AN: Hi guys! I'm Aleah Sam with a story that just popped into my head... AGAIN. This is going to be my first REAL story on FictionPress, but not the first story I've ever published. I've got tons of stories on FanFiction, so you can check that out too (same username).

With that out of the way, as with all story's first chapter, this is gonna be a slightly long author's note. I just wanted to point out that I don't own anything in this story besides the characters and the plot (just in case). Please be nice and whatnot in reviews and remember; If you don't like it, don't read it. Hmm, I guess this author's note wasn't that long. Enjoy! :)

Alchemy Acadamy
(and other Magics)

Chapter 1
Old Friends, Old Enemies

[DELAINE]

Hello, welcome to Alchemy Academy and other Magics, or AAM. This is a place full of witches, wizards, mages, and any kind of magic user. I, Delaine Cole, am a mage. Mages are rare. Usually you can find witches and wizards. You'd think that I would get the royal treatment, right?

Wrong.

Let's just start from the beginning.

I woke up, too early in the morning, by my alarm clock (A.K.A. mom). "Rise and shine, Delaine. Today's going to be a big day!" Said the blonde woman, shaking my shoulders.

"Mmm..." I hummed, rolling over and stuffing my head under my pillow, as if it could protect me.

"Oh, Delaine, the school's going to be wonderful! There are tons of opportunities! And, if you get above B+'s, the school has promised to buy your college scholarship." She went on and on about how 'wonderful' the school was. I grunted and sat up.

"I'm up!" I raised my hands in a surrender style, red hair flopping over my shoulders. She smiled.

"You're getting so big. Now you're going to a boarding school. Just like your sister." I had to resist rolling my eyes at the sound of 'sister'. Ever since my twenty-year-old-sister, Daira, graduated college, she's been the star of the family. Daira this, Daira that. I hate having something to live up to. I'm only sixteen! I shouldn't be worrying about that kinda stuff.

Don't get me wrong. I love my sister to pieces. I just wish she wasn't all the spotlight. She's not even in the same state! She's been in California for two years now. I stood up and stretched. After shooing my mom out of my room, I got into my white dresser. I was supposed to go to the school today, so what would be appropriate?

I settle for a green button-up blouse and blue jeans. I brushed my mop of red curls and head down the stairs. "Delaine!" My mother shouted as I hopped off the last step. I bit my lip as I entered the kitchen. "Have you packed yet? We leave in an hour."

"No, not yet." I sighed. She looked at me sternly.

"Well? Get to it!" She pushed me up the stairs.

"I haven't had breakfast yet!"

"Breakfast is for the weak! Now hurry!"

.

.

[RIVER]

"Riv," I heard a whisper next to my ear. "River," It says again. I rolled over with a moan. "Rivvy, this is important!" The voice whispers violently. I blew a raspberry.

"Whaaat?" I groaned.

"You're going back to Alchemy Academy, right?" Says my older brother, Brint.

"Yeah..." I said, my eyes not open yet.

"Well..." He paused for a moment, getting up probably. We shared a room since my parents thought music and art was more important than us. "GET UP!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, startling me enough to knock me off my bed. I shrieked as I hit the floor. I was on the top bunk. I landed with an 'oof'.

"Brint!" I yelled, getting up and yanking a pillow off his bed for a weapon. "NOW YOU'RE GONNA DIE!" I shouted as I chased him around the room in my black t-shirt and green Nike shorts. He laughed, easily dodging my attacks and striking me with his own.

"Okay! I surrender! Now you better get packing. You know mom and dad will freak if they come back from New York and find out you were late." He said.

I yawned and tossed the pillow onto a bean bag. "Yeah, I know. You know where my back pack is?" I said, crossing to the dresser where my mirror and hair stuff was. I was a self-proclaimed tomboy, so I didn't do much for looks except brush and straighten my blonde hair.

Brint plopped into a bean bag next to me. "Nah, I think that friend of your's stole it when she was visiting."

"Which one?" I asked. My friends from AAM, Cynthia and Max, came to visit me from the summer. My real suspicion would be Max, but there was a slight possibility of Cynthia.

"I would guess Max. She's not exactly, uh, right in the head."

"I know her better than you. She's plenty right in the head. She's just a little off. You know she was abused when she was younger." I said, grabbing orange tank top, white plaid over shirt, and some jeans. I waltzed to the bathroom and changed, putting on my gold necklace that had an engraved 'R' on it. It stood for my initials; River Renn. I hate my full name, but my mother adores it. What kind of name is River? I'm named after flowing water!

I stuck my tongue out at myself in the mirror. My orange eyes aren't natural. I get teased for them a lot. Luckily, at Alchemy Academy, this kind of stuff is natural. AAM is the only place I feel normal. At home. I'm pretty sure the teachers there love me more than my parents. I blew another raspberry. I decided to brush my teeth. Might as well, right?

"Riv! I found your backpack! Turns out Max didn't take it!" I heard Brint bellowed across the house. Sometimes I wondered that people would call the police because of his vocals. I spit the foamy paste into the sink and jogged to the room where my brother held out a zebra print back pack in my face.

"Thanks..." I said, grabbing it and getting into my dresser. I was pretty sure I was ready when I packed: Five shirts, two sweaters, four pairs of jeans, tons of socks and underwear, and a brush. A few other essentials here and there as well. I didn't need to bring that much stuff. First of all, my parents are so rich they lend me a savings card for essentials at campus, second of all, the school has a laundromat, and third, there's a school uniform, anyway.

I sighed by the time all my things were packed. "I guess I'm heading to the bus stop." I said to my brother as I pulled the backpack up to my shoulders. He got up and gave me a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Be good. Don't get into any trouble. Call me when you get there. Get good grades. Don't be afraid to call me anytime. Don't do drugs. Love ya."

