Hated By All, Loved By Four

✯•✿The Scariest Class In The World✿•✯

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ*:.:..:...VALERIA'S P.O.V...:..:..:*Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

I woke up feeling comfortable, an immediate red flag. My bed in my dorm is not that comfortable. This feels like I’m surrounded by an air of peace which I consider as bullshit. I’m on edge in an instant, but somehow my body doesn’t get the memo as it rises up slowly. My hair is sticking everywhere, I can see most of it and feel all of it. I brushed them off, wiping the drool from my chin.

This is the first good sleep I’ve had in a while. My eyes shifted to my surroundings. Bloody hell, I must have fallen asleep... wait, I already know that I fell asleep. I was subconsciously aware of most of it. Just staying with my thoughts, and unable to hear what was happening around me.

Something moved in my vision and I flinched, whipping around to see Kaito standing by one of the bedroom doors with a hardened look on his face. I ducked under the covers, god I’m a mess. I don’t want him to see that.

I waited until I could hear his footsteps moving. They head to the door, open and slam it shut. I sigh and pull my head out from under the covers just to see that he’s standing by the door watching me. Yeesh. This is awkward.

“Aren’t you going to get up? It’s eight am.”

Ah! I jumped to my feet and searched for my back. By the way, who covered me in this- Malcolm probably. I’ll text him my thanks. Once I found my bag, I grabbed it. Ran into their kitchen to wash my face, then I headed to the door to put on my shoes.

Coming face to face with Kaito in my haste. He opened the door for me and made a motion telling me to get out.

“Thank you.”

He growls, and I rush off. I don’t know where my apartment is from this place. Ack! I pulled up my phone and searched for the school map, I’m an hour away from where I live. I also have my first art class today, and my session is at seven pm.

Why the hell did I sleep off there?

What happened yesterday? I’d spoken to Professor King and he informed me that he would also be my therapist, he had a piece of paper with directions to his office and his private cell number. It freaked me out. That isn’t normal, right?

Yeah but what is normal about this school?

I was freaked out, and annoyed at being spun around in circles by the complexity of this school. Which led to some unwanted thoughts and a stabbing pain in my ankle. I still don’t know what that was about.

I blame this stupid bracelet around my ankle. I let a breath whoosh out as I ran, and sprinted through the the empty campus. Most students were in class already. All the monitors were walking down the hall. I went right past them, not stopping to note how eerie they were. I can do that from the comfort of my apartment. I was exhausted by the time I got to the building. An hour's journey was cut down to thirty minutes, yay.

Ugh, I feel like I might vomit. I entered the building and moved toward the elevator. I thumbed in the floor where I lived.

While I waited, I caught my breath and texted Malcolm.

Me: Thank you for letting me spend the night, I’m sorry if I inconvenienced you.

His reply came in almost instantly.

Malcolm Knight: You’re welcome, you weren’t an inconvenience. I hope we can watch more movies together.

I smiled, and the lift made a beeping sound. I dragged myself to the apartment, unlocking it with my keycard. Feeling too lazy to get the key. Nevian was seated on the couch, reading a book. He looked up briefly to smile at me, out of politeness I smiled and gave him a wave back.

I didn’t stop to think about my schedule until I’d showered, dressed in another uniform, and packed my Wednesday kit.

I’d been told Professor King would send me some art supplies for his class but how did he get them into my room, there was a tray with three labeled small bottles of pills and a note waiting beside my bed. In my rush to get clean, I had missed them.

The note had instructions on what I should take, saying these were standard drugs and that after a month they’d switch two of them to the specific meds I would need. Even stranger. Then at the end of the note- the whole note was typed and printed- was a handwritten warning.

We will keep you for an extra year if you flush your medication again. Help us help you by following the rules.

If felt tense, and unsafe in this bedroom. They could walk in and out without a care in the world. How did they even know? Were they monitoring the items that go down the toilet.... weird.

“That’s creepy right?”

Nevian’s voice cut through my thoughts, and I placed the note on the tray, keeping it in place with one of the bottles.

“Yeah, how did they even get it in here?”

“I don’t know. I never saw anyone. They must have come in while we slept.”

I felt even more unsafe. “This is how it is, huh?”

He gives me a small sympathetic nod. “Yeah, what are you in for?”

I contemplated answering him with the truth but I figured it wasn’t really a secret that I love my wolf. And if I’m going to be here for years, I could make a friend out of one of my roommates.

“I was attacked, and had my wolf stolen.”

His eyebrow raises. “Wow, just when you think the world can’t possibly get worse for us wolves it finds a new way.”

“Yeah. It sucks, it made me really depressed and apparently, that’s a burden for my parents. So after two years, here I am.”

“I’m sorry, that must have hurt.”

