𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗲 / ❛ new kid❜

[ episode one, ace degenerate ]

Rory's ears perked up as the bell resonated through the corridors, signaling the end of the period. Instantly, her expression shifted, a mix of frustration and urgency clouding her features. "Shit, I gotta go."

"Where? To science?" Daphne's disbelief was evident in the raised arch of her eyebrows as Rory darted out of sight, leaving her friend behind.

For anyone who knew Rory well, it was no secret that the only class she would ever rush to was music, and even then, it was a rare occurrence.

"I get to skip science. I have to tour some new kid around!" Rory shouted back, her voice echoing as she walked backward, ensuring she could still face Daphne.

"Lucky," Daph groaned, tilting her head and watching Rory then sprint down the halls.

Rory maneuvered through the bustling crowds, offering quick greetings as she weaved through the halls. Her shoulder brushed against a few people, her pace relentless as she made her way through the maze of the school, finally arriving at the office. Bursting through the doors, she found herself panting, feeling as if she had just traversed half the school. And West Valley High was no small campus.

"I'm here!" She exclaimed, her hand pressed against her chest as she glanced at the new boy standing beside her, watching her with a bemused expression. He smiled at her, a light chuckle escaping him as she stumbled backward slightly from the sudden stop.

"Aurora Quinn, making a stellar first impression," she sighed, stealing a glance at Counsellor Blatt, who shot her a warning look.

"Rory," She corrected. With a nod from the teacher signaling her dismissal, Rory smiled politely and seized the opportunity, grabbing the new boy's wrist and pulling him eagerly out of the office.

The hallways now appeared almost deserted, save for a few straggling students making their way to class. Rory took a moment to catch her breath, surveying their surroundings. Various posters adorned the walls, advertising upcoming dances, soccer games, and after-school activities, along with reminders about end-of-year exams.

"Welcome to West Valley High," she greeted with a smile, looking up at the brunette boy who mirrored her grin. "What's your name?"

His smile was infectious, tinged with a hint of nervousness. "I'm Miguel."

"Nice to meet you, Miguel," Rory said, beginning to walk with him falling into step beside her.

"West Valley's a pretty big school. There are bathrooms on every floor, the gym's at the end of the school, six classes down here, and most of the electives are upstairs. You'll see lockers everywhere you go. The trophy cases mostly hold math awards or soccer achievements, with a few photos from the '90s thrown in. And, well, there are some not-so-nice people, but also some decent ones," she explained, tilting her head slightly as Miguel nodded along with her words.

"That's pretty much it. Just your average LA high school, nothing fancier than what you're probably used to," she concluded.

As they passed classroom doors, Miguel glanced through the small windows, absorbing his new surroundings. Rory pushed open the heavy doors to the gym, revealing the empty expanse within. "Did you actually want a tour, or do you just want to hang out by the bleachers?" Rory asked with a playful smile.

Miguel accepted her offer with a quick smile, indicating his interest. "Sure." He pulled out his class schedule, prompting Rory to glance at it curiously.

"Do we have any classes together?" he inquired. Rory retrieved her own schedule, quickly scanning the contents.

"Math," she chuckled, recalling her frequent complaints about that particular subject. "You're in for a treat."

"I doubt it," Miguel replied with a slight squint, taking a seat on the bench. Rory smiled at his response, their eyes locking for a moment before she hummed, breaking the connection.

"So, why'd you move to the valley?" she asked, curiosity lacing her tone.

"My mom just wanted a fresh start, I guess," Miguel shrugged, then accepting Rory's phone when she handed it to him. He looked down at it with a puzzled expression.

"That's fair. Fresh starts can be nice," Rory remarked, giggling at his perplexed expression. "Give me your number, dummy."

"That's bold of you," Miguel chuckled, typing his number into her phone.

Rory lightly hit his shoulder, grinning mischievously. "Just in case."

Miguel returned her smile, his cheeks flushing slightly. As he glanced her over, Miguel took note of her appearance: a casual, grey 'the weeknd' shirt, complemented by clean, shiny red converse, which for some reason stood out to him.

Their interaction was interrupted by a teacher's stern voice, causing Miguel to snap out of his trance. "Miss Quinn, what are you doing in here?"

Rory awkwardly smiled as the teacher addressed her, before smoothly transitioning into a diversion tactic involving basketball skills. "I was just about to show, Miguel here, my basketball skills after I helped him with his timetable."

She picked up a basketball, swiftly tossing it up and going in through the hoop. With a somewhat successful attempt at distracting the teacher, Rory turned back to Miguel, stifling her laughter as she caught his eye once more.

Rory took a deep breath, offering a small smile to the cafeteria lady as a juice box landed on her tray. Turning toward her table, she gave Eli and Demetri a quick nod as she passed them.

As usual, they just stared—wide-eyed and awkward. Ever since Eli had witnessed her little incident, things had been weird between them. She was pretty sure he'd spilled the story to Demetri, considering how both of them now acted like saying "hi" to her was a high-stakes operation.

