Chapter 2

Adjustments

After gathering in the auditorium, Laura's nerves were being flushed away. She was realizing this was a lot like middle school, only everyone was taller and had fewer pimples. The jocks sat together and laughed at whatever lame joke was being passed around. The pretty girls gossiped with whispers and stares. The freshmen huddled together, except the Wonderland kid- who was sitting in the corner by himself. He was reading a book. Laura rolled her eyes. With Fauna and Eliza at her sides, she was going to be just fine.

"Welcome all!" Apple White's cheery high-pitched voice echoed over the loudspeakers. Laura tried not to flinch. It was hard to get used to a voice like that. At least for her. "I'm sure this will be a great year at Ever After High..." She continued to make her speech, but Laura already zoned out. She always tried to pay attention, but it was too easy to just slip away into the own comforts of her mind.

"I don't understand why we need all this," Laura rolled her eyes as she whispered to Eliza, trying to at least stay connected to the present time before slipping into some fantasy world of her imagination. Eliza exchanged a small glance with Luara as if breaking from her own daze.

"I guess some are paying attention," Eliza nodded her head. Laura gazed to Fauna was eating up every word that spilled from Apple's mouth. She even nodded at some words. Such a pleaser. The two giggled. "Goody good," Eliza said as she straightened out her back.

"We'll crack her down eventually," Laura shrugged. "With Hunter Huntsman as a father, I'm sure she has a side to her." Fauna had always been a sort of outsider of the group. She actually had parents who cared about her. She likes almost everyone that meets her. But, she has been friends with both Laura and Eliza since the sixth grade. She was a caring friend that Laura didn't have the heart to cut from her life.

"But she also has Ashlynn Ella as a mother," Eliza shuddered. "I'm sure Fauna will call her animal friends up to our room every day." Just like her mother, Fauna was gifted with a great singing voice. It was beautiful, but it was also loud. Her voice could attract animals from at least two miles away. It was truly amazing until all of the woodland creatures come into a stampede.

"That's why I'm going to put a soundproof spell over our dorm," Laura exchanged smirks with Eliza.

"Smart."

As they were moving things along to their dorms, Laura casts a balancing spell for herself as she carried the boxes in her arms. To the naked eye, the spell wouldn't even appear. Obviously, if she decided the boxes should levitate behind her, then the spell would definitely be seen. She wanted to obey her mother's words, for a little bit anyway. Laura was still learning, so keeping it a secret, for now, will be better for her.

As the three moved past others with their cardboard boxes, Eliza was the only one having trouble. She would fumble a little, then, collected herself and keep moving. She definitely didn't have her mother's natural grace. Fauna never had a problem with grace, so Laura didn't pay much attention to her. Again, Eliza fumbled as Molly Locks passed through. This time, one of her boxes was going down. Eliza shifted to keep the top package's balance.

She continued to struggle until a finger pushed up the box. Laura looked at the Wonderland boy as he spun around her, his nose now in a different book than before. He was as smooth as Fauna's hair- and that was saying something. Eliza regained her balance and called to him. "Thank you!" There was no response, only a small glance back before he continued down the hall.

As they reached the dorm, Fauna squealed. "Our own room! And I'll only have to share with two people rather than three!" Fauna was used to sharing things, especially with five siblings. She was the oldest at 15 (soon to be 16), then it was Hazel and Allen (13), Helena (11), Elsie (7), and little baby Everett (2). The Ella-Hunstman six were still growing, even now. Ashlynn was pregnant once again. It was quite crazy, to have so many siblings, but Fauna never minded.

"You had to share a room with all of the girls?" Eliza asked. Laura put her hand on the door's knob. It actually unlocked to her touch. Cool.

"No, we didn't have to, we wanted to!" Fauna exclaimed proudly as she entered the room. Eliza and Laura exchanged questioning and concerned looks before following her in.

The freshman dorms were flexible. They could have up to four people. Three beds were each on a different wall. In the corner, there was a long window that almost reached the top of the stone ceiling. Laura silently thanked the maker that there was a curtain to cover the sunlight. How else would she get any sleep with a window like that?

Fauna happily claimed the bed nearest to the window, Eliza by the bathroom, which left Luara with the one next to the closet. She set her boxes unto the floor. With a snap of her fingers, Laura opened the door to the closet. She then used magic to sort all of her clothes. Weaving her fingers in intricate designs, the hangers put shirts onto themselves and flew onto the bars of the walk-in closet.

Fauna and Eliza watched in shock as she finished the spell. Laura looked at them with questioning. They both knew she had magical powers. She tucked a blonde curl behind her ear. "What?"

"You- y," Fauna was at a loss for words.

"We didn't know you're magic was that strong," Eliza said for the both of them. Fauna nodded in agreement to the statement.

"Well, I've been practicing a lot over the summer," Laura shrugged as she went over to the remaining boxes. She felt a little drained from the complex spell. She would rather unpack the rest. It would give her something to do for a few minutes.

"It was amazing!" Fauna clapped her hands together. "I wish I had magical powers like that, then I would use them to help others."

