Shadows of Ash and Gold

Chapter two

The first day of school was the worst day of the whole year, especially for someone like me. An introvert. There was nothing I hated more than talking to strangers, and it wasn't them, It was me. I clam up and forget my own name because of the crippling anxiety I get. It usually got better after a couple of days but those in-between days ... I wanted to die.

      It didn't help that the only thing on my mind was that boy from two days ago, I had wanted to ask Nyan about him but I was too afraid. Plus she had changed from how she was since we first met. She wasn't all positive and filled with an overbearing amount of joy like before. She was distant. Avoiding me. Maybe it was an act before?  Maybe she was just like the other rich kids?

     Nyan had already left a couple of hours ago, I was disappointed how things ended up with us, it would've been nice to have at least one friend before classes started.

        I mean I was never really good at the whole making friends thing but I really thought I could change that with her. I've always kept to myself, I've had one friend my whole life, West, and I practically met him before I was born so he doesn't count. Speaking of, I needed to call him soon.

I looked at myself in the mirror not recognizing the girl in front of me. I wore knee-high black socks with lace on the bands, a blue and red plaid school skirt, and a brownish-tan sweater with the Crestwood logo on the front. It was an open book with a raven on the front of it, symbolizing intelligence. I let my hair out from being tied in a bun, flowing down in golden locks, normally I hated my hair down but mom loved it and this was about her.

        I never wanted Crestwood, this was all my mother's dream, not mine, but after everything she's been through I felt obligated to do this for her.

My father was never a good man, he was cruel and heartless and most of the time abusive and he was also downright crazy but that never stopped my mom from loving him. I didn't remember him but Ace did and he used to tell me stories, stories that our father thought were real, about demons and witches. They were fun when I was a kid but as I got older I realized my father was actually a lunatic.

      And over time that had become my worst fear.

It didn't help that kids at school knew the horrific tales of my crazed father and laughed at me for it. I had promised myself I would never be like him. I would never be crazy. Ever.

        The school kind of reminded me of a college, well, if college was in Hogwarts. I was seriously getting major harry potter vibes from this place.

It was lunch and I was sitting by myself, awkwardly. The room was as immaculate as the rest of the building, I didn't think I would ever get used to how prestigious this school was. The walls were a mix of stained wood and pure stone. Rows and rows of twenty feet tall windows overflowed one entire wall of the dining hall, letting cloudy sunlight gleam through.

        "Hey, You must be the new girl, I'm Tandy," A girl introduced as she sat down across from me, setting her lunch down. She had dirty blonde hair and soft brown eyes.

         "I'm Avaryn." I hadn't realized I was the 'new girl'. Wasn't this a school of over one thousand people? How could I be the only new kid? Oh god, I really hoped people weren't talking about me. Back at my old school, I was invisible and that's how I liked it, I despised being the center of attention. Just thinking about it made me feel sick.

        "I heard you're sharing a room with Nyan Crestwood, is that true?" another girl asked, sitting down next to Tandy. She was the opposite of Tandy; she had dark hair and light eyes. She was gorgeous.

       What was it with this school and people looking like they walked straight out of an unrealistic teen drama?

       "You can't just ask her that Mo!" Tandy scolded the brunette.