Entering the dining hall at Olympus Academy, I looked around in awe. It was one high class dining hall, that was for sure. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, elegant music played over the speakers, and a long buffet like setup stretch across the right wall. As I walked along with the guys, I could feel stares and glares from all around. People whispered softly, averting their eyes when I would toss a glance their way, as if they were hiding the fact that they were gossiping about me.

"Oh, my gods. Why does she get to hang out with the council?"

"Just cause she battled a monster and won... whatever. She's not the only one."

"Does she even have a god parent?"

Though outside I maintained my composure, inside I was pissed as hell. What right do these brats have to speak about me as if I were trash. I'll have them know, I knew about the gods much longer than they have, so they need to stop talking and start respecting. I huffed slightly, catching J-Hope's attention. He chuckled and ruffled my hair as if I were a child, grinning. "Don't mind them. It's always like this when there's a new student," he reassured. I sighed and gave him a slight nod, leering back at the people who were still staring at me. 

Once we had gone down the line for food, the boys dispersed, heading over to their family tables to eat. Meanwhile, I was invited to come sit at the Hermes table by Jeongguk, where all the Hermes kids and unclaimed kids sat. It seemed a bit packed and rowdy, so I decided against it. Looking around the hall, I saw Suga sitting by himself, picking at his food. Pursing my lips, I took my chances and sat across from him. He didn't even make an effort to glance up when I took a seat across from him and continued playing with his food.

"Hey, Suga," I said softly, greeting him. This time he finally looked up, but said nothing, only giving me a slight head nod before going back to his food. I sighed. First day at school, and I'm already eating as if I'm alone. Fantastic. I looked around the hall as I chew slowly on my food. The kitchen was located in the back of the hall. There was a single door along the large wall along with a gigantic fireplace. I guessed that fireplace must've been a hearth to use for offerings to the gods as it is accustomed to offer a bit of your food to them with each meal. I narrowed my eyes at the hearth however. It bothered me as a vestal . The hearth was dirty and grundgy, covered with soot and ashes, as if no one has cleaned it in years. The fire burned lowly, a sign that it would go out soon if no one fed it more firewood.

I watched an employee take notice of this, walk over to the pile of firewood, and toss it carelessly into the fire, causing ashes and embers to fly out from the hearth. I gaped at the sight, horrified at how disrespectful they were. Not only that, but I realized there was barely anyone going up to the fire to offer food, even though many of the students around looked like they were just about finished. My attention was pulled away from the hearth when a rather pretty girl suddenly stepped into my vision, staring down at me with her brow quirked curiously.

"Hello... may I help you?" I asked, looking up at her with my fork in my mouth. I glanced over to Suga who had now pushed his plate aside and fallen asleep with his head nestled in his arms. 

"Yeah. Who are you? Why were you with the council members and sitting with Yoongi?" She asked rather intimidatingly, crossing her arms.

I looked around as her posse began to approach the table as well, sighing internally inside. Goodness, it's like a cliche drama scene. "Um, I'm Yoo Jiae. I'm a new student. The council? You mean Jin and the others? Well, I was kind of in a coma for a few days so they took care of me, and I'm sitting with Suga because I had nowhere else to sit."

They gasped, looking me up and down as if I had just committed a dirty sin. "Did you just call Yoongi, Suga? No one is allowed to call him that besides his friends!"

"Um, well, to be fair, I've only been conscious for like a couple of hours. I don't think I could've known that," I said nonchalantly, turning back to my food and taking another bite. 

The girl pulled my fork out of my hand and threw it across the hall. "Hey!" I shouted, pouting as I watched my fork bounce across the floor. "I was using that..." The girl tugged on my hair, causing me to lurched forward and hiss a little at the sharp pain I felt in my abdomen.

"Who do you think you are? You're parentless, don't think so highly of yourself, newcomer," she threatened, pulling on my hair harder. Meanwhile, Suga opened one eye to check on the scene before closing it and going back to sleep. 

"Ow. Ow, okay, hair, ow," I complained, attempting to loosen her grip on my hair. "I am not parentless. My mother is Hestia!" I furrowed my brows and looked up at her. I was more irritated about the lame bullying tactic more than I was about her calling me parentless. 

She scoffed, laughing at my words. "Hestia? Puh-lease. You're lying. Hestia can't have children."

"I'm a vestal ."

"Stop with your lies! The vestal s died out a long time ago. Just face the reality that you're parentless and have no status, new kid," she retorted, leaning in and shaking her head mockingly. 

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of her posse members pick up my plate and walk towards the hearth. I questioned her motive and jerked my hair out of the girl's hand so I could crane my neck to watch what the posse member was doing with my plate. "Wh-what are you doing with my food?" I asked, watching her stop before the hearth. 

"Newcomers should know their place. Someone of low class like you shouldn't even get to eat," she sneered before throwing the plate into the fire rudely. 

I stood up, watching as the plate hit the back off the hearth, cracking before it fell into the fire. Inside I began seething, a sudden fire I hadn't felt in a while burned in the pit of my stomach. I walked to the hearth with the girls smirking contently at their work. All eyes were suddenly on me. I stopped before the fire and stared into it. Suddenly I bent down and stuck my hand into the fire, causing whispers to erupt around the room.

"Is she crazy?"

"She's trying to get herself killed."

"Wow, she's got some balls."

The girl began to make rude comments towards me and the room seemed to follow along with her bullying ways.

"Daughter of Hestia? Yeah, right!"

"What a loser."

"Bet she's just the daughter of some lame god with no powers."

"Probably stupid or something. Trying to burn herself alive."

Picking up a shard from the plate, I quickly turned around and threw it in the direction of the girl. It flew over her head and lodged itself in the drywall behind her. I glared at her, flames almost visible and burning in my eyes. The fire roared behind me, suddenly burning as if I'd dumped a load of firewood in it and turning a deep, murderous red. 

"You may tease me with your pathetic taunts. You may insult my class and doubt that I even have a parent. But what you do not do is disrespect the fire with which you send your offerings to the gods. The hearth is the most important part to any home, and I am sick of you imbeciles are treating it," I barked, glaring at everyone in the room. "Do you fools even remember to give to your parents?"

"And who are you to scold us?" A boy in the back shouted as a volley of "yeah"s and "that's right"s followed after.

I raised my head and took in a deep breath. I watched as everyone's eyes widened and they grew quiet as I spoke up. "I am the last vestal , a daughter and dedicated follower of Hestia. And you demigods and demigoddesses sicken me." Above my head, the symbol of a hearth began burn itself into the wall behind me.

Jeongguk walked over to Suga's table, standing behind him as he pointed to me. "Uh, Jiae, you're on fire. Literally," he said. 

I held my hands out and looked at myself from head to toe. "Yeah, that happens once in a while when I'm pissed off," I replied, growling at everyone. "Damn kids. This isn't some tv show," I grumbled to myself and walked out of the hall. 

Back inside the hall, Suga began laughing loudly, relieving the tension in the air. Everyone returned to their normals conversations as Suga continued to laugh maniacally. 

"What's so funny?" Jeongguk asked, sitting next to Suga.

"That girl," Suga smiled slightly. "She's interesting. I think something fun's finally come to the academy."