CH.1 A new school
Simone sat awaiting the vice principals return. When vice principle Goodwitch finally returned, she had a tall red haired student with her. When Goodwitch took her seat again she finally spoke up. "Simone this is Pyrrha she will show you to your first few classes." As she finished Pyrrha smiled and held out her hand. "Its nice to meet you Simone." Pyrrha stood there waiting for a reply that never came.
Simone stood up and grabbed her bag waiting by the door. When Pyrrha finally opened the door and led her out she was sure she heard Goodwitch grumbling about a 'lack of respect'. Simone just looked down as she followed the older girl to her first class.
Pyrrha feeling a little disheartened from earlier decided to try again "So you seem a little young to be a junior in high school. You must be pretty smart." Pyrrha put on her best smile hoping the girl would at least say something. Simone just pulled out a fancy electronic notepad out of her back pack and started to write something. Pyrrha just sighed as they arrived at there first class. As she was about to enter she felt a tap on the shoulder. Looking back she saw the notepad held up with something written on the screen. 'Sorry for earlier I am 14. I don't think the vice principle likes me.'
Right as Pyrrha was about to say something when she heard. "Hey Pyrrha what took you so long to get here?" A ginger girl in the corner shouted as she waved Pyrrha over excitedly. While Pyrrha was looking at Nora Simone slipped by her and went to take the back corner seat. Pyrrha was about to start heading over to Simone, as a large brown haired guy walked up to her first. Cardin just stood there expectantly while looking the new girl over.
Simone was about 4'10" with shoulder length brown hair. A black choker around her neck and long sleeved black and purple striped shirt. She also had on plain black jeans and black boots.
Cardin was about to grab hold of Simone when the teacher walked in. "Cardin take a seat over by Sage before I need to give you detention again." The teach was a tall blonde man who looked incredibly casual for a teacher. Jeans a t shirt and a jacket as well as a small goatee and messy hair. "Now if you will all settle down we can begin english. Also we have a new student joining us a Simone Astroya." Tai said gesturing to Kinten who seemed to pale at everyone's eyes on her.
Pyrrha frowned as she looked at the girl who seemed to be terrified at the attention. The teacher clapped his hands and started the lesson pulling everyone's attention back to class.
As the bell rang Simone immediately headed towards the front of class as cardin was about to approach her. Pyrrha got up and stepped between Cardin and Simone. "I suggest you drop it its her first day here she did not know that was your seat." Pyrrha said lightly glaring at him. "You are all most as bad as that blond bitch of yours" Cardin spit out right before he saw the teacher glaring at him having clearly heard that. "Cardin you officially have detention after class." Tai said pulling Pyrrha's attention away from Cardin. Pyrrha looked confused as she looked around for the new girl. 'Where did she go? Im supposed to get her to her next class.' Pyrrha though to herself as Tai noticed her confusion he gestured to the door. "Thanks Tai."
As Pyrrha left she saw Simone sitting against the wall opposite of the classroom door. Pyrrha crouched down and tapped Simone's shoulder lightly startling the already pale girl. Simone frowned a bit as she was adjusting her choker a bit. "Come on math is next." Pyrrha said trying to smile at the odd girl in front of her. Simone seemed to tense up then relax a tiny bit standing up to follow Pyrrha as she starting down the hall slowly at first.
Pyrrha couldn't help but feel bad for this young girl. She seemed to be struggling with the amount of people going through the hall's. And she still has yet to say a single word as far as Pyrrha could tell. "So where are you from? Was it a small town?" Simone frowned at the questions slowly pulling her notepad up and jotting down a reply as they arrived. Simone passed it to Pyrrha. 'Just outside of the city till I moved with my father.' Pyrrha nodded leading the girl in and to a seat. "Sit here next to me this time." Pyrrha said as Simone sat down uncomfortably in the seat smack dab in the middle of the room.
A blonde walked in and sat right behind Pyrrha. "Hey Pyrrha is this that new girl we been hearing about?" Pyrrha just turned and nodded to her friend. "This is Simone. Simone this is Yang my friend." Yang smiled holding her hand out. "Its nice to meet you Simone." Pyrrha watched as Simone shrunk back from hand held out to her. Yang began to frown looking to Pyrrha for any kind of a idea of why the new girl seemed scared. "Im pretty sure she is shy and may have a hard time with crowds." Pyrrha whispered into yang's ear. Yang deflated a bit and pulled her arm back causing Simone to relax. 'This is gonna be a long day...' Pyrrha thought as class started.
