✧ author's note: :: I tried to make this chapter more formal. I'm just making the plot as I write each chapter, so it might be pretty weird. Enjoy! ∘₊✧─────────✧₊∘ ✧ First: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/935179588/ ✧ Next: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/939920549/ ✧ Previous: Same as the 1st one ∘₊✧─────────✧₊∘ ✧ credits: - plot idea and desc layout by @-brooklyn-- - thumbnail also heavily inspired by @-brooklyn-- - thumbnail (made on Canva) + chapters made by @_--Haz3l--_ - heavily inspired by @SnowdropSugar's "She Was The Villain" series ∘₊✧─────────✧₊∘ We walked down the hall, clutching our school supplies in awkward silence. Our surroundings were loud, with other students talking, walking, and shutting their lockers. But we were oblivious to all that for the first few minutes. I mean, I couldn't blame her. Fate had brought us together, and we knew almost nothing about each other. We were close physically, yet so far mentally. I just hoped that she'd be one to break the silence. But after a while, it looked like that wasn't happening. So I did. "So...what's your favorite ice cream flavor?" I asked politely, trying to hide the tension in my voice. That was my go-to question whenever a situation was awkward and I wanted to know more about someone. She looked at me, brushed her shaggy bangs out of her face, and chuckled. A small yet remarkable smile formed on her face. It was barely noticeable, but you could see it if you searched hard enough. She said "I like all of them. But I've always had a soft spot for coconut. I like everything that's either coconut-scented, flavored, or both." I smiled and said "That's nice. What's your favorite class?" Her smile faded, and she looked away and said "Science, I guess." I wondered what message she was trying to send with her body language, but I just shrugged it off and we kept walking. We went down a corner and a poster on the wall caught my eye. Its corners were peeling off and faded, and the poster seemed like it didn't age well. The poster had many bright colors and stars, and it said "Do you like parties? Dances, perhaps? Join the Dance Preparing Committee, and help plan two of the biggest events in the school year!" in an obnoxiously big font, picture of a party hat in the corner, and some contact details below it. It was an eyesore, but it got people's attention, alright. I wanted to fit in more at the school, so I wrote down the info on a sticky note, stuck it in my pocket, and kept walking to class. By the time we made it to our first class, math, we were almost late. I set down my stuff, chose a locker, and introduced myself. Nobody paid much attention, but it was okay. I sat in the back of the class next to Envy and tried to pay attention, but it was next to impossible. It was so undescribably boring, not even close to what being homeschooled was like for the past 14 years of my life. Hey, my mom might be strict and oppressive, but she's still a good teacher. At least I learned things from her! Anyways, while the teacher was rambling her head off about the rules and expectations, I gazed at the ceiling and daydreamed. My mind was far away from where my physical body was right now. I wondered and wondered about topics like how society works, how I ended up here, etc. Until my thoughts were rudely interrupted by the teacher. She glared at me with the most unfriendly look possible. I mean, bonus points for intimidation, I guess. "Charlotte! What's the punishment for defacing school property?" I stuttered trying to answer her question as beads of sweat fell down my face. She said, "Okay, then, pay attention!" I pushed my chair in, sat up straight, and tried my best to pay attention. If I recall correctly, she said things about dress code, behavior expectations, and state testing protocol. I wondered why the last one was important because- Never mind, my mind was wandering off again, and I didn't want that to happen. After what felt like years of talking, the bell finally rang and I went off to my next class with Envy. In the next class, which was science, we picked our seats and started preparing our notebooks for the year. Envy seemed a lot more enthusiastic in this class, and I could see why. First of all, it was a lot more fun. I remembered everything I learned instead of being spoon-fed information in my face. Second of all, she said her favorite class was science, so yeah. The time flew by, and then we moved on to the next class, and onto the next. Those classes weren't exactly remarkable, so I'm not gonna bother to write about them. During lunch, I was gonna sit with Envy, but she ducked to a table full of popular gals, so I sat alone. The food was delicious, but it would've been ten times better if I had someone to talk to. I finished much earlier than most people, so I turned my tray in and walked towards the courtyard. I was just walking around looking for something entertaining when I found a forest, so I stumbled in.
