Chapter 1
Part 1
Chapter One
Ashton took a step forwards then, closer to the mirror, eyes wide as he stared at his reflection. Behind him, his teacher stood leaning on a hip, her arms folded, and a teasing smile playing about her lips as she watched him closely.
Ashton leant forwards; eyes wide as he looked at his own face.
He had a mask of sparkling pink painted around his eyes, fading to the natural colour of his skin, with bold yellow lips.
Ashton lifted a hand to his face but didn’t touch the makeup for fear of smudging it.
The bright colours suited him, suited his pale skin, his blue eyes, and his false pure-white hair, which was tied as a ponytail over his shoulder, reaching his hip and tied in red ribbons. He wore a black close-fitting garment that covered his chest and was high-necked but left his shoulders and stomach bare. There were tight black sleeves on his arms, he wore black shorts, and on his feet were high black stilettoes.
His heel clicked on the smooth floor as he took another step towards the mirror, eyes roving all over himself as he observed his reflection.
‘Oh my god’ he gasped, managing to speak at last. ’I look incredible.’
‘You look fierce’ his teacher said behind him, raising an eyebrow.
‘I’m so happy’ Ashton uttered, his body beginning to shudder as he balled his fists to his chest, shoulders hunched.
His teacher let out a sigh, unfolding her arms and grabbing a box of tissues on the side, stepping up to him.
‘Don’t smudge your makeup’ she said to him, ‘it looks too good to ruin.’
‘Thanks Michelle’ Ashton mumbled, dabbing at his eyes tenderly. ‘I just feel so happy when I am here.... I feel like I am truly at home.’
‘I know you do.’
‘I just hate having to keep this a secret. Its who I truly am....oh...’ he breathed. ‘My family would be horrified if they ever found out.’
His teacher Michelle turned away then, folding her arms again as she looked towards the poles in the dancing studio.
‘I’ve thought of a great name of you’ she said offhandedly.
‘Hu?’ Ashton mumbled.
‘Hotstuff. That will be your stage name.’
Ashton stared back at her for a moment, before breaking into a smile. ‘That’s awesome’ he breathed, ‘I love it.’
‘Good’ Michelle frowned at him, tapping him on the shoulder. ‘Now straighten up, stand tall and don’t slouch. Try to be more the self you are when you are dancing, not the fragile little flower I see you as every other time.’
‘I don’t mean to be so weak...’
‘Stand up straight’ Michelle snapped at him then, and Ashton jumped, tensing at the sudden sharp tone.
She glared at him, and he stared back at her timidly, before dipping his head.
Ashton lowered his arms, relaxing his body and lowering his shoulders.
He let out a sigh. The next time he raised his head, he stood more confidently now, with a smile upon his face, and eyes shining happily.
‘That’s more like it’ Michelle spoke gently to him. ‘You’re far more handsome when you smile. Now come on’ she said to him. ‘Let’s do some stretches, and remember, not to push yourself to hard. You won’t gain anything and you’ll end up only hurting yourself.’
‘I know’ Ashton replied delicately, ‘and I’m sorry, I’ll try to do better next time.’
Nearly an hour later, and Ashton’s session was finished. He had washed his makeup off and had put on his regular clothes again.
Now he made his way through the busy streets to his manor home, keeping his head down as he went.
My name is Ashton Lucius Miles, and I am a lord, born of purple blood. My family is large, and we as children are born into roles, and expected to follow the path laid out to us by our parents.
My sister married for financial benefit, a decision that was not her own, and I know that one day the same will be expected of me. I am older than my sister, but I have not been useful as a piece to marry off, not yet anyway, because of my preferences, which are not exactly a secret anymore.
But I want none of that, all I want is to live a normal life, and to dance. That’s all I want; I want my life to be my own.
Ashton clutched his bag to him, standing at the traffic lights by the side of the road, and waiting for the man to turn green.
There were several people either side of him waiting to cross the road also, and as Ashton stood there, he noticed an older man watching him.
