"No way The Leo Ashford? Is it really him?"
"Fuck he looks like a walking fantasy, can someone really be that handsome"
Leo ignores the whispers, sliding his backpack over his shoulders and makes his way into the school.
….In the principal's office
"It's really an honor to have you here with us Mr. Ashford, I'm sure your time here would be nothing short of exquisite".
Leo just gives a slight nod obviously not interested in what he had to say. Principal Carter had very well made a name for himself in the little time he had been in Ashbourne, probably due to the fact that he knew just who and who not to suck up too.
Leo sighed slightly "I'd appreciate it if I could just get my itinerary"
"Right away, sorry for keeping you" Principal Carter pressed the intercom button on his desk. "Send in Sebastian Hayes for me please"
Principal Carter handed Leo his itinerary just as Sebastian was walking in.
"Sebastian this is Mr. Ashford, Mr. Ashford this is Sebastian Hayes, He's the Student Council President,"
Sebastian extended a hand to shake Leo "I've heard a lot about you, it's a pleasure to meet you"
Leo shook his extended hand "The pleasure is mine"
Principal Carter turned to Sebastian "Kindly show Mr. Ashford around, we don't want him getting lost do we?"
Sebastian smirks "Of course not" turning to Leo "I guess I'm your tour guide"
"Alright let's go". Leo picks up his bag and follows after Sebastian.
Sebastian looks at Leo silently sizing him up "So… Leo Ashford, huh? The guy everyone's been talking about"
Leo glances at him ignoring his previous statement "Where to first?"
"Hmm… do you have any place in particular you want to see? If not we could start from the library"
Leo shakes his head slightly "No, not really"
"Alright, the library it is then, it's right at the corner, hurry up"
Sebastian walked up to a pair of tall glass doors with the Ashbourne crest etched on it and pushed it open. "And this my friend" he announced "Is the library".
Inside the place looked less like a school library and more like something out of a University brochure. Two floors, lined with neat rows of shelves that seemed almost too perfect. A balcony ran across the upper levels, lined with study tables, while the bottom floor had clusters of plush chairs and heavy oak desks.
"It's got everything" Sebastian went on. "Research archives, digital catalogs, Academic journals. Basically, if you can't find it here, it probably doesn't exist".
Leo's eyes drifted over the shelves "Interesting".
Sebastian smirked "Final week is the only time it gets crowded and even then most of them just bring their private tutors".
"Efficient" Leo said dryly.
"Lazy", Sebastian corrected with a laugh. He walked a few steps ahead, gesturing at the upper floor.
"Up there are the private study rooms. They're usually booked solid, unless your family names carries weight". He gave Leo a pointed look. "Yours does"
Leo slipped his hands into his pockets, his expression unreadable. "Noted".
Sebastian cleared his throat. "Ahem, anyways that's enough of the books. Let's go see the gym. You'll probably like that better".
Sebastian pushed open the library doors and held it for Leo to make his way through. Leo nodded thanks as Sebastian led the way. "The gym's just down the wing", he said. "You'll hear it before you see it".
Sure enough, there were faint sounds of basketballs hitting the floor, sneakers squeaking and people screaming and cheering.
Sebastian pushed open a set of heavy doors, and the noise doubled instantly. "Welcome to one of Ashbourne's favorite places".
Sebastian led the way "So basketball court, as you can see. Official size, pro flooring. We host tournaments here, so expect it to be packed most weekends".
A tall boy jogging off the court waved. "Hey, Prez!"
Sebastian raised a hand in return without missing a beat. "That's Ethan, team captain. Lives in here more than his own dorm room".
He kept walking, gesturing towards the glass wall on the left. "That's the fencing hall over there. National champs train there, so if you're into swords and stabbing people in padded jackets, you'll fit right in".
A couple of girls passing by with tennis rackets shot Sebastian a quick look "Good morning, President Hayes", before eyeing Leo curiously. One whispered something, and the other giggled.
"The weight room, cardio and the pool are all downstairs" Sebastian continued ignoring the stares. "Basically if you want to train, it's here and even if you don't, half the school just treats the gym like some sort of social club".
Just then a ball came flying off the court, bouncing hard across the polished floor.
Leo caught the ball in its stride with one hand. He glanced at the hoop, adjusted his stance, and with a clean motion sent the ball arcing high. It swished through the net without touching the rim.
The players on the court froze, and then one of them let out a low whistle.
"Nice shot", Ethan, the captain, called out.
Sebastian lips quirked slightly, "So you've played before".
Leo shrugged, slipping his hands back into his pockets. "A little".
Leo's gaze swept over the entire gym. For a weekday morning, it was surprisingly crowded.
"Is it always this crowded?"
Sebastian smirked "Only when the summit's coming up"
Leo raised an eyebrow. "Summit?"
"The Concord Summit," Sebastian clarified. "Ashbourne Academy, Wellington College and Halcyon Prep, in the biggest inter school competition of the year. Sports, music, academics, you name it, plus there's the extra credit and of course the pride and feeling of winning.
Although the biggest reason is because we were the reigning champions but last year due to a slight mistake we lost our trophy and since Ashbourne is hosting this year, everyone is working twice as hard. No one wants to be the reason Ashbourne loses on home turf".
Sebastian sighed slightly "Anyways come on, your tour isn't over yet"
Sebastian and Leo made their way out of the Gym and walked down another hall and stopped at a heavy pair of double doors.
He pushed one open.
"This is the auditorium", Sebastian said. "Assemblies, debates, competitions, performances, it all happens here".
The room stretched wide, rows of cushioned seats that sloped towards a wide stage framed by deep red curtains.
Sebastian turned to him. "Cafeteria's down the other hall, so… that about covers the basics." He slipped his hands into his pockets. "The rest? You'll figure it out as you go. Ashbourne has a way of doing that."
Leo gave a short nod. "Appreciate it."
Sebastian glanced at his phone. "Almost lunch. No point in hitting class now—you'd barely sit down before the bell. You can check out the cafeteria, or do some exploring on your own." He pulled a folded map from his pocket and tossed it over.
Leo caught it one-handed. "Got it."
Sebastian smirked. "Alright, see you around, Ashford."
....
Author's Note💙
Hey everyone👋
It's Nyra again,
Thanks for reading😘 and sorry i couldn't update for so long, I was a bit sick.😕
But what do you guys think of this chapter tell me in the comments😸👇
I hope I see all of you in the next chapter ✌️✌️