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The first few periods had passed uneventfully. To say that anything had happened would be wrong. Somewhere in the middle of it, Herbert had slipped off, and period three had gone by with only thirteen people. Not that it made a difference, every lesson was still silent. There wasn’t much talking outside of the girls giggling to the side of the room and the occasional discussion. Sebastian wasn’t much for conversation either, doing his best to ignore James’s very existence.

Then the bell for lunch had ran, and whatever power was keeping the class quiet vanished. The room dissolved into loud talking. Most notably was the pseudo-shouting match Ella and Jackson were having. Something about the best type of lollipop.

[color=FFCFC0]“Coca-cola! That’s the best one! Come on, it’s not a competition!”[/color]

[color=FFCFC0]“No, no, no, Jackson! Apple is way better.”[/color]

Everyone began to make their way to the canteen. Even Porche followed behind Yam, chattering about something useless.

James went with everyone else. His right eye twitched slightly. 

[color=568203][i]Hey, isn’t everyone a bit too cold?[/i][/color]

Then again, he was the new guy in a class that’d been together for ages. Still, a little welcome couldn’t hurt.

He listened to what people were talking about.

[color=FFCFC0]“Are you gonna help me with math? You said you were gonna. Please?”[/color] Mina whined, tugging on Neu’s sleeve. He shook her off.

[color=FFCFC0]“It’s not my fault you don’t have a work ethic,”[/color] he sniffed. [color=FFCFC0]“Let go, please.”[/color]

The last to leave was a group of four. [color=FFCFC0]“And [i]then[/i] he pulled out his sword and it was like, wow! Then he stabbed the guy and it looked like he was dead, but he wasn’t, ‘cause he missed by a centimetre, and then-”[/color] Mook said, hands gesturing wildly. [color=FFCFC0]“He got up, and said a really cool thing. I forgot what it was, but it was super cool.”[/color]

[color=FFCFC0]“Isn’t this a spoiler?”[/color] Emma said. She sounded distracted. [color=FFCFC0]“I was gonna watch it.”[/color]

[color=FFCFC0]“It’s a pretty good film actually,”[/color] Seth replied.

[color=FFCFC0]“It wasn’t. You only remember it that way because we watched it at three in the morning,”[/color] Sebastian said.

[color=FFCFC0]“No, he’s right, it’s a masterpiece. Right, so. After that, the guy with the chainsaw runs in and it’s like-”[/color]

[color=#568203]“Oh, are you talking about [i]Tales in Terrorwood?[/i]”[/color] James cut in. “I watched that movie last year. That chainsaw scene was funny.”

Mook looked horrified. [color=FFCFC0]“Funny? Funny? That, my friend, was one of the best scenes in cinematic history.”[/color]

[color=568203]“Only if you ignore the irony set up by the director. The previous two scenes were supposed to show the absurdity of the situation, I think. You guys noticed that, right?”[/color] He asked the other three.

Seth blinked. [color=FFCFC0]“I just thought their outfits were cool.”[/color]

[color=FFCFC0]“You [i]what[/i],”[/color] Mook gasped. [color=FFCFC0]“You watched the greatest film of the twenty first century and you thought the [i]costumes[/i] were cool?” [/color]He pointed at Sebastian, narrowing his eyes. [color=FFCFC0]“And don’t think I’ve forgotten about you! I’ll make you take that back, even if it’s the last thing I do.”[/color]

[color=568203]“Strong words,”[/color] James said. [color=568203]“Still, I thought the movie was pretty good. It’s like [i]The Room[/i], you know? Cult classic.”[/color]

Mook opened his mouth to continue, only to realise the rest of the group had left. They’d arrived at the canteen, and were picking up their food. It was certainly better than listening to Mook prattling on. [color=FFCFC0]“Oh, they’re all gone. I can’t believe you, you know,”[/color] he said. [color=FFCFC0]“But you’re new, so I’ll let it slide. Hey, uh, do you wanna sit with us? Since it’s your first day and all. Seb won’t mind. Probably.”[/color]

[color=568203]“Thanks! It sucks being new- everyone’s already gotten their groups.”[/color] James assumed a theatrical tone. [color=568203]“I won’t forget this gift. You have my gratitude,” [/color]he said, quoting TiT.

Mook mimicked a curtsey. He looked delighted. [color=FFCFC0]“You’ll have my head, too,”[/color] he said, finishing the quote.. [color=FFCFC0]“Alright, go get some food and then come sit with us. We’re on the table in the corner, yeah?”[/color]

Then he left, leaving James. The food in the canteen looked pretty good, especially since it was a school. All of those tuition fees had to go somewhere. He took a chipotle wrap and some fruit, then headed to Mook’s table. On the way, he watched the other students in his class.

Ella, Jackson and Larissa were (predictably) sitting together. Morgan was on their table too, but he was lying on the table with headphones in, so he wasn’t really contributing to the conversation. They were playing Uno. Jackson was winning. Neu seemed to have given in to Mina, and was attempting to explain something to her. Her expression was blank. On the other side of Neu and Mina’s table were Yam and Porche, the latter still talking and the former looking like she wanted to be anywhere else.

[color=568203][i]Seems like I ended up with nice people,[/i][/color] James thought. He sat down next to Mook and began to eat, content with listening to their conversation.

[color=FFCFC0]“See, Mook, you’ll die alone if you don’t get any new hobbies,”[/color] Sebastian declared, sparing a sideways glance at James. [color=FFCFC0]“I wouldn’t expect a girlfriend any time in the next five years.”[/color]

[color=FFCFC0]“You’re so harsh,”[/color] Seth said.

[color=FFCFC0]“You don’t get to talk, Seth. You’re skipping practice on Sunday, aren’t you?”[/color]

[color=FFCFC0]“It’s an important occasion,”[/color] Emma said. Seth flushed a little.

