High School Diaries (A Throne of Glass Fanfiction)

Chapter 23

I'm late but HAPPY NEW YEAR 2020 GUYS 💜🎉🎊
 

The car ride home yesterday was awkward to say the least. For a variety of reasons. Aedion and Lysandra had drove Kaltain home first. She couldn't tell why couldn't give Kaltain the pen drive right away. Or why Kaltain effectively failed to mention seeing Rowan come up too. Or because Aedion and accidently called her Aelin. And to cover up, he said it was a nickname, Alien. Which was basically anagram of her own name. The evil glint in Lysandra's eyes was enough to tell her that she would not be able to get rid of this nickname anytime soon.

Aelin considered taking the day off. 

But then she remembered Rowan asking her to meet. She owed him that much. 

That was exactly why Aelin was in school, long before any of the students or teachers had started filing in. She didn’t want anyone seeing her and asking questions, especially Chaol or Dorian. Kaltain was taking a day off. Not wanting to bother with the camera on the door, Aelin sat on the staircase to the roof, waiting for Rowan to arrive. 

It was around 10 minutes later when she heard faint noise of the school bustling with energy and another 5 minutes when she heard the near silent footfalls. How the hell did Rowan walk so noiselessly was beyond her? 

He turned at the end of the stairs, eyes meeting hers and stopped in his tracks. She was sitting and he was standing opposite her. It was like before. The only difference was the lack of cigarettes and them being on staircase instead of roof. 

"Hey," Rowan said, eyes scanning her, not like a typical male, but like a warrior assessing for injuries. 

"Hi." She chided herself for the breathlessness in her voice, but she was anticipating this meeting. Talking to Rowan yesterday, even if not in the most ideal circumstances made her realize how much she had missed him. The silent, looming yet calming presence of him that seemed to talk in proper sentences only around her. 

The silence beckoned, Rowan's eyes trailing to the door. She shrugged. 

Too much hassle.

Aelin felt the question bubble up in her and before she could try to stop, it was out of her mouth. 

"Why?"

"I would not have left anyone to a fate at the hands of that man, lest you got caught." 

Anyone. The word had never hurt more. 

The bell rang, indicating the start of the first period. 

"Before you say anything, it's not the place for this conversation."

She raised her eyebrows. You've got to be kidding me.

His lips twitched. You owe me. She sighed.

"Let's go." 

"Where?"

"Somewhere. Outside the school." 

He turned around, expecting her to follow. She got up, debating to smash his head against the nearest wall. Or push him down the stairs. 

"And Celaena?" He twisted, looking up at her from the flight of stairs below. 

"You still owe me two questions."

Prick.

***

And that's how she skipped school, finding herself with legs immersed knee deep in the Avery River, Rowan sitting next to her. Her hands rested on the grass behind her, legs lightly kicking the cool water, now feeling more than comfortable. The air was ripping the hair from her braid, as well as Rowan's, who had opened the ponytail to let down his silvery white hair. It was an effort to look away. She cleared her throat.