What We Are Now

Chapter 1

1

They first met when he was 15 and she 18.

"Hello."

The school had a program where senior students would guide the new ones around until they got their bearings. She was his and another student's guide for the first month, their big sister.

"That concludes our mini-tour. But here are maps just in case."

His and the other freshman's mobile phones beeped.

"And if you guys have any other questions, feel free to message me. That should be me on your phones just now."

"Cassie alright? For my contacts I mean." What was the name of that other freshman again? Right, BD. You would think he would remember by now, seeing as the school seemed to be always partnering them together.

"Sure. I'll save you as BD then. What about you, what do you prefer to be called?"

"Young, please."

--

They got along well. It had been a relief, as he had been gangly, awkward, and eager to prove himself. She seemed to him graceful and confident, all that he wanted to be after going through the academy. He told her so.

"Smoke and mirrors Young, smoke and mirrors."

He actually couldn't believe he told her that. It usually took him a while to warm up to someone.

"Besides, you're one to talk."

"Me?" What did she mean? He still had nightmares that they'd take away his scholarship, find out how much of an imposter he really was.

She just shook her head, smiling that little smile he had come to know these months meant she wasn't going to say anything more.

He had expected she would stop talking to him and BD after that first month, done with her duty. But she insisted she would be their big sister, easy-going and easy to talk to, until months later he found that they actually could be considered friends.

She was also still the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, but he had learned to put away that thought.

That thought had surprised him initially. He had gone through life with single-minded purpose, not letting anything or anyone distract him from his goal. Getting into a performance arts school was just the first step.

So it was better to just shove those kinds of thoughts aside. Concentrate.

If he happened to hear through the grapevine snippets of information about her and stored them in his head, well that was just being a good friend right? Looking out for her, making sure no one said anything bad.

"I'll leave you here then. I've got to meet up with Grange in the band room. Later!"

Grange. Was that her boyfriend's name? He had heard she was going out with someone...

Bah. Who cares. He should just go to dance practice.