rosie | aspir | ✓

prologue

[ 2 years prior ]

Rosie McArthur smiled to herself as she walked down the corridor. Today's cheer practice had been really good, and she was sure that they would ace it tomorrow. 

Suddenly, she heard her name being called out from in front of her. Her head whipped up and she stood for a moment, with squinted eyes as she tried to make out what was happening. 

There was a large gathering right outside the biology lab, and there were catcalls  and loud jeers emanating from the crowd. 

"Come here quick, Rosie! Where's Anika?" Isaac asked gleefully. 

"She's still changing out of her cheer dress," Rosie replied as she stepped into the crowd. She jostled her way through, only to be met with a sight that tugged at her heartstrings the way nothing else did. 

There was a boy with messed up brown hair, and large, scared, brown eyes. He was sat in the middle of the crowd with tears coming out of his eyes. He was bruised and had cuts here and there. And about two feet away from him, was a guitar, with its strings shredded, and with a few cracks here and there. 

It was unexplainable, but a rage unlike anything else consumed Rosie. She whipped around, and forcefully tugged Isaac's collar. "What are you doing, you piece of shite?" She asked through clenched teeth. 

The crowd around her gasped, and watched her with a sense of fear and regard. And although Isaac was a rough and tough jock, you could see the way he squirmed uncomfortably in Rosie's hold. "What...what we usually do, Rosie. It was just for fun..." 

"You broke his guitar, just for fun?" Rosie asked. 

Isaac shook his head, unable to come up with an answer. 

"Don't you ever lay a finger on him, or anyone else, okay?" Rosie couldn't just stand aside and watch what her friends were doing. Today, just happened to be the breaking point.  

Isaac nodded, and Rosie took her hands off of him. When she turned around, the boy was scrambling to his feet, and gathering his guitar up in hands. "Hey, leave that there..." She told him softly. She lifted him up by his elbows and made sure he could stand properly. She turned around to the crowd one last time and said, "you're replacing his guitar by tomorrow, okay?" And with a glare, she turned around. 

"What's your name?" Rosie asked the boy as she walked him to the infirmary. 

"Callum Olliston," he replied, shortly. 

She asked him a couple more questions to which he answered in a straight manner. She found out that he was a year elder than her, and that he was new to this school. 

"And why did they bully you, today?" She asked at last, as they stood outside the infirmary. 

He swallowed and looked down at his shoes. "I don't know...they asked me to take out my guitar and play a song for them, and that's where it started..." 

Rosie sighed sadly. "Well, don't worry. They won't be doing anything to you anymore...I've got your back." 

He gave her a small smile, before stepping into the infirmary.

And Rosie knew that she would do anything to have him smile like that again. 

Her thoughts were on him the whole of that day, and the next. So when someone tapped on her shoulder the next day, she jumped a little, before turning around.

It was him. The boy with the adorable brown eyes. 

"Hey," she said with a bright smile. "You alright now?" 

"Yes, I'm fine." He smiled at her, and she smiled back at him. 

Neither of them knew what so say, but she noticed that he had his guitar slung over one of his shoulders. "They replaced your guitar, right?" 

"Oh yeah, they did." 

She smiled and nodded once again. "So..." 

"Um..." He smiled and ruffled his hair as he looked down. "I didn't get to say thanks to you...for helping me out there yesterday. And I know just saying thanks won't suffice..." 

"Hey that's alright, trust me. It wasn't a big deal." 

"To me, it was," he said firmly. "I don't have anything to give you, but...people tell me I have a nice voice. So do you mind if I can...if I can sing for you instead?" 

Rosie was taken aback. She didn't expect him to do this. It was an oddly sweet gesture, and she laughed. 

He frowned at her laugh, and pulled the strap of his guitar self consciously. "Um...it's okay if you don't want me to..." 

"No no... It's just - no one has ever asked if they could sing for me." Rosie smiled at him, and took his hand in hers. She led him out to the school garden, and sat down on one of the stone benches with him. 

And as he looked at her, with his big brown eyes, and strummed the strings of his guitar, she knew she was well and truly in love. 

a/n: and the book has officially started! this is only the prologue, but still, it's super exciting to be posting this.

hope you all liked it, and i hope you'll enjoy the further chapters.

happy reading, and have a nice festive season!

- aspir