tears in rain [on hold]

02 | of stars and secrets

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ♫ ⋅.} ───── ⊰

listen to two ghosts ~
harry styles
for this chapter

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ♫ ⋅.} ───── ⊰

A thousand different feelings rushed through me, as if I'd walked under one of those weird air curtains near the doorways of stores. He still looked the same. Aqua blue eyes like a merman's, chiseled jawline, dimpled cheeks, honey brown hair, and beach-tanned skin. How did this guy get to look like a freaking sea god? I shook the thought away. He wasn't as pretty as he looked.

I attempted to mask any sign of emotion and regained my composure. I was thankful that I was pretty good at acting. Arden, on the other hand, was not so. His face had turned into a crimson so deep that he looked like the Gryffindor emblem. I silently thanked god for giving me the ability to not blush, or I'd be the Hogwarts Express to match with Mr. Gryffindor right here.

"Miss Azalea, this is Arden Walters, new student here at Ridgewood. He's a senior too, and I thought you could show him around," Principal Moore smiled, "I trust that you can take up this responsibility?"

No. No, no, no. No way in hell.

"Sure, I can show him around," I replied, my jaw clenched.

Okay, look I know I'm pissing off, but this time I'm right and you know it.

I ignored the voice in my brain. I looked at Arden instead and said, "Come on, I'll show you around," with a sickly sweet smile that awfully reminded me of the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland that I despised with a passion.

He simply blinked and gave me a tight-lipped smile, following me out of the office.

The bell had rung, and first period had started, so there was no sign of Alayne anywhere. Right now I'd kill to be with her rather than this numbskull, although the things she said sometimes muddled my brain up like fro-yo.

But right now, a mushed-up fro-yo brain sounded a hundred times better.

We walked in an uncomfortable silence which was completely fine with me, right until Mr. Gryffindor decided to open his mouth.

"River?"

I flinched at the sound of the name and continued walking as if I didn't hear.

The name opened a floodgate of memories. A particular memory played in my mind, like an old cassette tape on roll.

"So your name literally means 'River Moon Flower'?" he asked, stifling a laugh.

"Yes. Yes, to put it vaguely, yes," I scowled and looked at him, displeasure clear on my face.