Hi guys! I'm back! For those of you who have read my other fanfic, Here and Now, I'm so sorry for not updating in such a long time. I simply haven't found the inspiration.
This story is a highschool AU where Nick and Judy are the same age.
I do not own anything else than the plot in this story. Everything else belongs to Disney.
I do not own the cover picture.
Enjoy!
Being Judy Hopps wasn't always easy. Not only because she was a rabbit, and most mammals took rabbits for granted, but also because most mammals that heard about her lifegoal merely laughed at her. Her, a bunny, who wanted to become a police officer more than anything else. Imagine that. It seemed most couldn't, and just laughed it off with a smile and a dismissive wave off their hand.
But being Judy Hopps also meant not knowing when to quit. And she was determined to become a police officer. She knew she would have to fight more than most, but it didn't matter because-
"Daydreaming again, are we Carrots?" a voice woke Judy up from her haze. A very irritating and annoying voice. The voice of Nick Wilde in fact, one of the school's delinquents. Always up to something. He sat on her right, giving her his signature smirk. Judy gave him an annoyed look in return.
"Don't call me Carrots."
"Oh, but I like calling you Carrots, Carrots."
Judy merely sighed and turned her attention to the teacher in front of her.
"So, today you will start a new assignment." the teacher said. "I expect you to have a ten minutes' presentation ready by next Friday. The topic is the Zootopian revolution. No less than six minutes, no more than fourteen."
The teacher began to team up everyone in two's.
"Caroline and Lola…. Finnick and Rachel…... Judy and Benjamin…"
At this, Judy turned to look at her friend Benjamin Clawhauser with a smile on her face. The overweight cheetah smiled in return and gave a thumbs up.
Mrs. Jumbeaux teamed up everyone else, and the class was finished. As the bell rang, Judy collected her things and swiftly jumped out of her seat. The rush of the students nearly knocked her over though, and she collided right into Nick.
"Wow, Carrots, I didn't know you wanted to run your hands all over me. You should have told me sooner!"
Nick smirked at her with an amused look in his eyes.
"What? No, I would never want to... I mean, why would you even say… I mean… Just bugger off, Wilde!"
The fox laughed and turned towards the exit, where he met up with his friend, Finnick.
Later, at lunch, Judy took a seat next to Clawhauser and Fru Fru, another friend of hers who also happened to be an arctic shrew. But inside that small mammal was a big personality, that was certain.
"So, Judy." Fru Fru said just as Judy dug into her vegetarian casserole.
"Mhm?" Judy said with her mouth full off food.
"Who are you bringing to the Winter Sparkle?"
Winter Sparkle was the ridiculously named winter ball that was to take place a month later. Judy wasn't very keen on going, but Fru Fru and Ben had talked her into it.
She swallowed before she answered. "I thought we were all going together? Right? That's what we decided."
"Well, yeah." Clawhauser began. "But, umm, we kind of got dates."
"Both of you?" Judy disbelievingly. Not that she didn't believe that her friends couldn't get dates, more that they had both gotten them inn 24 hours.
"When?" she exclaimed.
After that followed fifteen minutes of Clawhauser gushing about this tiger he had met. Judy got excited for him, but couldn't help but get a little disappointed that he was ditching her on prom night. She then asked about Fru Fru's date.
"I decided to gather all of my courage, and I asked Luke. I did it! I really did it! We're going as friends, but I don't care. I asked him and he said yes. Sorry for leaving you alone, though. We'll just have to find someone for you too. Maybe Sam? Or Matthew? He's nice."
Luke was the hamster that Fru had been crushing on for almost a year. It was about time that arctic shrew asked him out, even if it was just as friends.
Judy smiled. "No, it's okay. Really."
She didn't her friends answer, and instead switched to safer subjects. For example, she suggested she and Fru Fru should have a sleepover the next day. Fru Fru excitedly agreed and insisted on them going to her place. Some time later, they got up from their table and exited the cafeteria (with Fru Fru sitting on Clawhauser's shoulder).
"Meet you at the entrance after school? We should get started on our project" Clawhauser said.
"Yeah, sure." Judy answered as they parted ways.
The rest of the day passed in a blur. Calculus, biology and physics. The bell rang, signalling the end of the day. As Judy walked the corridors to her locker, she sighed and bit her lip. She had gotten lots of homework, and it would take all evening to finish it. Her left foot thumped against the floor in annoyance.
"And we meet again, Fluff. But jeez, what got you so worked up?"
Judy sighed heavily. Not him again.
