Crossing Hearts- A Maidstone Love Story

Chapter 12

The morning sun peeked through the blinds of Jasper's bedroom as his alarm buzzed obnoxiously. He groaned, reaching out to slap it off, then dragged himself out of bed. Today felt different, lighter somehow. Maybe it was the conversation he'd had with Alessia the night before, or perhaps it was just the sense that things were finally starting to fall into place.

Jasper got dressed quickly, opting for his usual school uniform, and headed downstairs. Casper was already in the kitchen, munching on a piece of toast, his usual laid-back demeanour firmly in place.

"Ready to go?" Casper asked, glancing up from his breakfast.

"Yeah, let's get this over with," Jasper replied, grabbing a piece of toast for himself.

As they headed out the door, they were greeted by the usual early morning chill, the air crisp and fresh. Jasper felt a bit more at ease knowing that his after-school detention had been swapped for isolation yesterday, which meant no more staying late this week.

Their walk to school was uneventful, with the twins exchanging a few jokes and talking about their plans for the weekend. When they reached the school gates, they found their friends waiting for them—Dylan, Tyler, and Myles—all of whom were in good spirits.

"Morning, boys," Dylan greeted with a smirk. "Ready to cause some chaos today?"

"You know it," Jasper replied with a grin.

The group made their way into the school building, heading to form class first. The usual chatter filled the classroom as students discussed their weekend plans or complained about the pile of homework they had yet to complete. Jasper and his friends sat in their usual seats, exchanging banter as they waited for the bell to ring.

Once form was over, they made their way to the assembly hall, where they were supposed to join the rest of the Year 10 students. As they entered the large room, Jasper immediately spotted Alessia and her friends sitting near the middle, saving a few seats.

"Looks like we're sitting with the girls," Casper remarked, nudging Jasper playfully.

Jasper rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. "Yeah, let's go."

They made their way over and slid into the seats next to the girls, with Jasper ending up right beside Alessia. She gave him a warm smile, which he returned.

"Morning, Princess," he said quietly.

"Morning," Alessia replied, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief.

Before they could continue their conversation, the assembly began. Their head of year, Mrs. Carter stepped onto the stage, the usual stern expression on her face as she addressed the students.

"Good morning, Year 10," he began, his voice carrying across the hall. "I have a few announcements to make today, but first, I'd like to address a particular student, Jasper Harrison."

Jasper straightened in his seat, feeling the weight of hundreds of eyes on him. Mrs. Carter continued, "Jasper, I've decided that since you took the initiative to serve your time in isolation yesterday, you will not need to attend after-school detention for the rest of the week. However, I expect better behaviour from you moving forward."

A wave of relief washed over Jasper, and he nodded in acknowledgment. "Yes, Mrs," he called out, earning a few chuckles from his friends.

As the assembly continued, Jasper and his friends couldn't resist the urge to start messing around. Casper began by nudging the chair of the Year 7 student in front of him, causing the younger boy to turn around and glare. Jasper stifled a laugh and decided to join in on the fun, managing to swipe a pen from the pocket of the student in front of him.