"Finally time for lunch." Pyrrha said standing up heading to the place she told Simone to wait at. When she arrived she saw Cardin pushing her into a side hall. Pyrrha was about to follow when she heard Ruby right next to her. "Hey Pyrrha whats up you look a little panicked." Pyrrha nearly jumped as she turned to face Ruby. "Cardin just pushed the new girl into a side hall. I was supposed to make sure she got to her classes. We need to hurry Cardin already has it out for her." Pyrrha said rushing into the hall to see Cardin holding onto Simone in the air. "This will teach you to mess with me new girl." Cardin said slamming Simone into the wall rather hard causing the terrified girl to gasp for air and start to hyperventilate.
Pyrrha froze for a moment seeing how scared Simone looked. Ruby just rushed past Pyrrha and punched Cardin in the gut as hard as she could. Cardin released the girl as he felt some sudden pain in his stomach, causing him to grimace a bit before he started glaring at Ruby ready to start punching. That is when they all heard someone clear there throat. "I think we need to have a long talk after school in my office Cardin. Don't be late." Goodwitch said as they all turned to her. "Thanks Vice Principle Goodwitch." Both Ruby and Pyrrha side right before Ruby turned to the girl gasping for air on the ground. Ruby quickly got down said in a quiet calm voice. "Calm down and breath. Cardin wont be bothering you for at least a few days." Ruby helped the girl up smiling as Simone seemed to calm down at least a little bit. That is until ruby went to help her up causing her to tense up a bit more. Ruby grimaced as she let go of the girls hand. Once Ruby let go Simone resumed calming down if slowly.
As Pyrrha and Ruby led the new girl out to there favorite out door lunch table they saw there friends there. "Come on you can sit with us and I promise non of us will hurt you." Ruby said in a calm voice as Simone finally stopped frowning finally seeming more or less calm. For her anyway. "Hey guy's mind if the new girl sits with us? She kinda had a run in with Cardin and only just calmed down." Ruby asked as Yang said "Sure" And Ren just nodded while Nora said "Of course she can and we can break Cardin's legs!" Ren shook his head after the last part. "Nora we are not gonna break his legs." Nora deflated for a moment before excitedly resuming her eating. Jaune just smiled and nodded. Ruby looked around noticing someone was missing. "Hey where is Blake?" As she said that Simone felt like someone was staring at her rather intensely When she turned around she saw a girl with black hair and black and white clothing. A black bow in her hair which seemed to twitch a little. Simone shrunk down a bit her breathing getting a little rapid. "Blake stop staring at her she is very shy." Ruby said as she pouted a little at Blake. "Sorry its just she looks kinda familiar." Blake said as she stepped around the girl and went to sit down.
Pyrrha sat between Yang and Blake as Ruby sat Next to Blake. Simone took a deep breath and sat near the end a good 2 feet between her and Ruby. Ruby smiled at the new girl as she pulled out her notepad and started to just write. Everyone watched as the new girl wrote in her fancy electronic notepad. After a few minutes Simone realized they were all staring and tensed stopping and looked up. "So everyone this is Simone. Simone these are my friends they are nice people." Pyrrha said smiling a bit. "Nice to meet you Simone im Jaune." Jaune said sticking his hand across the table rather quickly. Simone was about to fall backwards off the bench when Ruby caught her nearly falling back with her. Simone starts to panic feeling Ruby's arm wrap around her back to pull her back into a sitting position. Simone was about to elbow Ruby when she instead reaches up and starts fiddling with her choker visibly calming as she returns to a sitting position. "Alright I think its safe to say she does not feel comfortable with physical contact." Pyrrha said looking towards Jaune who looked a bit defeated, clearly not meaning to cause the new girl to freak out.
