A six-year-old Nina sat, sullen, on a lonely park bench at the edge of the park, a thick layer of unmoved pine needles on the ground below her feet. Splayed across her lap was a simple blue chapter book, with big text and thin pages. Elsewhere in the playground, playing on the slides and swings and merry-go-rounds, were other children, older and younger and with their parents. Their parents that glanced lovingly into one another's eyes as they helped their children make the most of a beautiful day before the snows came down and covered the ground in a different blanket. Still the area around the lonely bench would be unapproached, of course.

There were two categories: Nina and everyone else. There was no reason to change the status quo.

Changing the status quo was never a good thing. That was what she'd learned. When Mommy died, her face a haze in her mind, and Daddy had more work to do than ever. And things never changed in the chapter book on her lap, a simple anecdote about a duck's field trip.

There was the sound of light, running footsteps. Nina paid them no mind as they ran a clean circumference around the bench. Two little girls, giggling and chasing one another. Nina didn't care, but she listened anyway. It was so childish that she couldn't stop listening. 'Chosen ones' and fate didn't exist, and knights were in the past.

Soon, the running left earshot again. Yet soon after, they returned. Nina glanced up from her book when they collapsed on the ground in front of her, giggling. It was annoying, Nina couldn't help but think. But when their blissful eyes opened again, and they caught her staring, she averted her gaze quickly, fidgeting on the bench.

The one who'd landed on top, a little blonde-haired girl with a bright yellow dress, jumped off of her friend with a wide smile. "Hiya! Want to play with the Chosen Heroine and her knight?"

"That game isn't real," Nina replied quickly.

"Hey! It's real if we believe in it!" the other girl piped up, brushing some pine needles off herself as she got to her feet. She was pouting. "You should apologize!"

Nina flinched. "I'm sorry."

The blonde giggled. "That's okay, We'd still like you to join our quest."

"W-what?"

"You seem awfully lonely. And we need a third person so we can beat the bad guy, so we'd like you to play with us" The blonde's eyes seemed to twinkle as she added, "There's a bad-guy-beating aura around you!"

Nina blinked at them. They were smiling expectantly at her. The gears in Nina's head turned - weren't auras and games fake? And why were they smiling so much? Stranger danger?

"You don't have to be scared," the other one said, the one with wild pink hair. "Just smile and you'll see the way!"

Nina hesitated for one more moment before gently closing her book and sliding off the bench, leaving it there. The other girls' smiles just seemed to grow as they did. Nina just stuffed her hands in her pockets. "How do we win this game?"

"We just keep running until we beat the bad guy. He's a flying sorcerer named Merlin who thinks girls are weak." The blonde girl struck a pose, extending a hand in front of her face. "I am the chosen one, and this is my sun-knight. You can be… Oh! Our smart friend who knows everything about winning!"

Nina felt her cheeks light up slightly. "S-smart friend?"

The sun-knight grinned. "Of course! You were reading that big book, which means you're smart. So, that settles it. Now let's teach him why girls are strong?"

Nina nodded once, walking behind them with wide eyes.

The pine needles had multiple people's feet imprinted in them, trailing in the same direction, after they went off to play.

XXX

"Nina, Nina, Ninaaaaaa!"

She broke out of her reverie, looking up as Soleil ran over, beaming. Nina gave her a small smile in acknowledgement as she arrived. "I need you to fix my uniform," she said, motioning wildly to the bow in her bright blue, sailor-style collar. The ends of it stuck up, unsymmetric.

Nina frowned and undid Soleil's sloppy knot, the consistent cause of these wardrobe malfunctions. "Thanks. Can't have a perfect day of learning if I don't look the part, right?"

"You're in the third year and you still don't tie your own uniform. Maybe it's time for you to quit being a doofus and learn."

Soleil's grin didn't falter. "We're so close to high school that it's too late now, don'cha think?"

As Nina straightened and retied it, she grimaced at the condition of the blouse. There were consistently new pink stains on it - a consequence of her dropping pastries on herself, probably - and this time, she was missing one of the big blue buttons, too. She pulled away with a short huff. "Thanks!"

