Chapter Text
Freshman year, Matt can’t believe it. He and Safiya walk into their first class of the day together. Thank god Matt had this class with her. Matt doesn't think he would survive without her being in at least one of his classes. Meeting new people is hard enough, but when you're an outcast nerd with only one friend whom you've been friends with since you were born it's even harder. Thankfully Safiya was here with him so they could live in their little bubble with no issue.
They wandered down the aisle to the back of the class sitting next to another pair. They have both been in Matt and Safiya’s grades for most of their lives. Tesla was in the same grade their whole lives while Colleen, Teala’s best friend, joined them in the fifth grade and the two have been joined at the hip ever since. Both girls were in the same theater class for a long time so the four knew each other in passing.
Matt looked around the room taking in the history class and taking note of some strange drawings pinned to the walls. A lineup of fantastical creatures, written in bold letters written in messy handwriting. The Savant looks like a mix of a wolf, a demon, and a bird. The Producer, a large canine-like creature with long forepaws and broad shoulders. The Jet Setter is a moth-looking humanoid. The Hippe, a mammal of some sort maybe but like a wyvern, this one is the most vague in Matt’s mind. The Daredevil is a naga-like creature with a snake-like head with a rattlesnake tail. They were all interesting to Matt.
He jolted when he felt an elbow connect with his rib, he looked over to his best friend with a glare, a non-threatening one mind you. She raised an eyebrow at him.
“What are you staring at?” Safiya whispered to him as he came out of his trance.
“I was looking up at those drawings. They remind me of cryptids so I was interested.” Matt replied.
“You two are interested in Cryptids huh?” a new voice asks them.
Both freshmen jump whipping around to stare at an adult who has his desk in the very back of the room. This must be Mr. Wilson, the history teacher.
“Uhm.. Yeah.” Matt says cautiously, he didn’t want just anyone overhearing them after all, despite the room being fairly empty. This wouldn’t be the first time he and Safiya would've taken shit for being interested in the paranormal.
“Ah good to have fellow Cryptid Hunters here again. Yes, those drawings are cryptids here in the town of Everlock. The only known spotting is from this in the 70s who drew those drawings you see on my wall actually! No one ever took him seriously so I bought them pretty cheap despite them technically being historic artifacts of Everlock,” Mr. Wilson rambled on, “Ah sorry. I was rambling wasn't I? Don’t mind me, just a crazy history teacher who happens to have interests in the unnatural. I’ll leave you two to your conversation until the bell rings. I need to go make some copies real quick anyway.” With that, the teacher gets up leaving the two nerds to watch him in awe.
“What was that about?” Teala whispers to the duo not having been able to hear the conversation for herself. Teala has been a sort of passing friend Matt and Safiya talk to during school hours but rarely outside of them.
“Apparently Mr. Wilson is a fan of cryptids..” Safiya said in a bit of a daze. Not many teachers appreciate their love of the unnatural after all.
“Oh, that's cool,” Teala tells them examining their looks of awe.
“I don’t get it, what is so interesting about things that aren’t real..?” Colleen asks them effectively, snapping them both out of their trances.
“Well while there might not be any evidence saying that they are real, yes, there is also nothing disproving all of them. Most sea monsters are disproved but I have seen no proper proof disproving the more mammalian and reptilian creatures, “ Matt launches into one of his longer rants, as more people start filtering in, such as the mean girl Nikita, Safiya slams her hand over his mouth all but stopping the rant before some bully could overhear it.
“I see,” Colleen says blinking slowly.
“Sorry. He and I are very interested in the topic.” Safiya explains in a slightly monotone voice to the stunned Dancer.
Their already declining conversation pitters out as the teacher walks back in quieting the whole class, “Good morning everyone, My name is Mortimer Wilson. Please just call me Mortimer though. My mother is the principal of the school so I don’t want to much confusion,” he explains in a cheery tone as he greets the class, “ Now for today I am going to call everyone's names in alphabetical order for attendance. When your name is called I would like you to restate your name and give us a fun fact about yourself-” Mortimer is cut off by various groans throughout the room, “Heh I know I know. However it’s good practice for yourselves and me to learn the people in this room which will be important, seeing as you will be getting random partners for the final project,” Again Mortimer was met with even louder groaning, “I know but I promise it isn't as bad as it sounds. Now onto role call kids.”
For one Matt found ice-breakers pretty enjoyable, while he might not be the most social kid he did like learning about people’s hobbies. It makes it easier to get along with people if need be.
Soon enough, the first period was over and he and Safiya had to split up. He entered his next class, English, where there were assigned seats. Matt, being one of the first people here, sat in his new seat waiting to see the person he’d be paired up with.
As more and more people began filtering he was getting worried that there wouldn’t be anyone next to him. Until one Nikita Dragun walked in and was directed to sit next to him. Matt felt dread pool in his stomach. Nikita didn’t like him there was no doubt of that in his mind, she was known as a troublemaker who didn’t play nice with anyone and no one was off limits when it came to Nikia’s ire.
The girl rolls her eyes but sits next to him regardless. Matt can’t help but be just a little intimidated by her but he was determined to not put any targets on his back this year, not that Nikita has ever taken the plentiful opportunities to bring him down over the years but then again he was very diligent in keeping himself out of her path in general so he just had to take extra caution this year.
“Alright no class-wide ice breakers but your goal will be to get to know your table buddy, hope you like them cause there will be no seat changes and you will be doing any partner work with this person. Don’t bother me for the rest of the period.” The English teacher droned on before going to her desk.
“Well isn't she a bitch?” Nikita leans over to whisper to him.
“What? No. She- she doesn't seem like the best teacher but I’m sure she will.. Lighten up. Probably,” Matt knew he was making excuses but he felt bad bad-talking a teacher.
Nikita just raised an eyebrow at him, “I know you're a teacher’s pet usually but I know for a fact you don’t like English enough to unconditionally defend a teacher.”
“Not unconditionally defending her, just giving her the benefit of the doubt is all” Matt defends his actions, “and I’m not that much of a teacher’s pet… in English.”
“My point exactly poindexter,” Nikita said, rolling her eyes, and pulling out her phone.
God did Matt just wish Safiya or Teala was in here with him, hell he’d even settle for Colleen over Nikita right now. It isn’t like he could change this though so he is just gonna have to suck it up and survive till the end of the class. That won’t be so hard now, will it? Matt sure hopes not.
Finally, school is over, Safiya hops on her bike, and Matt hops on the back. “Ready to get out of here MatPat?”
“Yes. Let's get out of here. I have a theory I want to work on and I have been itching to work on it some more.”
“Of course you do. Let's go, you nerd.” Safiya jokes before beginning to peddle towards her house, her friend rambling about said theory the entire bike ride home.