Chapter Text
You think you might be going crazy.
There’s this new girl at your school that dresses up with a blue beanie thing and a long green coat, even though it’s in the middle of spring. She is shorter than most people and has trouble finding out where to go half of the time. There have been multiple occasions in which she walks into your class asking if it’s a different one. The teacher always ushers her out though.
There was originally meant to be someone who would stay with her for the first few days just to get her comfortable. No one ended up doing it at all, because the school kinda just forgot. After around a week, they realised there are still a handful of students who are still lost and need friends.
They sent an email out to everyone that day. It said something along the lines of:
Please talk to us if you want to help a student out,
talk to us if you wanna guide someone through their first few weeks, et cetera et cetera. Something like that.
A few days passed and they held an assembly. A few students got paired with the newcomers and things like that. But no one from your grade applied.
There were still people losing their way around the school, ending up in the wrong classes, trying to make friends, giving up miserably. It was chaos.
The school got mad and sent yet another email out. Another few days later, assembly.
You don’t really remember what happened in that one. But no one opted out.
They eventually got tired and just assigned the students together.
So helping that new kid sort of became your problem. Except it's not really a problem you think. It’s more of an opportunity.
You don’t really think much of it at first, it seems pretty normal to guide a student throughout their classes. But you soon realise that she ends up getting more lost than most people, and has to rely on you to get her to her next class.
It happened again the next day.
You were simply walking to your English class, making sure you have everything with you.
When you notice from the corner of your eye a short green figure with some blue at the top. She’s looking frantically at her timetable and on the sign above the door, trying to make out if they’re the correct number or not.
You hesitate for a second before sighing and walking towards her.
“You’re in the right place, see.” You say, bringing your finger towards her timetable. You tap at the place where the number matches the one above the door. “It’s the same number.”
She drags her eyes up to look at you like you’ve solved the cure for cancer.
“Oh.” she says, still looking at you, “Are you sure?”
You nod quickly, and give her timetable back to her.
She mutters a ‘thank you’ and steps inside, sitting in an empty seat. You give her a quick wave and walk towards your next class.
English was surprisingly boring today. You kept glancing at the clock, then to your watch, back and forward again making sure that they’re the correct time. When the teacher finally dismisses you, you rush towards the spot you sit at for lunch when you want to distance yourself from your friends, behind a wall. They understand you want space when you leave them alone for lunch instead of joining them.
You lean on the wall as you take out some crackers, munching on them and feeling the sound it makes inside your mouth.
You bring out some books and a pen to start doing some of your unfinished homework, when you suddenly hear a shuffle near you. You thought it just might be one of your friends asking you for a favour or something, but you're surprised to look up to her.
She has her entire bag with her for some reason, and her hair is a little bit of a mess. You push your glasses onto your face as you observe her reactions.
She opens her mouth as if going to say something, then closes it.
You look at her in concern.
“Did you, uh, did you want something?” You say, taking a bite of the crackers you still had.
She pauses for a bit, then points at the ledge next to you.
“Could I sit with you, please?”
What? Why would she say that?
“Uh yea! Yea sure.” You move your books and food onto your lap. “Here.”
She grins slightly and sits next to you.
You close your eyes a bit and breathe a little, before being interrupted by the unzipping of a bag. You open them again and glance over to her side at what she had.
There was a small brown paper bag wedged in the space next to both of you, as well as a large metal bottle. The girl zipped her bag up and adjusted her coat, looking at you as if saying ‘what’?
You look away quickly and go back to writing your homework.
Only the sounds of a pen writing and a sandwich being bit into were being played on repeat.
I think she might say something to me.
Nope. Silence.
Maybe now?
No.
…
Now would be a good chance, right?
…
After a while of complete silence, you feel a tap on your shoulder. You glance up. She’s still chewing the sandwich but quickly swallows it.
“Do you always eat crackers like that?”
You look at the crackers in your hand and how they’re covered with cheese.
“Mostly. It depends on what I’m feeling.”
She giggles a little and runs a hand through her hair.
Since when did she take off the hat?
“Um… I really appreciate that you’re helping me find my classes, but I never got to know your name.”
You pause.
That’s what’s been feeling so empty! You didn’t know her name!
“Oh! I’m Jade. Jade Harley. I’m sorry that I didn’t say it before, haha…” You reply, tracing the back of the pen on your cheek. “You didn’t tell me yours either.” You point out, locking your eyes with hers.
Why is my stomach twisting…? Why is her smile so distracting?
“Um, oh, uh, sorry sorry. Nepeta Leijon.” She smiles, turning over to take a bite of her sandwich.
Your eyes naturally go back to your unfinished homework.
The pen is lying there, waiting to be written with.
You attempt to grab it, but it slips and falls to the ground. Sighing, you put your books next to you and try and grab the pen, only to find that it's not there. You look over to Nepeta, who’s holding it in her hand. She gives you the pen, and pats the seat where you were sitting before, gesturing you to sit down again.
You force your hand into a handshake position above the space that’s occupied by the small paper bag. Nepeta notices and brings up her hand to join yours. You both shake it, and let go.
She swallows the chunk of sandwich she bit, and shoves the rest of it into the paper bag.
“Can we be friends?” She exclaims, looking at you hopefully.
You nod yes and smile.
That day will be the start to a beautiful friendship.