Chapter One

Titania Fae had suffered a lot of innocent teasing during her senior year in high school. They had studied Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Once her classmates had learned where half of her unusual name had come from--and connected it to the obvious irony of her last name--it was an endless torrent of jokes. Lame jokes at that.

Titania’s best friend, Aida Spencer, had tried to draw away some of the fire by pointing out that she was named after a Verdi opera. No one cared. They weren’t studying the opera at the time.

But the teasing wasn’t really that bad. Of course, it had left her explaining that her parents had been raised in the sixties and had loved the “far-out” name. Unfortunately, it had stuck with them to the eighties, when she had been born.

High school had passed now. She was no longer walking those halls, but the halls of higher education. She had registered, been accepted, and won a scholarship to Briar White Community College. She could have gone to any university--she and Aida both--but they had both attended a very large high school. They had both wondered what it would be like to attend a school where the educators actually knew the students. Or at least, got to know them.

So now, Aida and Titania sat in the middle of the Student Union Building, examining their schedules. The two friends had been together for most of their elementary and high school careers, and neither had changed much. Now, going into a whole new step of their lives, they had both silently agreed to make small changes to themselves.

Aida had gone through high school with long, dark brown hair, a pale complexion, and thick-rimmed glasses. Now, she had cut her hair where it extended just pass her ears, she had a nice tan, and she wore contacts, which allowed you to focus more on her bright blue eyes.

Titania, on the other hand, had spent her early years with her blonde hair short and her tan always a bit too dark. Now, she was pale and had her hair down beyond her waist. She had considered non-prescription contacts to change her green eyes to blue, but found that she couldn’t afford it.

Aida sighed, folding and putting away her schedule.

“I’ve got chemistry first. Go me!” she said sarcastically, beginning to gather her things. “What about you?”

“Math. Then literature. Wouldn’t be so bad if math weren’t involved.”

She and Aida both hated the subject. Neither had a mind for numbers, let alone equations and the like.

“Amen. Well, I’m heading on to class. See you after your literature?” Aida said, standing and putting on her backpack.

Titania nodded. After her friend was out of sight, she sighed. Then, following Aida’s example, she gathered her things and headed for math.

Math class--Math 110, to be exact--was sparsely populated. Titania couldn’t figure out if this surprised her because she was used to large classes or if it didn’t surprise her because it was math. Either way, she chose a seat in the middle of the room.

She began to set out her book and calculator when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned, and immediately found herself fighting a face of disappointment. Odin Puck--a young man a year older then her with long blond hair and dark brown eyes--smiled at her. It was all Titania could do not to groan.

She had met Odin in his senior year--her junior--at their high school. They had been drawn together by their unusual names and had dated until two months ago. She had broken up with him. He was possessive, jealous, and a bit needy. Now, he constantly called and emailed her. This added "annoying" to the list.

“Hi, Odin. I--uh--didn’t know you were taking this class,” Titania said through gritted teeth.

Thankfully, he did not have a chance to reply. About that time, Mrs. Jackson--their math teacher--entered and began to pass out the syllabus.

Thank God for small miracles, Titania thought, gratefully accepting hers. This is going to be a long semester.