Rebellious Aurora | ✓

ten | community service

My mind was still processing the fact that Ashton was Mrs Waldroop's grandson. How did I not know that? As I studied her facial features, she held no resemblance to Ashton, evident in her light brown eyes and raven black-grey, shoulder-length hair. Unless my eyes were fooling me.

"Miss Steele, you do know the consequences of violently abusing another student, yes?" Mrs Waldroop questioned, raising an eyebrow at me whilst ignoring the figure who was sitting beside me. I could already feel Ashton's hard gaze on me as if he was looking through my soul but what I didn't expect was that I could see a small smile tugging at his lips. I punched his thigh roughly as he slightly winced and immediately looked away.

"Hold up," I said, raising a hand in the air as if wanting to state my own opinion in a classroom. "How can you be Ashton's grandma?" My thoughts were honestly killing me.

Mrs Waldroop seemed taken aback as her light brown eyes widened in disbelief. She glanced over to Ashton who was sitting beside me, chuckling at my words before folding his arms over his chest amusedly.

"Miss Steele, that is a personal-"

"She's my mother's mother," Ashton answered, interrupting Mrs Waldroop who snapped her attention to Ashton and narrowed her eyes in on him. "It's as easy as that."

I turned my attention on him and frowned, shaking my head as I fought the urge to sew his lips together. "I was asking your grandmother. Not you, Ashton."

"It's Mrs Waldroop-" The principal tried to say until Ashton cut her off, again.

"Well, I gave you an answer, didn't I?" he questioned, a smirk playing on his lips as he kept his eyes trained on me, watching my reaction.

"I didn't ask for your answer."

Ashton laughed lightly. "You still got an answer."

"I didn't want an answer from you, though. Can't you get that through that thick skull of yours?"

"Kids!" Mrs Waldroop exclaimed in annoyance as she slammed her fist on the table, Ashton and I flinching in surprise before turning our attention on the principal who was watching us whilst trying to fight the amusement written across her face.

I almost huffed, forgetting that I was in the principal's room and that at any moment now, I could be suspended or worst...expelled. And with just a phone call to my parents, I would be dead meat.

"Now, where were we?" Mrs Waldroop questioned herself as she strained a smile on her face before rolling her shoulders back. "So, what would you prefer? Community service or suspension?"

I raised an eyebrow, surprised that I was even given an ultimatum. "Do I have a choice?"

She nodded curtly. "Make one before I change my mind."

I sighed. "Community service."

Mrs Waldroop's eyes immediately lightened in hope before clasping both of her wrinkly hands together. "Great! Ashton, you may help her out."

In the corner of my eyes, Ashton's jaw dropped and his eyes widened in disbelief. "Grandma, I didn't even start the fight! As a matter of fact, I stopped it."

"Yes but you insisted on having this conversation with Aurora and me," his grandmother remarked, shaking her head before rising from her seat as if to signify that the conversation was over. She looked down at Ashton and gave him a knowing look, causing him to sigh heavily.