"WAKE UP! FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! WAKE UP ALEC! WAAAAKE UUUP!"
"What? Go away! It's too early, go back to sleep Max."
"No! I'm too excited, it is the first day of school!"
"Just give it another few years and you will hate those words"
Max continued jumping up and down on the duvet covered lump that was Alec until finally Alec lifted up the corner glaring at his younger sibling.
"Okay, I will come out and make you breakfast, if, and only if, you get off my bed and out of my room and give me five minutes to get dressed"
As though struck by a Taser his 9-year-old sibling ran out of the room giggling about waffles with bacon and whipped cream.
'What did I do to deserve such insane siblings? A manga reading, crazy food combo fanatic young brother, a supermodel Queen B for a sister, and a golden angel who believes he is God's gift to womankind, and sometimes mankind. Ugh! Fuck my life.'
Alec rolled over in his bed, looking at the ornate ceiling above him with its gilt decoration reflecting the early morning light 'too early' looking at his alarm clock he saw the flashing display showing still another 2 hours till all of the needed to be at school. Darn hyperactive little manga fanatics.
Padding into the kitchen he saw his little brother already sat at one of the high bar stools drinking orange juice with his head stuck into a new manga 'we will need to build a new room for his collection if he doesn't stop' Ruffling his little brother's soft hair he turned to the fridge and started to create the waffle mix that would appease his siblings, either hyperactive or hungover. Putting the mix into the waffle maker Alec took some bacon and cream from the fridge and started to fry the thick slices of meat and put the double cream into the mixer ready to make whatever insanity his brother desired, he knew he was a push over but he could never say no to Max, not with those puppy dog eyes he could conjure up at a moment's notice.
As if by magic, or by the smell of bacon, Jace staggered into the kitchen smelling strongly of whatever spirit he had been drinking last night.
"So… What, or should I say whom, did you do last night? Judging by the smell of a brewery that you are currently exhibiting I would guess around a bottle of vodka and…" giving a fake sniff in Jace's direction" a model or two"
"Bacon first, paracetamol second, getting dressed third, and your judgment last. I was just out with some friends; it wasn't anything big."
"And I am also a purple platypus with gold horns."
"Are my waffles ready yet?" interjected Max in his pleading voice, he seemed to have a way of dissipating the tension within the room without even trying, Alec sometimes wondered if it was more than just him being their cute little brother, everyone always calmed down around their youngest sibling as though he had an aura of calm around him, certainly something for a 9-year-old who still didn't grasp that steak, crumpets and curry powder did not constitute a normal meal by any standard.
"Yeah, here they are" Alec put a stack of waffles on a plate, added the bacon and liberally added whipped cream on top.
"What is he eating this time?" yelled Jace from inside the fridge where he was no doubt looking for cranberry juice
"Waffles, Bacon and whipped cream…with strawberry sauce and salt added on top" remarked Alex has he watched his youngest brother add the two condiments on top of his monstrous creation that defied any normal person's notion of edible food.
"Why do you even bother to make it for him?! We have chefs for a reason, it is their job for Angel's sake!"
"It is the first day at school, I thought I would make them, you know help him feel nervous about transferring in after the home schooling last year, it was difficult for but it won't be as difficult as going back after a year out."
"He is right you know; this is a big day for Max" called Izzy as she walked from the living room into the kitchen. Already dressed in a skin-tight sapphire blue dress with 6 inch stilettos clicking as she crossed the marble floor into the kitchen. Her hair and makeup already done to perfection despite having been out drinking until 3am last night, Alec was always amazed that she could always look like the supermodel she was at heart.
"He has to go back to school and he has to be calm and if Alec thinks this can help then let him, also I don't think the chefs will mind having not to prepare a breakfast for us, especially after last night's dinner… and you wonder why Jace and I went out drinking… How in the angel's name do you manage to sit through those dinners without wanting to down a few shots?" said Izzy whilst setting herself elegantly down on a stall and pouring herself a coffee, all the time looking at Alec with raised eyebrow, almost like she was begging him to disagree.
"You're right," conceded Alec with a sigh" I can't protect him from school forever, but I will never stop protecting any of you, you are my siblings, you are my responsibility."
"Give it a rest Alec! We can take care of ourselves," moaned Jace whilst stuffing his face with bacon and toast.
"Says the brother who had to be helped into the limo last night because he passed out in Mahiki last night?" inserted Izzy with a snide note in her voice. 'Damn that girl can be vicious, though it would have been to hilarious to see Izzy in 6 inch heels trying to get their muscular brother into a limo whilst passed out' mused Alec.
"Regardless of who was passed out and who needed to help someone into a limo last night, if you are not finished and ready in 10 minutes you will find yourself on the pavement without a limo to talk you to school. Now all of you guys get ready and let's go, I don't want to be late for my first day back!" stated Max in his calm voice, all three of his siblings looking at him as though he had just appeared out of thin air. None of them wished to get on the bad side of their little brother, none of them had yet experienced that side of him but the thought was not one they wished to entertain.
Alec stepped out of their townhouse into the bright London sunshine, quiet a rarity for early September in the UK. Already standing by the limo was Izzy, talking at a rapid pace into her phone about the newest gossip at school and on the social scene in the capital. Judging by the snatches of conversation he could her there were two students who had moved here from New York, Camille Belcourt had been spotted doing a walk of shame and Maia moved out from her Dad's house due to his obsession with hookers. 'Normal day in London' Barely two minutes late Jace come out of the front door carrying Max over his shoulder as they both laughed ecstatically about some secret in-joke of theirs.
"Come on guys, time for another year to begin, let's hope it isn't as dramatic as usual"
"Now that my darling brother would be wishful thinking, as well as lying to ourselves, I know you secretly live for the gossip, the drama and the scandal" smiled Izzy whilst reapplying blood red lipstick to her perfect lips as she got into the limo.
The ride to school was as always hampered by the terrible traffic that plagued the capital on all days at all time.
"Why do our parents have to send us to a school on the other side of Westminster? I mean sure Alicante Academy is one of the best schools in the country but Westminster College is just as good and closer."
"Because, you moron, half the student population at Alicante are Shadow Worlders duh… could you imagine the chaos if we had Downworlders in other schools. At least in Alicante they can keep us all hidden from the majority of the Mundie world."
"I have always wondered how they do that… I mean Ragnor is green… hardly subtle" remarked Alec
"The warlocks who provided the wards put a permanent glamour on the entire site, the Mundanes cannot see our marks, the vampires' fangs or the werewolves' scars. I thought it was obvious" chirped up Max
"How is that you know that yet me and Alec don't?" questioned Jace
"It is called reading; you should try it sometime"
"Game, Set, and Match to Max I think, don't you?" sniggered Izzy" Who knew he could be so cute, and cut-throat when it comes to his brothers… He must get it from me"
The limo started to slow as the Academy came into view, the high towers and walls that guarded the hidden safe haven of the Shadow World and the few lucky Mundanes to be allowed to attend. Slowly stopping in front of the large gates moulded out of pure adamas, guarding the campus from any full blooded demon. Each swirling curve forming a rune of protection against demons and allowing only the true of heart into the campus beyond. Getting out of their limo the four siblings stepped through the vast gates and entered the hallowed campus of Alicante Academy.