"Everyone, this is Nani Russo." Hiro blinked at the sight of a girl looking his age being introduced to the class. Another super-smart person? "She'll be joining our class as of today. I expect you all to give her a warm welcome."
He looked her over a bit as she was welcomed by the class and given an empty seat near the front. Her skin was olive-toned, a lot like his. Her hair was long and pitch-black. She wore small, white, rectangular glasses over her dark brown eyes. Her clothes were brightly colored, but her face was sour and focused. She looked miserable.
Hiro watched her throughout the class. She was silent, taking notes as she listened to the teacher. She noticed him staring once and gave him such a glare that he decided he didn't want to be caught again.
After class, he tried to catch up with her. If she was super-smart like him, maybe she would need a friend. He certainly hadn't had any friends growing up. But she basically raced ahead to wherever her destination was, and he couldn't catch her.
Later that day, in the lab, he noticed an area cleaned out and set aside, with a new desk, computer, and stands in it.
"What's that for?" He asked Honey Lemon.
She grinned. "We're getting someone new!" she said excitedly. "She'll be here any minute, too!"
As if she were speaking of the devil himself, Mr. Niwa walked into the lab with none other than Nani Russo.
"Everyone!" Mr. Niwa called. "I have someone I'd like you to meet!" Momentarily, everyone in the lab at the time had gathered 'round the teacher and the young, new pupil. "This is Nani Russo," he said. "She's got some lab work to do here."
"Hi, Nani," Honey Lemon said with a grin, holding her hand out to shake. "It's great to meet you!"
Nani gave the blond a scaled-down version of the glare Hiro had received earlier. She didn't take Honey's hand, either.
"Thanks," Nani said, shouldering her bag and stepping between everyone towards her new workspace. There was silence as everyone stared.
"She's...a little nervous," Mr. Niwa said. Everyone turned to him. "Just give her some time." With that, he left the scholars to their own devices. After a few awkward minutes, they went back to work. Except Hiro. He went over to Nani.
"Hey, that was rude, y'know," he said, watching her set up her computer and place some headphones up on the stands.
"So?" she asked.
"So!?" he echoed. "So...You should apologize or something."
She rolled her eyes. "I have work to do."
"So do all of us," he said. "But it's hard to get work done when you can't even be polite to the rest of the people here."
She turned and faced him. "Go. Away."
"Like Mr. Niwa said," Gogo said, approaching. "Give her some time. Let's go."
With a sigh, Hiro gave up and went with Gogo, back to work.