Ashton was used to this, because of the way he dressed. He was of purple blood, a lord, and people always treated him differently, be it good or bad. He always drew attention. High borns lived in a different world to the ‘common’ folk, and they stood out amongst the others, and not just for their clothes, but the way they spoke and acted. It was obvious.
Ashton always resented this about his life, but never spoke his thoughts out loud to anyone, save for his sister.
Ashton glanced towards the man who stared at him, meeting his gaze only briefly before looking away, clutching the strap of the bag he carried over his shoulder a little tighter, shoulders hunched.
When the traffic slowed and the man turned green, Ashton was the first to make his way across the road, moving quickly at a jog.
He was eager to get home, and always felt a little out of place in the outside world. The only times he felt at ease, was around people he knew, or when he was dancing.
Ashton began to feel a little sad then, a little anxious. He loved to dance, it lit a fire in his heart, but he also was afraid at the same time, and lived in fear of his family one day finding out that he snuck out often to do such a thing.
No one knew, save for his teacher Michelle, her two daughters who also danced, his friend Lucile, the only other male dancer Ashton knew, and his sister, whom he adored above all else.
Ashton walked at a steady pace as he made his way back home, keeping his eyes fixed firmly ahead of him, trying to ignore the world around him.
His home was a large manor situated near the centre of the city. It was a beautiful place, a little piece of paradise within the bustling concrete jungle.
Ashton like this city, he liked it very much, despite how it made him feel so uneasy. It was not the city itself, but the people. He wished he could be invisible, so people would look straight past him, so they would not stare. That way he could truly appreciate the place around him. As things were now, he could only really admire the city through the windows of his home, from an environment where he felt safe. The only other time he experienced it was when he was travelling through, as quickly and discreetly as he could as he headed to the dance studio, his secret place.
So many hours he had spent sitting beside the open window, watching the sky begin to darken, and the city gradually beginning to glow ever brighter.
He loved his home, and he loved his family, however, his life was far from perfect. There was constant doubt gnawing in his mind, now more than ever. So much was expected of him.
Ashton hurried along, not slowing in his pace.
He left the busy streets behind him, crossing an empty courtyard that had no purpose other than to maintain some sort of gap between the little gate, one of the smaller entrances to the manor, and the rest of the city.
Ashton reached it, bringing out from his jacket, hidden on his person, a little key.
He unlocked the gate quickly, slipping through and closing it after him, locking it again once he was inside. There were several entrances onto the property. This was one of the more discreet ones.
He turned then and looked up the steep set of concrete steps, facing now the grand building some distance away, resting atop a little hill. The grand manor was slightly elevated above the rest of the city. From there, you could look down at the rest of the world that surrounded.
Ashton dipped his head again, making his way up the steps quickly, heading towards his home.
He was panting a little by the time he reached the top step, continuing his trek up the gentle incline of the slope. He reached one of the conservatories at the back of the manor, it was a large and comfortable structure. This was one of his favourite places to be. He would sit here for hours, mostly on rainy days, listening to the patter on the glass. But these would only be background noises for him, and he would for the most part hardly be aware, as he would typically be absorbed in the stories that he read.
Ashton loved to read, it was his passion, second only to dancing. And while most parents would likely encourage such behaviour, his wild parents, mainly his hyperactive mother, would often berate him for having his nose in a book. Though it was always done so in a loving and playful manner. He would take no notice of them, his mother would jokingly remark about how he would ignore real life, to read fairy tales and fantasies.
Ashton would much of the time, just smile silently to her in response, and turn away, back to the pages that he held.
Just like the patter of the rain that he hardly noticed on those cloudy days when he sat in the conservatory, he hardly noticed her loud voice either.
‘Oh, Ashton darling, I’m just playing’ she would say, before swooping down to kiss him on the cheek. ‘There’s no need to take everything so seriously.’
‘Hmm,’ would be his response much of the time.
Ashton opened the conservatory door, slipping in quietly and closing the door gently after him.
He made his way across the large floor-space, glancing briefly towards the great cushioned seat in the corner that he would often sit in.
