A silver mini-van rolled into the school's parking lot and found a spot very quickly. Amber was the first out, commenting about how long and boring the car ride was and how it had messed up her hair. Patricia, Joy, and Mara all piled out of the two back seats, all rolling their eyes to Amber's normal air-headedness.
"Well, thanks for the ride, Mr. Millington!" Patricia said as she, Mara, and Joy began to head up to Anubis House, all their luggage in tow. Amber hung behind to give her dad a quick hug and kiss on the cheek before joining her friends, though she was struggling to keep up with her many suitcases.
The four made their way to the house, where they had all stayed for their entire career at Emerald Towers, the boarding school that each of them had attended at least since the beginning of what would be high school. Amber filled their wake with mindless chit-chat while Patricia and Joy exchanged looks that obviously meant something along the lines of "How much gossip can she know?"
As soon as the girls reached the house, another car pulled up, trailed by another. The first was a relatively beat up old station wagon, which Jerome and Alfie were soon out of and working on getting their luggage from the trunk, which refused to open. The second was a brand new Volkswagen Beetle that parked right next to Jerome and Alfie's junker.
"Wow Rutter, I knew you were relatively well-off, but this?" remarked Jerome. "I would almost think that you were trying to impress someone."
Fabian's cheeks turned a shade darker as he pulled his luggage from the trunk. "Oh, it's nothing... my mum's side of the family is just a bit too rich for their own good..." he replied, trying to avoid eye contact.
As the boys headed towards the house, a cab bounced into the parking lot, the driver obviously all too inexperienced for his own good. As Nina exited the car, she had to rub the circulation back into her knuckles, due to grasping the door handle far too hard. Eddie smirked as he unloaded their bags from the small, smelly back of the cab.
"Wow..." Nina breathed as she beheld the picture perfect house before her. Well, if picture perfect meant covered in ivy, dating back to the early 1900s, and beginning to become discolored. To her that was completely beside the point. She was back home. A broad smile swept over her face as she caught sight of Fabian, who was walking about ten yards behind Jerome and Alfie. She sprints the catch up with him, leaving Eddie to take her stuff into the house, too.
Fabian turned around just as Nina reached him, barely having enough time to register what was going on before her arms were around his neck and he found his wrapping around her waist. "Hey, Neens," he chuckled into her hair as the two turned in little circles, walking off the momentum of Nina's impact.
"Hey, Fabes," she whispered back as she pulled head out of his shoulder and rested her forehead on his. Her smile grew wider, if that was even possible, as she noticed the look in Fabian's eyes. It was the look that he always gave her when they had their moments, and she could tell by his expression that she was looking at him the same way.
"I missed you," breathed Fabian, tuning out everything besides the girl in his arms, where he had wanted her to be so badly for the past two years.
"I missed you more," she teased.
"Oh, I doubt that," he replied, softly laughing. Sensing the perfect opportunity, he leaned in, his lips catching hers.
"Nina!" cried Amber, running down the steps of the house. Nina and Fabian jumped apart just before Amber tackled Nina, nearly bringing her to the ground. "Oh my gosh, I missed you so much!"
"Amber, I texted you every day, and you came out to America to see me! Remember?" laughed Nina.
"I know, but I still missed you!" Nina rolled her eyes at Amber's response. As much as she had missed her best friend, it was obvious that she was slightly annoyed by the fact that Amber had just interrupted the first moment that she had had with Fabian since they had left at the beginning of the summer.
"Oh...was I interrupting something?" asked Amber, finally realizing why Nina wasn't completely excited to be seeing Amber again.
"Just a little bit," confirmed Nina, Fabian held his fingers a centimeter or so apart, obviously adding on to Nina's statement.
"Well, it doesn't matter, because I got pictures of you two being all adorable and Fabina and such, so you can always relive the moment!" Nina and Fabian exchanged exasperated looks at Amber's behavior as she walked back to the house. They followed a few steps behind her, their hands brushing as they walked and a blush creeping across Nina's face as Fabian began to play with her fingers.
"She's always watching, isn't she?" remarked Fabian quietly.
Nina's blush grew wider as she remembered all the times over the last two years where Amber had walked in on their moments. Fabian softly chuckled as he noticed Nina's face, taking the opportunity to slip his fingers between hers, interlocking their hands.
