Aurum ✧ Peter Parker

✧ ˚17 · seventeen .

┌─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───┐

As Ava walked down the school hallway the next day, a flicker of recognition crossed her face when she saw a bookish figure standing at the lockers. Curiosity piqued, she quickened her pace, realizing that the locker next to the person was hers. As she approached, she saw that it was Michelle, one of her classmates.

"Hey, looks like we're locker neighbours," Ava said with a friendly smile, her fingers fumbling slightly as she tried to unlock her locker – a new experience for her, having never used one before.

Michelle glanced up from her book and raised an eyebrow, her expression one of mild amusement. "Lucky me," she replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Ava chuckled, not at all put off by Michelle's snarky response. "So, how's your day going so far?" she asked, trying to strike up a conversation.

"It's school. What do you think?" Michelle replied, flipping a page in her book without missing a beat.

Ava grinned, finding Michelle's candidness amusing. "Fair enough," she said, feeling a sense of camaraderie with the girl who seemed to share her no-nonsense attitude.

As Ava continued to organize her books, she couldn't help but steal glances at Michelle's impressive collection of book-related stickers. "You really love books, huh?" she asked, genuinely intrigued.

Michelle looked at her locker with a hint of pride. "Books are my haven amidst the chaos of high school," she said, her voice softening a touch. "They let me escape to different worlds and forget about the drama around here."

"I totally get that," Ava agreed, nodding. "I've always loved getting lost in a good book."

Michelle's eyes flickered with curiosity. "So, what kind of books do you like?" she asked, her snarkiness giving way to a genuine interest in Ava's tastes.

Ava thought for a moment before replying, "I'm a big fan of science fiction and fantasy. Anything that takes me on an adventure to places I've never been before."

Michelle raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Interesting. Any favourite authors or books?"

Ava's face lit up with enthusiasm. "Oh, definitely! I love Jules Verne, Isaac Asimov, and of course, J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter is a classic," she said with a grin.

Michelle's lips quirked into a small smile. "Not bad choices. I prefer more classics and literature," she replied, mentioning some authors Ava had heard of but hadn't explored much.

As the conversation flowed, Ava felt a growing sense of connection with Michelle. It was as if they had found a common ground amidst their different preferences. They continued to chat, sharing their thoughts on various books and genres, and time seemed to fly by.

Before they knew it, the bell rang, signalling the start of the next class. Ava was surprised at how quickly the time had passed, and she realized she had enjoyed talking to Michelle more than she expected.

Ava realized she hadn't even introduced herself properly. "By the way, I'm Ava," she said with a sheepish smile.

Michelle closed her book and finally extended her hand. "Michelle," she replied, her smirk replaced by a hint of warmth.

"It's nice to meet you, Michelle, we should do this again sometime," Ava suggested, genuinely hoping for a positive response.

Michelle's eyes met hers, and a hint of a smile touched her lips. "Yeah, maybe we should," she replied, her tone warmer than before.

As Ava walked into the robotics classroom, a rush of excitement filled her. This was the class where she would be working on the group project with her new friends, Peter and Ned. However, as she entered the room, she noticed that only Ned was present. Puzzled, she looked around, expecting Peter to show up any moment.