Flower Crown

TROUBLE

Chapter 1: TROUBLE

Excited murmurs followed Aster everywhere as he passed by the hallways of his new school 'St. Bernard Academy' and he tried his best not to show the uncertainty he felt. He was already popular in his old school at the city and he doesn't want it to spread around in this new environment. Hopefully, this will just be a shortlived popularity.

Aster almost jumped when he felt someone's arm on his shoulder. He hastily turned around and saw a dark-haired boy who was smiling at him warmly. He scrutinized the face of the familiar boy. Surely, not-

" Edan? Edan Castro?" Aster gaped at the taller boy. The boy was a classmate in his old school but transferred during their middle-school but that didn't hinder their friendship and has exchanged a few texts since then. Edan smiled and scratched his neck.

" Woah, good thing I guessed right or I'll be scarred for life!" he shivered as the thought occupied him for a second but he was quick to recover. " How's it going?"

" Fine, I guess," Aster chuckled. " The air's fresher here,"

" Of all the things to comment about, it's about the air?! Well, I guess that's understandable," laughed Edan as they passed by some tittering girls. Aster immediately drew closer to the tall boy.

" Still couldn't handle girls?" teased Edan good-naturedly. Unfortunately, he noticed the little incident. Aster frowned and stared at the ground.

" They've been unbearable since I showed them my picture in that forest during grade school,"

" The boys didn't think you're a coward after that though," grinned Edan. The small trip alone in that forest gave him a mixture of embarrassment and pride. Good thing I hid the fact that I ran from an imaginary monster.

" Well, we'd better hurry up. Classes will surely start after 10 minutes. Nice to be classmates again, eh?"

" We are?" Aster said in surprise.

" You're lucky we are,"

----

" Hi," Aster greeted at the quiet room. He tried to ignore the curious stares of his classmates that wanted him to continue. " I'm called Aster Bright,"

" Why did you transfer here?" asked someone.

" Business," Aster said shortly. There was no helping it, he was really nervous to say more. Oh no, what if they think I'm cold and distant? But to his surprise, what happened next was totally unexpected.

" Gosh, he's so cool," murmured a girl in front of him.

" I know right?"

" I heard he was his class valedictorian!"

" Cool," the boys echoed while staring at him in respect. Aster blinked backed at them, clearly confused. What? He quickly took the empty seat beside Edan after the professor told him so.

" What just happened?"

" You, my friend, has earned a permanent place in the popular group," Aster stared at him and after a minute, sighed and looked down. " Great, just great,"

Aster hardly survived the next 45 minutes after that. He tried his best not to catch the eyes of his ever-turning classmates who did not even listen to the professor as she reminded about the school rules. When the school bell finally rang, he immediately wore his backpack and was about to go when the professor grabbed him by the shoulder.

" How's your new school, Mr. Bright?" asked Professor Park kindly .

" Er- nice," Aster answered quickly.