Kaelith's first day at school had been going surprisingly well...at least until the moment he was asked to introduce himself.
He stood up slowly, his deep voice calm but unfamiliar to the room.
"My name is Kaelith McClure," he said.
There was a brief silence before the class clapped, some politely, some indifferently. The teacher smiled and pointed to an empty seat beside a girl with long chestnut hair and warm brown eyes.
"Kaelith, you can sit next to kiara."
As he walked to his seat, the teacher handed him a form...basic student information, nothing complicated. Or so it seemed.
He began to fill it out:
First name: Kaelith
Surname: McClure
Country of origin: Ireland.
It was the first country name Helen ever told him about, and it sounded ordinary enough to blend in.
Then came the harder part.
Date of birth:
He paused. His pen hovered over the line, unmoving. He had no answer.
Age:
Still blank.
How could he write what he didn't know? He had no memory of when he was born. No celebration. No candles. Only darkness... and Helen's soft voice calling his name.
When it was time to submit the form, he stood up quietly. But as he walked toward the teacher's desk, someone stuck out a foot.
He stumbled. His form slipped from his hands and fluttered to the floor. A boy scooped it up before Kaelith could reach it.
"Oi, what's this?" the boy sneered, holding it up for everyone to see. "You don't even know your age? What, your mum and dad too dumb to remember when they popped you out?"
Laughter echoed across the classroom.
Kaelith's fists clenched at his sides. A low hum stirred in his veins...hot, dangerous, and hungry.
But he didn't move. Not yet.
Not long after, the teacher walked in, her sharp gaze instantly sensing the tension in the room.
"What's going on here?" she asked, setting her books down.
One of the students quickly stepped forward and explained the situation in a few rushed sentences, pointing out the paper, the laughter, and Zander's mocking tone.
The teacher turned to him, her voice firm.
"Zander, what is your problem? Must you always be a bully? Can't you just change and behave like a proper student for once?"
She snatched the paper from his hand, her disappointment clear. Zander only chuckled under his breath and looked away, completely unfazed.
Then, addressing Kaelith, she said, "Kaelith, come see me in my office."
Once inside, she glanced over the form.
"What's with all the blank spaces? Don't you know your birth year or age?"
Kaelith's jaw tightened. "I'll take it home and bring it tomorrow," he replied quietly.
The teacher gave a small nod, though her eyes lingered on him with concern.
Kaelith returned to his seat, head bowed over his desk. The day had barely begun, and yet it already felt like a disaster. He clenched his fists, frustration bubbling just beneath the surface.
Kiara, seated beside him, noticed the shift in his demeanor...his brooding silence, the tension in his shoulders, the anger barely hidden in his eyes.
"You don't need to let them get to you," she said softly. "They're just bullies. You're not alone… if you want, we could walk home together."
Kaelith said nothing. He didn't look at her. His eyes stayed fixed on his notebook as his hand began to move — not writing, not drawing, just dotting… again and again and again.
Later that day, the closing bell rang, echoing through the hallways like a call to freedom. Kiara was waiting outside, leaning casually against the wall. When she saw Kaelith, she smiled and walked up to him.
"Hey," she said.
"Hey," he replied, his voice softer than before.
"How are you holding up?" she asked.
"I'm fine," he muttered.
They began to talk, the tension from earlier slowly fading with each step they took. The conversation turned casual, even a little warm. Kiara shared a bit about herself — how she was 14, what she liked, little things that made her feel familiar.
Then she asked, "How come you don't know your age?"
Kaelith hesitated, then replied, "I don't know. I'll ask my... mom when I get home."
She gave him a puzzled look. "That's... odd. How wouldn't you know your age?"
But when she noticed that Kaelith wasn't laughing or even smiling, she quickly added, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound rude. I just… can't wait to find out."
He gave her a small nod.
As they reached the part where they had to part ways, Kiara smiled again.
"Bye," she said.
Kaelith gave the faintest smile back. "Goodbye. See you tomorrow."
And with that, she waved and walked off, leaving him standing there… feeling, for the first time, a little less alone.