Monday, August 21
Dear Diary,
So… first day of school. Total. Disaster.
I mean, I guess it wasn't the worst. I didn't actually fall in front of the entire school, but, well, I did trip over my own shoelaces while trying to dodge a pigeon in the parking lot. (Don't ask.) I'm pretty sure someone posted it on TikTok, but I'm too scared to check.
Let me backtrack to when my day actually started. So, I woke up at 6:42 a.m. (because my stupid alarm didn't go off) to my little brother, Micah, standing in the kitchen yelling that my cereal looked "like goat brains." Like, what? It was just soggy cornflakes, okay? (Thanks, Micah, for making my breakfast look even worse.) But then I had to laugh because my mom walked in just as I was about to scream and, of course, she was in full "Mom Mode," telling me I should've eaten healthier, but also pulling out the milk carton to finish my soggy cereal herself. I guess it's true what they say — moms are secretly superheroes.
Anyway, I was already behind schedule, so I had to rush to get dressed. After fifteen minutes of wardrobe crisis (I swear my closet is a Bermuda Triangle of mismatched clothes), I finally settled on what I thought was a smart, cute outfit. It was supposed to scream "I'm stylish but still want to look like I didn't try too hard." But when I looked in the mirror, I realized I looked like a sleep-deprived Hogwarts student who had WAY too much coffee and not enough sleep. Seriously, how do people pull off school uniforms like the ones in those movies?
At least the braids were cute, though. So… one point for me there.
Mom drove me to school, blasting 90's gospel music the whole way while I silently practiced my "don't look awkward" face in the rearview mirror. Naileeeed it. (Sort of.) I also kept whispering to myself, "Don't mess this up, Zariah. You've got this. No one's looking at you… you're invisible." Except, spoiler alert: everyone is always looking at you when you're trying to look normal.
So yeah, first day of sophomore year. And it was already... weird. But also, really weird.
Let's talk about my locker for a second. I swear, it's like it hates me. First, the thing jammed, and I had to yank it so hard I almost broke my wrist. But then... when I opened it? A golden envelope fell out. Like, who even sends golden envelopes to high schoolers? This isn't a royal wedding, okay?
It had my name on it, but in fancy writing: "Her Royal Highness, Zariah A. Brooks." You can imagine what my face looked like. I was staring at that thing like it was a live tarantula with a crown on its head.
Now, before you think I'm losing it, let me explain: I thought it was a joke. Maybe someone was pulling a prank, right? Maybe it was from one of those weird "royalty" fan clubs at school.
But then I opened it. And there was this dreamy, ancient-looking paper inside. The writing was in gold ink, and it had that old-school vibe, like something you'd find in a history book. It said:
"Your time has come. The Queen within must rise. Look to your dreams. Trust the stranger with the eyes of the past."
Okay, WHAT? That's literally the moment I should have screamed and thrown the paper away. But I didn't. Instead, I stood there like an idiot with a golden scroll in my hand, staring at it as if it was going to sprout wings and fly off on its own.
That's when I saw him.
Malik.
At first, I thought he was some kind of walking dream. I mean, this guy? So mysterious. Tall, dark, and wearing ALL black (which, honestly, is probably against school dress code, but who cares, right?). And his eyes? Those deep brown eyes that seemed like they'd seen it all — like they weren't just looking at me in that awkward way everyone else does when they meet you for the first time. No, he was looking at me like he knew me. Like he was seeing right through me.
Then, get this: For a split second, the whole school hallway disappeared... and suddenly, I was standing in a palace. Not like one of those super-luxe modern ones you see on TV. No, this was a palace with marble floors, ancient tapestries on the walls, and I was standing in the middle, wearing a golden crown and feeling... powerful.
Then, BAM. Reality hit me again, and I blinked. And there he was, still staring at me, looking a little too interested in what was happening inside my head.
He didn't say anything at first, but that didn't stop me from being totally awkward and mumbling something about "moving out of the way" as I awkwardly shuffled past him.
Guess what?He's in three of my classes this semester. Three! Including English, History, and Physics.
I'm probably going to fail Physics because I can't even figure out why a guy who looks like he's been alive for centuries is sitting next to me, acting like nothing's strange at all.
So, Diary, there you have it. First day of school: awkward, weird, and totally magical.
Here's hoping I don't trip and embarrass myself in front of Malik tomorrow.
Love and royal weirdness,Zariah