A gift for @sunnyhydrangea for the @trcexchange. I hope you like it!! <3
Bluesey, rated G.
3954 Words
Read Here on AO3
Blue looked down the hallway, pausing and tightening her jaw before taking the final into the school. This plan was ridiculous and she knew it but Maura had insisted, telling her that this was her best chance for college. Get a scholarship to the fancy private school, impress the fancy private school people, get a fancy college scholarship. It had all sounded so reasonable when they had discussed it in June.
Only now, that she was actually here, wearing the scratchy uniform, did she see the flaws.
One being that everyone else belonged and she didn’t. The other students flowed around her, chatting comfortably. Even when they were all wearing the same clothes Blue stuck out like a sore thumb. People barely even glanced at her as they passed. It was like they could smell it on her, that she came from the wrong place, that she didn’t have money like them.
Everyone probably knew that anyway. It wasn’t enough that this was the first year that the school was allowing girls, that much was obvious from the jeering and catcalls the girls were getting. But among them, Blue was still different. The other girls were polished and pretty, looking like their uniforms were freshly ironed, probably by their maids. Blue had to grab hers from the hamper that morning, Maura had planned to wash it but never did, getting distracted by the house and business. So it was rumpled and didn’t quite fit right, a hazard of being bought secondhand, parts cobbled together when they found them. She had tried to sew a patch or five on, give it some flair, but Maura had ripped them off when she’d seen them, telling Blue that she wasn’t going to get expelled on her first day. Now the only evidence of them was the small threads that Blue couldn’t stop herself from picking at.
She knew she had to move. She couldn’t stand in the doorway forever. Especially not as more people poured in.
Steeling herself she stepped in, telling herself that this couldn’t be worse than regular high school. Winding her way through the maze of a school- for how expense the place was you’d think that they would at least have some maps- she sighed as she came to another dead end. The room she was looking for, 12D, should have come after 11D but instead she was staring at a brick wall.
“Hey there little viper, you lost?” Someone called from behind her.
Blue turned, scowling, as an Aglionby stopped and grinned at her. He had tall, spiky hair and sharp cheekbones. Blue guessed he was Korean.
“No.” She said, gesturing at the wall. “I’m clearly at Hogwarts and just need to walk through this wall to find my classroom.”
He chuckled, nimbly the schedule that Blue held and clucking at it. “Chemistry ay? You’re in the wrong wing. I’ll take you.”
“Why?” She asked, snatching it back.
“I’m the welcoming committee.” He swept into a low bow. “Welcome to Aglionby Hermione.”
“My name is Blue.”
“Henry Cheng, at your service.” He glanced at his wrist, which had a fancy fit bit looking contraption on it. “And we’ll soon be late so,” he held out an arm. “Shall we?”
Blue ignored his gesture but walked next to him and the pair set off. “Why are you really helping me? And why did you call me little viper?”
“You looked lost. I’m a good guy.” He said, shooting her a grin. “As for the nickname, well, you looked ready to strike out at anyone who passed so, viper, and, hate to break it to you, but you’re awful short.” He said, measuring Blue’s head to his shoulder. “Do they not give you milk in public school?”
“Don’t they teach manners in your fancy private school?” She asked. Blue wasn’t sure if she trusted this stranger, especially since he oozed Aglionby and everything she hated about the school. But he had a disarming smile and didn’t stop talking, often with hand gestures, as they walked.
“Here, safe and sound.” Henry said, pointing to a door in front of her. “See you around Miss Blue.”
“Don’t bet on it,” She said, unable to stop a slight smirk on her lips. He waved goodby and she slipped into the classroom, finding an empty table in back and pulling out her notebook, not failing to notice how many other people had laptops or tablets. At least one other person had a notebook, a dusty looking boy who seemed slightly suspicious of everyone except the boy he was sitting next to. The boy didn’t have a tablet either, in fact he didn’t even have a pencil. He was chewing absentmindedly on his leather bracelets as a third boy told a story. The third boy was the only one who looked like he belonged. It wasn’t just that his uniform was perfectly clean, it was how he wore it. Like he had no doubts that he belonged, like he knew the he’d be accepted to any room he walked into. Normally Blue would hate it but it wasn’t arrogance like other students had, it was more than he’d never considered it any other way.
Her eyes lingered on the trio. Something about them caught her eye and she watched them talk until the bell rang and the teacher appeared. “Take your seats everyone. Mr. Gansey, please sit.”
The third boy, the one who belonged, looked around, his eyes settling on the empty seat by Blue. “May I sit here?” He asked, walking over and offering her a charming smile.
She wanted to refuse but the class was small and the other seats taken so she nodded. He sat and looked at her. “Welcome to Aglionby,” Then he frowned slightly, his hand going to her hair and plucking something out. “You have feathers in your hair.” He said, letting it fall to the ground.