[color=FFCFC0]“Well, it’s not like that!”[/color]

[color=FFCFC0]“It is,”[/color] the other three replied in unison. [color=FFCFC0]“It’s a date,” [/color]Emma added.

[color=FFCFC0]“You’ve got such low standards. Do you even like her?”[/color] Sebastian said.

[color=FFCFC0]“I’m right here!”[/color]

James smiled. [color=568203]“How long’ve you lovebirds been together?”[/color]

The entire table looked at him like he was stupid.

[color=FFCFC0]“Oh right, he’s new, isn’t he,”[/color] Mook muttered.

Emma leaned into the table. [color=FFCFC0]“Strictly speaking, one day as of next Monday.”[/color]

[color=FFCFC0]“You’d be an awful girlfriend,” [/color]Sebastian said.

[color=FFCFC0]“Yeah, you’d know, Sebastian,” [/color]Mook laughed.

[color=568203]“Congratulations,”[/color] James said to Emma and Seth. [color=568203]“Where are you planning on going? I’m new to town, and I don’t really know any places.”[/color]

[color=FFCFC0]“Oh, we’re actually gonna go see [i]Tales in Terrorwood Two: Yesterday[/i],” [/color]Seth said. [color=FFCFC0]“Emma, you gotta watch the first one before then.”[/color]

[color=FFCFC0]“Yeah, yeah,”[/color] Emma said. Her smile was sickeningly sweet.

[color=568203]“Cool! I hear there are two theaters in town: Windberg Theater Family and Films and Animation Theaters. Are both good?”[/color]

[color=FFCFC0]“Windberg’s smaller, but it’s cheaper and the seats are fancy,”[/color] Mook said. [color=FFCFC0]“FA Theatres is like a regular cinema, though. Windberg for dates, FA for anything else.”[/color]

[color=FFCFC0]“And that’s why you’ve never been to Windberg,” Sebastian muttered, taking a bite out of his sandwich.[/color]

[color=568203]“I’ll keep it in mind if I meet a nice girl- probably not here at school. Everyone’s so cold!”[/color]

[color=FFCFC0]“They’re not that bad,”[/color] Emma said. [color=FFCFC0]“Everyone’s just a bit rocky to begin with.”[/color] She gave Sebastian a pat on the shoulder. [color=FFCFC0]“Have you talked to everyone yet? I guess not. But I can tell you a bit more about them if you want.”[/color]

[color=568203]“If you’re willing. Can I ask what’s up with that Neu guy? What died in his drink?”[/color]

[color=FFCFC0]“Oh, him. Yeah, he’s a bit of a dick. But it’s not even like you can tell him he’s wrong, because he’s not.”[/color] Emma sighed. [color=FFCFC0]“He got full marks in last year’s tuition exams, you know.”[/color]

[color=FFCFC0]“I wish I was that smart,”[/color] Seth said.

[color=FFCFC0]“At least you have a personality,”[/color] Sebastian replied.

James nearly dropped his wrap. [color=568203]“Hey, that’s insane! I only did well in the humanities! A [i]full score?[/i] Is studying all he does?”[/color]

[color=FFCFC0]“It’s not like he has friends,” [/color]Mook said. [color=FFCFC0]“I mean, I tried, but you can see how well that turned out. I don’t think I’ve seen him willingly talk to anyone except Mina. And that’s because she pesters him all the time.”[/color]

[color=568203]“To help with work, huh? How about that group over there?”[/color] James waved in the general direction of the group playing Uno.

[color=FFCFC0]“Imagine two people with the exact same sense of humour, then put them near each other for eight hours a day,”[/color] Sebastian groaned. [color=FFCFC0]“I can’t stand them.”[/color]

[color=FFCFC0]“Larissa’s alright though,”[/color] Mook added. [color=FFCFC0]“And Morgan’s just there because he doesn’t have any friends and they tolerate him. I’m pretty sure he lives with Larissa, actually.”[/color]

[color=568203]“Huh. They don’t look like twins, but you never know.”[/color] James paused for a moment, then counted the people in the class.

He frowned.[color=568203] “I know there’s that Herbert guy and some Samuel kid, but even then someone’s missing. I thought there were supposed to be 16 total, including me.”[/color]

[color=FFCFC0]“Yeah, there’s another kid. He’s foreign. Guess he’s just not here yet. He’s staying with one of the Juniors, but he’s our age so he’ll be in our classes,”[/color] Emma said. [color=FFCFC0]“I’ve talked to him a bit. Seems normal enough.”[/color]

[color=FFCFC0]“How have you already made friends with him? He’s not even in the country.” [/color]Sebastian grumbled.

[color=FFCFC0]“The wonders of social media. Not that you would know.”[/color]

James sighed in relief. [color=568203]“So I won’t be the only new guy. What about those two?”[/color] He gestured at Yam and Porche.

[color=FFCFC0]“Porche is new, so I can’t say anything about her. Yam? She’s not a bad person, she just doesn’t want to associate with any of us,”[/color] Emma said.

[color=568203]“Thanks for telling me all this,”[/color] James said. [color=568203]“It’s real helpful. I owe you one.”[/color] He finished his wrap. [color=568203]“What do you all usually do when you’re done eating?”[/color]

[color=FFCFC0]“Sebastian goes up to play cello into the sunset. The rest of us sit around and chat, you know, like normal people,”[/color] Mook said.

[color=FFCFC0]“Some of us have better things to do than third wheel.”[/color]

[color=568203]“Whew. That was a good one. In that case, I’m off to play some Uno.”[/color] James stood up. [color=568203]“Gotta meet everyone, you know?”[/color]