"Hm." Nina opted to check her watch. 8:23. "Where is Ophelia?"

"I think she overslept again. Isn't it adorable?"

"She won't be 'adorable' when Teach detains her for tardiness."

A nod. "Oh yeah, for sure. But still, you can't deny that it is adorable." Her smile grew fond. "If you opened a dictionary to 'adorable,' you'd see a picture of her face there."

Nina's blurted sharply, "What? You're talking about her like she' your latest target."

Soleil's gaze met hers levelly for a second, and seeing undoubtable incredulity, averted them again. "No way! She's like a sister to me or something. Besides, I am seeing other people!"

The flashbacks to Soleil's other attempts at romance were intense - a patchwork of coming on too strong, befriending rather than dating, and heartbreaks that seemed never-ending. Nina understood none of it.

'I hope for the group's sake she's telling the truth, but Gods, it wouldn't surprise me.'

Her bag vibrated against her back. She dipped her hand in and pulled out her phone, a flip phone. Glancing at the name and message, she said, "It's Ophelia. She says we should get going to class, her dad's driving her and it'll be a close shave."

Soleil faltered for an instant, then straightened her posture. She walked a few steps and held open the glass door to the school. "Okey dokey. What should we tell Teach?"

Nina brushed past her. "You better leave the 'telling' to me. You're about as honest as you are unsubtle."

"What? Hey! I can't even tell if that was an insult or not."

Nina smirked and gave no response, throwing her phone back into her bag as she walked, Soleil falling into step beside her. Her posture was straight and her steps almost sauntering, her kitten-covered backpack held with one strap.

Officially, she was in 'single and ready to mingle' mode, flashing grins every which way, regardless of her amusing befuddlement a moment earlier. Most of the others returned her smiles with little waves, others with an acknowledging head-tilt or a scowl.

In either case, no attention went to Nina, a shadow by her side. Fine by her.

And, in turn, a shadow of doubt began in her mind, a mild dew in intensity. The utter lack of subtlety, the hasty lie, the aversion of her gaze… It should not have, by any circumstance, stuck with her.

In the days that followed, when her brain conjured the image of it being the second button, the one closest to her heart, she dismissed it as a false memory.

XXX

Where a story would truly begin is subjective. Sometimes a writer would prefer to dive straight into the action in the middle of a scene, and explain later. Other times one might start from before the conflict, because there's some important information. Some stories even began at the coattails of another. Some didn't even make sense. Others did make sense but weren't presented chronologically.

'What is life but the opportunity to write your own story, one touching a lot of people's stories? It has aspects of every type of story. And one day it could be retold by someone else in any way, or through something else.''

Most teens didn't give a single care about that kind of stuff.

But hey, between homoerotica and homework, Nina had some deep thoughts.

The latest musical number on the stage of Rexcalibur High was drawing to a close with a flourish. Nina flipped the switch to the sound, ending the prolonged saxophone note, and another one of the students in the small tech-room adjusted the spotlight: bright, narrow, and focused on the two leads, who maintained the note with resonance.

Ophelia and Shigure didn't drop the pose until a few seconds later, to the sound of a few people clapping. (There were always a few in there: non-theatre friends, or kids who wanted a comfortable seat to do their homework in.)

The theatre teacher, none other than Odin Dark, all but dashed over to them. Nina could only hear a snatch of what he said, but based on the way his yellow cape was fluttering around with his dramatic movements and his shout of "magnificent," it could be inferred the rehearsal was over.

When Ophelia stepped offstage, Nina packed up her belongings, flipped the switches at her station and threw it over her shoulder, the numerous keychains attached to it rattling. She waited by the entrance, leaning against the doorframe, for Ophelia's appearance.

Soon she arrived with flourish, a wide grin on her face. "Did I sound alright?"

"'F course. You're a star." Nina opened the door leading out of the dim auditorium, allowing Ophelia passage. Then she gave her a smile of her own, a more lopsided one. "So, which way are we headed? The rink or the ice cream shop?"

