𝐑𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐀𝐂𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐘

Chapter 16: Maeve's Back

A/N
it would be super amazing if you guys vote on the star and comment <3
Anyone finished the ACOTAR or TOG series?

(a photo above of how Rowan would look like)
___

Aelin sat on a stool next to Elide facing a blank canvas. They were in art class and everyone sat at their own station, chatting and waiting for the teacher to arrive to finally start the lesson.

The noise in the room rose when someone walked into the room.

The girl could only be described as a raven-haired beauty, and even Aelin couldn't deny it. With her moon-white skin, long fingers and nails, she smiled, her pearly white teeth almost blinding, before striding up to an empty seat.

One that happened to be right next to Rowan.

The last few weeks were exhausting, juggling between outright punching Rowan in the face to sneakily avoiding him, Aelin made her hatred pretty clear overall.

What annoyed her the most was how he never bothered to come through and just apologize for what he said to her in front of the whole school.

"Is that Maeve?!" Elide gasped, covering her mouth with her hand, "I can't believe she's back."

Aelins eyebrows creased as she looked at the girl again. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something about the way Elide talked about her, with awe and a bit of fear, made her even more confused.

"Who is she?" Aelin asked, feeling lost, "And 'she's back'? Back from where?"

Elide stopped hawking and finally faced Aelin, who was tapping her foot on the stool impatiently.

"That is Maeve Regina," She explained, "She's been gone from school for weeks now, nobody knows why, it's all just rumours. Some people think her family's having issues and are getting a divorce, others are more crazy..."

She watched Maeve lean in closer to Rowan as they talked, and for some weird reason, he was smiling at her. Aelin didn't think she's ever seen him smile, well at least not like that.

And that put Maeve Regina in Aelin's bad graces.

They continued to talk just as Miss Smith walked in yelling for everyone to settle down, but then Aelin heard the most symphonic sound.

Rowan's head was thrown back, and he was... laughing.

His smile was so wide and joyous, and his laughter pure, that it was too much. Aelin hastily turned away from them.

Her heart started to beat faster.

What was happening to her?

"Class we will be working on creating a minimalistic piece of artwork today. You can use paper mache, water colors, chalk, or paint. You have the rest of the lesson to complete it, I suggest you start working," Miss Smith explained, waving her hands frantically for everyone to begin.

Without waiting another second, Aelin got up and went towards the art supply section, brainstorming what she wanted her piece to look like. More specifically crowding her mind with anything other than the jerk she despised so much.

She's never been talented in the whole art section of things, she'd prefer to read or even write, but she still enjoyed drawing sometimes when she was bored.

*cough cough* Mr. Erawan's boring ass classes.

Grabbing different acrylic paints like white, blue, black, and grey, she slowly stopped when she noticed someone beside her staring.

It was Maeve.

"I'm guessing you're the infamous Aelin Ashryver?" She cooed, her face calm and her smile dangerous, yet perfect nonetheless.

"You don't say," Aelin drawled, sarcasm lacing her lips, just as she smiled faintly and asked, "Do I know you?"

"No," Maeve said, "but you will."

Maeve picked up brushes of different lengths with grace as her moonlight hair fell in front of her face like silk, and then looked to Rowan.

Aelin looked as well and found him staring at them, his eyes deep and calculating. What he thought of this-them talking, she didn't know.

"I'm looking forward to it."

Maeve's violet eyes gleamed at her answer, and Aelin sat down in her seat with her gathered paints, ignoring the shocked look Elide gave her.

She did just throw herself into the lions pit after all.

~

Maeve was BAD NEWS. Aelin couldn't judge just from talking to her once and seeing her in the hallway a couple of times, but something about her wasn't right.

People practically bowed when she walked by, it was like she was their queen. And now that she was back, Rowan was at her side all the time. Basically 99.9 percent of the day he's stuck by her while the other 0.1 percent counted for bathroom breaks.

It was like Aelin didn't even exist anymore.

But why should she care? It's not like it mattered if Rowan talked to her again, because She. Doesn't. Like. Him.

"-Hey! Aelin! Wait up!" Dorian yelled from across the hall, as he stumbled through the crowd to her.

"Hey," He said breathlessly, "Where are you going?"

Aelin smirked incredulously, "Into my dorm, oh right, the one I share with you."

She stated obviously, holding up her key to emphasize.

"Ha ha very funny," He rolled his eyes.

"I meant,"  He drawled, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be dressed?"

She noticed he wasn't wearing the usual red and black striped uniform. Instead he had on a gray v-neck shirt with ripped jeans.

Getting more confused by the minute she wondered what they had planned and realized she probably forgot to meet at Elide's or something.

"Get dressed for what?" She asked, stepping inside their dorm and plopping on the bed.

It was only lunch time but sleep is sleep, who could hate it?

"I'm actually feeling quite tired I think I might pass."

"I don't think you'll be tired for where we're going," Dorian smiled maliciously, "We are going out to town..."

Aelin raised an eyebrow, oh she'd need more explanation then that.

Seeing that she still didn't get it Dorian continued.

"... for the school dance of course."

The school what?