Everything is not as it seems in Aurora Flynn's world. She finds that out at the age of seventeen when her parents are shot and killed in front of her. As she tries to cope with what's happened, she becomes inadvertently entangled in a conspiracy th...
Hey everyone! So, I know that everyone has their own imagination as to what they want each character to look like, but just in case you want to know what I'm envisioning Rob to look like, here it is:
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The next morning I am so absorbed with replaying last night in my mind that I hardly have time to stress for school. I put on my uniform, a knee-length, plaid skirt and a black polo with the school's crest, straightening my hair so that it reaches my waist.
I pause in front of the mirror before leaving and sigh; I can see my dad smiling behind me . . . I miss him so much it makes my heart ache. I miss telling him everything about my day. I miss him giving me advice. I miss telling him how much I love him. Somehow, I just never thought a day would come when I'd have to live without him.
Swallowing the lump that forms in my throat, I straighten and put on a smile.
"Hi, I'm Aurora. I have the perfect family and the perfect life." This is the new Aurora. The smiling, happy Aurora.
The school is built like a medieval castle- it's as big as one, too- and the parking lot is filled with Porsches and Teslas.
"This is so embarrassing." I mutter under my breath, not intending for Dara to hear in the driver's seat.
"Just because you can afford a butler and they can't is nothing to be ashamed of." She says matter-of-factly as she pulls up right in front to drop me off. Dara moves to get out of the car, but I quickly stop her. "It's okay, Dara. I can open my own door . . . bye." I open the door, and am halfway out of the car when Dara pipes up, "Miss?"
"Yes, Dara?"
"Good luck. If I may say so, I love you." Her words cause me to pause, a dozen emotions bubbling within me that I know I have to push back down. "Thanks. I love you too." Shutting the door behind me, I walk with head down and long strides up the steps to the front doors because I really don't want to talk to anyone right now. Just finding my locker is the thing that's on my mind now.
Right as I walk into the lobby, I exhale slowly through my nose as I take it all in: on both sides of me there are chairs made of velvet and engraved mahogany beside matching tables, and a massive clearing between them so that students can make their way back and forth.
At the very end of the lobby there is a painting that extends the whole length of the wall that I recognize as "School of Athens", and I just stand there for a few seconds, admiring the whole scene.
It doesn't take me long to find my locker, but I know I'll have difficulty finding my class because every hallway looks the same. Just as I finish setting up my locker, the first bell rings, so I scramble to find my first class on Rhetoric. Becoming panicked, I look around desperately for some kind of map-I can't afford to be late to class on my first day of school!
Finally, I just settle on a girl with a oddly short skirt and a slightly disoriented expression on her face. I approach her with a friendly smile, "Hi, I'm new. I was wondering if you could show me where Mr. Grayson's class is?" Glancing up at me from the books she was pulling from her locker, the girl brightens and clears her throat before saying, "I'm Josie. Right this way. Lucky for you, I'm in the same class. You are . . ."
"Aurora." We both slip into the classroom mere seconds before the bell rings, and I can feel the curious gazes on the back of my head. Once I have neatly stacked my books and binder on one corner of the desk and my pencils on the other, I glance up to see the teacher. "What the-" I don't mean the exclamation to escape my lips, but it does, and everyone looks at me-including the teacher-or should I say, Rob.
"Oh." Is all he says, gazing at me as if in shock. However, he is able to regain his composure a lot sooner than I am. "Um, class we-we have a new student today. Please give her a warm welcome as she comes up to the front of the classroom to introduce herself." I can't think over the blood pounding in my ears, and it's only once Josie nudges me from behind that I stand on legs that feel like jello and make my way to the front.
I don't look at Rob at all, even though I can feel his eyes on me.
"Hello, I'm Aurora Flynn, and I hope we can all be friends." As I say that, I fix nearly everyone with a stare that silently says I am not someone they want to have as an enemy.
When I return to my seat, I feel like my heart's going to burst from my chest because it's beating so fast. How is this possible? How is Rob my teacher? He can't be older than nineteen . . .
Finally the bell rings after what seems like hours, and I quickly grab my things, relieved that I managed to survive the class without any incidents. However, just as I reach the door, Rob calls out, "Miss Flynn, please stay after class to talk to me." My heart falls, and plastering a fake smile on my face, I turn back around.
I lean against the desk in front of his until everyone leaves, and then I look up at him as he stands there with a hardened expression, towering over me.
"Why didn't you tell me you were going to come here?"
"Why didn't you tell me you were a teacher?" I retort angrily, crossing my arms over my chest. He bites his lip before beginning, "Look, about last night-" For some reason, I blurt out, "Your eyes. They're so blue." I don't know if it's because I don't want him to say it or because I have no control over my mouth, but I mean it nevertheless. The more I look at him, the more drawn in I become- I can't help being acutely aware of how a few strands of hisjet black hair fall into his wide, pleading eyes- bright blue eyes that can only ever belong to someone very dishonest or very honest- of the wide,harshly angled jaw and soft, delicate lips.
Shutting his eyes for a moment, Rob pinches the bridge of his nose in thought. "I'm your teacher, Aurora. We have to forget about last night." My heart skips a beat as he gazes at me entreatingly. How can I forget?
"I'll forget about..." I lower my voice before saying, "The almost kiss, but why can't we still meet today after school? Look, you saw me when I was . . . vulnerable, and you said you would help me." When he still looks hesitant, I add indignantly, "Isn't that what a teacher is supposed to do? Help their students?" Shaking his head with lips that threaten to curl into a grin, Rob remarks, "You sure are stubborn, aren't you?"
"That is what everyone tells me." Then we just stand there, staring at each other just like we did last night, lost in each other's eyes; until the door swings open and we each step quickly back, not realizing how close we had been to each other.
The student who enters the classroom is Josie, and I'm relieved that she's too oblivious to notice our proximity. Clearing my throat, I say a little bit too loudly, "Thank you, Mr. Grayson, I understand the homework now." He just gives me a stiff nod, but I can tell that he's phased.
Even though I know that Rob has doubts now about meeting me, and I know that I should, this is the first time in as long as I can remember that I actually want to talk to someone. I want to know everything about him . . . what makes him tick, what makes him happy . . . everything.