I opened each bottle and took one of each. Popping them into my mouth and walking past Nevian to get a bottle of water from the mini fridge in the living room. After drinking and swallowing down whatever those were. I waited to see if I would feel any different.

Nothing. Huh.... they don’t have a taste either. But I feel like they’re bitter.

I turned my attention back to Nevian and asked, “What are you in for?”

“Ah, simple. I got rejected by my mate, and my wolf is slowly dying. So my parents figured that the doctors here could do something to stop that.”

“That’s awful. Why here?”

Nevian chuckled. “My grandmother lives in Osaka, she said there was a good buzz about the school.”

I wanted to say it sounded like his grandmother didn’t know the truth but at least he has people who care about him. Instead, I offered him some sympathy.

Then I realized I’d missed breakfast and had sixteen minutes to get to my art class.

“Crap, I gotta go, mate. But I’ll see ya after my classes.”

“Sure thing. Have a good day.”

I rushed to my room to grab my bag, and box of art supplies before hurrying out of the apartment. By luck, I made it just in time. Professor King was behind his desk and the class was full. Girls only as it seemed. None of them batted an eye my way, seemingly transfixed by the bloodsucker in front of them.

“Ah, Miss Vanguard, you’re here. I thought you’d miss our first class together.”

I tried not to stare, but it was hard when the man commanded attention. Almost like he wanted to be worshipped.

Professor Maddox's striking red hair was gathered into a neat ponytail, held in place by a golden pin engraved with an elegant crest. Rose-tinted glasses perched on his nose added a touch of intellect and charm, making him look effortlessly smart and undeniably handsome. Even seated behind his desk, his height was evident, giving him an imposing yet refined presence. He wore a crisp white shirt adorned with shimmering star patterns along the sleeves, with the top three buttons undone to reveal a hint of his pale skin. His black pants, perfectly ironed, featured a unique belt with a small star charm on a chain, dangling from a belt loop to his back pocket. Professor Maddox was undeniably eye candy—and judging by the knowing look he gave me, he was well aware of the effect he had.

“Yeah, I’m sorry. I overslept.”

“It’s okay, you aren’t late. Take a sit right over there.”

He pointed toward the back of the class, and I gave him a nod. But you see, there are eleven girls in this class including me. Five on the right, five on the left. With one seat in the direct line of the professor’s desk. That’s weird, right?

It was like I was being separated from the rest of the class. I didn’t let myself think much about it. I can’t draw for s**t, but I am still a fast learner.

I placed the box next to the stool and sat diligently. I let myself breathe a little bit better. There was a big easel in front of me.

I could see Professor King as he got up, and a chalk in his right hand. He wrote out the topic of the day. Death In Limbo.

“As most of you know, a special class isn’t a real class. We’re here to spend the next three hours working through the mess in our minds.”

Oh, bollocks.

I listened intently to his words as he explained what the concept was about.

“Today’s concept, Death in Limbo, explores the threshold between life and death—a state of waiting, reflecting, or unresolved transition. When we think of limbo, we imagine a space that is neither here nor there, a place beyond the physical world yet not fully in the afterlife. I want each of you to think about what this suspended state could mean: Is it peaceful, filled with longing, or charged with fear? Perhaps it’s a place of reflection, where memories replay, or a landscape where spirits wander, incomplete or held back by something unfinished.”

Um, how does one draw that?

He continued. Oblivious to my tension. “Consider the emotions tied to this place—loneliness, hope, regret, serenity. Is the subject waiting for release, or trapped by something in this world? Use color, light, shadow, and texture to convey that feeling of suspension. Think about whether this limbo is chaotic or calm, real or surreal. This is your opportunity to give form to the unknown, to the invisible moments between worlds. Let’s see what each of you imagines lies within Death in Limbo.”

When he concluded the girls were awed in unison, I was the only one confused by why that was impressive. It was an interesting topic but not enough for me to awe of my teacher.

He handed each of us canvas, placing them on our easels. Then he told us to work.

I reached into the bag and opted for some colored pencils. Then I tried to find a memory relating to art. Ruel liked to draw, I would watch him do paintings and sketches, each time we hung out. He especially liked to draw the moon.

I can use what I’d seen him do and apply it here. Just... one tiny question, what the hell do I draw? He couldn’t have chosen fruits? The man went for death in limbo like an arse.

I might fail this class.

I jumped when I felt a hand on my shoulder. “Are you nervous, baby doll?”

What?

“My students are called dolls. You’re a baby in this class, hence the title.” Creepy, most certainly. I forced a smile.

“Um, I’m just thinking.”

“Don’t spend the whole class thinking, or I’ll have to keep you for an extra hour.”

I shuddered. Oh god, I cannot let that happen.

“I won’t.”

He stayed put, hand on my shoulder, eyes piercing through to my soul before smirking and strolling off to another student.

This class might be the scariest of them all.