I was running.

I was frantic, I was scared, I was panicking, and I was sweaty. Because I was running.

It was times like this that was reminded thag high school is a scam.

In junior high you watch all these movies and dramas about high school, but its all a lie.

There are no groups of 'jocks' or 'nerds'. No. Those are just the names we give to each other, but none of us are compatible enough to band together and form a group.

Even the 'popular kids' aren't what you expect. They don't have a cool name like the 'IT squad' or 'drama queens'.

In fact, I'm one of the popular kids.

Yes, me. Astro.

I'm not the person you'd think would be known and worshiped across the whole school.

I'm tall, with curly dirty blonde hair. I have blue eyes, and a monotonous voice that makes me sound gay. I wear circular pink glasses, and my style is unique, but not in the way that would be appreciated in high school dramas like Mean Girls.

I was popular, known across the whole school, but I definitely wasn't worshipped. Again, that would require the student body to have at least a little sense of companionship.

Another thing is, the popular group aren't friends. They're borderline what you would call freaks, and we aren't chosen by our looks or by our money. Half of our wallets are empty and the other half is filled it's one dollar chewing gum.

The most popular kid is me. I am not what you call textbook handsome. I am not what you call rich. And I am not what you call strong.

All things of which are why I am now running.

Sure , it is lunch time, and I am supposed to be eating, according to the much repeated orders of the cafeteria chaperones.

But instead, I'm being bullied. Under the threat of death and penalty of shame.

I think it's a pretty good reason to be running.

Through the halls, down the corridors, around the bends.

It was tiresome, but my body didn't feel fatigued. More so my mind was bored.

The people chasing me could easily catch me. Especially Jax.

You see, there's one thing I didn't mention about this school and about my world.

We have magic.

I was cursed to have a bully that has telekinesis.

Jax could have easily lifted me up with that weak mind of his and carried me outside and behind the building. But he didn't.

I wondered why. Maybe my bullies were becoming bored.

I know I was.

That's probably why I had an expressionless face right now.

That's probably why I continuously allowed myself to let loose sighs of boredom.

That's probably why I let my feet take me a different route this time.

And that's probably why I landed in a library I never knew about, on the second floor, with my bullies on the fourth floor of the campus searching for me.

The library was beautiful. It had sparkling chandeliers and tall burgundy shelves.

The books were lined neatly, but held a posture that told me there had been someone searching through them.

My feet began moving again, but not in a sprint. I was in awe, and my bored facials relaxed into one that showed my shock.

There was another library in the school. It was on the second floor, but it only held every book you would need for your studies at this school. Which meant it was always flooded with loud and obnoxious students thag were worried about their homework.

This one... I could tell that it was different. I loved to read, and I've been in hundreds of libraries before this one, but from where I stood at the center of the masterpiece, k knew I would never see anything alike this place ever.

I lazily spun around, taking everything in with interest. You could feel magic reverberating off the books. It left me feeling agitated and taunted.

See, my school may be overrun with stupid jock wannabes that had awesome powers, but I often felt as though I was the only one who didn't have magic. I certainly hadn't unlocked it yet, like children typically do in their tenth.

It was rather embarrassing considering I'm 16 now.

Something moved out of the corner of my eye, causing my head to snap in that direction.

The spine of a book disappearing behind a corner and the lingering red hue of magic in the air piqued my interest, and k found my way wondering towards a small, rather darker corner of the library.

There, in the midst of the sinister red glow of demonic magic was a boy, perched on an armchair as though he owned the place, books hovering all around him, and his calculated light brown eyes fixated on me.

He had long-is red-brown hair, and it fell into his eyes slightly as he tilted his head downwards. His eyes never left, and his face never showed any emotion. Every movement was well thought out in advance.

"Hi..." I found myself saying.

He merely granted me with a small nod of the head.

Even though the school didn't worship me for being popular, I was always treated with respect, whether I asked for it or not. It didn't matter.

Despite what I was used to, and despite what I expected, I found myself smiling at the muted response, taking a seat before the menacing boy on the ground.

"Do I have to ask for your name?" I said, not allowing myself time to think as I so often found myself doing.

However, the boy in front of me must have found some mirth in my words, because his low laughter filled the space between us after I had uttered my query.

Then, he spoke.

His voice was beautiful. Deep and alluring, kind and so very British. It was as soothing as it was warning. It was as open hearted as it was closed off. It was as friendly as it was emotionless. It was beautiful.

"My name is Ken. And I'm guessing your Astro. I've heard about you."

I may have been the most popular boy in the school, and it shouldn't have made me as surprised as it did that this boy knew me, but a large part of my heart fluttered with happiness at the fact that Ken knew my name.

Happy birthday Astro! This one is for youuu!!! One chapter every hour of your birthday. It is 12am right now, and I'm not sleeping.

Much luv to you all! 🫶

Guys I drew the cover by hand! It was me! I did it!

This will be fun