𝐁𝐀𝐆𝐒 | 𝐉𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐌𝐈'𝐈𝐊𝐄

one.

northshore high might have genuinely been one of the worst places that eden had ever encountered. she stood gripping her backpack far tighter than she should've been, her knuckles turning white as she watched students milling past her, each of them lost in their own little worlds. eden wondered whether she was maybe being a little dramatic about the first day back after summer break, she'd been putting up with the people around her for long enough to not care what they thought of her. and yet she still craved their approval just a little.

"why do you look like you're about to eat dirt?" eden swung around to face the girl that had appeared beside her. "is it too late to hurl myself in front of oncoming traffic?" she asked, a small smile forming on janis' face. the darker haired girl checked her phone, tapping the time while eden rolled her eyes at her. "i would say yeah," she motioned towards the school in front of them. "you could always try at break," she shrugged. "although that's usually one of the more quieter traffic times." she nudged the girl playfully as they both made their way towards the entrance. "or maybe it'll be different this year."

janis scoffed, pushing her way through the doors to the school and almost instantly running into another student who was far too busy on her phone to notice janis glaring at her. "it's definitely not going to be different this year," janis replied. "always so negative," eden nudged her. "they have to grow up eventually." janis shot her a look before moving her to the side so she could get in at her locker. both girls knew that nothing would change, they'd just have to wait for college to come before the fresh start could begin. none of this nortshore nonsense where everything was judged and picked apart and the plastics were constantly thriving under the judgement that they usually instigated.

eden's locker was two doors over, the brunette trying to squeeze past another girl who shot her a sour look. she had gotten used to it, northshore students were not the most friendly. eden tipped the contents of her bag into her locker, making a mental note to tidy it up when she had more time before slamming it shut behind her. janis pulled out her timetable, leaning back against her own locker. "we are seperated for way too many classes," her eyes flicked up to eden. "how am i going to survive a class without you or damian?" eden groaned. she had been moved into ap calculus by mr duvall last year after learning that she was exceptionally good at math. eden hadn't even known that she was exceptionally good at anything but apparently she was good enough to get into ms norbury's class.

"you won't," janis patted her shoulder sympathetically. "it was so nice knowing you." eden gently slapped the girls hand away just as damian approached them. "you two seriously need to get a room." eden narrowed her eyes at him in an immediate warning. damian hubbard did not know how to be subtle and he was never supposed to know that eden had the tiniest crush on janis. it had only happened during the summer when damian had pushed janis off the armrest of the couch in her garage and she had fallen directly into eden's lap. damian might not have been subtle but in that moment, neither was eden. damian had laughed for weeks afterwards about how she had 'turned red from head to toe' but he was yet to blurt it out in front of janis and every day eden wondered what would happen if he accidentally ended up telling her.

"we need to get a room?" janis nudged him jokingly, the three of them falling into line with janis in the middle as they walked to homeroom. "what about you and that theatre nerd?" eden bit back a small smile, it was no secret that damian had a thing for one of the guys in the drama class. eden had no idea who he was, she didn't even know how damian knew who he was but she found it extremely amusing to watch damian interacting with him. "oh,ok," damian replied. "i see how it is." he pushed open the door to his left, their first class awaiting them. "it's like we never left," janis rolled her eyes before following damian into the classroom.

they took their seats, eden sliding into the chair in front of janis before swinging around in her seat to face her friends. she was just about to mention the lack of mr duvall giving his 'welcome back' speech over the intercom when janis frowned towards the front of the classroom. "who's she?" eden turned to face the front of the classroom. a redhead stood at the front of the class, gripping onto her bag tightly as she watched mr duvall pace the class in an attempt to get the students attention. "she's wearing flannel, think i have a chance?" eden cracked, janis' eyes narrowing at her. "no?" eden shrugged. "doesn't hurt to try." damian shook his head at her, she'd been joking about various girls around school for a pretty long time, always trying to get a reaction from janis. she didn't really think it had ever worked.

"maybe i was right," eden's eyes flicked between janis and the girl stood at the top of the room. "maybe this year will be different." janis snorted. "yeah because she looks like she's going to make a real difference." eden rolled her eyes mockingly. "it's always the outsider in those cliché films," she replied. "what's stopping her?" she looked back towards the redhead who was looking more nervous with every passing second and shook her head. she wasn't kidding anyone, not even herself. maybe someone could change the plastics practically running the school but the girl in front of them definitely couldn't.