The Archer's Legacy

★彡02|17 - "Who are you going to Cotillion with?"彡★

"Where have you been?" Asher questioned, seeing Y/n finally appear.

"Sorry, Ash, I got held up by Evie for a dress fitting and I didn't have my phone on me so—"

Asher gave a quick smile. "It's alright, let's just go before we miss lunch completely." After a moment of silence, he spoke again. "Who are you going to Cotillion with?"

Y/n chuckled. "Why, do you have anyone in mind?"

"I do, actually," the boy answered, surprising Y/n. "And I just wanted to make sure you have someone to go with so I can ask someone to go with me."

Y/n snorted a laugh. "Asher, you don't have to babysit me at Cotillion."

"Just making sure," the boy said, jokingly raising his hands.

☞♦♢♦☜

A little while later, Y/n and Asher walked out of the cafeteria, chatting about their next lessons. Currently, Y/n was on the topic of chemistry.

"It's so much more challenging than it seemed so far," she said, "but I kind of like it. Remember, when we went to school together, my favourite subject was English because it was the easiest? Now I like chemistry because it's challenging but also fun once you get the hang of..."

Y/n trailed off, puzzled by giggles she heard from ahead of her. She raised a brow, making eye contact with Asher. The boy shrugged and in a silent agreement they picked up the pace, rounding the next corner in a few seconds.

There went the quartet of Isle kids, girls around them giggling and calling out to Jay.

The boy kept answering them with a flirtatious smile on his face.

Having caught up to the group while also going unnoticed, Y/n and Asher could now freely eavesdrop on the not-too-private conversation.

"Why do you torture them?" Carlos inquired, slapping Jay's arm with the back of his hand to get his friend's attention. "Just pick someone to take to Cotillion already."

Y/n could pretty much imagine the smirk on Jay's face as the boy said the next words. "I'm going solo, that way I can dance with all of them."

The princess gazed with pity upon the girls who looked after Jay dreamily. They're playing a losing game. I doubt Jay will ever take a liking to someone too prissy, if anyone at all.

"Ah, you're the expert," Carlos laughed, seemingly unbothered by Jay's antics. Or perhaps just used to them. His steps slowed down. "Um, Jay, if you were gonna ask someone, what's the best way to go?" he inquired.

Y/n felt her heart flip inside her chest. The conversation had taken a turn to be more private so maybe they should let the four know they were there?

"Listen, all you got to do," Jay started, "is look like me."

Y/n snorted, masking it up with a cough as the group finally noticed her and Asher.

"Since when did you..." Carlos turned to them, gesturing around as he tried to mask his embarrassment in front of the girl he liked so much.

Y/n smiled, trying to brush off the previous situation, too. "Early enough to see you torment those girls, Jay," she said friendlily, though there was a judging undertone. "Don't you think it's a bit... wrong? To lead them on like that? Why do you do it anyway?"

"Because I'm me!" Jay laughed as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Before Y/n's blood could boil too much, Jane approached the group that now consisted of six. "Hey, Mal," she greeted, making known who she was looking for.

From the corner of her eye, Y/n noticed Asher tensing up. The girl's eyebrows rose to her head. Asher was never ever surprised by anything. The only times she'd seen the guy tense up was when his mother called him by his full name. But this was different, too. The usually confident boy kept fidgeting, looking everywhere and trying to find interest in everything but somehow always ending up looking at Jane.

Y/n stifled an excited giggle. Could it be? Asher Liddell, taken by Jane, the daughter of Fairy Godmother?

Instead of letting Jane speak to who she intended, Evie stepped forth. "I have an opening for a fitting at three, who wants it?"

From behind Jane, Lonnie jumped out. "Me!" She gave Jane an apologetic look. "Sorry."

"Perfect, I'll take you later," Evie assured Jane, walking away with Lonnie.

"Well..." Y/n started, looking for a way to exit the conversation. "Me and Asher have to get going to, uhh," she thought for a moment. "Physics. So we'll see you guys, yeah?"

Without waiting for an answer, the girl dragged Asher away with her, the boy only then waking from his daze and giving his childhood best friend a bashful smile.

Y/n shrugged. "Didn't see that coming but go for it. I don't know much about Jane so I can't give you advice but I can, however, provide you with moral support."

Asher nodded. "Thanks."

At the same time, Carlos stared after Y/n, taking in the way her h/c hair swayed and the slight pep in her step as she looked up to her childhood friend while they talked.

Jay took Carlos by the shoulders and dragged him down the stairs the opposite way, saying, "Real subtle."

Carlos glanced over his shoulder with a sigh, his head clouded with thoughts. "Easy for you to say."