She leaned back as he reached out again, furrowing her brow. “I know, I put them there.” For as many rules as this school had there weren’t any about hair decorations. She had checked then doubled checked. So she decided to put some stray feathers she found in her hair, held in with beads.
“I-oh- well, they’re pretty.” He said, clearly confused why anyone would ever put feather in their hair.
“They’re my warpaint.” Blue said, baring her teeth at him in what she hoped was an intimidating manner. He seemed surprised at least.
Before the boy could respond the teacher stood and started his lecture, explaining what they’d be learning about all year. Blue phased in and out until he mentioned that the person they were sitting next to would be their lab partner all year and that the pair should get to know each other because they’d be spending a lot of time together.
At that, she glanced at the boy again. He looked like he had just stepped out of an ad for a yacht. It was the hair, Blue decided, perfectly swept to the side of his face, like he had been caught in the wind. It was too perfect. Blue wanted to push her hand through it, to muss it up. All of him was too perfect, she decided. It was like someone had created the perfect Aglionby boy and printed him off. She hated it.
Class ended early, the professor instructing them to introduce themselves to their partners and discuss the syllabus. Since most of the students knew each other the class immediately broke out into a ruckus. Blue’s new partner turned to her, giving her a smile that showed off his perfectly straight teeth.
“Richard Gansey the Third, but most folks call me Gansey.” He stuck his hand out as he spoke, offering her a handshake.
Blue took it, quickly shaking it and saying, “Blue.”
He frowned slightly, “That’s not a name.”
“Tell my mom that.” She said, pulling back and throwing her things into her bag.
He seemed to have realized he insulted her and tried to backpedal. “No, it’s- no it's a good name. I’ve just never heard it.”
“Now you have.” She said, standing and saluting him.
“Where are you going? Class isn’t over.”
“Are you going to stop me?”
He seemed surprised that she even asked that. “No, of course I won't.”
“Then I’m leaving.” The teacher had already left so there was no motivation for her to stay. She glanced back as she left. Gansey had stood and walked to his friends but was watching her leave.
Whatever, she didn’t care. She wasn’t there to impress someone who didn’t even have his own name. She left, wandering to her next class.
Over the next few weeks Blue found a rhythm at Aglionby. She spent more time with Henry, at first because he wouldn’t let her eat lunch alone but eventually because she wanted to. She soon learned that he was friends with Gansey and his posse.
She learned the name of the others, who seemed to follow Gansey around without being entirely happy about it. Ronan, the one with the bracelets, seemed angry about everything though. She was surprised that he hadn’t self destructed yet, if what she had heard about him whispered in the halls was even partially true.
Adam was her favorite. He didn’t belong either. But he was rarely around, always at work or studying, even during lunch. He was the closest to a real person as this school offered. As much as he tried to fit in his second hand uniform and dirty fingernails would always give him away. Blue liked that he didn’t fit in as much as he seem to despise it.
At least he made sense.
Gansey, the opposite of Adam, made no sense to her. The more she learned about him the more intriguing and annoying he was. The fact that she found him intriguing was partially why she was annoyed.
She couldn’t figure Gansey out. He was clearly wealthy and often made ignorant comments, belittling her without intending it. He always apologized but she got annoyed every time, occasionally leaving the lunch table because of it. The occasion where he accidentally implied she was a prostitute was a favorite of the group’s.
She should hate him. She knew that. His privilege. His arrogance. She should stay far away from him and not try to figure him out.
For a few weeks she had tried to do just that. She had given short replies to his questions and was, overall, a terrible lab partner. It had obviously confused him. Blue was fairly certain that Gansey had never had trouble charming anyone in his life.
Then one day they were spending class arranging chemicals from the most acidic to basic and Blue was struggling. She loved some sciences, biology and anatomy, but chemistry was not her forte. She was only taking it because her guidance counselor had said it would round out her class load for college applications.
The problem was that none of it made sense. Biology and Anatomy were about plants, living things that she could see and touch. She could watch how a person ran and see their muscles move or observe a plant unfurl it’s leaves.
But chemistry? It was all theories and numbers. Watching one chemical react to another didn’t help her understand the subject and it annoyed her to no end.
That much had been clear when she got her first test back. She had gotten a D. She had crumpled it up, cursing her counselor for telling her that this class would help her. It was going to sink her.
It didn’t help that it all seemed to come so easy to Gansey. He could answer questions with ease, always knowing exactly what the teacher wanted. It annoyed her to no end, his casual ease with everything. He was the same in the other classes they shared.
She had to remind herself that he had probably had tutors since birth, people whose entire job was to help him learn all of this. As much as Blue loved her mom and extended family none of them were concerned with traditional education or helping her with homework. They were more worried about her being a good person, about her values. Which was wonderful until it came to knowing the difference between an ionic bond and a covalent one.
