𝕊𝕥𝕦𝕡𝕚𝕕 ℂ𝕦𝕡𝕚𝕕 ➶

𝔽𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕪-𝕊𝕚𝕩: 𝔹𝕖𝕘𝕚𝕟 𝔸𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕟

Valentina's return to Nevermore was the polar opposite of her initial arrival. Where she was silent and pouty before, she was loud and animated now.

Then again, when she made her first trip down to the academy for outcasts before, she was alone. It had been just her, her mother, and the Zhang family manservant. This time, Fran was sitting in the backseat beside her.

It had been a struggle to get their combined luggage to fit in the trunk of a single SUV, but --with careful planning and arrangement as well as a minor miracle-- Mr Liu managed.

She and Fran spent the entire drive all but attached at the hip. Over text, they arranged a road-trip playlist of songs that they both liked. It had been difficult at first. Fran had no experience with jazz and Val no interest in boy bands...

But, with time and exposure, they quickly found common ground. Mostly in the forms of Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, the teenage heartthrobs of their times.

"Those fingers in my hair! That sly come hither stare! That strips my conscience bare... It's witchcraft!" Valentina and Francoise sang in perfect sync, likely due to the iPod wedged between them and the pair of earbuds they were sharing. "And I've got no defense for it! The heat is too intense for it! What good would common sense for it do?"

Val's mother had her nose in a book --likely a novel that one of her daytime dramas was based on-- but occasionally glanced back and smiled at them from her spot in the front seat.

Their singing wasn't the greatest. In fact, it had the cadence of amateurism at its finest... But the point wasn't to sound perfect. They were just noise-making for the fun of it.

Fran's voice abruptly cut off when Nevermore Academy came into sight. Val couldn't blame her. After all, her first view of the campus had taken her breath away too.

"Cool, right? Trust me, you're going to love it here," she hummed. She'd make sure of it. Only the best experience for her new friend!

If Mr Liu was annoyed by the fact that he'd be carrying up the luggage of two girls rather than one, he didn't look it. Although, knowing her mother, he would likely receive a special tip once they returned to the Zhang household in California. She was thoughtful like that.

Francoise and Valentina raced one another up the stairs of Ophelia Hall, their laughter only interspersed with some heavy breathing. They arranged with the school ahead of time so they'd be sharing a room. Good thing too, because, the last time she heard from her original roommate CC, she was getting along so well with Larissa that they were going to room together again.

Good for Larissa! Rooming with Morticia again might have been tempting for her, but it was a good idea in the long run for the two girls to spend some time apart. That brought up a good question, though... Who would Tish be rooming with?

Oh well. Val supposed it was none of her business. She was just being nosy.

Her room with Fran wasn't as big or as impressive as her room with Morticia, but she found it much cozier overall.

'What should we do first? Once we're done unpacking, that is," Valentina asked as she began to restack her wall of stuffed animals. A good foundation was crucial, lest they all come crashing down. More of a nuisance than a danger, but a nuisance nonetheless!

"I wanna check out the different clubs and sports. Well, one in particular: the fencing club."

"I didn't know you were into fencing!" The idea of her new best friend being on the same team as her ex-girlfriend made her sweat a little, but it was probably fine. She was a pro at making mountains out of mole hills.