Amber

16| familiarity

When lunchtime comes around, I don't even bother to join the rest of the school in the cafeteria. Instead, I immediately make my way to the library, wanting nothing but to hear some soothing music. I think and reflect well after music calms my mind. It's honestly what I need most times when I'm stressing.

Humming to my music softly, I am startled when someone taps my shoulders. I alarmingly take my earphones out, raising my head to look at the perpetrator. A boy that looks to be about my age stares down at me, pulling his black hoodie further over his head.

"I'm sorry, can I help you?" I ask him, confused.

Unlike most other students I've met so far, his voice isn't clouded with a British accent when he responds, "Sorry." He shakes his head. "I just saw you over here and thought you might've done well with some company."

I shake my head, "I'm okay. Thank you, though." I put one earphone back in my ears, expecting him to leave.

But he doesn't. When I look up again, he's still standing there—squinting down at me.

"Are you sure?" He persists. "You look upset."

"I'm sure." I confirm before smiling softly to prove my point. He takes off his hoodie and runs his hands through his hair. "Okay, I'm just gonna go then."

I pause in recognition, seeing his jet black hair for the first time. "Wait," I call out. "I know you....from somewhere."

He turns around to face me again, raising his eyebrows, urging me to continue.

I scan my memory, trying hard to figure out where I've seen his face before. It looks so familiar, I just can't remember where I've seen it. "What's your name?" I ask, scrunching my nose.

He extends his hand, "I'm Ashton. Ashton Alexander."

My memory comes back to me and I gape at his smiling figure, "You're Ashton Alexander? Like the model from LuxFashion?" He smiles in confirmation and my jaw drops even further. "What are you doing here? I mean, like—I thought you were like twenty or something."

It's his turn to be shocked and he feigns offense, "I look like I'm twenty?"

I nod, taking my earphone out again, now fully invested. "Now that I think about it, I think thirty suits you better."

He chuckles at me before pointing his finger threateningly, "You better be joking."

I break out in a small laugh of my own before confirming, "I am. But seriously, what are you doing at a school like this as a model?"

He shrugs, "Learning. Y'know just the usual boringness of school. What else do you honestly go to school for?"

I shake my head, "No. I guess I mean—Why this school?" If I was a model, I personally wouldn't be going to a school like this. Since I'd have a career, I would probably still be homeschooling.

I make space for Ashton to sit down, gathering my books into one pile. He sits a couple inches away from me, before laughing softly to himself. "I guess I just don't really want to narrow everything down to just modeling. I might just be interested in another subject area and fancy it more than I do fashion."

I nod in sheer understanding, "Yeah, I understand that." He hums in agreement and we fall into silence.

"So..." I trail off. "How long have you been attending Liberty?"

He sighs, thinking for a minute, "I don't know. I guess ever since I've been old enough to attend High school."

I open my mouth but no words come out. "Oh," I finally manage. "So I'm the only one who just started here. I honestly thought you were new."

He nods, dragging his foot over the floor, "Yeah, I'm not even close to being new, but still—you're not the only new person. You're just one of the most known ones, and that says alot seeing as this is literally a school for the well-known."

I don't say anything, allowing him to continue. "Not everyone here has been here since freshman year, though. Take Jordanne, for example—she just started last year."

I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion and ask, "She did?"

He nods in confirmation and I widen my eyes, "Wow. I had no idea. She seems to be very familiar with the compound and the way things are done here."

He sighs, quietly, "Yeah, she hangs with the wrong crowd who also happens to be aware of everything going on."

I raise my eyebrows, "The wrong crowd?"

He nods, specifying, "June....Lucy. I don't know if you know them but I'm sure you will find out soon enough. The entire school practically worships them and their little minions."

Feeling offended, I look up at him in shock, "I know them, and they definitely aren't any bad people, nor are they 'the wrong crowd', so I'm not exactly sure what you mean by that."

He stares at me in shock, "You hang with them?"

I shrug, "Well, I met them this morning, yeah."

He's alarmed, and squinting at me, "Interesting." He abruptly stands to his feet, "I should get going."

But before I have the chance to object or even say goodbye, Ashton is already walking away.

a/n: forgot to post this im ngl.