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Abad feeling settled in my bones as I stepped out of my house. The sky was blue, sun shining, but the sense of foreboding was impossible to ignore.

Despite the heaviness in the air, I had no choice but to head to class, so I ignored it.

That was my first mistake. I knew better than to disregard my intuition.

My alchemical chemistry final exam was today and nothing would stop me from getting there. My entire degree and future rested on this moment.

The mile long walk to campus should have been normal and familiar, but my dread only grew worse with each step I took.

There was something big about to happen but I hadn’t seen any signs of what was to come.

Yet.

The walk was quiet. Not many people were milling around our college town this time of day. I was just grateful not to have to exchange pleasantries every other step.

I stopped at the crosswalk and checked my watch. A smile tipped my lips when I saw I somehow managed to get to town with extra time. That meant I had time to stop for a brew.

Maybe it’s the exact pick-me-up that I need to get out of this gloomy mood.

The bell on the door chimed as I entered Midnight Drip. A few of the faces glanced in my direction, but not one of them said a hello, so neither did I.

Just being inside the shop eased my nerves a little. I glanced around, desperate to cling to things that were familiar and ignore my gut.

Antique tea sets lined the walls, along with old tea tins. This place was a collector’s dream.

The girl behind the counter greeted me with a bright smile as I walked up. She was a short, red-haired girl with a fair completion; not a strand out of place in her ponytail. The kind of put-together I’d never achieve.

“Hello and welcome to Midnight Drip, I’m Jan, what can I get for you?” she asked, all while still smiling.

That had to be exhausting. I did my best to return a grin before answering.

“Hello, can I get The Book Lover’s Spell, please?”

“Oh, that’s my absolute favorite,” she squealed as she typed it in and gave me the total.

I swiped my card and she told me that it would be a few moments. I gave her a nod in thanks and headed towards a free table in the corner.

My mood was one that I knew was best kept to myself today and the less people I interacted with before test time, the better.

A few people I’ve seen around campus popped in but they ignored me as per usual, it used to bug me but I’ve been a loner most of my life and self isolated.

Once an outcast, always an outcast, I guess.

“Pure, Puree, Prue?” a different voice called out. I lifted my head to see a different barista at the end of the counter, holding a cup and looking confused.

Did they seriously think that my name was Puree? That was a new one, even for me.

I quietly headed to pick up my drink and the guy behind the counter started to apologize for butchering my name, but I held up a hand to stop him.

“Don’t even worry about it, it happens all the time,” I lied easily. There was no point in making him feel worse. It wasn’t a name that someone heard all the time.

“Thanks,” he muttered and got back to work.

There were a few patrons blocking my exit, so I stepped back to the table I was previously at and took a seat. I still had time but I’d be cutting it close if they stayed too long.

I raised the cup to my lips and the first sip was incredibly sweet and just what I needed. The spelled coffee mixes were one of the best ways to start a school day… or any day, really.

The angst down deep eased a little bit as I drank my coffee. When time ran out, I stood quickly. There was no avoiding it now.