The Happy Order Series (Part ONE)

The Happy Order: The Awakening

Los Angeles was already a city of magic where palm trees swayed like they had secrets, and sunsets dripped gold onto the ocean. But for Zheniah, magic wasn’t just a vibe; it was real.

And it all started with a Happy Stick.

Zheniah wasn’t some chosen one. She was just a girl trying to survive LA traffic and figure out why a full gas of tank is now $50. But on her birthday, her cousin Anija gave her a box of incenses from a mysterious little shop in Leimert Park, Happy Sticks. The scents were Loud and vibrant you could smell them from inside it's packaging, "New Whip," "Rosebud ," "Coco Kisses" each one sounding like a vibe, a mood, a whole personality.

"Light one," Anija said, smirking. "Might change your life."

Zheniah rolled her eyes but picked "Breathe" because, honestly, she needed to chill. She struck a match, lit the stick, and took a deep inhale.

The world cracked.

One second, she was in her bedroom; the next, she was standing in the middle of a swirling cosmic tunnel. The walls pulsed with neon colors, and strange symbols glowed beneath her feet.

A voice boomed: "WELCOME, INITIATE. CHOOSE YOUR HOUSE."

Zheniah spun around. "House? OMG It's Happening I'm at Hogwarts?"

A lineup of figures emerged, each draped in cloaks matching the eight incense colors.

A woman in deep purple, regal and cool, stepped forward. "I am Bianca of House Peace. We keep the balance."

A guy in a slick blue coat leaned on a staff. "Rashard. House New Whip. We move with speed and style."

Anija grinned, already wearing the green of House Breathe. "Took you long enough, Z."

Zheniah’s mind was spinning. "Okay. What the hell is happening?"

Nahje, wrapped in soft tan robes, stepped forward. "You’ve just awakened. The Happy Order has been waiting for you. Each of us channels magic through the power of scent. You, Zheniah, must choose your house."

Zheniah blinked. "Do I get a How- To- Manual or…?"

Bianca chuckled. "You get a wand."

A wooden box appeared in her hands. She opened it, revealing incense sticks Zheniah watched as the incense sticks transformed into, wands each glowing with its respective color.

Zheniah reached out, drawn to the warmth of Coco Kisses Red. The moment her fingers touched it, the tunnel around them exploded into a burst of golden light.

Bianca whistled. "Well, damn. Fire element. You’re about to be spicy."

Zheniah’s heart pounded no longer finding this funny. "I didn’t sign up for this."

Anija nudged her. "Neither did we. But magic finds who it needs."

Zheniah looked down at her glowing incense wand. She had no idea what came next, but one thing was clear her life just got way more interesting and this was nothing like Harry Potter.

To be continued…