Chapter Text
The next morning, while Nia was getting dressed, she completely forgot she had a huge scar, and when she looked in the mirror to check her outfit, she was surprised to see how much damage had been done.
The left side of her face was almost completely gone, with some of the skin back from Vicktor’s healing. However, Nia didn’t realize it wasn’t only her face that was gone. The left side of her hip and almost the entirety of her stomach had red scarring, seemingly looking like someone poured hot water on her entire body.
“How am I going to hide this?” Nia asked herself, “Oh, these huge severe scars? Yeah, I just had too much fun with the water boiler!”
Nia sighed, and walked out to the living room to be met with Will and Ana sitting on the couch playing Mario Kart, Percy just looked straight through her, and Tom came over to her immediately.
“You don’t have to go to school today, you know that right?” Tom said, handing Nia a piece of toast.
“Yeah, I know. But there’s no point, since I don’t know I would hide this even if I came back later. Also all the work that I would have to do because I was gone, Jesus that’ll kill me before this stupid scarring does.” Nia laughed quietly.
“Okay…If you’re sure.” Tom sighed, “If anything happens at school, call anyone here that can drive and we will pick you up.”
“Yes Dad. ” Nia laughed, “Will, are you taking me today?”
“No I am.” Ana piped up.
“What?” Nia said in shock.
Ana never dropped Nia and Percy off. Normally it would be Will who would drive them, with his shitty taste of music. Ana always left it to Will because she never liked driving places that she didn’t need to.
“Where are the keys?” Ana asked nonchalantly.
“Is no one going to question this?” Nia questioned only to get a shrug from Tom and Percy.
“I don’t have to take you anywhere so I don’t care.” Will said, pausing the game, “Besides, this is a bonding moment for you guys!”
“Shut up William.” Nia grumbled.
Ana drove much less chaotic than Will. She didn’t play any music, allowing Nia and Percy to play whatever, though both of them were scared to choose anything in fear Ana might hate it.
So, instead Percy was on his phone the entire time while Nia was nervously checking her phone camera.
What would the school think?
What would her class think?
What would Emmie think?
Her panicked thoughts ran wild the entire car ride, and unlike when Will is driving, Nia didn’t have his shitty music to focus on instead. Her thoughts kept on spiraling down and down and down until–
“We’re here.” Ana said, putting her car in park, “Scram, I have places to be.”
“Rude? I thought I was your favorite at Solaris!” Percy spoke with fake betrayal.
“If you don’t get out of my car in the next five seconds, you’ll be demoted to least favorite.” Ana said with a small evil grin.
“Alright! I’m out!” Percy says, cueing for Nia to do the same.
Nia grabbed a random face mask she saw in the cupholder, and got out of the car.
As Nia walked in, she felt thousands of high schoolers stare at her. Percy was with her, but he would go to a different class first period and never be seen again.
Percy placing his hand on her shoulder snapped her out of her thoughts, “You’ll be fine! If anyone asks, say you poured boiling water on your face by accident.”
“Thanks Perce….” Nia said softly.
Nia walks into history and sits in her usual seat, and she is begging to whatever god that is out there that Mr.Sullivan doesn’t call on her again. Not today.
Emmie is always late, so Nia isn’t surprised that her seat is empty when the bell rings. Part of her is glad Emmie is late, because then she can come up with an excuse as to why she is wearing a mask today.
The mask is annoying to wear, it’s iching against her face, and her sensory issues aren’t having it. At least it doesn’t look half bad, it's just a plain black fabric mask. It’s also not a bad thing to fidget with while trying to pay attention to whatever Mr.Sullivan is saying. Nia might need to bring other fidget things everyday tho. She keeps telling herself that she needs bring something to mess with everyday to make this class bearable however she keeps forgetting and–
“Nia Harris!” Mr.Sullivan speaks up, “I see your head is in the clouds again. Care to tell us why people opposed the Constitution so harshly back when Hamilton was writing it?”
The whole class looks at her for an answer, waiting till their cue to laugh at the fact she didn’t know the answer.