I smiled. "Love you too," We pulled apart and I headed out to the end of the street where a boy and a girl were also waiting for the bus to AAM. If I remembered right their names were Lillian Ruuke and Kevin Sayler. They waved to me, obviously recognizing me. Last year, Kevin and I got real close. Just friends though. Just. Friends.

"Hi Kevin, Lillian." I greeted as I approached. Lillian waved while Kevin pulled me into a hug.

"Hey Riv. Long time no see."

"Yeah, I know," I said. "Am I late for first bus?"

"As always. Don't worry, second will be here in a moment." He teased. I smiled and looked down the road. Soon enough, Cynthia and Max would be waving frantically through the bus windows. I couldn't wait.

.

.

[MAX]

"Cynth, where are you?" I grunted under my breath as I walked down the foggy cold street. My black and red hair flopped into my face periodicly, thanks to the wind. The sky was grey as I stood and faced Cynthia's house. She was supposed to be here by now. I did not hitch-hike all the way there for nothing. I would be invited into her warm, welcoming house, but Cynthia's parents have a, uh, strong disliking for me. I bit my lip, trying to warm up from the cold air outside. You would never believe summer had just ended in Saltlake City, Washington.

Finally, the wooden door opened and a brunette ran out the door with a small suitcase behind her. "Finally," I grunted, "We're gonna miss the second bus. You know the driver for third bus hates me."

"Oh, Max," Cynthia said, joining me in the jog down the street. "A lot of people hate you."

"It's not my fault I'm so likeable." I said sarcastically.

"Yeah, let's hurry. You know River takes the second bus and if we miss that, she'll be stuck in an awkward conversation with Kevin McHandsome."

"I thought his last name was Sayler. McHandsome sounds... wrong." I said. We started to slow into a walk as the bus stop came into view. Not many people woke up early enough for first bus, so second bus was the most popular. Third was for kids that were really late because of their alarm clocks or something. At the bus stop was Genie Glenwood, Blake Flayar (A.K.A. the devil), and the cutest guy in all of school. Jone McSims.

We finally stopped at the stop, where Blake was making an effort to flirt with Jone, as she did with all men, and Geinie was texting some one on her phone. I pulled my black and red flannel over myself more, feeling freezing and shy.

"Oh, why if it isn't my favorite misfits," Said Blake, just noticing us. "Max Marion and Cynthia Grey."

Cynthia put on her award winning smile. "Nice to see you too, Blake. I see you're having another failed attempt at my boyfriend."

Right, one thing I left out.

The love of my life is my best friend's boyfriend.

Blake rolled her eyes at Cynthia's remark as Jone, to my dismay, locked his hand with Cynthia's. I looked away, that way no one would sense my jealousy. Blake turned away with a 'hmmph' as the bus stopped in front of us. Before I could think about stepping on, Blake pushed me back forcefully and hopped on with Genie in tow. I frowned when Cynthia and Jone took a seat together, so I sat in the back of the bus. By myself. What else is new?

I popped in earphone into my ear and started to play Kiss when we took another stop. We still had a ways to go until we made it to Oregon, where River lives. At a different stop, Lawrence got onto the bus. He was quite the nerdy wizard, if I said so myself, with brown hair in a buzz cut and red glasses. He took a seat next to me.

"Maxwell," He said. He was one of few people who knew my real name.

"Max," I corrected.

"Same difference. Anyway, why didn't you answer my e-mails?"

"Because I don't check my e-mail. Now shoo, nerd." I said. He actually wasn't a bad guy, but he was annoying, obnoxious, and just plain embarrassing. This was going to be a long trip.

.

.

[CYNTHIA]

"RIVER!" I screamed as Max and I waved frantically out the window. The blonde outside the window smiled as she got in the bus after Kevin and Lillian. Max had trampled Jone trying to get to my window. After deciding that she couldn't, she shoved Lawrence Nathaniel out of the seat in front of me and was prying the window open. River smiled as she climbed in and was tackled by Max, myself, and a bazillion hugs.

"Please, ladies, seat yourselves so we can get the last few stops and go to the academy." Said the bus driver. We giggled as we all crowded into one seat. Max sat on the floor in front of us. We talked and gossiped for what seemed like hours.

"We've got a new student this year," I finally said, breaking a wave of silence that passed over us as we left the city limits. It was about 2:30 p.m. Yeah, we woke up real early in the morning to get to Oregon that fast.

"Name, gender, age?" River asked.

"Delaine Cole, female, sixteen."

"Cool, same age as us." Max said.

"Wait, Delaine Cole? Related to Daira Cole? The student of the century?" River questioned as the realization spread across Max and my faces.

"Maybe they just have the same last name?"

"Don't know, but she's probably gonna be a prep. With the famous big sis and all." Max said. I didn't know how it was comfortable squished on the floor between the seats. She always put up with that kinda stuff. It was like she had to try hard to be our friend. But I had to give her slack. She's not quite right in the head. She was abused when she was young and her parents got arrested for it when she was eight. Ever since she lived with her grandmother and found out she was magical. That was when she enrolled in Alchemy Academy.

It was like she was afraid that if she didn't put herself last, we would not like her. Of course we would always like her.

Soon, about an hour later, out conversation died down and I went to the seat across from them and sat next to my boyfriend. I went to bed late last night, so it was okay for me to sleep here, leaning against my handsome boyfriend...

AN: So, what did you guys think? Good? Bad? Awesome? Worst post on the whole site? Let me know by reviewing. Is my abbreviation for Alchemy Academy wrong? I think there's something I'm doing wrong in it. Could someone tell me? Thanks!

Remember: Don't like it, don't read it.