Rory scanned the cafeteria, her eyes catching on Moon. Her shoulders sagged, her mood deflating like a slow leak. Their breakup hadn't been messy—no fights, no big drama—just a gradual drifting apart. Still, seeing her ex always left a faint sting. Moon waved, and Rory mustered a polite smile in return before heading to her table, where Daphne and Tyler were already waiting.

She plopped down with a sigh, immediately letting her forehead thunk against the plastic tabletop. Tyler patted her shoulder in a half-hearted show of support, his other hand occupied with a ham sandwich.
"You'll get over it," he mumbled through a mouthful of bread.

"Nope," she whined, letting her head drop again for dramatic effect. Daphne chuckled at her theatrics as Rory sat back up with a groan, grabbing the green apple off her tray.

"Girls suck," Rory grumbled, glancing across the room. Her face twisted further as she spotted Kyler aggressively assaulting the vending machine. "But not as much as boys do."

"Some boys, Rora," Tyler countered, mockingly offended. "Some."

She squinted at him with exaggerated suspicion, then looked past his shoulder, where Yasmine sat smirking and whispering with her friends. Rory's expression faltered for a moment before she turned back, only to find herself locking eyes with Miguel.

Her mood shifted—just slightly—as she offered him a wave. Miguel, visibly caught off guard, turned to glance over his shoulder, clearly checking if she was waving at someone else. When he realized she was, his cheeks turned a faint pink, and he waved back shyly.

Rory chuckled, just loud enough for Daphne to notice. "Don't go from Moon to that, Aurora," Daphne gave her a dissapointed look.

"Shut up," Rory shot back, her glare lacking any real venom. Still, her eyes drifted back to Miguel, now deep in conversation with Demetri and Eli. She sighed dramatically. "I give up on dating."

Daphne raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching into a smirk. "You? Give up on dating? Please, you'll fall for the next person who accidentally smiles at you in line for coffee."

Rory threw her apple core onto the tray with a dramatic flourish. "Fuck off, Daphne. I'll have you know I am fully committed to self-care and independence now."

"Oh, is that what we're calling stalking your exes on Instagram?"Tyler quipped, earning a laugh from Daphne and a glare from Rory.

"First of all," Rory said, holding up a finger, "I haven't stalked anyone in like a week. Second, unlike some people, I'm capable of being alone and thriving. You're just bitter because Yasmine barely knows you exist."

"Low blow," Tyler said, feigning hurt. "And for the record, she totally knows I exist. She stepped on my shoe last week and said, 'Sorry, Trevor.' Progress, okay?"

Rory and Daphne both burst out laughing. Rory felt a flicker of something lighter, the heavy cloud over her mood lifting for a moment. Even when everything else in her life felt like a tangled mess, she could count on her friends.

But the lightness didn't last. Her gaze flicked back across the cafeteria, finding Miguel again. This time, he wasn't talking to Demetri or Eli. He was going towards Sam.

Rory's laughter faded as she watched. He didn't end up going over, Kyler sat down next to her and his confidence had seemed to fade.

"Oh shit," Daphne muttered, catching Rory's line of sight. "You've got that look again."

"What look?" Rory snapped defensively.

"The one where you overthink everything," Daphne said, leaning back in her chair. "Relax. He's not even worth the brainpower, Rora. Focus on you—and maybe try not to glare holes into Sam's head."

"I'm not glaring," Rory grumbled, forcing herself to look away.

Tyler raised a brow. "You kind of are. It's okay, though. Glaring's, like, your love language."

Rory rolled her eyes but stayed quiet, her fingers fiddling with the edge of her tray. She hated how easily she got caught up in these things. It wasn't like she and Miguel had some epic, star-crossed connection or anything. He was just a nice guy. Friendly. Polite. But nice guys didn't seem to stick around long in her world.

"Come on," Daphne said, nudging her shoulder. "Band practice after school. We'll drown all your feelings in music. Sound good?"

Rory gave her a small smile. "Yeah. Sounds good."

But as the bell rang and she picked up her tray, she couldn't help glancing back at Miguel one more time. The cafeteria buzzed with the usual chaos of lunchtime, but all Rory could hear was the quiet hum of her own thoughts, restless and unresolved.

.・゜゜・・゜゜・

word count : 1827

day published : 11/02/2024

    naomi speaks...

chapter one posted🤭

i was gonna make a little title gif but im actually so terrible at them so

i wanna watch 13 reasons why but there's so many seasons and idk if i have the patience to wait that long to find out who killed the girl🤷‍♀️

oh and im kinda dumping my whole life here rn but i have a massive crush on someone and its like a teasing enemies to lovers type shit and im screaming into my pillow but also giggling and kicking my feet everyday

anyways I LOVE MIGUEL N RORY ALREADY OMGGG

mory for ship name?

.・゜゜・・゜゜・