Which is why, now in Chemistry, running tests to determine if something was acidic or not, she wanted to rip her hair out.
“Where do you think this goes Blue?” Gansey asked, holding up one of the test tubes.
She glared at it. “In the trash.”
He looked at her, a bit stunned. “No I think it’s acidic. The second most acidic.”
That drove her crazy too. No matter how rude she was to Gansey he never bit back. He would just smile and nod or look confused. She didn’t know if he didn’t realize that she was being cruel or if he was just good at ignoring her.
He mixed some things then held up the next one. She watched. Blue was well aware that she was a terrible partner. Gansey did nearly all the work, occasionally Blue would mix something or hold an item but otherwise he ran the show. He never complained but Blue assumed it had to frustrate him, at least a little.
“Ms. Sargent, Mr. Gansey,” The teacher strolled over. Gansey nodded at him, Blue didn’t move. “Ms Sargent, can you tell me what makes something more acidic?”
“Um-” She racked her brain, trying to remember the reason. “It has more-” She stretched but nothing came. The teacher tutted and turned to Gansey.
“Hydrogen ions.” Gansey finished.
“Precisely. Ms. Sargent you may want to work closer with your partner, maybe he can rub off on you.”
The teacher moved on to the next table and Blue glared at Gansey, who at least seemed to realize that she was upset.
“Didn’t mean to steal your thunder.” He said, turning away from her gaze.
She sighed. As angry as she was it wasn’t at him, it was at herself. She could admit that. As much as she wanted to hate Gansey she didn’t.
“You didn’t. I didn’t know. I never know. I hate this stupid class.” She admitted.
“I-” He looked surprised, a rarity for Gansey. Blue hadn’t willingly said more than a few words to him since the first day. Even at lunch she would talk to the others, mostly Adam if he was there or else Henry.
“I could help.” He finally said. “If you want.”
Now it was her turn to be surprised. She didn’t speak so he continued. “I’m good at science. It’s all facts and data. I could tutor you.”
“I can’t pay you.” She replied, skeptical.
“I don’t want your money. I don’t need it.” She rolled her eyes and he seemed to realize how that came across. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Why help me then?”
He tilted his head. “Because you need it.”
She wanted to refuse. Or at least argue. But it was true. She did need it.
So she nodded. “That’d be, great, actually.”
Gansey was as surprised as she was. He looked shocked for all of thirty seconds and then recovered, looking delighted. “Great! Fantastic! I can come to your house tomorrow? I’m free all day.”
She was a little concerned how eager he was but she had already agreed. “After one, I’m dog walking until then.”
“Perfect.” He pulled out his phone, taking down her number and address. Blue was certain that this was a terrible idea but Gansey seemed so excited, it was almost infectious.
The next day Blue was late getting back from walking the dogs. The pomeranian had refused to go and she had to do another lap around the block. To her horror, there was a terrible orange car parked in front of her house, so out of place in both cost and color that it almost hurt.
“No, no, no,” She cried, rushing in. As soon as she opened the door she heard laughter coming from the kitchen. Her jaw dropped in horror as she entered. Gansey was sitting there, his hands curled around a mug that Blue made in fourth grade, and he was laughing as her mother told a story. Quickly, she realized it was a story about Blue, when she had tried to run away but only made it as far as the backyard.
“I found her back there, sleeping under the tree. She told me that she was going to live there now, insisting that it wasn’t under my roof. She was so proud of that.” Maura finished as Gansey and Orla laughed, Gansey out of happiness and Orla out of mirth.
“Mom!” Blue said, stomping into the kitchen. “Can you not?”
“Well someone had to entertain your Aglionby boy.” Orla said, looking up at Blue through her lashes. “You never mentioned he was charming.”
Something curled in Blue as Orla’s finger swept over Gansey’s forearm. She glared at her cousin but Gansey didn’t seem to notice, he was already scrambling to stand, smiling at Blue. “Your family is very nice Blue.”
“Hear that Blue, I’m nice.” Orla said, her eyes looking distinctly serpent like.
She resisted throwing back an insult, knowing that it would only start a fight. “Let’s go upstairs.” She said, grabbing his hand.
“Leave the door open!” Maura called after them and Blue groaned, meaning she missed the blush that rose on Gansey’s cheeks.
“Here, finally,” Blue said, falling onto her bed in her cramped room after shutting the door. She knew that her mom wouldn’t check and didn’t want anyone else eavesdropping, a real possibility in her house.
“Your room is quite-” Gansey looked around, taking in her painted walls and threads dangling from the ceiling. “Unique.”
“Try that again, with less of a tone.” Blue suggested, watching as he turned a light shade of red. She was used to it by now, Gansey had a habit of speaking with no idea how it sounded to others.
