My alarm rings. I hate Monday mornings. And mornings in general.

I turn off the alarm and turn in my bed. Jo will wake me up in less than ten minutes, that's what she always does.

The mattress is strangely more comfortable, and the room darker than in my first room. My first bedroom. I finally realize the situation. I look around me and see a room I've never seen in the dark.

Then, suddenly, I remember. Jo won't come to wake me up because she's not on the same floor as me anymore.

I look at my alarm clock and sigh.

I am late again. I hurriedly jump out of bed and pull my uniform out of my closet. I put it on quickly before putting on my converse.

I'm reassured when I see someone come out of the room across from mine. He was a fairly tall, blond boy, he must have been two years older than me and was quite handsome. Even if, it must be admitted, this is the case for most people in the school. Probably something to do with our Elementaris genes.

So you're the one who just moved into this room? I wondered when I would have a neighbor across the street again. In any case, we're a little late, Redhead.

Oh, do you believe that? I hadn't noticed at all, Blondie, I answer him, rushing down the stairs.

But wait ! Can I at least know what your name is?

No, sorry, no time.

I sit on the railing of the stairs to slide down. No one should have seen me, not Aunt Kate, or any other teacher, except for the blond who follows me closely.

I walk into the dining room and sit between Zach and Lisa, my best friend across from me, my thoughts occupied with the blonde I've never seen before, which is odd. He must either be very good at hiding in crowds or not have marked me.

Hey oh, Nina, I'm talking to you, so you'll never arrive on time without me, or am I wrong? asks my best friend, intercepting my thoughts

Never, it's time for you to go up to the fourth, I feel much too alone without you, I tell him, half sleepy.

Yet there is a cute serious guy who arrived right after you. And his buddy he's sitting with he's even better, who's that? Skylar asks me, sparkling with joy as usual.

Who, the blonde? I don't know, he's in the room across from mine, I answer him, without even turning around to see the brunette my friend was talking about.

Anyway, he gave you a good look when he came in, she adds with a look that says it all.

I would gladly introduce him to you, Skye, when I know his first name.

He wasn't really my type, I've always had a preference for browns. And then he also looked a bit strange.

We end up separating after breakfast, each going in the direction of his classroom. Skylar, Luke, and I have general power classes. It's a subject that we only have for two years, during which we are explained how the powers appear, the different symptoms, certain basic rules and the bases for controlling our power. My aunt happens to be in charge of this class.

I've been dreading this class since my birthday as I don't have my power yet not even a symptom as I know my aunt was looking forward to the first student having her power as we were supposed to study some its operation.

In the room where we had class, the chairs were in the shape of a circle, without a table, and I sat in my usual place, between Skylar and Luke. Most of the students don't really like to mix with students from other elements, it's a bit in our nature, even if in our group we didn't encounter any real problems.

As the room fills up, I feel all eyes on me. Everyone knows that I had my sixteenth equinox and therefore, supposedly, my power, and I felt a certain impatience on the part of my comrades, everyone wanted to see the first live appearances.

So, as expected, we will start with the practical study of a power. Nina, tell us, what's your power?

I have nothing for the moment, I say after exchanging a look with Skylar.

What, nothing at all? Not even a little thing? A symptom? Or even a weird dream? A pain in a joint, in the stomach, or a migraine? she wonders.

No, none, really nothing at all for the moment.

Well, I didn't expect that. Nina, if there's anything new, you come see me right away, she continues, more perplexed than she should be. We will continue with the usual classes then. Most of the time, the powers resemble your personality, even hidden,...

I no longer listen to what my aunt says. The looks on me are too heavy. All this for a week, then a second. As I had promised Luke, I ended up going to my aunt's office to tell her everything.

... and in addition to having no symptoms or manifestations except if we consider disordered rules as such, I can't manage to control my fire, or so with difficulty, when I'm under one of its signs , I finish as Aunt Kate looks at me intently.

Good Nina, we'll start by going to Mister Burger, so that he can test the power of your fire. Then we'll come back and we'll continue to talk about powers. You don't need to worry, there's always an explanation for everything.

Ah, Nina, it's been a long time since we've seen each other, he says when we arrive at this teacher's.

And without another word, he takes my left ring finger between his thumb and middle finger. I don't know what he is a teacher of, we never had him. The few times we attended it was to measure our power.

Hmmm, that's weird, usually it's more precise with the finger, but I'll try with the wrist.

He once again looks disturbed by releasing my wrist.

Nina, go to my office, I'll join you right away.

Without asking for an explanation, I go back to my aunt's office. It doesn't bode well, and my aunt felt that Monsieur Burger wanted to talk to her about it before talking to me. Why me, that is the question.

I suspected it a little, but your fire is very powerful Nina, my aunt explains to me as she comes back to her office, Mr. Burger is used to counting the intensity in percentages. Most of the students have about 40%, every year there are exceptions who have rather 70%, but never has anyone had 00%, and even less beyond this 00%. It's almost impossible, it would mean that the capacity of your element exceeds you. That's why you don't always control your fire, you're at 8 %, it's just huge. We assume it's because you were born almost instantly when the zodiac cycle started again. No one had this before you.

I am dumbfounded. 8 %? That's almost ten times more than the average.