Project Phoenix-a kotlc fanfic

One-Ditching

"Isaac?" He whipped his head around at the sound of Taylor's voice. His best friend never called him his actual name.

It was always some variant on his last name, Jones. How anyone could come up with so many versions of such a basic last name, he would never know. There were a lot of things about Taylor that Isaac would never understand. Not that those things made him love her any less.

So, even in the very crowded gym of his high school, he did his best to listen.

"I knew that would get your attention," Taylor grinned. "You were zoning out for a while, you alright?"

Isaac was in fact, not alright. Not in the slightest.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Taylor gave him a knowing look.

"What did you expect from me?" Isaac finally asked. "There's way to many people here and they're way too close to me,"

"I'm sure this is just another lecture, wanna get out of here?"

"How?" Isaac asked, leaning towards Taylor so some other student could walk up the bleachers. "No offense but I'm pretty sure you'd get caught right away."

"Then why don't you go alone?" Taylor suggested. "You said I'd get caught, but what about you?"

Isaac took a second to really consider it.

As he was about to say 'absolutely not' someone sat in the already small space between him and some kid he barely recognized.

"Yep, I'm getting the fuck out of here, good luck."

Taylor just grinned at him.

Getting out was way easier than Isaac thought it would be. And easier than it probably should've been. He literally just walked out, nobody asked any questions.

He probably should've had Taylor go with him.

"You must be lost," Someone observed from a dark corner. He was sprawled across a bench with a smirk at his lips.

He was staring right at Isaac with his strangely familiar ice blue eyes.

"And why must I be lost?" Isaac asked, there was something about this boy he didn't trust. He was too familiar, but Isaac was sure they'd never met.

"Well, obviously you're not ditching-"

"Oh, and why's that?" Isaac interrupted. "Do I not look like the type of kid you'd see ditching?" Isaac knew he was probably being harsh, but how could he not be harsh towards someone he absolutely did not trust?

"No I..." The kid's smirk seemed to falter. "I'm sorry, that was kinda rude. I'm Keefe."

"Keefe?" Isaac asked, he swore the name sounded familiar too. But there was no way anyone named Keefe went to their school. "Are you new here?"

"Yeah, me and my...girlfriend are both new here."

Why did he pause so long before calling her his girlfriend?

"Well, then I'm surprised I haven't heard of you yet," Isaac told him. "New kids are usually the biggest gossip here since we almost never get any."

Maybe that's why his name sounded familiar then.

"That's a shame," Keefe shook his head. "I personally, would've enjoyed being the center of attention."

Isaac didn't doubt that. From his disheveled blond hair to the way he'd rolled up his sleeves, he could tell this kid was considered cool at his old school.

"You never told me your name," Keefe said suddenly.

Isaac groaned. "Fine. I'm-"

"Keefe?" A blonde girl asked, running down the hallway. "Mr. Sweeny recognized me, we need to get out of here right now..." Her words stopped as soon as she saw that Keefe wasn't alone. "Um, hi? I'm Sophie,"

Right. Was he just supposed to ignore how distraught she was over someone recognizing her? Totally not suspicious at all.

Suddenly, Isaac gasped. Mr. Sweeney. Keefe. Sophie. He knew exactly why those names sounded familiar.

"I-is your name Sophie Foster?" He asked, taking a step back. "And...Keefe Sencen?"

Those were characters from a book he used to be obsessed with. Why were characters from a fictional book standing in his school?

Sophie and Keefe exchanged a look.

"Um, yeah..." Sophie answered for both of them.