a world without hope

07

Murmurs scattered across the main assembly room as students found seating close to their companions and scrapes against the beautiful, old, hardwood floors were made from the creaky, chair legs. All the unwanted noise only further made Josie's stomach churn, as she hunched over, anxiously waiting for the school meeting to begin. Beside her, Lizzie checked out her newly painted nails, unaware of any tension coming from her twin sister. Together they sat front row; others chose to sit near the exit.

Voices lowered as Alaric made headway down the aisle between the two square sections of chairs. The heels of his boots echoed with each step and everyone sat forward in their seats, quieting down. Standing at the main podium, Alaric studied each body within the crowd, carefully deciding his words he had tried to prepare. All to be heard was the padded tapping of the headmaster's fingers against the wooden side.

Josie turned around, searching for a familiar face, hoping for an ounce of comfort. A few rows behind her, she saw MG's warming presence, but it seemed tarnished after he was ordered to compel Landon. The only thing he felt able to do was bring up his right hand into a small wave, noticing her glance. MG lips remained pressed, trying to hide his uneasiness too. Besides Lizzie and once Hope, MG and Josie were best friends. Growing older they have drifted some, but still remain active in each other's lives.

The rest of the friend group dispersed in the room. Alyssa Chang placed herself in the midst of everyone, just how she likes being in the middle of commotion. Penelope was on the very last row, and very uninterested in the lecture the student body was soon to receive. Kaleb of course sat beside MG, and Rafael was found to be by himself, wondering where Landon went off to. Roman was nowhere to be seen, along with Hope.

"I am dumbfounded. It's difficult to even begin what I should say. I am disappointed," Alaric started.

"With myself." He stopped for a moment, not letting his emotions getting the best of him.

"I started this school to have a safe environment for my witch daughters, who came from a dangerous, ruthless, coven. They needed somewhere to be themselves without judgment, without consequences, with others who understood their nature. Never did I want them to be ashamed of who they were or where their lineage came from. Having such a place has allowed all of you to be at home if you have needed such, or at least in a place where you are accepted and encouraged to be your best."

"Here at the Salvatore School, we have a supernatural team of teachers and counselors to advise you and prepare you for a world that doesn't already benefit you. You have your advantages but that doesn't eliminate the fact that humans will look down on you as if you are some animal to be hunted upon. They will do what is possible to exterminate you. They already do that enough—there is no need to act as them here."

"I don't want to force the feeling that we are a family here, it's a tough subject for all of us coming from different backgrounds; we are a team though. We are here to work together and grow, and hopefully someday you all will leave this school and do what is best for your life. That won't happen if everyone is going to tear each other down and continue dividing the factions more than they already are. You previously had a leader here who could help unite each one of you, but everyone is eager to bully her out of her home, out of her safe place."

Interrupting Alaric's speech, Alyssa stood on top of her chair, provoking the crowd and her headmaster. "Are you trying to convince us that a Mikaelson mishap of a child is supposed to lead us?" She genuinely questioned, pointing to her peers, with some nodding their head agreeing. "How impressionable do you think we are?" She shot back at Dr. Saltzman, while throwing her hands up and furrowing her immaculate plucked brows. "Your lesson plans, personal diaries, and history books were the very thing who taught us that Mikaelson equals bad."