"I thank you for the praise. I was thinking that perhaps we could go to the ice cream store today, to talk about something."

Nina raised an eyebrow. "Sure, I'm game for that. Should I text Soleil now?"

"Oh no, I've already taken care of it. She said she had elsewhere to be, anyhow."

That wasn't unusual. Athlete-types in high school, even freshmen, had to take it very, very seriously; it wasn't uncommon for her practices to run even over the daily theatre rehearsals on the days they happened. 'Perhaps she's even noticed something that could be better about tech. Or she has a new fanfic idea, keehee.'

The ice cream store was strongly reminiscent of a time before their time, some decade in the twentieth century. With black and white checkered tiles and red countertops as decor, menus and ice cream ads plastered everywhere, and a jukebox in each corner, it was like something right out of a fifties movie.

The sleepy shopkeeper, Dwyer, regarded them with blinks. Ophelia ordered "a simple ice cream flavor, a staple of every connoisseur's diet, the pure vanilla" and, in far fewer words, Nina requested a banana smoothie.

'The fact she's able to just talk that much is pretty impressive. It deserves a medal, honestly.' Nina glanced over at her friend, who was practically vibrating in place. The curl on the top of her head bounced with her movements as usual, and Nina couldn't bite back a fond little smile.

'Hasn't changed a bit since I met her, that Ophelia. Every bit as dramatic, excitable, and just plain weird.'

Dwyer returned with their drinks in hand. Before Ophelia could even put her hand in her pocket, Nina pulled a five-dollar bill out of her backpack's front pocket, presenting it to him. "Keep the chang," Nina said, even though the treats only cost a dollar and ninety cents. 'Generosity's great, and karma's the gift that keeps on giving.'

Ophelia led them to a booth near the corner. They'd only taken a few bites out of their ice cream before Ophelia spoke, voice quiet. "Nina, I need your help with something, but you need to promise you won't laugh."

"Sure, I promise," Nina replied, and she stiffened her lip to keep laughter from coming.

Ophelia glanced away for just a second. "And you need to promise to keep this a total secret from everyone. Even Soleil!"

"Wow, this must be serious. The last time you didn't tell Soleil something, it was because you had to go bra-shopping last year." The day was still vivid in Nina's mind, and it'd been funny. Nina adopted a straight face as she added, "I'm serious, though, it's between us, thief's honor. What's up?"

"See… This sort of involves a boy in my class. In my algebra class. Have you ever heard of Asugi Amaterasu?"

"Of course I do. He sells candy at school… even though it was my idea to sell first." Nina's nose wrinkled. 'Kid's nice, but did he HAVE to steal that idea? It was the most legal one I had!'

"Today in class he commented on how cute I am. Then he invited me to the homecoming dance this weekend! As a date!"

A rare frown was on Ophelia's face. It was part of what kept Nina from snickering at her friend's misfortune as she said, grinningly, "It's a good thing to be asked out, right? And if a third-year noticed you, you're doing something right to that end."

Ophelia's cheeks lit up. She took a big spoonful of her ice cream just then. "But I don't need his attention. My radiance is unique, my aura exquisite… I know very well that I am special!"

Nina shrugged. "Suit yourself. Not caring sure beats caring too much."

"But to attend my first Homecoming with a boy two years my senior, and not my best friends? 'Twould be a travesty!"

"Then don't go with Asugi. It's not rocket science."

"But chances happen to be good that Soleil and you will have dates, according to Starshine Quartz. And obviously you two would want to spend time with them."

"You aren't making any sense, Oph. You're literally just going in circles." Nina noted the deadpan in her voice and the slight flinch Ophelia had. She added more kindly, "Even if we got dates, we'd still spend most of the time with you."

"You'd really want to? And you would dance with me, too?"

'...Soleil's a wild card when she's around women, but I'm sure that can be arranged.' Nina adopted a confident grin. "Of course! That's what best friends are for, Oph. Saturday won't happen any other way. And if you want to dance, we'll dance."

