The Other Half ✓︎

T w o

"Hi, I'm Cleo," my partner introduced herself.

I looked up from the worksheet to find a tall and skinny girl standing in front of me.

"Cassandra," I answered as she took the seat across from me.

"No nickname?" she asked, surprised.

I clenched my jaw. "No."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I'm just used to everyone here using their nicknames that I didn't think anyone would ever use their whole name."

I observed her, taking in her features.

She had brown hair that was pulled up into a ponytail and warm brown eyes that were covered by black glasses. She wore a hoodie as well. 

I softened my features.

"What's Cleo short for?" I asked her.

She blinked in surprise. "Um. Cleopatra. My parents are big on ancient history. They're both professors at the local university here."

"Mine named me after Cassandra in Greek mythology, if that's of any comfort to you."

"Cassandra of Troy?"

"Yes. You know your mythology."

"Oh, I was raised on those stories. Wait, but she has a twin brother, right? Do you have a brother?"

"Do I need to have a brother to have a name of a character from a story?"

Cleo looked at me in surprise, caught off guard by the coldness in my tone.

"Does everyone call you Cassandra, then? Or does anyone call you Cassy? Or even Cass?" she asked.

"No."

"Okay. Cassandra it is then. I think it's cool that you go by your whole name and not a nickname."

I didn't respond, instead choosing to go back to the worksheet.

"Hey, I'm sorry," Cleo apologized.

I looked up at her.

"For asking all those questions. My sister says I have no boundaries sometimes because I don't know when to stop asking questions, and some of them seemed really personal to you. So, I'm sorry," she apologized.

"Thank you for apologizing," I answered.

"So, have you met anyone else here?"

"Nicolette."

Cleo's face scrunched in horror. "What?"

"She introduced herself to me this morning when I was at my locker, before school started."

"So, you two are friends?"

"No."

Cleo's shoulders sagged in visible relief. "Oh, thank god. She's horrible! She's such a bully, her and all her friends."

"No one says anything?"

Cleo shook her head sadly. "Her dad's the principal here. He lets her get away with anything and everything."

I worked my jaw, going back to my worksheet in an attempt to calm myself. I had known this, coming here. I clenched a fist underneath the desk, trying to calm down before I let my anger take over.

"Why is he still the principal?" I finally asked quietly.

"People are scared of him. There's never any evidence of wrongdoing, and if there ever is, Nicolette's boyfriend takes care of it or something."