He looked at her, surprised, his lips forming an O. “It has a lot of personality, it’s warm and lived in. I quite like it. It's different than mine.”
“What’s yours like?” She asked, pulling out her notebook and textbook.
“Big. Fancy. Difficult to find people in.”
She snorted. “I never have that problem, I’m usually tripping over people.”
He pulled out his own materials. “You’re lucky.”
She didn’t mention that she was thinking the same thing about him. That’s how life always seemed to go, wanting what someone else had without every truly appreciating what was yours.
“Where do you want to start?” He asked, spreading his things out.
She looked over her own notes, the words already swimming together. Sighing, she said, “Probably the beginning.”
It wasn’t long before Gansey had moved off the floor and next to her, pointing to strange terms and explaining them. He knew the root meaning of all the words and occasionally got off track, going into the etymology and explaining the origin and anything else he knew. She would roll her eyes and wave a hand in front of his face, drawing him back to the present. Every time he gave an embarrassed smile and then got back to the subject at hand.
Blue found herself distracted too, mostly by how excited Gansey was to talk about all of this. Honestly, he seemed like the type who got excited to have someone listen as he talked. He kept looking over at her, gesturing wildly about the meaning and fights that had happened during the naming. She loved it. She liked how his eyes lit up and how he gestured with his hands, or occasionally with one of the mint leaves he had a habit chewing on. H
“Blue, is your guest staying for dinner?” Maura called from downstairs.
She looked up, surprised. She hadn’t realized how much time had passed. “Do you want to stay? It’s spaghetti night.”
He gave his leaf a chew, thinking. “Is that okay with you?” She nodded. “Then I’d love to.”
“Yes!” She yelled back, smiling despite herself.
Before long they were called downstairs. Maura was making up plates of food. Orla was at the table, deep in conversation with Calla. Jimi flashed her a smile, pulling garlic bread from the oven and placing it on the table.
“Oh, Blue’s boy is staying.” Orla drawled as they found seats at the end of the table.
“He’s not my boy.” She said, pouring Gansey and herself ice tea.
Orla looked from Blue to Gansey. “But he wants to be, doesn’t he?” Blue shot her a glare as Gansey turned deep red.
“Gansey, tell us about your family.” Maura said, saving her from responding and giving them both a bowl. Orla sat back, still looking satisfied that she stirred something up.
He sat up, as if giving an answer in class. “My parents both work in government. My sister is a wedding planner, part time.”
“Local?”
“No ma’am they both live in DC. My sister as well. But I still see them pretty often.”
Gansey endured questions throughout dinner, answering all them kindly and politely. Blue hissed at her family a few times, trying to get them to leave him alone, but they just waved her off. He didn’t seem to mind at least and she was surprised how much she learned about him from her family’s prying.
“I think it’s time for Gansey to go home now.” Maura said as the pair finished washing the dishes, Gansey drying.
“Mom!” Blue protested but Gansey put up a hand.
“No, I don’t want to intrude any longer. Thank you for dinner.”
Maura gave him a small smile and Blue saw Calla and Orla talking to each other behind their hands, pointing at the pair. She shot them a glare, grateful that Gansey didn’t seem to notice the whispers.
“I’ll walk you out.” She said, following as he grabbed his things and then went to his car.
“Thanks, for all your help.” Amazingly, she felt like she understood things better now. It was a lot clearer. Even though, at the end of the night, she knew she’d be thinking about his hazel eyes.
“A lady in need? Of course I’m here to help.”
She shook her head, smiling. “So close Gansey. So close.”
“I messed up again, didn’t I?” She nodded and he laughed at himself, leaning against his car. “I’ll have to work on it again before next time.”
She raised an eyebrow, “You think there will be a next time?”
“I can only hope there will be.” He reached over and pulled something out of her hair, the light touch sent her heart racing. She thought, for a brief second, that he was going to kiss her but he didn’t, instead leaning back against the car and smiling. “You always seem to have something in your hair Blue Sargent. You’re lucky I’m around to fish it out.”
“I suppose I am.” She said, feeling her cheeks grow red. She wanted to say more but, for the first time in her life, she seemed to have run out of words. “Thank you,” She finally settled on.
“Believe me when I say that the pleasure was all mine.” Gansey said, flashing her another smile with his perfect teeth then walking around to get into his car. “Until next time, m'lady.”
“Until next time.” She replied, not bothering to hide the grin that spread across her face as she watched him go. Maybe Aglionby wasn’t so bad after all.
Hi Hope! I'm your gifter for the TRC exchange! I have an idea for your story, but I'm wondering if you'd enjoy reading something that deals with grief in a healthy way (with a happy ending)? Pls tag your answer with trcexchange so I can check back to see if you've answered!
#project hail mary
#heated rivalry
#writers on tumblr
#photography
