Tris followed along with a deep sigh as the bell rang. – Seems their free time has just run out! – The opening event was going to start soon! And they couldn't be late. Otherwise, trouble awaited.
So he grabbed her arm and proceeded to drag her around! – Which was surprisingly easy to do, she gave no resistance at all, just sliding along. – In the end, they just had to go to one place for now.
Having to go to one place helped. – Nora personally doubted the Fox could make it anywhere else in the new school. – And yeah, she was right. In this moment, he was more lost than anything.
Even the cup on the table probably knew the school's rooms better than him in this current moment. – But he was not one to give up. He SHOULD know where to go for now!
And he did! Just swiftly dragging her along and moving around, following along the path that new arrivals took. – Just cause he disliked social interaction did not mean he couldn't use them!
As such, they arrived on the football field, big groups of people already arranging themselves in designated places for each class. – Peculiar quite, at least for Tris.
Nora slightly nudged him towards the right one, after all, unlike him, she had a rough idea of who were supposed to be their classmates and who were not! Unlike the fox by her side who had no idea who even she was.
They took their place! – The group itself just being silent, clearly awkward with the others. Only Nora and Tris seemed to actively know each other. – And none of them knew how to talk to a blind person.
She took her place next to Tris, just standing by his side and playing into her blind role perfectly. – It was her ace in the end. – Being a perfect mimic, after all, she has done it for many years.
To be honest, Tris was quite sure the lady spent more time actually blind than seeing. – But he did wonder why she did not use a thin blindfold so as to see through it... Welp!
They were waiting for the time being, the principal had to give their speech, and the teachers had to claim their classes. – So, taking his own ability, he had time to think. Quite too much.
Nora knew what teacher they had, while Tris was unaware. – And truly, that bothered him, he wondered how bad they would be, or if it would be good! – But taking Nora was fine, he had hopes.
And time did pass by! – As an older women proceeded to walk in the middle, on a small stage, grabbing the microphone with ease. – Nathen swiftly turned, and poked Nora, as to give the signal.
"Good Morning, students! To start with, I wish to welcome everyone of you to our prestigious High School!"
The women spoke, Tris giving a small sigh at their comment. – Yes, they were the most prestigious High School. Buttttt, it did not give them bragging rights. He could spot mistakes in their systems and buildings since he entered.
Nora gave a small chuckle, which she quickly put out with her hand. – Not being heard by anyone but Tris's keen senses, who gave her a small nudge. – Yeah he understood why she was laughing in the end.
"It has been fifty years since we were first established, so we wish to make this generation perfect. – And hope to have very interested students in our school! To prepare them to take important roles in the future. Doctors, Lawyers, and whatever their soul wishes."
The old woman added, clearing her throat quite clearly, as she prepared to continue her little speech. – Which she probably prepared days in advance. Making sure every piece of it sounded perfect... Or what she thought was perfect.
"This year, we plan to take part in as many events within the education minister's calendar as possible. – And earn deserved trophies for our lovely creation. – Hoping to have excellent students to take part in such events and competitions."
She added quite swiftly, switching the paper and moving the front one to the back. – Continuing to read with some kind of weird grace. – Making even Tris feel weird to some extent.
"We have checked the records of all students. – And as such, have made a list of one person for each subject we wish to turn into masters of their art!"
As she spoke once more, Tris paused. – Regretting the past eight years of his life. – He was going to be on that list for English. Wasn't he? – Why did he have to attend and do projects... God damn it poetry.
He took a small deep breath, abusing the slowed time of his mind to regain his composure, crossing his arms. – Hopefully they won't call them forward... And now that he said it, they probably will.
"We will call out their names, and we wish for them to step forward and stand there for the rest of the speech! Until they are called to their classes. – We thank them for their time."
Those words came out like daggers to Tris's chest, nothing he could do but await painfully. – He had many regrets in this current moment, and it seemed Nora had the same regrets! Welp.
"Alright, allow me to start. – For Biology, we welcome Maya Natsuki, with a great number of achievements and competitions won. – Earning her place on this list."
The woman spoke, as one young lady within one of the random class groups walked up, taking a small place next to her, smiling widely.
"The next subject. – Art, for which we welcome Agatha Hanu. With a special number of artworks done over multiple years and competitions. – Which has earned her own spot."
And as such, the list moved over, a lady walking over and taking a spot as well. – Looking quite happy with herself... This made Tris doubt if he would be the only guy on that list.
"Alright. Two more! These ones are from the same class. We would love to see these two work together! As both have two subjects they have perfected at, having countless projects. By far being at the top of this list."
Once again, the words shot daggers into Tris's legs. – Having some lost hope that the person would be Nora, and he would live. – He was praying to whatever gods could hear him. If any at all!
"First, we have Nora Avalon, for Religious Studies and Art! – Outdoing even the best over all of our previous years! – And last but not least. Nathen Tris Kijima, for English and Psychology, by far an overachiever in his own right."
Well, those words brought at least one of his wishes true! He grabbed Nora's arm lightly. – And proceeded to guide her along. – Carefully as to actually mimic the blind act corectly.
Even the principal's eyes seemed to widen a small bit. Not expecting a blind person to hold such achievements. – But found it quite nice that the boy decided to help her... In reality, she did not even need it.
They took their place on the other side of the principal, Tris giving an internal sigh as his hand let go of Nora's arm. – People were staring; it was clear.
He was the only guy on the stage. – His special senses could already hear the voices of some people mentioning his name. – The biggest thing he hated was being called Nathen.
The principal gave them one look, smiling quite a lot at the so-called prodigies under their school's leadership. – That was one thing he hated. They probably took them as popularity tools. Not students.
"And with such, we are happy to announce the four achievers of our school on their first year. – We will proceed with class repartization! – Some of you already know your teachers. But some of you don't. – So after such you will go with them to your classroom. – Currently it is 9 PM, we will finish repartization at 10, and you will be home at 12."
Three more hours... One entire one for which he had to sit on the stage and just be stared at. – He hated that so, so much... – Popularity had such a big price, didn't it? – It was not worth it for our dear fox.
Nora did not look better, clearly feeling the looks of every person who was around. – Clearly they took her as a gentle, unable to do things by herself type of person... – If they only knew how wrong that was.
She was a tad bit flustered by all the looks. But that stood for Tris as well. – Seemingly, the other two girls were smiling, quite used to it. – Giving Tris some smiling looks. – They also took him the same way they took Nora.
He seemed weak, physically at least. – Sigh, what did the boy get himself into? – He would rather die than have to deal with every lady in this god damn school.
And as such, the principal began listing down each class and their names. – The loudness becomes exemplary silence, you probably would not see anywhere else. – The four people just standing on the stage.