Leo

I shoved my hands into my jacket’s pockets as I walked home. There was a light breeze that rustled through the leaves and ruffled my already messy hair. The faint melodies of musicals played through the earbuds in my ears from the phone in my pocket and my feet tapped to a similar beat as I walked. A calm feeling overcame me and I felt at home, walking down an empty footpath while listening to my favourite songs. After school, that’s exactly what I need. Walking isn’t my favourite thing, it never will be, but times like this it’s nice especially when I get to stop and pet the friendly neighbourhood cats. The clouds swirled around in the sky like churning waves tumbling over each other and it put a smile on my face.

When I got home, my mum greeted me from the couch where she sat typing furiously on a laptop. My mum is pretty young, she had me during college but managed to graduate while looking after me. I resemble her a lot but some features of my face are from my dad whom I never met and my mum never likes to talk about.

“Leo, I have some news for you!” she exclaimed when she saw me enter. She closed her laptop, placing it on the coffee table, and stood up, walking over to me. “We’re hosting two exchange students!”

I paled. “What?”

My mum continued smiling. “We’re hosting two exchange students,”

I shook my head. “I heard you,” I murmured. “ I just… Don’t know,”

“Oh, honey,” my mum said, placing her hands onto my elbows. “I know you find socialising hard but this is a great opportunity for you to make new friends,” she continued, still wearing her signature mum smile.

“I know,” I said with a nod.

My mum took her arms off my elbows but held my hands. “Don’t worry. They’re both really nice and I’m sure you’ll like them,” she said, comfortingly squeezing my hands in a reassuring manner. “One of them will be rooming with you while the other will be in the guest room. Now go, introduce yourself,” she let go of my hands and playfully shooed me off.

I walked up the stairs to my room and the guest room which were right across from each other. The guest room door was shut while my door was wide open and my jaw dropped when I looked into my room.

My room is normally a mess. I try to keep it tidy but it just gets messy so quickly so I just give up. But now? It was all neat. The top bunk where I sleep was untouched though which was good because my bed being messy makes it comfortable. But on the bottom bunk sat someone I really didn’t expect to see.

Dangling his feet off the bed playfully was Alto. He grinned at me as I stood frozen in the doorway. “We’re roomies! Yay!” Alto jumped up from where he sat and bounded over to me. “We can stay up all night every night like a super long slumber party and gossip and do whatever people do for fun! Ooh! I’m so excited, aren’t you?”

His enthusiasm certainly took me by shock and wasn’t at all returned. I barely get enough sleep as it is, but Alto’s like a puppy and I doubted I would be getting a good night's sleep. At least Reigne was most likely in the guest room, she will probably be the only one to keep me sane.

“Uh, sure,” I murmured in response as I slipped past him and slid my back off my back. Alto continued to talk as I took out things such as homework and the current book I’m reading out of my bag.

“So, what do you like to do for fun? I like music, do you? What’s your favourite song? I really like pop songs, what about you?” He kept spurting out questions like that and I felt like I was going to go insane before tomorrow even starts. “Ooh, what book are you reading?” asked Alto, suddenly appearing behind me, looking over my shoulder.

I felt awkward under all of the attention but pushed through and decided to answer at least one of his questions that just keep on coming. “It’s called Eurydome Academy for the Magically Gifted. It’s by my mum, she’s a writer.”

Alto looked at the book curiously then back to me with a smile. “What’s it about?”

“A group of unlikely friends solving mysteries going on at their magic boarding school. My mum says the main character, Elliot, is based on me,”

“Your mum is so cool. I love magic,” Alto expressed with a soft and fond expression his face.

I smiled at him. “Same. I have a lot of fantasy books that my mum and I like if you want to read some?”

Alto’s eyes lit up. “Can I?”

With a small laugh, I nodded and the genuinely happy and delighted expression on his face made me feel giddy inside.

A knock interrupted our conversation and when I glanced over my shoulder, Reigne stood against the open door with a smile on her face. “Nerds,” she said quietly but loud enough for us to hear. “So, this is your house, Leo?”

I nodded. “I had no idea you two would be here, though,”

“Your mum’s nice, I like her.” Reigne smiled with a distant smile as she sat down on the floor with us.

“Same,” agreed Alto. “What kind of things do you do for fun here, Leo?”

“I don’t normally go out,”

“Why not?” Alto asked with a frown on his face.

I shrugged. “I could show you both around if you wanted,” I offered.

Alto grinned and was about to respond, Reigne elbowed me and smiled at me. “That would be nice, but you don’t have to.”

“No, it’s fine. My mum would probably make me, anyway. She wants me to get out more but I want to do it on my own terms,” I replied as I stood up. “If you’re both finished unpacking, we can go now,”

“I’m done,” said Alto then he turned to his sister. “Are you?”

Reigne nodded. “Yeah, sure, let’s go.” Reigne also got up from the ground, followed by Alto.

Alto & Reigne

First stop of Leo’s tour was the public library and gardens, a favourite of his when he was younger. Alto enjoyed himself playing on the playground and scaring little kids while Reigne just watched him play fondly while she fed the ducks at the pond. Leo was dragged onto the playground by Alto everytime despite his constant complaints but he actually enjoyed himself. They went to the library for a bit as Reigne’s request but Alto got them kicked out.

They walked down the main street of stores while talking and Leo seemed to be breaking out of his shell. They took a break at Cafe Jasmine where a bit of a mistake was made. Giving Alto soda. They got a bowl of steak cut chips and chicken nuggets with tomato sauce to eat together as well as drinks that Leo chose as the two gods didn't really know.

Leo got himself an ice chocolate, a mixed berry smoothie for Reigne and a small bottle of coca cola for Alto. The three ended up taking their chips to go once Reigne and Leo finished their drinks before Alto could get them into trouble.

They headed back to Leo’s house after that commotion. Alto, still very active and hyper, was skipping gleefully the whole way. When they arrived back home, Leo’s mum ordered them fish and chips for dinner.