Unattainable Fruit

Chapter 23: Waiting & Stories

Cody's POV

I wave goodbye to James as he and Alex walk off towards their first class, leaving me at the office with my absence note. Today, I'm also supposed to talk to the secretary about changing my classes so that I'm on the leadership course, securing my spot in next years Higher Education.

But as I stand in the doorway of the front office, the lights blinding and offensive as they reveal every blemish and flaw in 4k, the trilling of the phone and
obnoxious chewing coming from a Witch sitting in one of the waiting chairs, I feel myself wanting to run away, dread and anxiety creeping up my throat.

'I know it's uncomfortable, but this is important. You said you're ready to accept your role and step up to the plate? Here's your chance to prove it.' Jessie encourages me lightly as a flash of heat engulfs my body, my heads and forehead breaking out into a sweat as I enter the room. Using Jessie's words as a crutch, I walk towards the front desk, flinching slightly as the bored, almost dead looking Hybrid sitting behind the desk.

I clear my throat, aiming to grab her attention, my eyes meeting the ground when she glances up with an annoyed glare.

"Uh. good morning. I'm here to get my classes changed and sign up for Higher Education next year." I explain to the Faerie-Vampire hybrid, her albino features a dead give away to the second half of her DNA.

"Sit down. I'll be with you shortly." She answers, and I sigh and I turn around and sit three seats down from the Witch. I anxiously check the clock on the wall and hold in a frustrated sigh, tears pricking my eyes in annoyance and overwhelm.

This is supposed to be an easy and quick process that allows me to go to class on time and not miss a days worth of assignments and lessons. Holding back tears from being forced to wait and while the Hybrid Secretary does nothing, I pull up the hood from my jacket in attempts to block out the soul searing light from my eyes. After the bell rings and another fifteen minutes of waiting, I finally get to see a guidance counselor, the Hybrid barely sparing me a glance as she calls my name.

I head down a small hallway off towards the right as instructed, and find the third door down, slightly open as soft music plays from inside. I knock on the door, stomach in my ass, and heart in my throat, waiting until I hear the gruff voice of an older man call me in. When I open the door, I find myself staring at an older Hybrid, a Faerie-Angel at least six hundred hundred years old from the rare smattering of wrinkles I see that adorn his otherwise flawless face. Even at such an old age, his face is beautiful and alluring, as all Faeries and Angels are. His Faerie ears are pointed and adorned in jewelry, it's light purple eyes striking against his pale halo. I sit down in one of the chairs in front of his desk and awkwardly wait for him to say something.

He stops what he's doing on his computer and I watch as he studies me from top to bottom, his expression never changing, almost worst than the usual look of disgust and contempt I'm used to getting from Hybirds.

"I was told you wanted to sign up for Higher Education. I checked your files just now, and there's no blood relation that qualifies for the course, and your birthday isn't for another two weeks, so help me understand." He tells me, his voice deep and smooth but unyielding, his gaze still staring me as if searching for something.

"Uh... yes that is true, but, uh, recently the Alpha of my pack and I started spending time together and while my birthday hasn't come yet, we're pretty certain that I am his Soulmate and therefore will one day be Luna." I tell him, still finding a hard time believing it myself. His expression doesn't changed. just watches me before turning and going back to the screen on his computer.

"I'm sorry to say I can't help you. School rules decided by the High Court & Council state that no one is allowed to take Higher Education unless it's absolutely necessary and can be proved. If it was your birthday, this would be no problem. You would be sporting a mark, and it would be a piece of cake. But it's not, and you're not, so I can't." He explains flatly and while it only adds to my frustration, the fact that I came here for no reason at all, I can't argue the law or facts.