Fell On Black Days (A School for Good and Evil Fanfic)

Ghost Girl

Ghost girl. That's all she was to everyone else. No one cared about who she really was; that is, besides her best friend who had moved away, as well as the rats living in the walls of her lonely manor on the hill. No one cared about her achievements, though no matter how hard she worked, she would always be second best. No, she was ghost girl, her deathly pale complexion and hooded red eyes causing every student to clear out of the way when she turned the corner. Ghost girl, with her stick-thin frame and perfectly ironed, invariably identical dress shirts and trousers.

But today, for the first instance in a ridiculously long length of time, no one was shooting Anadil uneasy looks, or even worse, not even trying to conceal their blatant stares. Those staples of her day were turned upon someone else. 

It wasn't particularly peculiar for Briar Glen High to accept a transfer student this late in the year, but admittedly, this student was a bit…different than the others. She had kicked back in her chair, casting the occasional death glare at one of the other students and chewing on what could either be a toothpick or a match. Anadil hoped it was the former. She didn't want to go down in flames just yet.

As she tried to get a closer look (discreetly, of course, she wasn't one of those gaping buffoons), the new student's coal black eyes locked onto hers, her expression shifting from annoyance to curiosity, and perhaps a hint of suspicion. Anadil whipped her head back around, barely stopping herself from reacting to the girl's unflinching gaze.

Eventually, the bell rang, and Anadil watched furtively as the new student slung her bag over her shoulder, her hair, sloppily streaked with red dye, flying behind her.

"Wait just a moment." Anadil looked up to find Mrs. Sheeks standing in front of her desk, an apologetic smile on her face. "Miss Beaumont, I'm sure you've noticed a new student in our class."

Anadil stood. "How could I miss her? The others were looking at her as if she's a snake in a terrarium."

"I suppose they were, weren't they?" Sheeks replied, laughing uncomfortably. Uncomfortable. A word Anadil was sure everyone used in regards to her.

"What about her?" Anadil pressed as Sheeks continued her bout of awful false laughter.

"Ah yes," said Sheeks with a cough. "Her name is Hester Ray, and she's a strange case. Her step-mother insisted on placing her in AP Calculus, despite her scores from last semester being…less than acceptable for a rigorous course. I thought the woman must be delusional, or at least have too high of expectations for her ward, but her scores from grade 10 and prior were outstanding. Her guardian says she only needs a little push. She's willing to pay a tutor to provide that push, and I recommended you."

Though taken aback, Anadil only raised an eyebrow. "And why would you recommend me? I'm sure Beatrix Jolie or Ravan Thabet would be more than suitable to provide these services." She took a step toward the door, ready to leave. She was going to be late, after all.

"The both of them are involved in extracurricular activities, as all well-rounded students should be." She shot Anadil a pointed look. "Besides, I'm asking you. It could help you to step out of your comfort zone. Maybe you'll even make a friend."

"Doubtful," Anadil grumbled.

"Hey, you don't know until you try!" Sheeks exclaimed with another fake bout of laughter. "But please, Anadil, an hour of playing teacher each day for a little extra spending money is all I'm asking. If you can push this girl to excel, I can get her step-mom off of my back."

"Fine," Anadil said after a moment. How bad could it be? It would get her out of the house after all. And if 'Hester Ray' was as much of a living nightmare as her first impression made her seem, Anadil wouldn't hesitate to kick her ass. And she would do it easily.