Summary: "This school…it's for gifted children who have special abilities that other kids don't have." "Mom you're being melodramatic. Do you have any idea how many prodigies there are out there?" "Not academically gifted darling." Liz sighed and gripped the wheel. "Mythically gifted."
Caroline sat on her bed miserably packing her last suitcase. She'd already filled three whole boxes and four large suitcases. She was excited and sad all at once. On one hand who wouldn't want to go off to a boarding school in New York? But on the other hand she really didn't want to leave behind her friends and family. Or what was left of her family anyway.
"Ready, sweetie?" Caroline's mother, Liz Forbes, called out to her. Ready as I'll ever be, Caroline thought to herself. Caroline hopped in the car, trying not to notice that the backseat and trunk were filled to the brim with her things. "We need to talk, honey."
Caroline was immediately wary of her mother's tone. Her words were foreboding and something that no child liked to hear. "About?"
"This school…" her mother began carefully, not sure about how to break the news. "It's for…gifted children. Boys and girls who have special abilities that…well other kids don't have."
"Mom you're being melodramatic. Do you have any idea how many prodigies there are out there?"
"Not academically gifted darling." Liz sighed and gripped the wheel. "Mythically gifted. Sweetie, you're an angel."
"Please mom, I think you and I both know I'm no angel." Caroline hated to say it straight to her moms face. But they both knew how many times Caroline had come home plastered or not come home at all. Caroline had a feeling Liz never bought the cheer practice or sleep over excuse.
"You're a guardian angel, Caroline Forbes." Her mother's tone was final. "Now, I know you don't make the best decisions for yourself but for your friends? How many times have you made sure they didn't do anything stupid?"
Caroline stayed quiet. Her mom was being crazy. She only did what every good friend was expected to do. There was no way in hell Caroline was an angel. She didn't have wings or a halo or live on a cloud up in the sky.
"I know it's a lot to take in but it's true dear. You'll go to this boarding school to receive proper training and when deemed fit you'll earn your wings."
"If I'm an angel how come you aren't?" Caroline challenge, smug smirk firm on her face.
"Because I married a mortal, dear. Even though your father and I are divorced now I had already chosen him over my duties." Liz smiled sadly. "I lost my wings permanently."
"You know what this is insane. Prove it to me. Prove to me that I'm an angel." Liz Forbes rolled her eyes but relented. Care was taking this a lot better than Liz had expected. She pulled over the car and gestured for Caroline to get out as well.
"Take off your anklet." Caroline furrowed her brow and glanced down at her ankle. She never took it off. Ever. It was her good luck charm. "It controls your abilities. I didn't want you to know before I told you so I called in a favor from a witch I used to know."
Caroline was starting to get seriously freaked out but obliged and took off her precious anklet. She placed it gently into her mother's waiting palm and took a few steps back.
"Now, concentrate very hard. Imagine yourself floating. You feel as light as a feather. Now open your eyes." Caroline could hear the smile in her mother's voice.
She hadn't realized her eyes had been shut. She also hadn't realized that she no longer felt the ground beneath her. She peeked an eye open and screamed as she noticed that she was five feet above the ground.
As cheer captain she was used to heights and being thrown in the air or held in the air but right now was neither of those circumstances. She was defying gravity. Holy shit. She really was an angel. Caroline let the thought sink in as she crashed to the ground. I'm a fucking angel.
"I'm aware this is all new to you and a lot to take in at once, but I'm afraid you're going to have to adjust quickly. Here's your room. Your roommates have already checked in. Good luck." Caroline's heart raced as she tried to keep up with what the Dean was saying. She walked fast for an older woman wearing such high heels. The Dean placed a key in Caroline's free hand and left with a small smile.
Caroline took a deep breath and opened the door, praying to the heavens that her roommates didn't totally suck. Caroline walked into the suite, nervous smile plastered on her face. The door opened up to a decently sized living room area with a kitchenette off to her right. Three girls sitting on the plush crème colored couch all turned to face her at once.
"Hey you must be Caroline." One girl spoke up cheerily. "I'm Bonnie Bennett."
"Hi." Caroline relaxed a bit. So far so good. She turned to drag in the cart that carried all her things and pull it through the door. She must've looked like she was struggling because next thing she knew Bonnie was next to her.
"Here, let me. You're rooming with me anyway. It only made sense for PB & J to share one of the rooms." Caroline smiled and stopped pulling on the cart. Bonnie snapped her fingers and in a blink the cart, and her things, was gone. "Come on let's get the ball rolling with introductions. We were waiting for you."
Bonnie led Caroline over to the couch where the other two girls sat. The closer she got the more the girls looked alike and Caroline recognized that they must be twins. Bonnie plopped on the couch and pat the space beside her for Caroline to sit.
"Bonnie Bennett, witch." Caroline smiled in acknowledgement. Her mom had mentioned knowing a witch. Caroline was just worried about what other kind of mystical being might be roaming the halls of this school for the gifted.
"Katerina Petrova." The twin with voluminous curls and a mischievous glint in her eye introduced herself.
"Elena Petrova." The twin with straight hair and a kind smile said. "We're doppelgangers."
"What's a doppelganger?" Caroline asked, not sure if she wanted to know. Elena and Katerina shared a look before shrugging. They held hands and suddenly there weren't just two of them. There were four of them. The girls let go of each other's hands but the extra two remained until the twins absorbed them back.
"Wow." The twins smiled knowingly and shrugged again.
After introductions were out of the way the girls spent the rest of the night getting to know each other better. Turns out that they had a lot in common with each other. The twins seemed to be night and day but all four of them shared a lot together.
Soon they all just left to their own rooms. The other three girls had unpacked all their things but Caroline still had a lot of work to do. Bonnie showed Caroline to their room. It was a pretty turquoise color with a plush white carpet and matching furniture. The girls each had a white twin bed, desk, dresser, and vanity but they would have to share the small walk in closet.
"Need help?" Bonnie wiggled her index finger at Caroline suggestively.
"Sure." Bonnie giggled as Caroline looked on in awe when she'd unpacked Caroline perfectly and efficiently in less than ten minutes. "Thanks for the help, Bonnie. And thanks for being so nice. I'm obviously really out of my league with all this mythical stuff."
"So I've noticed. But don't worry, that's what you've got me and the twins for." Caroline smiled, crawling into her freshly made bed. She was grateful her bedset didn't clash with the room. Bonnie yawned and did the same, pointing at the light switch, effectively turning it off. "Hey, you never did tell us what your thing is."
"My thing?" Caroline whispered back drowsily.
"Your gift, silly. What's your gift?" Caroline managed a semi-coherent answer before succumbing to slumber.
"Angel." She yawned. "I'm a guardian angel."