Deeper Than Ever

TWO

****

AVA ATKINSON

"It- it'll be difficult for me." I said, lowering my gaze to the floor, as we sat at the breakfast table. 

We moved in just a few days back, because the feel of that place gave me jitters now. It wasn't difficult, because Aunt Paisley got a transfer easily, and it was the end of the session at school also. Considering our good grades at our previous school, it wasn't much of a hassle to get enrolled at Silverleaf High.

"Don't you worry, Hon, everything will fall in place." Aunt Paisley cheered me up.

"Yeah, you're lucky you're smart and gorgeous, but I'll have to be on the lookout for the good-for-nothings." Con chuckled.

Con was my best friend, my elder twin who I loved to pieces, and the feeling was mutual. Con had always been supportive, helpful and the loving kind, the one that wouldn't fight at all. With me, I mean. He'd gotten his nose into serious brawls at school, though. Con was my star boy, the physics lover, who played football with amazing gusto, was handsome, and he played the guitar- a big bonus. Apart from that, he detested the BTS like me, which was a pro-point.

"Are you always stupid or is today a special occasion, Conrad?" I asked him in my sweet-dangerous voice. 

"Sassy as ever, Sissy." He chuckled.

"Thanks for breakfast, Auntie Paisley." I pecked her on the cheek, and slung my backpack on my shoulder. I had to lean a bit to get to her cheek, I stood at a solid 5'9", contrasted to her 5'6". On the other hand, Con was a 6'1", and he always boasted of that.

"Good luck, babies," She pulled us in a tight hug, and pecked each of us, and smiled- "I know you'll ace through, don't be an a*s to anybody, Conny." She giggled.

"I'm driving." I whined, but he got in the driver's seat. "I'm sorry, Ave, I don't take orders, I barely take suggestions." He clucked his tongue- "Get in, or I'll make you." He said in a don't-whine-like-a-kindergartner  voice.

"Ass." I retorted before getting in with a sulky face.

Conrad always drove like a bison, slow. What was the fun in that? Most importantly, he drove slow when I was in. Brother responsibilities, he says.

Silverleaf High.

A new life.

"Weren't we supposed to pick Alicia up?" I shot, casually, and noticed a pink tint on Con's cheeks.

It was gone before I could comprehend it properly, but it was definitely there.

Awww, somebody had a crush on Alicia Hansen!

Of course. Alicia was pretty, standing up to a solid 5'8" like me. She had light brown hair and green eyes. I loved her eyes, they were like the green of the tranquil forests. She had long legs, and she was thin too. 

Alicia was a neighbor who stayed on Oak Hill Street, like us. I'd met her only last week after Aunty Paisley pushed me to meet her. We hit it off almost immediately, and became great friends. She was going to Silverleaf too. Aunty Paisley was Mrs. Hansen's colleague, they'd met at office. Aunt Paisley worked as a software engineer, she was as smart as us if spoken of tech.

"No, she said that she'd gotten her car repaired and back." He informed.

"She said? How come do I not know?" I c****d a brow.

"She called me to intimate." He shrugged like it was nothing.

They both denied it, but they had some serious sparks going on between them. I wanted to play cupid- the matchmaker, but I didn't know what to feel about my new best friend dating my brother.

"Here we are." Con pulled in at the driveway. I faced the high institution structures with dread. Fear. So many people. SO many guys.

"Everything will be fine, sissy. I'm just a nudge away, and if someone annoys you, just flip them the bird, baby." Con grins at me.

"Thank you, Conrad." I reach over to pull his cheeks and stretch them. He groans. "I'm still a nudge away, even if you t*****e me, Ave." He pouts and we get out of the Volvo.

There are excited whispers audible in the air as we approach the building.

"Look at them, they're new, right?"

"I heard they moved in just a few weeks ago."

"They're twins, right? Don't look like each other."

Don't worry, Ava. You've got this. You practice Krav Maga, deliver a few solid punches if they hurt ya!

Yep, Con and me started attending Krav Maga sessions six months ago.

Lot of people. A shitload of people.

"Let's head over to the reception, sis." Con grabs my hand gently, giving it a light squeeze. 

The reception was in a hustle too, because it was the first day. The receptionist was a short, petite lady in her forties. She gave us a gentle smile.

"Conrad and Ava Atkinson." Conrad said.

"Let me look you up," Her eyes skimmed the PC, and she flashed a smile as she found our names. "Miss Atkinson, Mister Atkinson, the schedules." She handed us two folders, which included the passes for each class and the schedules, and a bunch of some other s**t.

"Thank you," I mumbled, not wanting her to think I was dumb.

"I've gotten you in second-period Biology, third period Mathematics, and yeah, fifth for Literature. Yup, sixth Physics, seventh Chemistry too." He checked.

"Chem," I groaned, "What had you taken in GIFTED?" I asked.

"Psychology," He shrugged, "Some people are stuck with just haywire sisters, you know?" He rolled his eyes.

"Roll your eyes all you want, there's no brain back there," I retorted, "And you might need Psychology to set your screws more than take care of me." I snapped.

"Easy on me, sister," He chuckled, and then his expression turned into a serious one- "I can change some of my periods if you want me." He said.

"No, I need to cooperate and manage." I sighed.

"Don't sweat it, girl." He patted me, as we headed into different directions.

I whipped my phone out and started going through the map of the school I had. It was big, I had no idea where to go for American History right now.

Whoa, I'd gotten 978 likes on my recent i********: Feed, and a load of comments. 'Stunning gal', 'Sassy, classy and se-'

I bumped into a wall.

What a great head start to my day.

I looked up to roll my eyes, but it was a completely different case.

A handsome boy with a big smirk. Uh-oh.

I moved a few steps back.

"I'm sorry." I started walking away, uncomfortable with the touch.

"Oh, hello?" He clicked his fingers in front of my eyes, "Look where you are going, at least. People come to school to study, not to read i********: comments." He snapped, his smirk replaced by a scowl.

I smiled, a totally fake-sweet smile. He looked shocked.

"Can you see the 'f**k you' in my smile, Mister?" I snapped. He looked shocked, for a second, but regained his composure. 

"What language are you speaking, girl?" he stepped closer to me, dangerous zone crossed. I sucked a sharp breath. "I don't speak assholian." He glowered.

We got into a glaring-contest.

"Avy?"

I felt a hand drape around my shoulder. I cringed at the touch, but softened when I recognized the voice. Alicia.

"Hey, Ava, uh-" She paused, confusedly glancing back and forth between me and the stranger. 

A hot, handsome stranger, I might add as well.

It was an understatement, actually. He stood to almost 6'3" towering over me. His eyes were a dangerous light brown, his hair light brown. He was lean and muscular, with the perfect, GQ worthy jawline, and nice, messy hair. He looked beautiful.

Stop!!! I considered the factor whether I was crazy or something, this stranger was just cussing at me.

"What happened, guys?" Alicia asked, confused.

"Nothing, I am just experiencing life at the speed of a million WTFs per second." I glared and flipped him the bird, and dragged Alicia with me, inside what happened to be the American History class.

"Wait up, girl," She said, still confused. "You just flipped the bird to the school topper and the bad boy?" She said in a are-you-super-crazy tone.

"f**k the grades, I'll see him in the test." I glared in his direction. He had gone, but the crowd was still drinking the fact in.

"You're in for a hell of a ride, girl." She shook her head impassively.

****