"NOT ACTUALLY," she added quickly as she watched Tate's brows furrow and his mouth go slightly agape. "We're gonna pretend."
Tate raised a brow, shooting her a look of deadpan. "Really?" He crossed his arms.
The blonde checked her phone, and after realizing that the bell would ring any minute now she winced, not wanting to be late again.
"Uh, yeah," she told him, ignoring his sarcasm. Her tone indicated urgency. "Look, I'll tell you all about it at lunch. Uh, do you know the music room in the West wing? Come there."
Ryan flicked her hand, waving quickly to Tate and ran off to her first class before he had a chance to respond.
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AANYA GAUTHAM looked around, her eyes narrowing at the slightest movement.
The abandoned 5th floor in the east wing wasn't really a popular "hangout" spot so she didn't really understand why she was worrying.
ALH also had its fair share of making the news headline and this was one of them. No one really wanted to come to a place where a supposed arson had occurred.
Maybe she was worrying because she was skipping class. She hadn't meant to of course, because she knew there was no way she could beat Veronica at the valedictorian spot if she skipped class.
But for once, when she heard that she was free during the period before lunch, Aanya's heart had overcome her head and she immediately ran off before anyone could catch her.
Veronica Woo was in her fourth period class so for one, she knew she wouldn't be missed. Although their back to school party had just ended, everyone knew homecoming was still coming up (That's what was cool about ALH, there were no shortage of parties).
The Indian knew no one would miss the chance to snag the leading lady of their school as their homecoming date. Especially in a possible period where Mr. Keith, their economics teacher was always sleeping.
She was safe, for now. She looked over her shoulder one more time before she knocked at the barely refurbished area. ALH definitely had no shortage of funds when it came down to it, but they had decided not to use the 5th floor of this wing altogether without wanting to repair it. The fire wasn't that much of a big one anyways.
She straightened her skirt and pat her black locks down, trying to look presentable.
"Aanya?" The woman called out. Aanya was about to nod but then realized that she couldn't see her. She mumbled a 'yeah' before she opened the door.
Her heart constructed slightly when her grey orbs met with sheer black ones. She looked older, with her neat black hair cut in a bob that grazed her chin. The woman's outfit was covered with a long white coat and it was paired with simple black heels.
"Onella." Aanya tested the word on her tongue. The Filipino-American adult smiled sweetly. Aanya didn't mean to but she surged forward, unable to control herself.
She flung herself into the woman's arms, their lips connecting together like two magnets.
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TATE SUTTON wanted to kick himself. He gathered up his books and draped his blazer on his arm before hurrying out of the classroom absentmindedly.
Normally teachers or dorm directors would've never let a student walk without their blazer on, especially since the season was rotating faster than expected. But they let Tate get away with it.
Fall was already here but Tate still found it to be slightly warm. Although he didn't really know why he lugged his blazer wherever he went.
A sigh escaped his lips as he opened his locker and shoved his books inside. He pushed back some strands that had fallen to face and bit his lip in slight frustration.
Looking at his locker made him remember why exactly he wanted to kick himself.
Why'd I help her? He chided. I should've just let her get eaten by Veronica's comments and questions.
He didn't really know why he did it, but he saw the look of panic on her face when Veronica was questioning her and his lips moved before he could think.
She's the enemy.
He couldn't believe how easily he had given up. But he knew the reason why. Anything that concerned his sister was like walking in a field with land mines. Or nuclear bombs. Or both.
There was no way he could let word get out that he had an illegitimate sister. And Tate knew that if it got out, the first question everyone would ask would be as to who the mistress was, and that was a conversation Tate hoped he wouldn't have to endure.
Despite Tate's anger, his whole day was clouded with thoughts of Ryan and as to how she found out, and what she wanted.
Status? Popularity? Money? The options were endless. With a jolt he realized that he didn't even know why she wanted his help.
He was angry but he was also curious. What kind of thing could you gain by fake dating someone? He hated to admit it, but asking someone to date them after using such a disastrous piece of information was pretty...stupid.
Deciding not to dwell on it he closed his locker and walked off in the direction to the dining hall. He did after all make a big fuss of telling Ryan that he was gonna face the problem head on.
Although he still needed to learn how to take his own advice.
ALH's dining hall was already half full when Tate took a seat next to Lucas, whose attention was focused towards his phone. He propped his head on his palm and Tate felt a migraine coming.
"Hey man," Timothy Ciaccia pat Tate on the back and sat next to him, a smile evident on his face.
"Hey," Tate repeated. "What are you so happy about it? Last time I checked, Miss Santos wasn't exactly happy-go-lucky." He stated flatly, referring to the Filipino teacher that thought them chemistry.
Tim let out a laugh and brushed his raven hair aside. "Not that. I asked Emanuella to homecoming."