"We should all really start eating its not much longer till lunch is over." Ruby said as they all nodded and started pulling out there food. Simone focused on breathing evenly as she pulled out her small lunch box with nothing but a half sandwich a vanilla pudding cup and a small plastic container with some pills in it. She also pulled out a bottle of water. 'I just need to keep calm... At least it seems to be going better then last time...' Simone thought as she opened her water bottle and pill container tossing the pills into her mouth and chugging water. She took a deep breath and then started to unwrap the sandwich taking a bite as she started to listen to the other's around her again.
"So Simone what are the rest of your classes for the day?" Ruby asked as she noticed Simone seeming to pay attention again. Simone pulls out her notepad and writes out a response as they all watch her. Simone shows it to Ruby who reads it out loud. " History then biology. Id rather keep the last 1 to myself..." Ruby pondered that last part for a moment but shrugged it off. "It looks like we share those two classes. I can take her to them if you want Pyrrha."Ruby said knowing Pyrrha's classes were no where near that part of the building. "I would appreciate that Ruby. Thanks."
Ruby showed Simone the way to history. As they walked Ruby had a one sided conversation with the silent Simone. Simone only paid a bit of attention as she was fighting to keep calm. When Ruby suddenly stopped talking and stared at her Simone stared back confused. Simone's hand shot up to her choker and felt relieved as it was still in place. Thats when a few tears started to fall. Simone blinked confused at her own sudden tears before carefully wiping them away with her sleeves. Simone then started walking quicker not waiting for Ruby.
Ruby sighed as history was finally over. She was distracted the entire time by Simone's sudden crying before class. Ruby quickly followed Simone as Simone seemed to just want to get to the next class. "Uh hey Simone mind if I ask why you started to cry earlier? Was it something I said?" As Ruby asked that Simone froze and shakily writes on her notepad before passing it to Ruby. 'I am sorry to bother you. I don't think you would understand.' As soon as Ruby handed it back to Simone Simone started to adopt a sad look as she hurried off again.
Ruby groaned as she saw Simone practically run off to her final class. As Ruby walked into her finally class of the day she was shocked to see Simone sitting in the back. Ruby decided to take a seat next to her and ask her a question. "Why are you taking advanced sign language? Im taking it because I think its cool and a potentially useful skill."
Simone paled as she looked over finally noticing Ruby in the seat next to her. Simone was thinking of a way to cover it but ended up deciding it was pointless. Simone grabbed her notepad and wrote down something handing it to Ruby. 'My vocal cords were cut 3 years ago...' And as if to give proof Simone removed her choker showing the scar that went across her neck. Ruby just stared for what felt like forever when she was snapped out of it bye Simone putting her choker back on.
Simone turned to stare at her desk awaiting some kinda fake sympathy or something. Ruby jotted down a reply on the notepad before slipping it in front of the sad looking girl. 'Cheer up I wont tell anyone if you don't want me to. And you are free to sit with me during lunch whenever you want.' Simone stared strangely at the message then looked to Ruby to see if it was some kinda joke. Ruby just smiled cheerfully at Simone. Simone was about to smile when she suddenly was plunged back into her darkest memory's and stood up running out of the room holding puke down.
Ruby was shocked as she was left staring at the desk Simone was at. Ruby then noticed Simone left her stuff and picked it up running after the younger girl. Ruby noticed a puddle of puke in a near a bathroom and rushed in hearing the sounds of someone puking. Ruby carefully opened the stall and knelt down cautiously reaching out and starting to rub the smaller girls back. Simone started to calm down at the feeling of a hand on her back before tensing up and turning around before backing away from the person. Noticing it was Ruby Simone relax just a tad seeing the concerned look on the other girls face.
"Hey I think we should get you home you don't look to good. Come on I will walk you home." Ruby said with a concerned smile. Simone reluctantly nodded standing up and going to wash her hands and around her mouth. Simone even gurgled some water. Ruby handed Simone her stuff before they both headed out of the building and started heading down the street neither talking much. Simone sent out a text message to her father on the way home.
Ruby was shocked as they arrived at Simone's home. It was a very nice looking and big house with a big garage and nice car in front of it. Simone waves bye to Ruby before heading up to the door. "Bye Simone I hope to see you tomorrow!" Ruby shouted as she waved good bye as Simone slipped into her house.
END OF CHAPTER