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𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏

 -ˋˏ 𝘔𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘍𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 ˎˊ-

˚ 　 ✫ 　　　 ˚ . 　　　 ⋆

. · 　　 +

✧

╰┈˚ · ° .   MORNING WERE HARD, they always had been. Without the darkness of the night sky to be lightened by millions of stars, my eyes, my brain, my body— they felt like they were being dragged down towards an endless sleep.

Now more than ever, my bed never felt more comfortable– with layers of blankets that differentiated in colors and textures atop of the dark purple comforter, with pillows of different sizes and softness to surround me— it was my heaven.

If it wasn't, of course, for the skylight from which the morning rays of sun shined through.

I cursed the alarm that blared its loud ring throughout the entire room for the third time. And more so, I cursed myself for falling asleep before drawing the curtain on the ceiling window on top of my bed.

Freshening up and dressing myself didn't take much, but of course, with the time that I took to finish my makeup it was already almost time to go to school.

My eyes drifted for a second to the framed photo of my family— a photo of a time when we had all been happy. A photo that dated back at least five years— Now they were dead. Jeremy smoked his grief away and Elena tried to act like our parents. Me... I just stayed unmoved, hazed and stuck even more.

I dragged my eyes away, shutting the door close behind me.

Elena, closing the door of her own room passed me with a strained smile at the corners, her hand twitching on her side. I know that it was like a reflex, wanting to console the others. But this way. she was only burying her own feelings.

And still, though, I gave her back a tight lipped smile. I wanted to squeeze her hand, give some words of comfort like she had done many times before for the rest of us, but the words never left my lips and my body almost convulsed away from the idea of touching her.

It was getting worse.

Haphephobia, the fear of being touched or touching others. At least that was what my psychologist had said four years ago when it began to be a problem. And from that day, it only got worse.

"Toast, I can make toast." Aunt Jenna said, her body in front of the fridge while her head was turned towards the middle child of the Gilbert family.

My boots tapped against the wooden parquet floor announcing my presence in the kitchen behind Elena's.

"It's all about the coffee aunt Jenna." Elena answered as she poured herself a cup of the rich brown liquid.

Following my aunt to the fridge, careful of the space between us, I reached beside her for the freezer, letting a spoonful of ice inside the travel mug before half filling it with milk.

"Is there coffee?" Jeremy asked, walking in the kitchen, red-rimmed eyes and ready to steal Elena's mug.

"It's your first day of school, and I'm totally unprepared."

Aunt Jenna was only a handful of years older than us. She was my mother's younger sister, a graduate student studying psychology at Whitmore college. She was living her carefree life and had no idea that in the span of a night, she remained the only person that could take the custody of us three siblings.

The woman dug into her bag before turning and offering us the three bills held between her fingers. "Lunch money?"

Jeremy was the first to accept the money from our aunt.

"I'm okay." Elena replied, filling herself another cup of coffee after our brother stole her previous one.

"I'm good." I nodded my head at the adult, taking the pot of coffee to fill my own travel mug.

"Anything else? A number 2 pencil? what am I missing?"

"Don't you have a big presentation today?" Elena asked, nose scrunched as she thought.

Looking at her watch, Jenna replied. "I'm meeting with my thesis advisor at... Now Crap."

I took the clip from her head, her strawberry blonde hair falling down to her shoulders. "Then go." I said, giving her a nod.

"We will be fine." Elena added, herself giving a nod too.

Jenna sent us a grateful smile before placing her bag on her shoulder and quickly jogging away, the front door closing after just a couple of seconds.

"You okay?" Elena asked. Her brown eyes filled with concern as she stared at our little brother.

"Don't start." Shrugging her concern away Jeremy stalked away leaving Elena with a crestfallen expression.

And before she could start with me too, I slipped my headphones on, music blaring loudly into my ears as it kept me company as I walked to school.

───── ⋆˖⁺‧ ☽◯☾ ‧⁺˖⋆ ─────

╰┈˚ · ° .  Mystic Falls High School, the place was swarmed with students, friends hugging like they had not seen each other for years, chatters and laughter filled the air.