"What. Do. You. Want?" Judy said through gritted teeth. Her violet eyes peered up at the fox.
"Why, I only want to talk to you Fluff!" Nick said, putting a hand on his chest and looking affronted. "And well, if I am to be completely honest with you, I might have wanted to irritate you as well."
"Well you succeeded. Can you leave me alone now?"
Nick thought. "Only if you ask nicely."
"Please?" Judy said, fuming.
"Now that wasn't so hard was it?"
Judy just ignored him and got the things out of her locker. She shut it and turned around to shoo Nick off, surprised to see that he had already left. She composed herself quickly though, and walked off towards the entrance where Clawhauser stood waiting. He greeted her happily and asked about the rest of her day. She answered saying she had gotten about half a ton of homework, too which Clawhauser laughed.
"Well, lucky me, I've only got our presentation about the Zootopian revolution and a one-page essay about the mayor of Zootopia, due Wednesday next week."
Judy stuck her tongue out at him. They walked together towards the bus stop.
"So, where are we studying? Me or you?" asked Judy.
"You. Your mom must be one of the greatest cooks of our time."
Two hours later, and they were sitting in Judy's room, looking up facts for their project. Suddenly, Clawhauser sighed.
"Nope. I am not doing this anymore. We need a break."
"But we haven't even read this entire article."
"We've been at this, looking up a trizillion facts, for two hours straight now. And I don't know about you, but I'm taking a break."
Clawhauser scrambled up from his position on the floor and exited her room. Judy stayed back a few minutes and finished reading the article. When she got out of her room she was met with the smell of carrot stew. She found Clawhauser, Bonnie, Stu, and 23 of her 27 siblings seated at the table. After taking a seat by Clawhauser, she helped herself to some stew.
After dinner, Clawhauser excused himself and said he had to go home. He hugged Judy and waved her family goodbye, and then exited through the front door. Afterwards, Judy helped her mom with the dishes. She piled up a few plates in the sink and started rinsing them.
"Mom, could I go over to Fru Fru's place tomorrow for a sleepover?"
"No, sweetie. We're having dinner guests, in fact, and you don't want to miss it."
"Oh." Judy said, not hiding her disappointment. She had looked forward to having a sleepover with Fru Fru. "Is it the Warrens?" she continued whilst washing another set of plates. Her mom started drying the ones Judy had already cleaned with a cloth and a swift movement of her hand.
"No actually, it isn't. It's the family of a co-worker from your father's work."
Judy nodded. Sometimes they had dinner with her father's colleagues and their respective families. When it was bunny families, it was quite a gathering, since not everyone could find a babysitter for dozens of bunnies. It was rather tiresome, but Judy had to admit it could be fun at times.
"Oh, alright."
"I'm sure you will have a good time." Bonnie smiled at her seventeen-year-old daughter. "They have a son about your age, you two will get along just fine."
The rest of the evening was filled with homework. Judy yawned and looked at the clock. It was a quarter past eleven. Stretching out her sore limbs, Judy rose from her desk and made herself ready for bed. Once back in her room -that she shared with a sister from the same litter as her, Janine- she texted Fru Fru.
Fru! Remember the sleepover I was talking about?
A minute or so later her phone buzzed, and Fru Fru's name lit up on the screen.
Yes? I have already planned it all, we're going to have so much fun!
Judy grimaced as she wrote.
I'm so sorry... We're having guests over for dinner and mom says I have to stay.
Oh no... Anyone you know?
I don't think so. Mum said it was a colleague of my dad, and that they had a son about my age.
Her phone buzzed yet again.
Ohhh! Maybe it's a handsome buck ;) If it is you should totes ask him to Winter Sparkle!
Judy rolled her eyes at Fru's comment.
Is that all you think about? The Winter Sparkle?
No. I think about Luke too. And well... you know… other stuff.
Other stuff?
Umm. I'll tell you tomorrow! It's something I've been thinking about for quite a long time.
Well now you have to tell me!
I won't, I want to speak to you properly, irl.
Fine... Anyway, I should probs go to sleep now. Talk to you tomorrow, don't forget!
I won't. Goodnight Judy! xoxo
Judy smiled at her phone. Yet she couldn't help but wonder what Fru Fru had meant. Was something wrong? She furrowed her brows and put down her phone. Janine entered the room, and as they said goodnight to each other Judy turned off the lights.
If she only knew what was yet to come.
And that was the first chapter! Did you like it? Give a review! Didn't you like it? Leave a review and tell me how to improve it!
Until next time!
