SUNSHINE + SHADOW !

Friends?

This one's happy

It's basically 9-year-old Nico and 10-year-old Will

Nico didn't want to go to school. He ducked behind his sister, keeping his eyes firmly on the ground.

"Come on, Nico," The older girl sighed, gently tugging him out from behind her. "You have to go to school."

"No!" Nico panicked. How could he explain to her? She would think he was possessed, like the rest of them.

I'm going to die. I'm going to die, because I'm—I'm wrong. If his family found out... Nico would be sent away. Far, far, away, to a strange place, where they fixed wrong people like him.

"Why, Nico? You're doing well." Bianca peered curiously down at her younger brother.

"I don't have friends," Nico mumbled. "And the others think I'm possessed." Bianca raised her eyebrows in exasperation.

"I'm sure the students don't think you're possessed. Why would they think that?" Nico opened his mouth, and closed it, shaking his head.

"Go on." Bianca nudged him towards the door. Nico clung on to her coat, his small hands digging into the dark fabric so hard that his knuckled were white. Bianca firmly pried his fingers from her coat, and gave him one last gently push towards the doors. She forced herself not to look back at the teary-eyed, trembling Nico, staring morosely after her receding figure. Nico turned, when Bianca was out of sight, and made himself walk in.

"Hey!" Nico looked up, startled. None of the other students would talk to him, usually. A golden-haired boy he didn't recognize waved furiously at him from across the room. He bounded over to Nico.

"Who're you? I'm Will, and I'm ten!"

"I—I'm Nico. I'm nine."

"Nine?"

"I skipped third grade."

"Oh. I'm new here! Do you know where I'm s'pposed to go?"

"What teacher are you?" Nico found himself asking. He should be walking away, to his own classroom, Will would soon hear the whispers from the other kids, he would think Nico was possessed too. But something about Will's azure eyes made Nico stand still, rooted to the spot. Will thought for a moment.

"Ms. Addison." Nico blinked. Ms. Addison was his homeroom teacher, too. Also, she was Nico's least favorite teacher. She knew what the students said about him.

"Oh. I'm in her class too."

"Cool!" Will didn't seem to notice Nico's lack of enthusiasm. "You can lead me!" With a sigh of defeat, Nico turned and walked reluctantly towards his classroom. He slipped into the classroom with his head down, trying to divert attention from himself. Will hopped in after him, waving and giving the class that sunshiny smile.

"You're the new student, I suppose. Will Solace?" Ms. Addison smiled thinly, ignoring Nico as he slunk to his seat.

"Yes!" Will chirped. "Hi!"

"Hello. Please go to your seat." There was no need for Ms. Addison to point. The only empty seat in the room was at the back, next to Nico's corner and a bored-looking, brown-haired girl who was aimlessly scribbling on a piece of torn notebook paper.

"Okay!" Will bounced to his seat.

"Class, let's introduce ourselves to Will," Ms. Addison announced. "Starting from Travis."

"Connor," The boy corrected. He smirked, eyes glinting mischievously. "I'm Connor Stoll. Travis's my brother, and he's older." The green-eyed girl next to him twisted around to face the back of the room.