Chapter Text
Absolute, pure terror. This was the feeling that was coursing through False’s veins as she sat on her bed, head in hands. Her white rucksack lay tilted on the floor, random bits and pieces pouring out through a crack. She couldn’t do this, it would be nothing like her old school, her old home. False looped her arms around her knees, pulling them in tight as she rocked back and forth on the messy bedsheets. A new school? From what False had seen so far, this new town was nothing like Hermitcrest, a place renowned for its architectural beauty and skilled craftsmanship. This town, Emshire, was a muddle of different areas, different districts. And right in the centre of it all, was the school. Seasonal High. False looked up, peeking over her knees at a mirror that stood directly across from her. She looked like a right mess, hair sticking up in all directions, goggles perched at an angle on her head, unacceptable by her parents’ standards.
Fix yourself up. Her consciousness whispered, nudging False to get up and move.
“I can do this.” False spoke, uncurling and picking her bag up off of the floor.
“I can do this.” False spoke, gently placing all of the items back inside as they should be.
“I can do this.” False spoke, straightening her goggles, combing her hair, and placing on a bow tie.
“I..” She looked at herself in the mirror, a small crack stretching across from the corner. Confident, that’s how she looked, and felt, just a moment ago. But now, she would have to walk out her house’s door, along the pavement, all the way to the new school. Surely, it will be full of bustling and loud people, pushing and shoving their way past her, knocking False down and trampling the living daylights out of her…
“I can’t do this.” False slumped back down again, slightly less agitated, but still nervous all the same. But she had to. Glancing upwards at the clock above her bed, the time was clearly marked out as 08:19. School started at 08:25. This made False jump, panic setting in as she fumbled, not wanting to be late for her very first day at a new school. Cramming the rest of the required items into her bag, False shoved on her shoes and hopped out of her bedroom as she tied the laces, crashing into a wall at the top of the stairs and nearly toppling down them. Leaping down the stairs, False shouted a quick goodbye to her parents and ran out of the door, nearly forgetting to pet her chicken on the way out.
False dragged her hand down the side of her face as she jogged along the pavement, groaning as the panic eased and the nervousness rushed back to her head. The cobbled road was empty as she crossed the street, the grand figure of the school rising up above the copper-roofed buildings. Seasonal High was set in the middle of a large garden area with a low fence guarding a path leading down to it, churning with children from every area of Emshire. False swallowed, twiddling her thumbs uncertainly at the sight of so many people in one confined area. Her breathing hitched in the back of her throat, making False choke on nothing but air. The girl could see many other students rushing out of their houses, mostly from the area she lived in as the other districts were further away. It was strange, everyone from her district all dressed similar, whites and turquoise colours adorning their clothing.
Pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind, False knew that she was dawdling so that entering the school grounds could be put off for as long as possible. But, she had to move. Hesitantly, False moved across the road that separated her from the entrance to the school, and paused. This was it, this was the start of a new adventure. False began to think of this new school as an opportunity, and, rather boldly, stepped through the entrance and into the grounds. Heart pounding, a cacophony of noise rose up and flooded False’s ears, overwhelming to say the least. Keeping her eyesight glued to her feet, False moved through the crowds of shouting children towards the building. An unoccupied bench was False’s destination, as it was unlikely that anyone would speak to a lonely 14 year old sitting by herself. Oh, how wrong she was.
False sighed, blocking out the noises and closing her eyes. This would be okay, so long as nobody talked to her and-
She felt the bench shift.
False squinted, opening one eye to see what had happened. Another girl, with vibrant ginger hair, was beaming at her with a wide, toothy grin.
“Hiya!” The girl spoke, leaning in towards False as she tried to understand what was happening.
“I- uh… Hi? I suppose?” False was heavily confused, who was this random girl who had so boldly spoken to her?
“You’re new, right? I’ve never seen you around here before, and I know everyone! I, uh, I think..” The girl was a little loud, but clearly with no bad intentions.
False stuttered a little, struggling to get the words out as this stranger smiled, slightly creepy.
“Y-Yeah, I’m new, I moved here from Hermitcrest, b-but I haven’t met anyone properly yet so-”
False was cut off, the other girl suddenly intercepting, gasping and saying
“Hermitcrest? Oh, I’m also from there! It was a long time ago, but, oh well.. I wish I could visit, my good friend moved there a while back.. A-anyways I would love to help you get settled in!”