As Jerome entered the house, he found himself subconsciously fixing his hair and clothes.
"Getting all gussied up for Mara?" teased Alfie, as he caught on to his best friend's abnormal behavior. A death glare from Jerome subdued him slightly. "What? I was just joking! Jerome!" he called, as Jerome sped ahead of him into the living room.
Alfie stopped dead in his tracks as he opened the door to the sitting room, a small "O" forming on his lips as he took in the scene before him.
Mara was running up to Jerome, his arms wide to catch her. They both stumbled backwards, nearly falling over. The two grinned widely as they pulled back to gaze into each others' eyes, obviously in their own little world.
"Seriously, you two, get a room," interrupted Patricia from her spot on one of the armchairs. As expected, Mara and Jerome glared daggers at her as they grudgingly walked over to sit on one of the couches.
When Amber, Fabian, and Nina entered the house, an exasperated Eddie greeted them. "Okay, I know I'm the Osirian and all, but I don't think that this-" he gestured to Nina's bag, "-is part of the whole protector deal."
Nina rolled her eyes as Fabian shot her a questioning look. "He had to bring in my stuff when we..." she explained. Understanding replaced confusion and Eddie led them into the living room.
"Hey Nina!" Patricia got up to run and give Nina a hug, forcing her and Fabian to let go of each other's hands as Fabian was greeted with a hug from Alfie and Jerome. Suddenly, Patricia's eyes locked with Eddie's, and she released Nina.
"Hey, yacker," greeted Eddie softly, raising a hand as a sort of wave.
"Hey," replied Patricia. Fabian and Nina exchanged looks with Amber, Alfie, and Jerome; the five quietly found seats on the couches, trying not to pay attention to Patricia and Eddie's reunion.
"So, how was your summer?" asked Eddie.
"Oh, you know the usual. Very quiet without you, kind of nice actually," she teased. Eddie laughed softly as he snaked his arms around her waist, leaning in slowly.
"Seriously, you two, get a room," came a voice from the sitting area. Mara was grinning smugly, her expression clearly reading payback.
Patricia rolled her eyes as she broke away from Eddie. "Okay, I'll admit, I kind of deserved that one."
Alfie feigned passing out from shock, earning him a light slap and glare from Amber.
"Oh, is everyone here now? Fantastic." Trudy, who had been quietly organizing the kitchen, finally emerged. Before she could continue, and before she was tackled by Amber, there was a strong knock on the door. "Oh! I almost forgot! Wait right here, everyone. I'll be right back," she ordered as she headed towards the door. Confused glances and shrugs were exchanged among the nine housemates. Seconds later, Trudy had returned, accompanied by a boy with very dark hair, dramatically pale skin, and icy blue eyes. He was wearing baggy jeans and an oversized graphic T-shirt that had was most likely a hand-me-down that didn't fit his small frame quite right.
"Everyone, this is your new housemate, Benjamin-"
"I prefer Ben," he interjected quietly.
"Oh, okay. Well, this is Ben Evans. All of you should make an effort to help him feel welcome. Alfie, Jerome, he'll be rooming with you," announced Trudy.
Alfie and Jerome exchanged mischievous glances. Realizing what a poor idea it was to have anyone room with Alfie and Jerome, Trudy's expression turned to one of pity and she returned to the kitchen.
"So...hi, guys," said Ben awkwardly. "I'm Ben... I live in London."
"Finally, a new student who isn't American," remarked Patricia. "I'm Patricia, by the way." Her greeting seemed to set off a chain reaction in a circle around the room as each person introduced themselves.
"I'm Eddie."
"Mara."
"Jerome, the better of your two roommates."
"Alfie - hey, what did you say, Jerome?"
"I'm Amber!" Her enthusiastic introduction was accompanied by an equally enthusiastic wave.
"Nina."
"Fabian."
"And I'm Joy."
"So, Ben, let me show you to our room," offered Alfie, clearly trying to prove himself to Jerome by discovering his roommate's weaknesses first.
Ben exchanged a wary glance with his other housemates before being dragged off by Alfie. As his eyes met Jerome's, the blond teen became suddenly tense.
"Jerome? Is everything all right?" Mara asked, worry creeping into her voice.
