Taming the Rogue King

Graduation

***** Trigger alert! This chapter contains excerpts of bullying. If you are uncomfortable reading it please avoid it. Please reach out to your trusted adults/ support groups/ professionals in case you are dealing with any form of bullying. Abuse in any form is an offence and is not okay! *****

Ira’s parents and Bella’s elder brother Ben sat in the same row as the valedictorian raved on about how the students looked forward to a bright and beautiful future.

Most students in their school were from the rich alpha community. Some were from the well to do betas. Ira was sure they would have a wonderful future. None of them wanted to be associated with Ira, a puny human.

While the rest of the kids got along well and socialised at after school parties, Ira had spent her school years studying, reading in the library and accompanying Bella on her shopping trips.

Sometimes Bella would pull Ira to the parties which were some of the most awkward experiences but Ira managed. She was going to miss Bels.

As Ira waited next to the stage with the rest of her class, she glanced at her parents. They were the most loving couple she had ever known.

Her mum, Myra was a witch who had the most beautiful fair skin with a twinge of brown that gave her a forever tanned look. It was a gene that Myra inherited from her African father. She married an Indian Roy when she was still very young. 

It was young love and one of the rare ones that continued to blossom even in their older age. They were soul mates. 

Ira sighed looking at them. Could I ever be lucky to find my soul mate or has the Moon God forgotten me completely? Will my soulmate too find me too boring and ugly to be his lover?

Ira had inherited her mum’s blue eyes and her dad’s dusky skin. Her short stature and delicate features made her an ideal punching bag for the bullies at her school. 

Bella’s name was announced. As she climbed up the steps to receive her certificate Ira recalled the day she met Bella for the first time. It was still fresh in her memory as if it was just yesterday. 

***** Flashback Begins *****

She had just joined The Royal Academy and her mum and dad had helped her get her luggage to her room. There were three other girls in the room. 2 bunk beds lined the left and right walls as they entered the room. 

A french door let in light into the room from the opposite end. The French door opened into a small balcony that overlooked the expansive green school grounds. From their room, they could see the end of the forest where the mysterious beings got trained.

The forest cover was a conserved site where different magical enchantments concealed the existence of their school and the mysterious beings.

The room had four cupboards. They were supposed to use shared bathrooms which were located on the same floor.

The three girls had greeted her parents and left for their classes while Myra fussed over Ira giving her hugs with tears in her eyes. “You take care of yourself, darling. Those wicked kids aren’t going to touch you again.”

Ira had hugged her mother back and looked at her dad. His eyes were always filled with the warmth of love whenever he looked at her. He appeared like a studious intellectual with his round-rimmed glasses, bald head and full lips curved into a smile. She loved her parents.

They had left soon after and she had busied herself in sorting her things out. She had been so excited to join the new school, away from her bullies who took every opportunity to call her names and had almost r***d her. 

The memory of that horrible night always managed to send her into a panic attack but the prospect of the new day cheered her up.

Her roomies were werewolves and did not interact with her much. They had returned after school and gone out again. She had not given it a second thought. She was used to enjoying the company of her books. The werewolves growth rate was more than humans so obviously, they weren’t very thrilled to share their room with her.

That night Ira had fallen asleep with her favourite book next to her pillow and her ‘Hello Kitty’ soft toy snuggled in her arms. It was gifted to her by James.

!! Trigger Alert !! The next part contains bullying.

In the middle of the night, she had suddenly woken up by a feeling of something wet and impenetrable on her face. The damp cloth was suffocating her. She was startled and opened her eyes but her eyes strained against the darkness of the wet towel.

What the f**k is happening? She had tried lifting her hands to move the towel away but her hands had been pinned down. She had panicked as the feeling of suffocation had increased.

She still remembered how her lungs cried for more air but the wet towel only gave her cold nothingness. I am going to die! My lungs are on f*****g fire! Who the hell is doing this? How do I free myself? f**k the strength of people holding me down. Who are these people anyways and why me? Even as her thoughts raced she heard giggling.

Felt like Audrey's silky voice but she couldn’t be sure. She was suffocating, her empty lungs protesting and yet the heavy towel stayed on her face. She struggled against the people holding her. Slowly her strength started giving way to darkness. She thought she was finally going to die when one of the girls cooed in a sing-song voice. “Oh, the half breed is gonna pass out!” 

Was it Lucy? But why?

“Quick Audrey pick up the f*****g towel. We don’t want to be expelled.” Olivia’s authoritarian voice was the last thing that Ira heard before passing out.

The next morning Ira had woken up startled as Audrey emptied a bottle of icy cold water on her face. “Wake up you filthy gin. If you speak a word about last night to anyone, remember that you are coming back to this same hostel and this same room. We know everybody here. No one will support you.”

Ira blinked her eyes, willing the tears away. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because we hate half breed humans like you and because Olivia’s boyfriend thought you look exotic. Stay away from us and our boys or you will regret the day you were born!” Lucy spat.

Olivia looked at her in disgust and added. “We had mercy on you and did not wake you up earlier. Breakfast time is over.” She winked while Audrey and Lucy sniggered shamelessly. 

Ira was still trying to wrap her head around the situation. Dazed and confused she looked at her three roomies with who she was going to share her time in school. What was she going to do? She couldn’t ask her parents to move her from school again. 

It was her damn karma that attracted toxic people around her.

