Fend Off My Enemies

Welcome to Cloverfield High

Clarice woke up with a start due to her noisy alarm clock. 'Ugh,' Clarice thought as she slapped the button on the top of the clock. Clarice got up from her bed when Ms. Wrights knocked on the door. "Sweetheart! Hurry up and get dressed today's your first day of school!" Ms. Wrights said through the door. 'Summer's over already? Aw, I was hoping I would get to see Hideaki again during the summer,' Clarice thought as she pulled out her uniform and went to the bathroom to get ready. After Clarice finished getting ready she went downstairs and sat at the table after she ate breakfast. 

"Are you ready to go?" Ms. Wrights asked. "Y-yeah mom," Clarice said. The both of them walked to their car and got in. After a while they arrived at the new school, "Alright I'll pick you up after school, have a good day," Ms. Wright said as Clarice started to get out of the car. "A-alright mom bye," Clarice said softly. Ms. Wrights nodded and drove off. Clarice sighed and looked up at the big school building before deciding to go inside.

When Clarice walked inside she saw tons of students walking around in mostly pairs or groups talking and laughing with each other. Clarice weaved through the the crowd trying to find her way to her locker she paused and pulled out a small slip of paper that had her locker number written on it '506'. Clarice looked around at the lockers trying to locate her's. 'Ah, there it is,' she thought as she weaves through the seemingly never ending crowds. Once she arrived at her locker she opened it with the combination she was given. When Clarice was done inputting the code she pulled out her schedule read it over. She looked at the clock it was almost time for her first period. Clarice sighed and waited for the crowd to die down a bit. When it did Clarice once again weaved her way through the crowd and eventually found her first period, homeroom.

Clarice opened the door and almost immediately everyone looked at her. Clarice tensed and looked down hoping that she wouldn't meet anyone's gazes. "Hello, I'm your homeroom teacher You're the new student correct?" Clarice nodded her head. "Alright then, please come up and introduce yourself to the class," Mr. Stewart said to her. Clarice gulped and slowly walked to front the class, she felt everyone's eyes following her every move and judging her. She turned to face the class and scanned the different, new faces. 

"H-h-hello, m-my um, my n-name i-is Clarice Wrights and I hope we all get along and become friends," Clarice said while trying not to stutter as much to show her confidence. "Alright Ms. Clarice you can sit next to Hideaki Ken, Hideaki raise your hand please," Mr. Stewart stated. A hand raised from the very back of the class. Clarice stared at the hand before walking towards it and thinks, 'It can't be him, can it?'

Sure enough Clarice began to spot the white hair and red eyes she longed to see again. She analyzed him for a few seconds before settling into her new chair. The slightly timid girl stole a glance at Hideaki. She blushed when their eyes met and swiftly looked away instead focusing her gaze on her twiddling thumbs. After a while she got bored of that and listened to what the teacher was saying. "Okay class, listen up. Here's how things will go for the week. Today I'll let you all mix and mingle with each other, but after that this week will be focused on group projects and activities," said Mr. Stewart. "You may now talk for the rest of the period. But don't get too loud or I'll make you do actual work." The class simultaneously replied, "Yes Mr. Stewart!"

Clarice sat patiently at her desk for a few minutes before mustering up the courage to talk to her neighbor. "U-um, h-hello Hideaki," She stuttered out. He turned to look at her before mumbling a barely audible, "Hey." The short-haired girl frowned, 'He's angry with me isn't he?' The girl sighed and was about to voice her thoughts before a female classmate approached her. "Ohayo! My name is Lucy Stewart, and yes, Mr. Stewart is my father." Clarice offered a small smile to what she hoped would be a new friend. "H-hello my n-name is Clarice W-wrights, it's a pleasure to meet you, Lucy," she replied. Lucy laughed and pulled Clarice into a hug, "The pleasure's all mine!"

The two girls sat at a table together and chatted until the bell rang. Clarice frowned upon hearing the sound wanting to continue her conversation with Lucy. In their short time together Clarice had grown fond of her brown-eyed companion. She had learned how much of a bookworm Lucy was and how they both enjoyed the same anime/manga. Lucy had that one snack she would kill for and they were called muffins. Clarice felt it was only right and expressed her undying love for dumplings. Many jokes were passed around and laughter was bountiful. Lucy had so many bad puns the Clarice couldn't help laughing at them. After all of this it's only natural that Clarice and Lucy were disappointed when the class was over. 

Lucy reached over to pat Clarice on the head, something the latter knew would become a habit. "What's your next three classes?" Lucy asked her newest friend. The girl in question responded, "Math, social studies, science, and then lunch." Lucy rubbed the back of her head and bend back a bit, "Aww, what a bummer! I have science, math, then social studies." The bookworm sighed, "I guess we won't be seeing each other until lunch."

Clarice sighed and told her companion, "We'd better hurry if we don't want to be late." Lucy nodded in agreement and pulled her friend in for one more hug. Both girls displayed a smile on their faces and left the classroom. In the halls, Lucy walked towards her next class but stopped to wave at Clarice then turned on a corner. She sighed once more before making her way to her math class. 'I'm so glad I met Lucy. I'm so comfortable around her, I guess that's why I've never stuttered once after our first few sentences. Although, it is a bummer that Hideaki seems to be very reluctant to speak to me. I'll have to remember to explain myself the next I get a chance,' Clarice couldn't help sighing in distraught from her last thought. She quietly entered the class and gathered her wits, another introduction was inevitable.