False tilted backwards, shuffling a little to get away from the girl’s enthusiasm. This was just some random person, but she seemed… nice? Her bright hair and elaborate dress intrigued False, maybe she could learn more about the other districts. All of that aside, she didn’t even know this other girl’s name.
“Oh, um, yeah, of course, I would love it if you could show me around a little? B-But I actually don’t know your name so…”
“Goodness, yes, my name is Gemini Tay! Or just Gem, preferably Gem, a-and your name is?” The girl, Gem, replied, a little embarrassed by her own brashness towards this clearly overwhelmed person.
False giggled a little, and spoke, “My name is Katy Symmetry, but I vastly prefer False as a name!”
Gem laughed, the sound soft and smooth, as if it were honey pouring from her mouth.
“False, alright! I’ll gladly show you around, but, um, school is about to start so… we should definitely get going!” Gem smiled at her newfound friend, melting away the agitation that False had previously held.
“You’re my age, right? That should mean that you’ll be in the same room as me, c’mon!” Gem giggled, pulling False off of the bench and dragging her into the school as False gasped in surprise and was forced to follow the bouncy girl.
Gem navigated through the hallways, False making a quick mental note of where to go as she chuckled at Gem’s eagerness.
“Slow down! We’ve still got a minute or two!” This made Gem pause. False stopped laughing as Gem turned around slowly, the brightness in her emerald eyes having faded away.
“Rule number 1. Gemini Tay is NEVER late to a lesson.” Gem’s voice was low and somewhat threatening, making False look at her in surprise. False nodded slowly, having seen the darker side to Gem’s personality.
“Anyways, lets get going!” The other girl’s voice was light again, making False breathe out in relief.
Clearly, this happy and colourful girl was not one to mess around. After a few more turns in the corridors, Gem stopped at a door numbered ‘47’ and opened it. A couple of students were already sat down at wooden desks, with two chairs at each. The teacher was at at the front, leafing through a book and glancing up when the two girls entered the room.
“Gem, good morning! Is this the new student that you appear to have already scolded?” The teacher smiled gently at False, and continued.
“Please excuse Gem, she can get a little bit bossy at times.” The teacher raised an eyebrow at Gem as she went to sit down at her desk, making her go red in embarrassment.
“O-Oh it’s not a problem! Gem has already offered to show me around in her spare time!” False replied with a chuckle, glancing at the other students as they observed her curiously.
“Wonderful! Well, in that case, the seat next to Gem is open, since the previous student left! My name is Mr Wilkins, and I am your form teacher!” Mr Wilkins beamed at False as she shuffled over to Gem, placing her bag underneath the desk as she suddenly became aware of the few other students staring at her.
“Hey, False, are you okay?” Gem whispered, seeing False look down at the desk and avoiding eye contact.
“Are they all looking at me?” She mumbled, shifting uncomfortably on the seat.
“Um…” Gem looked up and saw that the others were indeed looking at False.
“W-Well some of them are, but if I tell you about them then they won’t seem as scary, right?” This caught False’s attention, as she wanted to learn more about the other districts and what the people of her age were like.
“Y-Yeah, alright, that could help.” False sat back up and looked as Gem started pointing and saying names. The other students had gone back to what they were previously doing, finishing homework or shuffling through their rucksacks.
“Mkay, so, at the back, there’s Sausage. He is one of the nicest people that you’ll meet here, definitely someone that you want to talk to early.” Gem pointed at a tall, tanned boy sitting in a back corner, paging through a book on what seemed to be trees.
“Let’s see, um, not many people are here yet, even though the bell is about to ring… I haven’t spoken to the few other people here, b-but I will introduce you to my friends at break!” Gem sighed apologetically and turned to face False.
“Promise me though, if you get any problems, you’ll come speak to me, alright?”
False nodded, grinning as she heard the rest of the students begin filing in. Mr Wilkins coughed, asking for silence as the rest of the people sat down at their seats. He began the register, and False smiled to herself for already getting a friend.
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad here after all!
Then again, it had only been five minutes...