Chapter One — Rooftops and Rain
(Inara's pov)
The city of Hallowridge always felt like it was caught between two moods: restless energy and quiet moments you had to search for. I liked the quiet. Between sketching in my notebook and losing myself in music, I'd built a small world where I could breathe.
Today, though, that world was about to get… complicated.
I was perched on the low stone wall of Westbrook High's courtyard, my backpack tossed carelessly beside me, sketchbook balanced on my knees. The early fall air was crisp, carrying the scent of wet leaves from the morning drizzle. I flipped my pen over in my fingers, trying to get the proportions of the fountain just right. My eyes — one green, one blue — caught the way the water reflected the sunlight, and for a moment, the rest of the school didn't exist.
Which was exactly the problem.
"Seriously, you're still sitting here alone?" a sharp voice snapped from behind me.
I turned to see Tess Harper, my "best friend" since freshman year, glaring like she'd personally assigned herself the job of monitoring my social life. Tess had the kind of presence that demanded attention, even if she didn't always deserve it. And she always made sure I knew how little she thought of me.
"I'm… drawing," I muttered.
"Drawing? Again?" She leaned over, peering at my sketchbook like she was judging it. "You know, normal people actually talk to each other. Not… sit here and doodle weird fountains."
I bit my tongue. Tess didn't get it — never would. "It's called practicing, Tess. Something you clearly don't understand."
She huffed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Whatever, Inara. Don't say I didn't warn you when you're old and still alone with your colored eyes and notebooks."
I rolled my eyes. Heterochromia wasn't exactly a secret, but Tess loved reminding me how "different" I was. Different enough to make her feel better about being ordinary.
Before I could answer, a voice interrupted — calm, light, a little chaotic.
"Mind if I join you?"
I looked up and froze.
Elias Rowan. The new boy. Blond hair that looked like he'd wrestled it into place with a hurricane, blue-gray eyes that caught the sunlight, and a smile that made the world feel just slightly off-balance — in the best way possible.
I blinked. "Uh… sure."
He settled on the wall beside me, careful not to crowd my space. "I'm Elias," he said. "I noticed you in art class. You… draw a lot."
"Yeah. Helps me… think," I admitted, closing the sketchbook slightly, as if protecting it would somehow protect me too.
"I get that," he said. "I think in chaos — music, random adventures, reckless ideas. My brain doesn't really do quiet corners."
I snorted. "Sounds exhausting."
"Maybe. But better than boring." He grinned, leaning back on his hands. "So, Inara, what's your idea of a perfect boring day?"
"Perfect boring day?"
"You know. The kind of day that seems simple, but secretly… isn't."
I considered this. "Maybe… a quiet morning, coffee, music I like, and a sketchbook that doesn't judge me."
He laughed softly. "I could live like that. But then the afternoon would need rooftops and bad jokes, just to keep things balanced."
"Rooftops?" I asked, intrigued despite myself.
"Yeah," he said, pointing toward the back of the school building. "Come on. I'll show you. It's my favorite place to think."
I hesitated. Roofs weren't exactly my usual territory — especially with someone I barely knew. But something in his smile, that reckless light in his eyes, made my curiosity outweigh my caution.
"Okay," I said finally. "But if I fall, I'm blaming you."
"Deal. But I don't think you'll fall." He held out his hand, warm and steady.
We climbed the fire escape together, the city of Hallowridge spreading below us like a painting. Rooftops of brick and metal, streets winding like veins, and the distant sound of cars blending with the occasional birdcall.
Once we reached the top, he kicked off his shoes, leaning back on the edge. "See? Worth it, right?"
I settled beside him, careful to keep a safe distance from the edge. "Yeah… it's… nice."
"Nice isn't enough," he said with a grin. "You need to laugh. Or fall. Or at least have a story to tell at the end of the day."
I tilted my head, studying him. "You sound like you're full of reckless ideas."
"I am. But… maybe some of them aren't so bad," he said, glancing at me. "Like today. I think this might be one of my better ones."
I felt my lips twitch into a smile despite myself. "Maybe."
For the next hour, we traded stories — small things, funny embarrassments, awkward first impressions. The sky above shifted from soft blue to gold, and for the first time in a long while, I didn't feel so alone.
When we finally climbed down, the bell was ringing, and the courtyard was crowded again. Tess was nowhere in sight, probably off gossiping with some group she wanted to impress.
Elias bumped my shoulder lightly. "Same time tomorrow?"
I hesitated — and then nodded. "Yeah. Same time."
Maybe the world could tilt without warning. And maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't always hurt.
And that was how I met my first real friend — someone who made the city of Hallowridge feel a little bigger, a little brighter, and a little more like a place I could belong.