Nia stammers for a bit, looking around the room for any sort of a hint, until her saving grace slammed the door open.
“MR.SULLIVAN SORRY I’M LATE!” Emmie says, bursting the door open, out of breath, “You would not BELIEVE the traffic I got on the way here!”
Nia gave a sigh of relief, Emmie being late helped Nia twice today!
“Ms.Silva. You cannot come in late and disrupt the class like that!” Mr.Sullivan hissed out.
“Well you see Mr.Sullivan, the bell is about to ring in like five minutes so I thought we were done with the class!” Emmie states, walking slowly to her seat, “I thought it wouldn’t be disrupting anything.”
Mr.Sullivan sighs, “Just go to your seat faster Ms.Silva.”
Emmie sends a wink Nia’s way as she walks past her to her seat. Nia’s heart fluttered weirdly and she turned back towards her with a small giggle.
Nia smiled the rest of the four minutes that were left of that class, but that bliss didn’t last long.
After class Emmie goes up to Nia’s desk as she is packing up.
“You owe me Nia Harris.” Emmie says with a small smile, “I could’ve just left you for dead! Thank goodness for me skipping my coffee run.”
“You could’ve always just come in at the normal time?” Nia laughs, “Maybe Mr.Sullivan wouldn’t have called on me at all.”
Emmie gasps, “Then I wouldn’t have time for an overly long skin routine!”
Nia laughs again, and they both start walking out of the class (Emmie gives a final wave to Mr.Sullivan, who just ignores her entirely.)
As they walk into the art room like they normally do, Emmie finally asks the question that Nia has been dreading.
“Why are you wearing a mask?” Emmie asks, reaching over to pull the mask off.
“UH–” Nia swats her hand away.
Think of an excuse. Any excuse would work, she would believe anything you say right? Just don’t make it sound outrageous like–
“I forgot to do my makeup this morning.”
Like that.
“Makeup?” Emmie says incredulously, “Don’t you hate wearing makeup to school?”
“Uh– I just thought I would try and wear some today and it didn’t work out like I wanted to, so it just looks really bad. I had to put this mask on to respect my dignity.” Nia splurts out an explanation that she knows Emmie definitely wouldn’t buy.
Emmie just stares at Nia for a bit
“I can help fix it if you want!” Emmie finally states, reaching again for her mask.
“NO!” Nia slaps her hand away again, “I mean….it’s already ruined enough.”
Emmie just hums, “Ok….do you want to hear about some more cheerleading stuff then?”
Nia nods and goes to grab her painting supplies.
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After school Emmie comes up to Nia again, “Nia wait!”
“I need to talk to you.” Emmie says in her serious tone, “Would you please tell me the real reason why you have that mask on? It’s been bugging me all day.”
“It doesn’t matter that much Emmie! I already told you–”
“That’s not what it is though is it?” Emmie places her hands on both of Nia's shoulders, “You are my ride or die, no matter what is under that mask. Now tell me.”
Nia sighs, giving up the facade, pulling the mask down, revealing the scar from the explosion last night.
“Woah, Nini..what happened?” Emmie calls her by her nickname whenever she is truly worried for Nia.
“There was an accident last night,” Nia dryly laughs, “left me with this scar.”
While it wasn’t the whole truth, it was the only amount of truth Nia could tell Emmie without getting yelled at by Solaris.
“Oh Nini…why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
Because I'm a superhero and I got this scar during a fight last night.
“Didn’t want to worry anyone.” Partially true, Nia is on a roll with the half truths today.
“It doesn’t hurt does it?” Emmie says, “It better not have been hurting this entire time!”
Nia chuckles, “No it doesn’t hurt, it’s just existing on my face I guess.”
Nia suddenly hears a honk of a car from behind her.
“NIA COME ON! DAD IS GOING TO PISSED IF WE ARE LATE TO DINNER!” That was Will. At least there was going to be some normalcy on the way home.
“I better get going before I get killed.” Nia says, “See ya tomorrow!”
Emmie waves goodbye as Nia enters the car.