The Moon to My Stars [Newtmas]

chapter one

song: im so tired...... - lauv & troye sivan

     The soft pattering of small rain droplets on the roof of the car was muted behind the music playing in Newt's earbuds as he spaced out, mindlessly tracing the paths they left on his window. The sky was grey and bland over the buildings reaching up towards it. Tree branches waved in the wind, a blur as the car drove down the roads.
     "Newton, the top buttons on your shirt are undone." His mom said, snapping him out of the trance he was in.
     "So?" He replied, pulling an earbud out to listen to what his mom had to say.
     "You have to be presentable, Newton. I paid good money for you to go to this school, and I don't need you walking in looking like that."
Begrudgingly, Newt buttoned the top two buttons of his crisp and rather uncomfortable dress shirt.
      "It's not like I wanted to come here. I'm graduating at the end of this year, and we just moved, I don't understand why I could of just gone to a public highschool."
His mom scoffed and wrinkled her nose, eyes remaining on the road. "Newton please. This is much better for your future than a shabby public highschool."
     "How would you know? I've only ever gone to private."
     "We've talked about this. I do my research. You're going to this school, it's one of the best in this state. Now, drop it."
Newt rolled his eyes and picked at his slacks. "Whatever."
     A silence fell between them, the only sound being the rain. He turned over his phone, hoping to see a notification from anything to try and take his mind off of the school. Unfortunately, the bar was empty like it was last time he checked. He looked back out the window at the unchanging scenery of grey buildings against the sky.

     When they had turned into school's parking lot, the rain had become heavier, the sound drumming loud enough to be heard over Newt's music. He pulled the buds out and wrapped them around his phone and set his focus on the building in front of him.
     Proudly standing two or three stories high, the school was built of red brickwork, large, square windows were set evenly apart, the white framing pristine in contrast to the navy shutters that were on either side of each one. Tall white pillars held up an awning that stretched over the glass entrance to the school and a loop for cars to pull through. Trees and shrubbery was well manicured around the school, the greens vibrant against the gloomy weather.
     Newt's mom rolled under the awning and parked. She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose before looking to her son.
     "Just, remember to smile and be polite, and everything will be fine, okay?"
     "Yes, mum." Newt answered quietly,
She smiled at him. "Good."
     The two got out of the car and began to unload Newt's luggage and belongings from the car when a man in a pressed suit and a black hat walked up to them, wheeling a luggage cart beside him.
     "Good afternoon ma'am." He greeted formally, nodding towards Newt's mom. He turned to Newt and stuck out a hand to shake, which he hesitantly took.
      "Good afternoon sir. My name is John, I'll be helping with your belongings, checking you in and showing you to your dorm."
Newt opened his mouth to respond, but his mother beat him to it.
     "This is my son, Newton Issac Jones." She said boastfully. "I will be seeing this school with him."
     "Of course, Mrs Jones." John replied, packing Newt's things onto the cart before leading them into the school.
     The brief tour of the school was a blur to Newt, hardly remembering what was where and not caring to try and remember. By the time they had reached his dorm, Newt was almost asleep standing up, longing to put in his earbuds and drown out the rest of the world.
     "This is going to be your room for the year. Each room has their own bathroom. You will have a roomate who will share the space with you. Is there any questions?" John informed.
     "No sir." Newt mumbled, stuffing his hands in his shallow pockets.
     "Well, that would end our little tour. I hope you enjoy your time here at our school, Newton, and I hope that it is up to your standards, Mrs Jones."
     "It was, thank you for that lovely introduction, John."
The man nodded curtly before walking down the hallway, leaving Newt and his mom with the cart.
     "Well, come on, Newton. Let's settle you in."
     He nodded silently, pushing open the door. Inside there were two twin mattresses on plain wooden frames pushed against the off-white walls on the opposite sides of the room, one under the window that looked over a fenced in area, probably for sports and gym. Beside the beds were small end table. At the ends of each bed there was a simple, short chest of drawers. A table stood in the corner, a divider splitting it in half, and two desk chairs for each side. A door was to his right, presumably the bathroom, and beside that was a closet door.
     At the bed by the window, a boy with chocolatey brown hair and broad shoulders stood over an open suitcase, clothes stacked neatly on the mattress. The boy turned around to face the two who had entered the room. His eyes were a dark but warm brown, similar to that of his hair. He wore the same uniform as Newt, giving Newt a small sense of relief that he wasn't the only one wearing the uniform. His face lit up as he walked over to him and his mom.
     "Hey! I'm Thomas! What's your name?" The boy bubbled excitedly.
     "Name's Newt." He smiled back, Thomas' excitement infectious.
    "Hello Thomas. I believe you're my son's roomate?" Newt's mom asked dryly.
    "Yeah!" He replied.
    "I see." She said. She opened her mouth to say something else, however was interrupted by the sound of her phone ringing. She checked the ID and answered it.
     "I'm afraid I need to get going. Remember to smile, Newton." She said, tilting the phone away from her face, patting her son's shoulder and leaving the room, Newt and Thomas watching her go. Newt sighed as her voice faded down the corridor.
     "Newton?" Thomas smirked, trying to hide a laugh. "Like the gravity man?"
Newt smiled as he turned back to his roomate.
     "Sure, the gravity man."
Thomas giggled, his cheeks dimpling. "Okay gravity man, do you want any help unloading that cart?"
     "No, I think I'll be alright, and you got your own stuff to unpack too."
The boy shrugged, smile staying spread across his face. "Alright, if you need any help, just ask!"
     He went back to his suitcase and began to organize his clothes into the drawers of his dresser. Newt pulled his cart towards his bed and unloaded it before beginning to empty his suitcase.
     Soon enough, his clothes were put into the drawers, bags shoved into the small closet with Thomas', laptop and a picture of him and his sister, Sonya, set on his side of the desk, (him and Thomas had done a few rounds of rock, paper, scissors to decide who got what side) and was making his bed. Satisfied with what he had done, Newt fell onto his bed on his back and closed his eyes, inhaling deeply.
     "You good?" Thomas' voice sounded from the other side of the room.
     "Yeah, just tired I guess." Newt responded, not opening his eyes.
"Same here."
     Newt rolled onto his stomach and turned his head to look over at his roomate who was busy hanging a stack of unframed pictures and polaroid photos above his bed.
     "Do you know if we're allowed to change into something else? I feel like I'm suffocating in this god-awful uniform." He complained.
     "Nah, I think we have to wear 'em to dinner. We're only allowed to wear casual clothes on the weekends because theres no classes."
Newt groaned and buried his face in his pillow. "But it's Saturday, so we should be allowed to change."
     "We can wear whatever tomorrow, gravity man." Thomas giggled.
Newt didn't respond, instead he smiled into his pillow at the nickname.