The sunlight streamed through Felicia's window, hazing over her eyes. The light stirred her awake. She sat up, stretched, and rubbed her eyes.

Today was the last day before classes began, which meant time to pick up books, sign up for extra-curriculars, and locate her classrooms.

She changed clothes, grabbed her backpack, and headed out. First stop: breakfast.

The main dining hall was bustling with students grabbing their morning meals. A myriad of enticing smells wafted through the hall. Tables of all kinds were scattered around, and serving stations were set up near the back. Lines formed for sausage and eggs, pancakes, cereal, and more—but it was the waffles that caught Felicia's attention. Surprisingly, the dessert bar was still open. Who could say no to a slice of chocolate cake for breakfast?

After grabbing a tray and piling it with her favorite foods, she found an empty table and sat down. She scanned the hall for her brothers. Odds were they wouldn't be awake until noon, but she felt a little awkward sitting alone.

Even so, she used the time productively. While she ate, she pulled out her schedule. Classes alternated each day, with weekends free, and she still had one free period a day. Day one consisted of Basics of Magic, History 101, Arithmetic 101, and Human Literature. Day two had Geography 101, General Medieval Music, Physical Education, and Health and Wellness.

It all seemed manageable. The hardest part would be rushing from class to class across the grounds. Fortunately, all freshman classes were in the same wing, and PE and Health were near each other. She opened her folder, noted the book requirements, and headed to the bookstore.

Now with her backpack full of slightly used textbooks, she wandered into the quad. Today, a line of booths stretched along the main spine, creating a bustle of energy. Each booth represented a club or activity, handing out forms and signing up new members. Curious, Felicia headed down the row.

Booths shouted slogans and waved flyers.

"Join Pi Pi Pi, the cooking fraternity! We smoke the competition!"

"The Cauldron Collective wants you! Become the witch even your stepmother would envy!"

"Oh, what a horror life must be without the theatre! Join our improv group and save thine kingdom from boredom!"

"Knights for Rights! Knights for Rights!"

"Join the Brooding Club... or don't. We don't care."

"Squires of Sound acappella! Welcome sirens, muses, bards, and banshees of all realms!"

The chants went on and on.

Felicia walked towards cheerleader booth, where students cheered the Worcestershire fight song in maroon and navy outfits with pom-poms. She passed by but then felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see a cheerleader handing her a tryout paper.

"Wouldst thou consider trying out for the cheer team?"

Felicia glanced down at her own ogre body, then back at the petite brunette girl. "I don't think so. I'm probably not the right... uh, type."

"Oh, but thou are!" said the cheerleader. "We could always use a base!"

One of the male cheerleaders stepped forward with a big, plastic megaphone. "Yeah! And if you roar with us, no one could ever outcheer us!" He and the girl high-fived.

"Are—are you, do you really want me?" Felicia asked.

They both nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! Absolutely!"

Felicia tentatively accepted the tryout paper. "Okay... I'll—I'll take a look, I suppose."

The girl squealed and hopped in place. "Yay! This will be the best cheer year EVER!"

They skipped back to their team and began cheering again, drawing a small crowd. However, one student wasn't watching the cheerleaders—she was watching Felicia. A blonde girl in the school uniform, clutching a cheer audition paper tightly.

Felicia, startled, turned away and continued down the quad with a strange feeling in her stomach.

She glanced down at the paper in her hands. Should she audition? She had never pictured herself as a cheerleader, more of a magic master if anything. Well, who says she can't be both?

She headed back to her dorm but stopped by her brothers' rooms first. Fergus and Farkle were next-door neighbors. She knocked and waited. Both boys emerged with disheveled hair and sleepy eyes.

"Oh, it's you," Farkle said.

"What do you want? It's the middle of the night," Fergus grumbled.

"Actually, it's well into the afternoon now," she said. "I wanted to see if you wanted to get lunch. And you should probably grab your textbooks."

The boys exchanged tired, annoyed looks.

"Fine. But I'm not reading the books, even if they force me!" Fergus said dramatically, slamming the door.

Farkle just shrugged and went back inside.

Felicia dropped her books in her own dorm room and met her brothers at the dining hall. They sat together as she told them about the blonde girl at the cheerleader booth.

"Why was she staring at you?" Farkle asked.

"I'm not sure. I don't even know who she is."

Fergus cracked his knuckles. "Well, if anyone here has a problem with you—or any of us—they'll have to go through me!"

"I don't think it's that serious, Fergus. Though I appreciate the enthusiasm."

The siblings sat in silence for a minute, digesting the information, and their food.

