made by fae tailors who understand the need for grace (even though I lack this one thing). When you wear fae clothing, you wouldn’t even feel it on you. So delicate and so fine, it moves with your body. It’s not constricted like the one I’m wearing now.

Ah, but whatever. I just returned home from my shift. Lady Nyx has scattered her powers once again and the stars illuminated the sky. It’s a good night and I know I will be given a good rest. Until tomorrow, that is.

Oh, no. Tomorrow. I dread tomorrow.

Tomorrow morning I have to go to this high school that Helix told me about. I doubt that there’s anything “high” about it.

Back at home, I didn’t like school. I grimaced. I remember how much I hurt practicing my flight. I don’t have my wings right now. It’s still part of me but because my magic has been hindered, it wouldn’t show with my human appearance.

I didn’t like school because I didn’t like the sons and daughters of the lords and ladies. They were all snobs, I tell you. Anyway, I didn’t have many friends and I am unlikely to make one in this world. I was the youngest in the family and I had other siblings who can take care of the kingdom. Others didn’t think highly of me. I’d often become the “butt of the joke” (haha, I know this idiom now- fae butt, please). I didn’t mind. I’m fine being alone.

“You need to make friends”, Helix told me before he went away to the important mission. Wasn’t I the important mission? I don’t understand how he could leave me in this blasted place.

Anyway, talking about human friends and the new school, I’ll probably scare most of them away. I can’t help it. I just have a way with words. I snorted (Helix’s influence on me after just a few days is awe-inspiring) and prepared for sleep.

That night I dreamt of flying and of the Trees of Lalaland.

---

“Miss Zhee Lalan? ” drawled a voice.

I came back to my senses. I was distracted by the thought of lily ponds that I momentarily forgot where I was. Oh, yeah. The principal’s office.

“Yeah?” I often heard this response in my workplace.

“That’s ‘Yes, sir’ to you, miss”, said the principal in a strict voice.

Oh, great. Another Helix. Did I mention I almost failed Fae etiquette class?

“Yes, sir”, I acquiesced.

The principal was a bald and bearded man. He’s shorter than I am and maybe a little bit plump (who am I kidding? He’s fat). His chair seems to almost swallow him and his desk, full of paperwork, files, and whatnot, almost made him nonexistent when you enter through the door.

I glanced around. The office isn’t as huge as I imagined it would be. There’s a big bookcase to my right and a cabinet full of trophies to my left. It really feels like a school office. I smiled.

He coughed and I placed my attention on him again.

“I understand that you will be staying with us for a school year, Miss Lalan.” Though his body screamed of laziness, his eyes held much knowledge in them. A smart and probably clever human. Interesting.

“As a transferee, there are things that you should know about the school.”

“Yes, sir”. Of course, I need to know! Thanks, Mr. Obvious.

“Here’s a copy of the school rules. Herein are the laws in which you must abide or handle the consequences.” He said this sharply that I had to take a pause.

That sounded familiar.

I took the copy and after finishing the small talk, I went out to look around the campus.

The school is relatively far from my place. It takes 30 minutes by bus so I have to wake up earlier than usual (bus rides are exciting!). As a fae, I don’t have any sort of “jet lag” and my body naturally wakes up when I made up my mind about the time. I don’t need to worry about being late. I smirked. Hooray.

The administration building is a few meters away from the library. The classes are held on different buildings for different year levels.

“Great. Levels. I hate you, Helix.” I muttered under my breath. Working in McDonald’s is boring and sometimes I get pissed at people but being in school is the worst kind of punishment.

The campus is big and there’s nothing too bad about the place. It was a Saturday and there are few people roaming about the campus. From what I read in the handbook, there’s a dormitory close to The Field. I decided to go and look at the dorms when a familiar scent reached my nostrils.

“It can’t be.” My eyes widened in surprise and I followed the scent with my nose (will the snorting turn me to a hound, I wonder).

Just beyond the trees and hidden from a normal pedestrian’s view was the most amazing garden I’ve seen in the human world. Sure, the Gardens in Lalaland are of a different sort- it just can’t be compared to anything. But I’m in the human world and I’ve been here just more than a week and this is the only time my heart thumped so hard that I felt my ribcage will break.

There were flowers everywhere. I know each of their names. The trees and plants sway with the wind and seemed to greet me.

“Oh, my dears. Hello, roses.” I started greeting each plant, flower, and tree in the garden.

I was so happy. I was so lost in the moment that I didn’t realize someone was there with me.

“Hey.”A voice came from behind me.

I shrieked in surprise and turned around.

A boy, technically a young adult male, was standing a few meters away from me. He carried a duffel bag on one shoulder and held a ball of some kind in both hands. If I remember correctly, it was a ball for basketball (or do you say basketball ball? Ah, English).

My royal blood kicked in and I raised my chin. I almost did a pose but I changed my mind.

“Who are you?” Hah. Take that, you human commoner.

“ I’m Curtis and I’m a senior student here. I don’t think I’ve seen you around here. This garden is a dorm property and as it goes, I’m also in charge of the dorms. So speak up. Who are you?” He wasn’t smiling. He didn’t even relax his hold on the ball.

Uh, oh.

“I’m Zhee. Nice to meet you.” Then I ran like hell.

“Wait!” I heard him call out but I didn’t look back. I must have looked stupid back there talking to all the plants and flowers. What was I thinking? No human will probably understand that.

I didn’t stop until I reached the school entrance. Well, I’ve got time to kill before I start school. I hope I don’t meet that guy for the whole time I’ll be here. If he’s a senior student, I’m bound to meet him.

“Not if I can help it,” I muttered and walked towards the bus stop.

Unaware of anything, I didn’t realize Curtis also reached the school entrance but he didn’t call out to me. I didn’t see his thoughtful look and I sure didn’t hear him.

“Zhee,” Curtis said. I sure as fae hell didn't see him smile.