It was an average first day for Cole Ashmen
He was a 15 year old freshman and this was going to be his first day of school Small Valley High.
He'd just moved in Small Valley town with his mother for her new job. In this first day he was keen on making a first impression particularly as new student and particularly as a freshman
First impressions were something he valued because he thought you could learn a lot about a person in a first impression and he had personality he particularly wanted to show in his first impression
When he got to the large institute filled with different high-schoolers like him, freshman and upper-class men and the like.
The school was filled with different buildings for different departments and fields. After a long struggle he got to the door of his first door.
Calming himself he said, "first day all right, just bring the usual swagger." Not that he had much swagger to speak of.
He entered the mildly noisy classroom. In the classroom were multiple of his new classmates conversing with each. He took at the front right of the classroom and observed the lively class.
A boy in a rock band shirt with a very outfit approached him. The boy had ear pearcings and and a lazy posture. "Yo dude what's up. I saw you sitting there all nervously" the boy said. "Well Im Tom. Nice to meet ya." He reached in for a handshake.
Cole nervously quickly accepted the handshake. "Uh oh I...wasnt nervous or anything. I was just preparing" he said.
Tom gave in a small burst of laughter. "Preparing to say hi to your new classmates. Well your funny for the least. Anyway come meet up with the rest of the squad
Cole stood up, tucking his sketchbook under his arm before following Tom down the aisle between desks. Tom had a laid-back stride, as if school was just another stage to perform on.
At the back of the classroom sat a small group of students crowded around a desk. They all looked up as Tom waved them over.
"Guys, this is Cole. Fresh meat, but seems chill," Tom said with a grin.
A girl with short purple braids nodded. "Freshman, huh? Welcome to Small Valley High. I'm Mira."
"Leo," said a guy hunched over a handheld game console, barely glancing up.
"And I'm Jess," another girl added brightly. "Tom's the loud one. Don't let him scare you."
Cole smiled politely, grateful for the warm-ish welcome.
As they chatted, he noticed a girl enter the room quietly. She walked past the group without looking at anyone and sat at the window seat in the back row. Long black hair. Pale expression. Cold presence.
Something about her felt… heavier than everyone else. Not intimidating. Just—off. As if the air shifted when she walked in.
"Who's that?" Cole asked.
Tom leaned closer. "Transfer student. She came in just last week. Quiet type. Kinda creepy if you ask me."
"Aria," Mira added, eyes narrowing. "She doesn't talk to anyone. Like… at all."
Cole glanced back at her. She had her eyes fixed out the window, as if she were listening to something far away.
He blinked.
For a split second, he could've sworn he saw black ink drip from her fingertips onto the desk—before it vanished like a mirage.
"What the...?" he muttered.
"Something wrong?" Jess asked.
Cole shook his head. "No. Just… thought I saw something."
Tom grinned. "Better not be hallucinating on your first day, man."
Cole forced a laugh, but the chill in his spine remained.
And from the back row, Aria finally looked his way—for just a second.
Her eyes locked with his.
Then she turned back to the window.