Zaylin paused and glanced behind her, gaze dark, as her acute hearing picked up another girl talking about her. Recognizing her mostly from passing in Wells Hall, she made a mental note of both the girl who had spoken and her silent companion before hurrying onward.

_Dracula, huh? How original._ She smirked inwardly. 

Her expression changed to a small, semi-smile as she stopped at the circulation desk and placed the book on the counter.

“Just one moment!” the librarian said, all but singing the words as she placed another book carefully onto the cart.

Zaylin blew her short bangs from her eyes as the librarian turned to her with a warm smile and opened the book to check the slip inside. Before the woman could ask, Zaylin pulled out her school ID card from a pocket in her skirt and placed it beside the book.

“I don’t think we’ve met.” The librarian took a pen from a cup filled with its ilk. “New student, or have I been gone for that long?” She glanced up as she wrote something down on the card, then on a slip of paper stapled to the card’s pocket.

“Transferred this year.” Zaylin took her ID back as the librarian expertly filed the card away in a drawer.

“Well,” the woman closed the book, picked it up, and handed it to Zaylin, “welcome to Northwood Academy, Miss Devonshire!”

Zaylin returned the woman’s smile and took the book. “Thanks.”

“You’re book’s due back in two weeks. Enjoy!” 

Zaylin nodded and, with a quick glance behind her, left the library. After while of trying to navigate the halls--and getting lost more than she would admit--she finally found what she had been looking for: an exit.

Emerging into the sunlight of the warm day, she took a deep breath of the fresh air, relishing the freshness of the outdoors. Giving the front lawn a quick once-over, she strode forward, her gaze shifting to the clear, blue sky as a flock of birds flew overhead. She turned her head to watch them, walking backwards, the overwhelming desire to be up there with them settling like a mist over her mind.

She shouted as her heel hit something, sending her tumbling to the ground. Realizing she had stumbled over a girl who had been laying in the grass, she hurriedly pulled her legs from the other girl.

“Crap! I’m so sorry!” she said, getting to her knees and adjusting her messenger bag. “Are you okay?”