Olivia continued looking at her in disdain. “You get ready and get to school asap. Remember to zip your lips about us or tonight would be worse!” She turned around, flicked her long hair away from her shoulder and walked out of the room. Lucy and Audrey followed.

Ira looked around in dismay. Was this going to be her life? Always getting people around her to bully her? She hated her body. Her glasses laden with ugly eyes and her dusky skin attracted taunts wherever she went. Her alarm rang informing her to get to school.

Wiping her tears away she quickly got ready for her first day in school.

She wore her neat white shirt and knee-length red highland skirt. With her square metal glasses perched on her nose, she walked into her school main building. The girl's hostel was within a walking distance from school and even with a late start, she had managed to reach there on time.

She walked up to the office and asked for her classes. Her tummy rumbled, informing her of an empty stomach, but she couldn’t do much about it right now. She had hoped, she could get some food during lunchtime.

“Miss Ira! Yes! You are joining us today. Welcome to The Royal Academy, an exclusive school for all the mysterious beings. Since you are the only human, you will be placed in the werewolves section. Please fill out these forms and I will get your locker keys.” The office lady answered with a smile.

Once Ira filled the forms she was directed to the building that had classes for werewolves. She took her keys and headed off to the locker to place her belongings. She entered the hall of the building and thanked her stars. She was running slightly late and the hall was deserted. Just the way she liked it.

She hadn’t interacted with any mysterious beings before this except her cousin James and their mums. So technically she only knew the witches. Since the witches were in hiding no one could disclose their identity. 

By some funny twist of fate, she wasn’t a witch although she was born into a witch family with an impressive genealogy.

Her dad had used connections and money to get her into this school. At first, she had been happy thinking that she would be better accepted here but clearly, she was wrong.

Lucky James! He was getting trained by their grandma Sarena and here she was alone. A human in this crowd of mysterious beings. James even looked like these whitefellas and she was the one who always ended up being ridiculed.

Lost in her thoughts she continued climbing up the stairs to reach the lockers as she was directed by the kind lady from the office.

As she reached the second landing she saw Lucy and froze. The freckled girl smiled back and Ira exhaled letting herself relax.

Maybe the girls wouldn’t try anything in public. She continued towards the corridor still cautiously looking at Lucy when she tripped against a foot that she hadn’t noticed before. She toppled over to fall on her bum. 

With her skirt riding up and books all over the place she cussed as she saw Olivia pulling her foot back. 

Her glasses askew, her eyes filled with tears she must have been quite a sight! Audrey burst out laughing pointing at her. Lucy joined in the laughter. “Oh look! The pygmy half breed can’t see even when she has an extra set of eyes.” She pointed at Ira's glasses

Her spiteful comment sent roars of laughter through the other students who had gathered around them. Humiliated and embarrassed, Ira adjusted her glasses. She couldn’t think of any comeback. 

A young girl out of the crowd, extended her hand to her, “don’t bother. Ignore the nasty b***h!” 

Ira had looked up at the girl with a pixie cut. Her sharp features lit up in a smile as she pulled Ira up from the ground. Ira stood up awkwardly smoothening her skirt. She tried to give a smile but was sure it must have looked like a grimace.

The pixie cut girl helped her gather her belongings and handed them to her even as she stood embarrassed looking around at the confident students strolling in the corridor. Her roomies still stood there scoffing at her.

“I am Bella! I am in your class. The lady at the office told me about you and I saw these mean girls gang up against you. Don’t you worry mate! Consider me your friend.” 

She turned around and chided Olivia. “Ollie! Don’t you have anything better to do? She is your roommate! Instead of being friendly, you are trying to bully her? Do you know what will happen if I complain against you?”

Olivia shrugged, “why do you even want to befriend this weakling? She is an oddity! A waste of space! She has managed to come here because of her parents’ money. She doesn’t belong here!” She flipped her straight blonde hair away from her shoulder and the other two girls joined her.

Lucy twisted her freckled face in disgust, “and she is dirty! Look at her skin! Doesn’t she shower or something?” Audrey giggled, making her red curls dance.

!! Trigger ends !! Bullying content over

“That’s enough!” Bella said sternly. “One more word and I will go to the dean.”

The three girls huffed and strode away.

That day Ira had found her best friend Bella. She learned to ignore her roomies and the next year when she could change her room she & Bella moved into a twin room.

She had some really tough days with Audrey, Lucy and Olivia trying to pick on her.

Every time the three girls had her cornered, she would fight back. Her previous experience had taught her that being meek did not result in any good.

***** Flashback ends *****

With every fight, she had Bella to back her up. Her High School days were tolerable and fun due to Bels. Passing on a couple of things from her belongings to Bels wasn’t a big deal.

Bella and James were the two people she cherished dearly. 

She smiled to herself waving at Bella as Bella got off the stage and Ira was called over. Her classmates sniggered when she climbed up the steps to take her certificate. She ignored the giggles.

They could not spoil this day for her and she was going away from them forever.

Once the function was over, they got their class photo taken and the crowd dispersed.

She couldn’t wait for the holidays to be over and to apply to the Uni of Melbourne. She wanted to quickly move over to Uni. Especially because she knew she was going back to the neighbourhood where she had faced horrors in her childhood. 

Were Jack and Alex still in the vicinity? She wasn’t sure. A few months back her dad had mentioned that they had gotten into trouble with some drug gangs and were serving time in prison. Hopefully, they were still serving time in prison and she would have left for her college by the time the bastards were back.

*****