From The Ashes We Rise

Chp 20: Last Resort

~Next Day~

Kyran and I came to school slightly earlier, partially because I forced him to. I was very particular about punctuality for some stupid reason. This was abnormal even for me, despite having depression and all that. Maybe it was just my parents enforcing it on me and Nick when we were younger so much that it had become a routine.

"I'd rather be late, Ebony. Why did you have to drag me here?" He groaned yet again as I pulled him towards the school gates.

"Because we don't have to worry about being late or coming just on time," I replied, rolling my eyes.

"You sound like my mum," he sighed, releasing his hand from my grip.

He rubbed his hand as we walked into the compound. "Man, you're kinda strong."

"Hell yeah." I flexed my muscles, which earned a facepalm from Kyran.

"Don't do that please...." he groaned, massaging his temple.

"Aww, why not?" I asked, pouting.

"You're gonna embarrass both me and yourself so please, don't ever do that again."

"Okay..."

We went to our separate lockers to get our things. I managed to get some spare textbooks from the older orphans so I brought all of them to stuff into my locker.

When I closed my locker, I jumped as Megan appeared before me. "Don't—okay never mind you're never gonna listen," I said as she grabbed me by the hand.

She brought me to her group of friends in which a few girls were looking at me as if they've found their Prince Charming.

Megan went on to threaten them if they're caught crushing on me, which they're obviously doing right now. This caused them to avert their eyes from my ugly-ass face back to their 'leader'. She smiled at me as she tried to get me to talk more.

"Where were you born in?" she asked.

"Um...didn't I say yesterday? I was from Minnesota." She shook her head and smiled again. She's freaking me out now. I decided to come up with an excuse to leave—again.

"Sorry, I gotta go. Kyran's calling me. See you...later, I suppose," I sighed as I mentioned that last part. Surprisingly she accepted it and let me go.

I walked away from those girls and returned to Kyran, who's leaning against his locker, snickering at me having to put up with this. I bumped into someone again and it was the same brunette I saw. "O-oh my god I'm sorry," she mumbled as she held her books tightly to her chest.

"We've gotta stop bumping into each other, kid."

"I-I'm sorry. I'm just very clumsy," she shyly said. I chuckled and heard a tiny squeal from her. Maybe it's best if I ask her to introduce herself so that I knew her name.

"So...what's your name? I'm sorry if I never asked you I—"

"Cassidy. Cassidy Anderson," she cut me off. I smiled. Cassidy adjusted her large black glasses and looked up at me, her green eyes shimmering despite the absence of a light nearby.

"That's a cool name. Hey, class is starting soon. Want me to accompany you?" She furiously nodded her head as I laughed again. She kept close to me as I followed her to her class.

"I'll see you later, Cas," I called out as she entered the classroom. I thought I saw Megan in the room but brushed it off as someone else.

After that, I followed Kyran who was waiting for me outside the room to class. As we walked, I suddenly jumped on him, forcing him to give me a ride to class. He groaned at my antics but gave in after countless begging.