Suddenly, Felicia remembered the first night they arrived. "When we got dinner that first night, it felt like someone was staring at me from one of the dorm rooms." She hugged her shoulders and looked around.

"Maybe you just have an admirer?" Fergus said, trying to ease the tension.

"Well, if I do, they sure have a creepy way of showing it," Felicia muttered.

"Maybe they've never seen an ogre before and think you're cool," Farkle said. "If you remember which dorm, maybe you could knock and ask?"

"Yeah," Fergus added, "Ask what their problem is!"

Felicia rolled her eyes. "Well, I could always join the cheer team. It would be nice to have a team or something to belong to, right?"

The boys stared in confusion. An awkward silence filled the table, and Felicia's cheeks flushed.

"Not to sound rude, but are you serious?" Fergus asked.

Felicia's embarrassment turned to determination. "Of course I'm serious! Why would I bring it up if I wasn't?"

The boys were taken aback. Fergus raised his hands. "Okay, okay! Just checking! I think you could do it!"

Felicia inhaled deeply. "Do you really mean it, or are you just saying that?"

"I actually do," he stammered.

Farkle spoke up. "I think you could do it too! Our whole legacy is about breaking the status quo. You'd not only be continuing our family's legacy but starting your own."

"Yeah, what he said!" Fergus added, trying to cover himself. "The first ever ogre cheerleader—Felicia Evergreen!"

"Exactly! If our dad can almost be an ogre king of Far Far Away, then you can cheer. You, we, can be whatever we want!" Farkle said, wise despite being the youngest.

Once their plates were empty, Felicia led them to the bookstore. After grabbing their books, they went to the quad.

"This is how I found out about the cheer team. You guys should check out those chess and jousting teams!" she said.

The boys ran into the quad, grabbing every paper thrown their way. Felicia laughed and decided to return to her dorm to read up on her classes. The boys could manage themselves.

After reaching her floor, she passed one, two, three doors. She paused and walked backwards to the second door. Could it be the same one where she felt eyes on her? She inhaled, raised her fist to knock, and the door flew open.

A girl with short black hair crashed into her. She wore the school uniform, but accessorized with spiky bracelets, chain necklaces, torn fishnets, and thick boots. Booming dwarf metal music blared from her dorm. This wasn't the blonde girl. Wrong door.

"Whoa," the girl said, staring. "Can I help you?"

"Uh... yeah. I... you... uhm..." Felicia stumbled, then cleared her throat. "Hi, I'm Felicia Evergreen. I'm a few doors down."

The girl stared at her. "I'm Seraphina the Elegant."

Felicia hesitated. "Oh, nice to meet you, Seraphina. Can I ask you—"

The girl doubled over laughing. "Ha! Totally kidding! Could you imagine me being 'elegant'? I mean, look at me! Ah, that never gets old." She extended her hand for a handshake. "I'm Maris Hook."

Felicia smiled and shook her hand. Only royals lived on this floor. Was Maris Hook royal from Hook's side or Ariel's? She didn't know.

"So, you had a question?" Maris asked.

"Oh, yeah... but it feels kind of silly now. Yesterday, when my brothers and I were walking down the hall, I thought you were staring at me from your door. Were you?"

Maris squinted, recalling yesterday's events.

"I-I don't think it was you," Felicia added. "It must've been someone else."

Maris shrugged. "Yeah, I don't think I did anything. You seem pretty cool, though. I've never met an ogre before, so I would've introduced myself if I had seen you."

"Wait... you think I'm cool? But you're the one with all the cool jewelry, makeup, and music!" Felicia was stunned, mostly because Farkle was right about someone thinking she was cool. Partially.

"Of course! If you ever want to hang, jam out, fight for mer-folk rights, whatever—just let me know."

"Oh! Sure! Thanks, Maris!"

Maris clicked her tongue, made a finger-gun motion, and walked toward the stairs, letting the door close behind her. Felicia had her first friend. But she still didn't know who had been staring at her.

Felicia retreated to her dorm to begin reading. At sunset, the fireplace lit on its own. Possibly fairy magic, or an automated fire spell. The thought intrigued her, so she set down her music textbook, dove into her Basics of Magic book.

A few hours later, a note slid under her door. Probably from her brothers, she assumed.

She picked it up and unfolded the letter. In black ink it read:

"It's all your fault!"

Felicia dropped the paper and watched it slide across the floor. Her breath grew shallow. What could she have done?

She shook her head. "It must be a prank," she muttered. "Seniors scaring freshmen... or maybe someone got the wrong room." She picked up the paper and held it to the firelight.

"It's all your fault!"

She balled it up, tossed it into the fireplace, and watched it burn.