"Nothing, Mara," he replied, trying to loosen up again. At that point, everyone had their eyes on him and any side conversations had ceased. "What are you all looking at?" snapped Jerome, and his housemates awkwardly went back to what they were doing before the introductions.
"Hey, Nina... can we talk?" Nina looked up from her and Fabian's intertwined hands to see Joy standing in front of them.
"Uh... yeah, sure." Fabian shot a reassuring glance to his girlfriend, as she got up and followed Joy into the entry hall.
"So... hear me out. I want to apologize. Everything I did to you last term... it was all uncalled for on my part. I was jealous of the relationship you had and have with Fabes, and I was bitter. I had lost my best friends because of circumstances I couldn't control. So... I'm sorry. Do you think we can try to be friends?" Joy's eyes met Nina's, and they showed that she was telling the truth.
"Joy... after what happened between us, I'm not sure if we can ever be true friends. But I forgive you, and I guess we can try," offered Nina.
"That's about what I can ask for. Thanks," replied Joy, genuinely smiling at Nina, for what was probably the first time.
"Anubis house residents please report to the dining table immediately!" boomed a voice from the kitchen, followed by a small fit of coughing.
"Well, I guess we'd better go. Thanks for giving this a shot," Joy said.
Nina nodded, and the two headed to the table, taking seats on either side of Fabian. Alfie and Ben were the last to arrive, Ben looking slightly shaken.
"Is everyone here? Good, I would like to begin the term by going over some basic ground rules. Firstly, I have authority over you whenever you are not at school. If I ask you to do something, you do it. Secondly, curfew is ten o'clock precisely, no exceptions. Thirdly, the cellar and attic are strictly forbidden." Victor's eyes wandered over to Nina and Fabian pointedly. "That will be all."
"Perfect timing, Victor; dinner is just finishing up, It'll be out in a minute," announced Trudy.
"Classes were so easy today," commented Amber, dragging out "so" to no one in particular, as she, Alfie, Fabian, Nina, Patricia, and Eddie walked back to the house together after school.
"Wow, Amber, I'm impressed," Patricia replied.
"Why?"
"You actually had enough of an attention span to realize that classes were easy."
"Patricia, be nice," scolded Nina playfully.
Patricia rolled her eyes in response as they approached the house. When they entered they found that Ben was already there, still in his school clothes, working on the little homework they had been assigned. He looked up and gave a little wave as the group entered. Each of them waved back, a little awkwardly, before heading to their respective rooms to change out of their uniforms.
"Oh, Ben, I forgot to tell you. A package came for you earlier today. It's from the orphanage. Here, I'll bring it out. They sent a note with it," explained Trudy as she noticed Ben in the sitting room.
Confusion swept over Ben's face as he closed his school books. He followed Trudy into the kitchen, where she picked up a small box addressed to Anubis House. "I'll let you read it in private." Nodding, Ben headed to his room, his gaze still fixed on the box.
Just as he reached his room, Alfie opened the door. "Oh, hey," Ben said.
"Hey. Going to change now? What's that?" Alfie questioned, noticing the box.
"Oh, this? I actually don't know. It came for me today."
"Well, if there's candy in there, you'd better share. I'll see you in a few, kay?"
"Yeah..." Ben zoned out on Alfie's last few words, heading into the bedroom. Almost in a trance, he tore open the package. Inside was a little black velvet case, like the ones that hold engagement rings in romantic movies. A note fell out beside the case, and Ben's fingers fumbled as he picked it up, beginning to read it.
Benjamin Evans,
This was left by your mother when you were initially put up for adoption at birth. She told us to give it to you when you found a permanent family. We apologize for the delay in getting this object to you. She said it's a family heirloom, and to keep it safe.
Best regards,
Bonnie Edwards
Head Coordinator
Granger Orphanage - London Branch
Ben dropped the note and picked up the box, now almost driven to insanity with curiosity. It took him several tries to pry open the box. It felt as though it hadn't been opened in twenty years or more. Finally, he found a good grip on the stiff case and pried the sides apart.
Inside laid a thick-banded black ring. The band itself shone and appeared to be made out of a stone, likely obsidian. There was a single object set in the ring. It was made of a reddish-brown wood, which was strange judging by the quality of the band, and carved into the shape of a football with a lining of silver around it. In the center was a miniature silver metal circle inside a slightly larger black circle and in the very center of both circles was a tiny red gem.