Hex

CHAPTER 1

I slammed by locker shut and studied my new class schedule. Beginners Potions first, great. If only there was a decent potions class open to eleventh graders. Unfortunately the beginner's course would have to do; what would we be learning? How to distinguish between the different species of frog eggs? Grandma would be so displeased.

I turned the corner and accidentally spilled my thermos of blood onto a pretty girl with white hair.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention, listen that'll come out with-" I stopped when I noticed she was laughing.

"Hey no problem, you didn't even get any on me." She smiled. It was then that I noticed the faint shimmer of light radiating off her hair, and if I focused, I could see the hallway behind her through her pretty white dress.

"Thank the goddess, you're a ghost." I laughed too. She smiled kindly.

"Yeah, my name's Spectra. What's yours? I've never seen you around here before, and I know everyone here. You're new."

"It's Hex." I said as I knelt to wipe up the spilled blood with a tissue. "And yeah I'm new here."

"Cool. If you need someone to show you around, that's Draculara over there in the pink. She's a vampire too, and she just loves meeting new bloodsuckers."

"But I'm not- "

"Sorry to hit and run, but I've got Home Ick now and the professor hates if we're late. See you at lunch Hex?"

"Sure thing!" I called after her as she floated away. I sighed. Making friends was going to be hard. I headed over to the girl Spectra had pointed out, Draculara. She was standing with a girl and a boy, both with huge manes of dark brown hair and mocha skin. The dark haired girl nudged Draculara as I approached. She whirled around.

"Hi! I'm Draculara." She spoke with a thick Transylvanian accent. "This is my boyfriend Clawd and my best friend Clawdeen."

"I'm Hex. Spectra said-"

"I wouldn't take what Spectra says to heart, she's a notorious gossip." Said Clawdeen. Her accent was from New York. Draculara nodded.

"-That you're a vampire." I finished.

"Oh well that's true yes." Draculara said. "I'm a vampire and Clawdeen and her brother are werewolves." I nodded. I'd met vampires before, and a few werewolves, but that was a long time ago, I'd certainly never met one who wore 6inch platform heels. I looked down at my Doc Martens. They had a wedge on them, but nothing as tall as Clawdeen was wearing. Maybe that was the New York in her.

"So what are you?" Clawd asked politely in the same Brooklyn accent as his sister.

"He means other than off the charts sexy." A boy with copper coloured skin and flaming red hair joined the group on blue roller skates. "Cause baby, you're making me hot." His hair literally caught fire and his eyes glowed a dark red. I startled, and the group laughed.

"Cool down Heath, can't you go one minute without hitting on the new girl?" Clawd shoved him playfully. I laughed nervously.

"The name, milady is Burns, Heath Burns." He extended his hand. I took it, being cautious of any more fire, and he brought it to his lips and kissed it. I blushed furiously; I wouldn't have given him my hand if I'd known he'd do that.

"Heath!" Draculara squealed. "Try to be a little more normal?"

"Yeah get lost Burns." Clawd growled. "You'll scare her off."

"No, no it's okay." I smiled encouragingly. "Believe me, it's nothing." Draculara raised an eyebrow at me.

"Well damn, new girl's a Brit." Clawdeen said, noting my accent. I turned to Heath.

"But do try and learn a lady's name before you try to court her." His eyebrows wiggled mischievously. "Mine's Hex."

"Now get lost creep before we sic Clawdeen on you." Draculara said.

"Hey!" Clawdeen yelped. "Maybe I sic you on him! You could go all fangzilla!"

"You know I don't drink blood!" They started to argue, as Heath slunk away, but not without giving me one last wink.

"Come on, lets' ditch these two." Clawd said. "I'll show you where your first class is. What do you have?" He led me down the hallway.

"Um, Beginners Potions." I couldn't help making a face. He laughed.

"Just wait until you get to Advanced. It gets worse." I sighed; the Expert class was what I had my eye on, but there was no way I'd get in this year. "So, why carry around a thermos of blood if you're not a vampire?" I stopped.

"I-uh,"

"Just a question," he smiled.

"How did you-?" I stammered.

"Know? Which, that you're not a vampire; or that you've got a cup of AB+ in your hand."

"Both."

"Easy." He touched a finger to his nose. "Werewolf senses. Clawdeen probably picked up on it too. At first I thought it was Draculara, but then I remembered; she doesn't drink it. So I figured it had to be you. Why do you have it?" He didn't ask in a mean way, but I still felt embarrassed.

"It's not mine. I mean it is mine, but it's not mine. I mean it's for Potions."

"You don't need blood in Beginners Potions." My shoulders slumped. I was so bad at high school.

"Ugh, you'll think it's stupid."

"Try me." Clawd smiled kindly. I took a deep breath and explained.

"I'm really good at potions, my Grandma's been teaching me for ages-literally-and I can't get into a better potions class, so I thought maybe if I showed the teacher what I can do, he'd consider bumping me up. It's really nerdy I know, but I just don't want to spend all year in a class that I can't learn anything from." I looked up at him. Clawd was looking at me incredulously.

"You're that good?"

"Definitely." I didn't want to be brag, but Grandma was the best. Learning from her made me pretty good as well.

"Well I hope it works. Potions is the hardest class here at Monster High, but if you're that good, maybe they'll let you skip." He shrugged. "Hey! Then we could be in the same class!"

"Yeah," I said, thankful he didn't think I was a freak. "It would be nice to have a friend in class."

'I'll introduce you to the guys after class." He said as we arrived at the door labeled Mr. Venom: Potions. "Draculara and Clawdeen are in this class too, they'll introduce you to the girls."

"Thanks Clawd." I said as I went to turn the door handle.

"Hey no problem Ms…. What did you say your last name was again?"

"I didn't. And it's Harmon. Hex Harmon."

"Harmon? But that's…" I turned and closed the door behind me just as the bell rang for the start of class. I found Draculara and Clawdeen in the back row. They'd finished their little fight and had saved me a seat. I sat down gratefully and let my mind drift as the teacher passed out textbooks and began to drone on about the importance of measuring ingredients correctly. I hoped Clawd didn't think too long on my last name. While it might ring a bell in his head, I didn't want him snooping around in my family history until I was ready to tell the group. Making friends is hard enough without being a witch, and a Harmon witch too. I didn't want anybody asking me personal questions until I was ready to answer them.

"Pssst." I looked over. Draculara whispered to me, "I'm having a sleepover at my place tomorrow. Ask your parents if you can come? We'd really like to have you." She was so nice! No wonder Spectra had referred me to her.

"Sure, I'll ask. Thanks. Who's going to be there?"

"Me, Clawdeen, Frankie, Abbey and Lagoona if she can make it. I'll introduce you when he's done the lecture." She made a face and wrote on a scrap of paper, which she handed to me. "Here, it's mine and Clawdeen's iCoffin numbers. Text me when you know okay?" We swapped numbers.

"Sure thing! Thanks!" I whispered back. Not even two hours at this place and I've already made two girlfriends, one guy friend and a dude that's crushing on me. Although, that last one didn't really count, maybe Grandma was right, maybe all I needed was a little companionship.