Chapter 4: School Problems
--- Jeremy Graham, Before The Event ---
He went over his test double and then triple checking all of his answers to make sure all of them were right, because he could not afford to have even one answer wrong.
His parents wouldn’t like that.
Which is why it was only on his fourth pass over everything he felt safe turning in the test he’d finished half an hour ago. A good thing too given how he only had two minutes left before this class let out and he could not afford to be late to his next class.
His parents wouldn’t like that.
Moving through the halls he made his way past his numerous peers, but he did not stop to talk to any of them, instead focused on making it to his next Advanced Placement class. His parents were paying a lot of money for him to take the best classes possible at this prestigious school. He could not afford to waste time dealing with whatever the latest teenage drama his classmates were gossiping about.
His parents wouldn’t like that.
--- Coraline Hawkins, Before The Event ---
“So you both can make it today, right?” She asked her best friends once more as they all sat down for lunch.
“Yeah, mom says I have to be back by nine but otherwise we’re golden.” Miles nodded.
“Can make it today but can’t make it tomorrow or Sunday.” Micki warned her. “Old man Hendricks would get pissed if I left everything on the new guy given the weekend rush. And I’m not going to be up for much of anything after dealing with demanding customers and no tips all morning.”
“How is that Leo guy doing?” She’d only met the guy once but he seemed nice enough in a theater kid kind of way.
“Guy needs to grow a spine but otherwise he’s doing alright.” Micki shrugged. “Honestly, he’s like a more dramatic you.”
“What’s that mean?” She blinked as Miles swatted the other girl.
“That people can insult him to his face and he’ll just laugh it all off.” Micki sighed, before letting out a laugh of her own. “Then again, he is definitely more of a flirt than you.”
Miles frowned. “He’s not flirting with you is he? I mean isn’t he in college or something?”
“Eh, he’s only like a year older than us and yes he took his shot.” Micki taunted smugly before smirking as she continued. “And he took it with grace when I shot him down in turn. He’s still friendly but hasn’t flirted with me since. Man respects no means no.”
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
“Good.” Miles nodded, causing her to roll her eyes.
(Should just lock you two in a closet already.) The only reason she hadn’t was the fear of becoming a third wheel. (And that’s enough of that.)
Looking around the cafeteria to try and distract herself from things she spotted a girl with dyed hair sitting all by herself as she picked at her food. One that despite sharing several classes with she’d never actually seen hanging out with anyone. (She looks like she could use a friend.)
“Hmm, would you guys mind if I invited someone else with us this afternoon?” She asked her friends, knowing that it’d be rude not to.
Micki gave her a look. “Depends… who you crushin’ on?”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not crushing on anyone, I just realized that I’ve never seen that girl with any friends. Figured we could invite her so she’s not so lonely.”
Miles looked at the girl and frowned less in displeasure and more in confusion. “Uh, I’m cool with it but… I don’t actually know her name.”
“Then now is a great time to learn it.” She smiled as she stood up and moved towards the girl, only to immediately walk into someone else instead. “Oh, sorry!”
“Ugh, Hawkins.” The pretty blonde girl she walked into glared at her, causing her to shrink back.
Behind her Micki stood up. “Back off Liz.”
Liz glanced at Micki before scoffing. “As if you’d start anything here dyke.”
“What did you just call me?” Micki growled as Miles held her back.
“L-look it was just an accident let’s, let’s all calm down.” She tried to mediate, knowing it would do Micki no good to get suspended for fighting. (Again…)
Liz gave her a look of disgust before shaking her head and walking off. “Whatever.”
“Should’ve just let me knock the bitch.” Micki scowled, pulling her arm free of Miles' grip.
“You know she’s not worth it.” Miles argued. “Last thing we need is you getting in more trouble with your folks.”
“Whatever.” Micki grumbled, glaring down at her food leaning with one hand on her short blonde hair as she made sure they knew she was done talking.
She and Miles shared a grimace, both accepting that non-action was the best they were going to get out of their friend at the moment.
Deciding that this was not the best time to try and introduce someone to her friend, she sat back down to try and figure out a different way to cheer up both her friend and the lonely girl on the other side of the cafeteria.
--- Max Miller, Before The Event ---
She tapped her pen against the sketch she’d been drawing, her eyes occasionally drifting towards the mp3 she’d been assigned to take a part and basically recreate. A feat that she felt would be beyond most high schoolers. The fact that all she had to do to finish was to put the casing back together was also proof of why she’d been given her scholarship to this prep school.
The only reason she hadn’t finished the assignment was because she’d long since learned that she did not want to finish before all of the highly competitive rich kids in her class. At least if she didn’t want her day to be any more difficult than it already was, something that would happen even if her rich classmates weren’t the ones causing problems themselves.
She was completely fine finishing before the competitive nerds however. Especially the ones that made fun of her for being a girl in a tech class. (A girl needs her hobbies after all, and what better than stepping on a bunch of sexist punks?)
A glance to the class clock told her that she still had another half hour before this class was over leaving her to go back to her sketch that was half schematic for an upgrade to her computer at home and half doodles of various eldritch horrors her gothic dreams had popped out.