Chapter Text
August 25th, 1991
Middle school was supposed to be an invigorating period in any prepubescent teenager’s life. The time to find your clique, make friends, experience dating. For the small framed girl plopped down into the rotting gray chair that was secluded off into the corner, it was literal hell. Not twenty minutes into the morning walk, to the school, and it had begun to rain heavily, the dark purplish sky was offering no mercy to the young girl traveling beneath it-alone.
Just as every other year had started off, Juniper was used to it by now.
Her slightly frizzy black hair caused her to look like a timid child in the corner of the office. While her petite form made her seem harmless, her hazel eyes glanced about with hostility, and distress, mingled in their foggy depths. The other children knew to stay away from the young, Juniper Heden. She was marked an outcast, her rebellious nature was of no assistance when it came down to it, just kept others further away than they’d have been in the beginning.
Her clothing swallowed her, the baggy hand-me-downs had various rips from her constant nervous prodding at the fabric, it did nothing to help the girl’s small, worrying appearance. The yellow, coffee stained slip in her hand was held with jittery, anxious fingers, the words on it accused her of some absurd act that she was more than likely, not guilty of. It was just how things went-just how they were. Juniper took the constant prodding, and prosecuting without falter, it was what the young girl knew, and she was accustomed to the emotional abuse of her peers, and administrators.
She fought back when she could, ready at all costs for another knife to add to the many in her back. She took up for herself as much as she was possibly able, and accepted when things were simply out of her hands. The world worked against those it didn’t see fit to be in it-that was something she’d learned at an early age. She was one of the many who fought to be in it.
It was possible that was why, when the boy walked in, with an over sized, auburn faded, sweater, that hung around him like a cloak, soaked from the rain, just like her-Juniper didn’t release her hostile nature, and strike him for his dark stare, as she would’ve done to so many others. She could relate to the unsure malice in his eyes, and the bruise that splay sharply on his cheek, like a twisted form of a purple, and red blush.
Hazel eyes glanced away carefully, but dark russet eyes remained, in a scrutinizing stare.
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August 26th, 1991
Somehow, someway, they’d both found themselves in the office again the next day. It was a routine that Juniper, begrudgingly, went through year after year, and something about the way the blonde haired boy’s leg had begun to fidget with awkward rapidness, and boredom, told her that he could relate. When they hadn’t called on either of the two children by the later afternoon, Juniper decided to at least try to be somewhat productive and pulled out a math sheet, that had multiple problems on it she knew for a fact she wouldn’t be able to complete-as she’d missed her lesson by being sent to the office. With a heavy sigh she flipped the page over and decided to give the puzzle an attempt, blowing her blunt cut fringe away from her eyes multiple times to stop them from obscuring her view of the work.
The rapid sound of taps against the sketchy tiled floor stopped, and she glanced over to see she’d caught the boy’s attention, his almost onyx shade of eyes glided over the papers, and in a moment of thoughtless politeness, Juniper plucked a puzzle page up from her stack, and offered it to him. The gracefulness in which he took the paper from her hands had been unexpected, and even caused her pale eyes to widen slightly at the quick movement. Instead of handing over a pencil, Juniper decided to gesture toward the few she had in her pencil box on the table.
Neither of them spoke but Juniper was fine with the silence, and simply watched as he completed each puzzle with ease.
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August 29th, 1991
Juniper caught on pretty quickly, she’d seen from one of the crumpled up notes in his hands that his name was, Jack Napier, and he didn’t tend to talk-at all, it seemed. Given, she hadn’t asked any questions, she figured that it was simply best to just remain quiet and offer him various puzzles, and books from her satchel, to keep the both of them occupied.
She never asked for anything in return, no communication, or supply of entertainment from the boy, and she could see the suspicion in the inky brown orbs grow each day, when she simply offered him a craft, and continued with her own. There was no need for his caution, Juniper didn’t need anything from him, although the company was rather nice, to know that someone else was like her, even if it was just a bit. Or the simple comfort of the sound of someone else breathing was enough for her, and preferred over the usual, constant silence.
Juniper offered him a small smile when he looked up.
Jack didn’t return it.
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September 1st, 1991
Their office streak had worn off, but she was pleased to find that Jack was actually in some of her classes.
But, the girl was worried, that he’d find out just what a freak she was, and his company would vanish, but somewhere inside her mind, she knew he wouldn’t, he was just as odd as she, if not more. Juniper learned this on the first day of their class together, the children immediately avoided the pair of them, Juniper thought she actually smiled a bit when the boy sat down in the seat beside her, in the back next to the window, so she could daydream.
Jack liked to daydream too, she found out.
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Lunch rolled around in a hurry, and while most children rejoiced in this time, Juniper strayed behind, recoiled, and ready to flee. There had never been anything good about it, in all truth, she had no friends to converse with, and no lunch to occupy her time, she just sat, and dreamed most of the time, but when she could sneak from the lunchroom, outdoors, she’d manage to have a quick smoke to take the anxiousness away, at being around others-for the time being anyhow.
Juniper invited Jack with her once, as he didn’t have anywhere else to be, she figured he wouldn’t mind, he didn’t reject, or accept her offer, not verbally. He just followed after, almost obediently. Juniper was surprised when she offered him the cancerous stick, and the crazy haired, blonde boy, reached out immediately, with dirt beneath his cracked nails, and took a long drag of her offered smoke.
Like he was saying hello to a long, lost friend.
× × × × × × × × ×
They were quick companions, allies-in a way.
At least that's the way that it seemed, as Juniper had found herself at Jack's side for the better half of the day. He was still quiet, and secluded, and she'd expected nothing different. Most days were a repeat of the first few days of school, it was a normal, dependable routine, that was one of the few, consistent things in her life. So mundane, and yet oddly enjoyable, that sometimes, there were moments when they were alone, in peaceful silence that she could almost claim, that the wild haired blonde, was her friend.
Almost.
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September 18th, 1991
She’d never meant to get used to his presence, but she did, rather quickly. Juniper became accustom to his silent, cool, polite demeanor. She didn’t even know the sound of the boy’s voice, until a couple of weeks after their first meeting.
They’d both fallen in to a compatible routine. Jack’s suspicion never seemed to leave, although his comfort toward her increased-if only slightly. But, then, one day, he’d seemingly snapped, cornered Juniper between the brick of the school wall that had bits of gum crusted on it, and the railing of stairs that would cut you from rust if you weren’t careful. His eyes swirler with black, venom, and a deep snarl set on his young, bruised face.
“Why?” The monotone, gruffness of his voice was surprising, but she was also delighted at finally hearing it, while she tried to comprehend the meaning of his words, she also tried to find what exactly he was asking in the first place; why, what?
At her look of confusion his gaze grew agitated, and a growl ripped through his throat, his frown only deepened. His limbs, while graceful, were awkwardly long and his height, while under the average man's, was definitely above the average sixth grader.
“What do you want? Why are you trying to be my friend?” Juniper just cocked her head at him, and shrugged, as he spat the words at her, with distaste.
“I hate to tell ya’," His frown deepened, his grip on her arms, tightened, painfully, "but I don’t really have any secret motive…" Juniper squirmed uncomfortably, beneath his glare. "... I just like you.” She could tell from the look in his eyes that he didn’t believe her.
But, the stiff nod he gave told her, Jack was trying to, and that was good enough for her.