"Homecoming?" He knit his brows and wrinkled his nose. "That's like, almost a month away."
Tate accepted the plate of lunch the lady thrust out to him and flashed a winning smile in return.
"Yeah man, but everyone's already psyched and if you don't 'man up'" he used to his fingers to emphasize his point. "And ask the person you want to ask, you might lose 'em to someone else."
"Huh," was all Tate said.
"Hey guys," Veronica cheered as she plopped on the seat opposite to Tate and Kim Han Na (apparently surnames went first for Koreans) and Meredith Berkeley also took a seat.
Lucas looked up from his phone and flashed Han Na a smirk. Tate watched, slightly amused as the girl blushed as pink as a carnation. The girl was a new transfer student (although Tate wondered what the use was considering it was their last year) and Veronica had immediately warmed up to her.
Tate shifted his attention to his lunch which was most likely slow roasted pork belly from the looks of it. A yogurt induced green salad stood alone at the corner of his plate.
"Oh my god, guys I totally forgot to tell you." Meredith cried out, twirling her loose beach blonde hair. "Guess who asked me to homecoming?"
"Your brother?" Lucas snickered and the others laughed. Tate actually kind of believed it. Leonardo Berkeley was probably the most overprotective older brother Tate had ever seen in his life. He secretly wondered if he had a sibling complex about it or something.
He was two years older than Tate and to Meredith's relief he had graduated a year ago. It wasn't impossible to bring a past pupil to ALH's events as a date so that might've been the root of Lucas's answer.
Meredith gave him a flat look and narrowed her honey eyes. "Haha. Very funny. But seriously though, guess who?"
Tate shrugged. He wasn't interested in hearing his friend's date for once. When homecoming was mentioned, the one word everyone mentioned was date. And date reminded him of Ryan Blair and her stupid antiques early in the morning.
His mind glossed over, his attention taken away from hearing who Meredith's date was. He cut a small chunk of glazed pork belly and stuffed it inside his mouth.
"So," Tim started casually one tone lesser than the normal so only Tate could hear over the loud chattering in their dining hall. "What's going on with you and Blair? I didn't even know that you guys knew each other." He smirked knowingly.
Tate's first instinct was to ask how Tim knew Ryan but then he stopped himself. She wasn't that 'unknown' or anything, considering she's one of the two female members in the track and field team. That sort of thing can generate quite some curiosity.
"Shut up." Tate retorted, unsure how to answer his friend.
He didn't really know why, but he felt like he's seen her somewhere before as well. He's well aware that they might've had classes together or something but the chill in his bones told him school wasn't where he had met her before.
"So, Han Na right? How's school working out for you?" Tim turned to the Korean, showing off his pearly whites. She smiled back, showing a colorful array of braces.
"It's fine. My last school wasn't like this at all, but I guess it was because it was a day school." She replied smoothly with perfect English.
"It's still the second day," Veronica draped an arm over Han Na's shoulder. "It'll work out. Also, remember what I told you. If you come work with me at student council, you'll make friends in no time. Well, besides us that is."
Lucas snorted. "You should listen to your own advice. Like you'd talk to anyone outside your own circle." He popped a piece of lettuce into his mouth and smirked at Veronica.
"I do actually, right Tate?" She sent a pointed look towards him, probably referring to her earlier conversation with Ryan.
Normally he would've laughed but today it seemed that whatever he did, the subject would always come back to Ryan Blair. Instead he shot her a look of deadpan and sighed. "Yeah yeah, can you please shut up about student council now?"
"Are you okay? Where's the funny Tate? You've been acting weird since last night â"
"Please shut up V."
"Make me." She snarled, mock examining her red acrylics. Tate sighed. There was no way around Veronica and her occasional aggravation.
He looked away, ignoring his friend and stared straight at the entrance. His green orbs widened as an annoyed looking Ryan Blair frowned at him near the entrance.
Her arms were crossed and she kept tapping her boot clad foot on the ground in annoyance as she (probably) muttered profanities under her breath.
He realized that it was probably about him.
Look, I'll tell you all about it at lunch. Uh, do you know the music room in the West wing? Come there.
Whoops. He totally forgot all about that.
With another heavy sigh that made Tate feel like he was growing older by the minute, he got up and excused himself to go talk to the blonde haired devil named Ryan Blair.
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I'm back :) with another chapter :)
Also I'm sorry I'm so slow, it's because
I rewrite these chapters so many times
because I always feel as if Tate's character
Isn't how I envisioned it and it's the same
for everyone else as well. Also, I might
post the other characters' aesthetics as
well :) I didn't really want to do it cause
I don't want to bombard my aesthetic
page with lots of aesthetics haha. If you
want to see aesthetics of the other characters
too, please let me know. I hope you liked this
chap hehe, I love y'all
âDin