"I would use them to sneak out," Eliza murmured. Laura grinned a little.

"If I knew how to give you guys powers, I would." Laura took out her comforter and sheets for her bed. "You know I would do anything for you guys."

"If we all had magic, we could come up with a saying for our squad," Fauna tapped her chin. Her round face suddenly lit up. "Like fairy friends forever!"

"Fairy friends forever?" Eliza raised a brow. "Are we five years old?"

"I don't mind it," Laura cut in before Fauna could get emotional. "Fairy friends forever." Fauna grinned, and it made Luara feel so much better about these new adjustments to her new life at Ever After High.

As the girls were finishing their new dorm room, there was a sudden knock on the door. Laura waved her hand and magically opened it to reveal Molly Lockes. Both Laura and Eliza tried their best not to grumble at the sight of her. She looked just like her mom, except her locks were notably darker, and her expression was always a bit mischievous.

"Molly!" Fauna greeted. Laura stifled another grumbled as she stepped in.

"Hello Fauna, Eliza... Laura," Molly slightly narrowed her eyes. For some odd reason, Laura and Molly had been enemies. She was never sure why, it was just a common fact that they despised each other.

"What brings you here? Looking for tea to spill?" Laura cocked her brows and folded her arms. Eliza chuckled softly before turning towards her boxes to avoid attention from Molly.

"You wish you were interesting enough for me to talk about," Molly shot back. "Anyways, there's a freshman party tonight after supper hosted by me for my campaign of student body president. My assistant will give you the details. Oak-" Molly stopped talking as she turned towards the door. There was no one standing there. "Oakley!"

When there was no answer, Molly let out a grunt. "I can't believe he ran away again," she muttered as she left the room. "I swear when I find him, he'll be nothing but wood chips." When she was well into the hallway, Laura shut the door with her magic. The door slightly shook before a person emerged. Oakley Wood, the son of Cedar Wood. He was hiding behind the door the whole time- well, not behind the door, but in the door.

"Thanks," Oakley smiled widely. He brushed off his brown wooden skin as it morphed into real skin. He had been given the gift to morph into wooden structures. It made him the greatest hider.

"Why do you act like her puppet?" Laura asked. They had been friends since grade school. She was the first one in the class to know his power. Now, Eliza and Fauna knew too.

"Well, I do come from a bloodline of puppets," Oakley shrugged as he fixed his orange jacket. "Or, I guess it's not really a bloodline. More like a family tree." Fauna gave a small chuckle.

"That doesn't excuse anything," Laura said firmly. "I thought you were already a big enough suck up in middle school."

"Well," Oakley shrugged. "Molly isn't all bad. She does have all the connections. Including Mitchell." He sighed with a smile.

Mitchell Locks. Possibly the hottest boy Luara had ever seen. Sandy blonde curls, great build, and beautiful hazy blue eyes. But she didn't want to think of him that way. He was Molly's older brother. Two years ago, Laura had been in close contact with him. Nothing truly amounted to it. It was more of a flirtation than anything. Although there had been a single stolen kiss that neither talk about to this day. It was during his middle-school graduation party, and Luara had pulled him into a closet for a single kiss. Well, that's all she would admit to. There were several kisses, but it wasn't the matter. It all ended once he went to high school.

Of course, Laura would check out his profile page on hextagram almost daily, but that didn't mean anything.

"I don't think I saw him at the assembly," Fauna tapped her chin.

"Because you were busy drooling," Eliza laughed.

"You think you would have a chance with Mitchell?" Laura asked.

"I know he's not gay," Oakley shrugged before sighing again. "But a boy can dream."

"So can Laura," Eliza muttered, but no one else seemed to hear her but Luara.

"You think he'll be at the party tonight?" Fauna asked. "Since he's Molly's brother?"

"I doubt it," Laura shook her head. "He's too cool for a freshman party."

"You never know if they'll crash," Oakley added. "Second year's are told to be trouble makers."

"No," Laura said with a grin. "Teenage boys are told to be trouble makers. That's why I'm not going."

"What?!" Eliza, Fauna, and Oakley all said together.

"Laura! We can't go without you," Fauna pleaded.

"This is where we can finally make our first mark," Eliza added.

"You gotta go, girl!" Oakley cheered.

"Please!" Fauna widened her eyes and pouted out her lip. Laura's only weakness was Fauna's pleading face. She just couldn't say no.

"Okay fine," Laura finally agreed. "But I'm not going to thank Molly for being hostess or whatever."

"Who will," Oakley shook his head. "Everyone despises her."

"And yet you're the sucking up to her," Eliza rolled her eyes.

"Do I need to show you a picture of Mitchell?" Oakley defended, and Eliza surrendered. He pulled out his phone. "I'll do it anyway. I just don't understand how he can look like he was molded by angels."

Laura tried her best to conceal her laugh. Sure, Mitchell looked like an angel, but did he have the personality to match? Laura wasn't entirely sure. She knew back in middle school, he was...well, he was a boy. Teasing, cockiness, and stubbornness were in his nature. But now, Luara wondered what he was like. It had been two years, and Laura's curiosity was growing.