The second the bell rang, I was swarmed by curious students. I tried to push through them and stand up so I could talk to my brother and figure out where my next class was, but the crowd completely blocked my way. In the end, Lucas just gave me an understanding look, the kind that said it was okay. Then, he left the classroom with his friends.
Excuse me? No. Come back. What the fuck did you understand here?
Still, as my so-called guide abandoned me to fend off the wolves alone, I had no choice but to find another way to get to my next class. When I finally managed to break free from the crowd, I forced a polite smile at the only students who had not been intensely questioning me earlier. One of them had styled brown hair, and the other two were blond twins.
"Do you know where this class is?" I asked, pointing to the next subject on my timetable.
"Hm," the girl in the middle said, her eyes moving over me slowly, from head to toe, before meeting mine again. "You seem like, despite being … new, with a little help you will be okay. I mean, the principal personally walked you to class. You got connections."
"The name is Grace. On the left is Emily, and on the right is Emma. Welcome to Hawkins Middle School."
"…Thanks."
I folded the timetable once and slipped it into my pocket, already bored of holding it. Grace smiled, but it was the kind of smile people used when they were deciding something. Emily and Emma exchanged a look behind her, quick and practiced.
"So," Emily said, dragging the word out, "what class do you have?"
I held up the paper again. "History."
Grace leaned in just enough to glance at it, close enough that I caught a faint hint of perfume. "Same hallway as ours," she said. "Guess we're walking together."
They started moving, clearly expecting me to follow. I did. After all, I needed their help if I didn't want to be late, and making a good impression on teachers could be useful. Teachers tended to be more lenient when they liked you, and I would need that if I wanted to move freely without raising suspicion after the events started. This way I could use a lot of resources from the school.
Students moved aside as we passed, and I noticed how natural it was for them, like the hallway belonged to them. So these girls were part of the popular crowd. Of course, I didn't slow down because of that. If anything, I matched their stride.
"So," Emma said, glancing back, "you're new, right?"
"Obviously."
She blinked, then laughed a little too late. "Right. Just saying."
"From where?" she asked.
I didn't hesitate for a second. "I'm from around here. Just new to the school."
Grace glanced over her shoulder again, clearly not buying it, but she didn't push. "Huh. Guess that explains why you don't look that lost."
"People usually only look lost when they care," I replied casually.
That earned me a quick look from Emily, her lips twitching like she wasn't sure whether to laugh or be offended.
We turned a corner, and the hallway grew louder. Lockers slammed, voices echoed, and somewhere down the hall someone was already arguing with a teacher. I scanned the doors as we walked, memorising room numbers without thinking.
"You're pretty confident for someone new," Emma said. "Most people freak out on their first day."
"I don't see the point," I answered. "It's still just a school."
Grace slowed slightly so she was walking beside me instead of ahead. "Most people don't say that."
I met her gaze. "Most people exaggerate."
For a moment, no one spoke. Then Grace smirked, like she'd just made a decision.
"Well," she said, stopping in front of a classroom door, "this is us."
I checked the number. Same as mine.
"Looks like we're stuck together," I said.
Grace's smile sharpened. "Looks like it."
The bell rang a second later, loud and final, and students began filing inside. I stepped in without hesitation, already knowing one thing for sure.
This place ran on unspoken rules like a typical school. The series highlighted this a lot during the seasons.