Winter Knight was a sixteen year old girl that lived with her single mother who was a specialized international aid worker for the biggest humanitarian aid company in the world, Relief Universal. Winter's father passed away when she was a toddler, and due to her mother's job they were constantly forced to move. She was a sophomore but by this point, she had already been enrolled in four different high schools.
Winter sighed as she laid in her bed, staring at her ceiling, covered in glow-in-the-dark star stickers. She heard a knock at the door. "Come in!" Winter stared at her mother with immature envy. She was an indisputably gorgeous woman with ebony hair styled in an elegant bob that brought attention to the striking crystal eyes she shared with Winter. When she walked into a room, the light seemed to shimmer differently. "Just wanted to check up on you, see how you were doing." Responding to the unspoken question she read on her mother's face Winter sighed, "Yes, Mom. I'm ready for school." Her mother smiled warmly. "That's my Winter. Lights out in ten." Winter rested her head back on her silk pillowcase and mumbled, "Here we go again."
She sat groggily, staring in the dark blankly as her alarm screamed bloody murder in her ears. "Winter, your alarm! Get ready or you'll be late." Winter groaned, looking over at herself in the mirror as she got out of bed. Her dark hair rolled down her back, warm black waves harmonious with her tanned skin. She wrangled her hair into a ponytail at the base of her neck, pulled on her uniform and went downstairs. She noticed the tears in her mother's eyes immediately, "What's wrong?" Her mother hugged her and said, "I'm sorry that we have to keep moving around. I made sure to tell my boss that I wanted to stay here until you graduate." Winter returned the hug, "It's okay, Mom. Really, I understand." She smiled softly as her mother looked at her, "What a good daughter I was blessed with." Winter shrugged coyly before she swiped a banana off the counter and rushed out the door. She heard her mother call out to her as the door shut, "Have a good day honey."
Winter glanced down at her white, green, and blue uniform and then at the giant sign positioned near the front gate that said "Golden Academy High." Winter rolled her eyes, "This campus could petition to be its own country." She scanned the scene, greedily drinking it all in. The people bickering over a borrowed jacket, friends greeting each other next to the fountain, teachers supervising students for uniform violations. After attending so many different schools, Winter had developed the skill of noticing. She was so absorbed in observing that she didn't notice the boy behind her until he knocked into her. Winter met eyes so red and full of fire she could've sworn they burned her. "I'm sorry," Winter murmured as she stared at the boy, taken aback by his commandeering energy. He didn't acknowledge her as anything more than a passing fly and kept walking. Winter watched him and noticed that she wasn't the only one. It was as though everyone was ignited by his presence. After three short steps he was completely surrounded by the entire student body. Winter dusted off the unpleasant interaction and made her way to the office. She sauntered to the nearest teacher, clearing her throat, "Excuse me, my name is Winter Knight. It's my first day." The male teacher with a countenance that seemed to be in a perpetual state of scowling eyed Winter as though he had just taken a sip of sour milk. He began scanning his clipboard and grumbling "Night." Winter surveyed the room, curious how the people she encountered could be in such foul moods when surrounded by decadence. Most of the teachers bustled about, occupied with morning duties, except one young female teacher that was watching her keenly. "Yes, right here. Night. Class three." She leaned over, unsurprised by the common mistake, "Knight. With a K." The male teacher grimaced at her correction, "Winter Knight, class five. I will be your homeroom teacher and I expect to be addressed as Mr. Cornell." He stood, "Follow me to the classroom." Mr. Cornell entered first and Winter paused outside to adjust her uniform. "All of you shut it. We have a new student today." Winter displayed the most dazzling smile she could manage as she stood in front of the class, "I'm Winter. I just moved here and I'm not the biggest fan of stepping on toes so don't get in my way." Several students shifted awkwardly in their seats and a few laughed, surprised by her boldness. Winter took a desk in the middle of the classroom and settled in her seat, nothing out of place.