If there was an emotion that I could decide to not feel ever again, it would be jealousy. But as of now, nestled between the grief and anger, jealousy reared its ugly head.

Friends, a faraway dream.

And so, I lost myself once again in the music blaring through the headphones. Or at least I tried until a football was thrown at me, smacking on my arm causing my phone to fall from my hand.

"Tyler fucking Lockwood." Maybe anger was probably my default emotion when it came from high school douchebags.

"Sorry, Meda." The guy snickered under his breath, his two jock friends laughing alongside him.

He definitely didn't seem much sorry about it.

I sighed out a heavy breath, kicking the ball with my feet not caring where it landed. A laugh bubbled from my left, muffled slightly as if a hand was covering the mouth.

"What are you laughing at?!" I snapped my head towards the sound, eyes ablaze.

The guy who was laughing wasn't anyone that I had seen before. And still, it felt like I had met him already before. His skin was of a rich brown color with a warm undertone. His black afro hair was twisted in locs that had golden jewelry to adorn them. His eyes changed color when a ray of sun hitted them, shifting to a toasty brown with hints of hazel that were darkened by the smoky liner on his waterline. Sharp eyebrows, cheekbones and jaw. Double colored plump lips, brown with a softer pink.

He had various golden jewelry, rings to embellish his fingers, a couple of chains around his neck atop his black turtleneck. Ironed gray dressing pants on his legs and to finish his outfit there was leather belt and a black wool trench coat.

My breath got caught in my throat, my heart echoed in my ear. Beautiful. He was the most beautiful person that my eyes had ever laid on.

"Sorry." he said with a light chuckle. "For a second I actually thought that you were going to punch him."

"I-" Why the hell am I stuttering? "They would have deserved it, to be honest. Tyler and his cult of jocks are an offense to anyone with an IQ of over 50."

The stunning guy crouched down for a second before standing up with my phone in his hand. "This is yours." His lips twisted into a soft smile as my fingers accidentally brushed against his. I expected the panic to crawl up my throat but... it never came, much to my surprise. My back tingled at the barely there contact, and my cheeks lightly colored with shade of pink.

Am I... blushing?

"I'm Zyran." He introduced himself, eyes lightening their color even more as the sun ray landed on his face.

Surprising myself, I extended my hand. "Andromeda." I said.

His hand enveloped mine, his much bigger almost completely covering mine. He was warm— like a summer night— and it contrasted with the coldness of the rings on fingers.

No panic, no fear. Only warmth and the tingles on my back.

"I'm kind of new here." He said looking around to the other students.

"Yeah. I know you are new. Everyone knows everyone and everything in this town." I said with amusement as my lips curled into a genuine smile. The first that I did since I woke up. Or maybe in days? I don't know.

"Do you know where the secretary's office is? I need to go there before the lessons start."

"I'll take you." I said almost a bit too soon.

"Sure." he chuckled again, offering his arm up for me to lock mine with. "Lead the way."

And I did it. I took his arm with only a spare second to think about it.

I intertwined my arm with his, my smile never faltering, only widening slightly as I only felt him. No needle on my skin, no panic rising... only warmth. Only him

✎

˗ˏˋ 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 ˊˎ˗

Hello everyone!!

Welcome to this new book guys!! After so long, I started finally publishing the chapters. (I litterally ended writing season 1 in august, the editing is a bitch, though and I hate it)  

For those of you that don't know yet, this is a Why choose Book! Meaning, more than one love interest!!

This was the first chapter and the introduction to my fem OC, Andromeda.

She has Haphephobia, the fear of being touched or touching others. More will be seen of it during the entirety of the book. And further down this fic, the reason for this will be explained.

Zyran is the first Male oc introduced, I hope that you will come to love him as much as I do.

I have a lot of fics and I have to confess that Zyran is one, if not, my favorite.

I'm trying a new layout for my chapters, so please let meknow what you think about it!!

  Thank you for reading this chapter, I'll see you on Saturday!

˚ · ° . 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞 . ° · ˚

𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲

𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞!

– 𝐋𝐨𝐥𝐚 ☾