No Place Like Home

Incredible

Ashlynn

"So who's this?" One of Ashlynn's best students, Safi, was standing next to the table, staring at her drawing. It was a game they played everyday after class. Safi would ask about the character Ashlynn had drawn, and Ashlynn would tell her a detailed story about who the person was. "He's not one of your characters, is he?"

"No. How did you know?"

"He looks familiar, but I'm not sure from where. Who is he?"

"Oh, no one important, really. Just a YouTuber I like."

"You should send him a photo. I bet he'd like it."

"You think? I don't know. It's not my best work."

"You're right. Your best work is so realistic that you could reach right through the paint. This is just mediocre, best artist at the London School of Arts work." Ashlynn smiled at the other girl, recognizing her joke. It was true that, while Ashlynn was only 18, she taught students her age and older, and never ceased to impress them. While she would never admit to being the best, Ashlynn knew she was on par with many of the older, more experienced teachers at the school. She had to be, otherwise they never would have allowed her to teach so many classes. "You don't have to send it to him, but at least post it on Instagram. It's a good portrait that deserves attention. Maybe he'll even see it."

"I guess. See you on Monday, Safi." Ashlynn did as the girl suggested, and posted her artwork, tagging Seamus. She doubted he got much artwork like this, and she knew full well her's would stand out whether he did or not, but she tried not to think about it until it was done. If she'd been invisible before, she wasn't now. The advanced ceramics and 3D art class started, and Ashlynn put her phone away so she wouldn't get clay on it. She didn't notice when Seamus DMd her with a simple question. "Have we met?"

As Ashlynn left her ceramics class, she pulled out her phone to see what she had missed, and stopped. Seamus Gorman had DMd her.

"Have we met?"

"I don't believe so."

"Are you sure?" The reply came immediately.

"Why do you ask?"

"That was a really great drawing. I'm just amazed you drew that from a video."

"I didn't. I never use models. I draw with my eyes closed. It's part of my superpower." Did that sound like bragging? She didn't mean to be bragging. Seamus already had a high opinion of her. She should try to keep it that way.

"Are you sure you aren't Dash's daughter or something? Because that drawing was incredible."

"Ha ha. Actually, it's Jack Jack, and that's not even my whole superpower."

"What is? I don't think it gets much more incredible than this."

"It's supposed to be a secret, remember? I can't tell you about my powers."

"Ah, I see. It's probably to much to hope that you can tell me your name. I'm sure that's a closely guarded secret, too." He wanted to know her name. That shouldn't be a big deal, but somehow Ashlynn found it was. Names were real. Ashlynn didn't know if she wanted this to be real. But she didn't want it to be fake. Scarlett wouldn't do, yet neither would Par. Far to obvious. For the first time, Ashlynn realized she had no name to give him.

"A very closely guarded secret, I'm afraid. But perhaps you can just call me Ash."

"Well, alright. Pleased to meet you, Ash"

"And you, Seamus"