It was a fine day today, and the conservatory was cool and comfortable. On darker days, it would be warm and comfortable. Ashton’s entire life had been that of comfort, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have his worries.
Ashton left the conservatory, entering the main part of the home.
He had not long closed the door behind him, stepping out into a larger cavernous room, when he was set upon by a familiar figure, pouncing out at him from behind a bookshelf and grabbing his shoulders from behind.
‘My baby has returned!’
‘Mum’ Ashton huffed indignantly, turning around and trying to dislodge her from him, but she held onto his arm tightly now, hugging and not letting go.
’I was beginning to miss you my sweet little angelic buttercup. I love my baby boy so very much!’
Ashton frowned in mild annoyance at this. He was used to being man-handled by his mother, though it would still grate on his nerves at times.
‘Maya please’ his father said then, stepping in from the other room. ‘Stop now or you will suffocate the boy.’
His mother finally let go of him, but not before giving him several harsh pecks on the cheek.
‘Have you been leaving the property again?’ his mother said in mock irritation. ‘You know I don’t like it when you leave dear.’
‘I’m not going to stay trapped indoors forever mum’ Ashton huffed, wiping his cheek where his mother had kissed him.
‘Son’ his father, whose name was Isaac spoke seriously then. ’It’s a dangerous world out there…. you have no idea what sinister things are lurking around every corner. Never turn your back on them my boy, never let your guard down, for they are waiting for the perfect opportunity….to pounce!’ he made a dramatic motion then, and his mother gasped at this as if in fright.
Ashton had heard this speech before, his father would often talk about the supposed dangers of the city outside their home, and how dangerous the corners of every building could potentially be. But he had never said what or who the danger might actually be. Ashton had asked before several times when he was young, but in the end gave up asking.
He was used to his parents’ eccentric tendencies, and ignored them for the most part.
It’s just how they were. It was how they had always been.
‘We have some exciting news for you!’ his father announced, waving his arms theatrically then.
Ashton only watched him calmly, waiting for his father to continue as his mother squealed in delight like a child, bouncing up and down and clapping her hands in excitement.
‘You have a visitor waiting for you!’ his father said. ‘In your bedroom!’
‘What? Why in my bedroom?’ Ashton asked a little uncertainly now.
’You will surely find out if you go…...to the bedroom!’ Isaac bellowed comically, as his mother began to giggle and twirl on the spot.
Ashton let out a patient sigh.
‘Come now my love!’ Isaac said to Maya then in his booming voice, and she looked towards him as she always did, with pure love and a sort of childish glee she had never quite grown out of. ’Those cookies would be just about done! We can watch them brown together, then we can water the plants! Come my love! To the kitchen!’
They ran off together then, his mother holding his father by the crook of his arm. After a few seconds they began to skip.
Ashton watched until they were out of sight, and the silence grew then into something peaceful.
He let out a sigh, dipping his head slightly.
He knew that his mother must have been watching out for him. She would often keep her eyes on the windows when he was not around, and if she saw him heading home by one of the many paths, she would hurry to meet him, but not before giving him a scare first.
Ashton loved his parents, but they exhausted him sometimes. He didn’t understand how they could both have so much energy. He was nothing like either of them, not only in his personality and demeanour, but his appearance also. He looked totally different from either of his parents. He had asked one time long ago, if he was adopted.
In response, his mother had produced his birth certificate and numerous books filled with baby pictures, most of them embarrassing. His mother had picked out one of him naked in the bath at one year old. Ashton had snatched it from her, slamming it back into the book and closing it, face bright-red. She would only laugh harder at his awkwardness.
Ashton stood now in the silent room. He swallowed a little nervously then, craning his head back up to the stairs beside him.
His room was on one of the higher levels. And apparently there was someone waiting for him, in his bedroom.
Ashton clenched his teeth nervously, breathing slowly to try to calm himself.
He wondered who on earth it might be.
Without allowing himself to dwell on it too much, he moved over to one of the staircases, grasping the banister lightly, and ascending the steps to find out.
