Swan Year

Chaos just chaos 👻📕

Ashley led Iris through the sprawling halls of Blackthorn Institute, eagerly pointing out various classrooms, student hangouts, and shortcuts to avoid the main hall's chaos between periods. Though Iris kept her expression neutral, Ashley's enthusiasm was undeniable, and she couldn't entirely ignore it.

"And this," Ashley announced, waving a hand toward a spacious lounge filled with armchairs and a grand piano, "is where everyone crams before exams. Or, well, pretends to. We call it the 'Last-Chance Lounge.' Pretty cozy, huh?"

Iris only nodded, her eyes scanning the lounge with mild interest. But before she could turn away, a figure emerged from a nearby bookshelf, holding an armful of thick novels and flipping through one absentmindedly as she walked.

"Oh, no..." Ashley muttered under her breath, her voice tense with a hint of dread. "That's Irene Sinclair."

Irene Sinclair looked like she belonged on the cover of a fashion magazine, with her perfectly braided dark brown hair and purple eyes that sparkled with the same intensity as her gold earrings. She was a known book lover, constantly swooning over everything from classic literature to the latest romance novels. Wealthy, popular, and often impossible to escape once she started talking about her favorite characters, she was practically Blackthorn royalty.

Irene caught sight of Ashley and grinned, immediately closing the book in her hands. But her gaze shifted to Iris, and she froze, a look of excitement lighting up her face.

"Oh, my stars, who is this?" she said, barely containing her excitement. "You're like... the female version of Luke from The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue."

Ashley's jaw dropped, her face flushing pink. "Irene, is... is that a compliment?" she stammered, her voice laced with both shock and a bit of frustration.

Irene raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Oh, definitely. I mean, Luke is mysterious, intriguing, dangerous(devil) ... he's everything you wouldn't want in a friend, Ashley." She winked at Iris, her expression filled with mischief. "What's your name, Luke's twin?"

"Iris," she replied, suppressing a smirk. "And you must be the resident literature enthusiast?"

Irene laughed, delighted. "Guilty as charged! Stick around long enough, and you'll find I know everything there is to know about every fictional love interest worth swooning over." She glanced at Ashley, whose face had turned an even deeper shade of pink. "I could give you a list."

"I'll... keep that in mind," Iris replied, stealing a glance at Ashley, whose annoyance was almost palpable.

Ashley quickly cleared her throat, snapping back to her usual cheerful demeanor. "We should keep moving, right, Iris? The library's just down the hall."

"Yes, let's," Iris said, glancing back at Irene, who was already flipping through her books again with a dreamy expression.

As they moved on, Ashley huffed under her breath. "Honestly, calling you Luke... Irene really knows how to ruin a tour." She gave Iris a side-eye. "Not that it's your fault. But still..."

Iris shrugged, smirking. "She likes yapping. Is she always like that?"

Ashley sighed, her gaze drifting ahead. "Pretty much. She's like a walking romance novel, always going on about 'epic love' and 'dark, brooding types.' She's just... different."

They approached the library doors, which were heavy, dark oak and towered above them, decorated with intricate carvings of owls, books, and tangled vines. The place was quiet, almost eerily so, and as they entered, the warm, musty smell of old books enveloped them.

"The library," Ashley said with a dramatic flair, "a.k.a. Blackthorn's haunted landmark."

The lights inside flickered as if on cue, casting long shadows across the rows of bookshelves. Iris looked around, intrigued. "Haunted right?"

"Yep," Ashley replied, a gleam of excitement in her eyes. "They say a former librarian still wanders the halls, looking for a book she lost years ago. And..." she leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper, "if you take her favorite book off the shelf, you're doomed to have a year of bad luck."

Iris raised an eyebrow, impressed and amused. "Really?"

Ashley nodded, her tone suddenly serious. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but Blackthorn has a way of making these stories feel real. People have sworn they've seen things - shadows, strange figures." She hesitated. "I mean, I haven't... but I'm not exactly trying to get cursed."

As they walked further in, Iris noticed that parts of the library were noticeably darker, with certain corners cloaked in shadows so thick they seemed almost tangible. A few other students were seated in various nooks, some whispering, others nose-deep in their books.

Suddenly, from the far end of the library, a loud thump echoed through the silence, causing Ashley to jump. She grabbed Iris's arm, her eyes wide with fear and excitement. "See? This place has a mind of its own."

Iris chuckled, but her gaze stayed locked on the shadowy corner where the sound had come from. "Maybe we should check it out. Or are you too afraid?"

Ashley's grip tightened as she hesitated. "Fine, but only if you go first," she whispered, her bravado clearly fading.

Iris gave her a challenging grin. "Deal." She led the way toward the dark corner, her footsteps silent on the thick carpet. As they neared the back wall, another sound - a faint shuffling - made them both pause.

Iris turned, catching sight of a faint figure in the shadows. It was nothing more than a silhouette, but the dim light cast an eerie glow around it, and for a moment, it felt like they were truly seeing something out of a ghost story.

Ashley gasped, clutching Iris's arm tightly. "Iris... that... that wasn't there before."

Iris stayed still, her eyes narrowing as she studied the shadow. Then, with a smirk, she whispered back, "Maybe it's the librarian, come to welcome me to Blackthorn."

They both held their breath, waiting, but after a few tense seconds, the figure moved out of the shadows and revealed itself to be none other than Irene Sinclair, holding an old, dusty tome and grinning at them both.

"Thought you could explore Blackthorn's haunted library without me?" she teased, her voice echoing slightly in the silence. "I was just about to recommend this." She held up the book, the title obscured by layers of dust. "It's said to be cursed, just so you know. Perfect for a mysterious girl like you, Iris."

Ashley rolled her eyes, finally releasing her hold on Iris's arm. "Irene, you nearly gave us a heart attack. And don't try to freak Iris out with your book curses."

Irene simply shrugged, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Well, you're lucky she's brave, Ashley. You, on the other hand..."

Ashley's face flushed with embarrassment as she glared at Irene, clearly unsure whether to be angry or amused.

Iris chuckled, taking a step forward. "Maybe I should take the book. You know, just to see what happens."

Ashley's eyes widened, and she quickly shook her head. "Uh, no. Let's... maybe let's just find a safer book. Or go anywhere else. Like, right now."

Irene laughed, giving Iris a final, approving nod. "You're definitely different, Iris. I look forward to seeing what kind of chaos you stir up around here."

As they left the library, Iris couldn't help but notice the glances Irene cast her way - and the way Ashley's cheeks stayed flushed for much longer than usual.