Ophelia's smile returned. "Thank you. I think I'll thusly reject Asugi. He's popular, so he should be able to find a date, right?"

"According to my sources he will." 'Pretty much everyone who likes guys in eleventh grade want him. It's a bit odd he approached a first year about it, though… I'll have to do some research. Maybe Ophelia's popularity isn't restricted to underclassmen, heheh!'

The door to the ice cream shop opened with the ringing of a bell. Nina turned around in her booth to see Soleil, hair tied back in a hasty ponytail and a duffel bag with the school logo colors on it. (Black and white with red accents was on it - it clashed with her pink bunny backpack in the worst way possible.) "'Ey, guys!" She practically dropped her cargo to the ground as she sat beside Ophelia. Even from across the table, Nina could smell the flowery soap of a recent shower. "What's up?"

Ophelia grabbed one of Soleil's hands and held it between hers. "We just shared riveting words about Homecoming. We were thinking the three of us could go as a trio."

"You won't hear me complain. I'd love to spend the night with two awesome girls."

Nina rolled her eyes. "Whatever. So you don't have a date yet?"

"Y'know, you have perfect timing. I was gonna ask Sophie Simpson to come with me later tonight on our coffee date, buuuuut I'd be happy to go with you guys instead. Pal gals before gal pals, right?"

"And so our fates are sealed!" Ophelia beamed at the two of them, the curl atop her head bouncing like a dog's tail. "Saturday night will be a night of friendship, destiny and dancing. It will be a night of wondrous discovery, because the theme is space!"

'What a big cheese. She's an odd duck, that Ophelia.' "Totally agreed," Soleil concurred before Nina could put her thoughts in.

Nina nodded. "It'll definitely be something."

Her eyes flicked back to the table, though. It was difficult not to note the way that Ophelia hadn't finished holding Soleil's hand, or how their fingers laced together on the table's clean white surface. The soft expression in Soleil's eyes, so different than the sharp, clear one she usually had.

She quickly interrupted the moment, "So, aren't you gonna want an ice cream, Soleil?"

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Soleil stood up and left. Ophelia stared after her for just a second before flashing Nina a smile and getting back to her ice cream.

A slight, almost imperceptible clench occurred in their stomach at that moment.

XXX

Nina had heard a rumor that, because the current class President was Shiro Hoshido, the dance would be, in his words, "off-the-chains fun-tastic."

Nina had never been a major fan of dances, but based on the juicy conversations she'd heard so far on the dance floor, people were loosening up a lot. ('Heheh. So Asugi taught Hisame a bit about dancing, so he could impress his rush, but who's to say there wasn't close contact during the lessons? That's a thing, right?') And also, of course, Intel on who was secretly dating whom was always handy.

Only issue? To eavesdrop, you had to have a partner that wasn't going to talk your ear off about the space theme...

For the ninth time, a foot clamped down on hers. Nina shot Soleil a pointed look, and she grinned ruefully before staring down, focusing on her steps.

Anyway, homecoming was everything she expected it to be. People wore beautiful dresses with hats and glitter and frills, or well-fitted suits. People were talking freely, some sticking to the sidelines and others constantly on the dancefloor. The weight coach, Ms. Effie, was unsubtly sticking around at the snack table. There was a disco ball overhead, complete with fairly-realistic styrofoam planets strung on the ceiling.

Shiro was off in the distance, leading a conga line with Siegbert's hands on his shoulders. Ignatius was practically blushing as Asugi showoffishly did a spin. The cheer captain, Sophie, waved to them, and Nina took her hand off of Soleil's back long enough to motion back. Right behind them were two of the male administrators, none other than Dr. Azama and Mr. Kaden, Kaden gesticulating happily and… 'Ohhhh, Azama is smiling! I knew those two were in love. A forbidden couple, making love in the closet of Kaden's biology classroom… They always said the forbidden fruits are the most enticing, heehee!'

Nina realized she was blushing, and so just made herself a mental note to check on them later. And to maybe write that into her latest real-person fiction.

The song faded to the background. Nina instantly dropped her arms and gave a little snicker, looking back in the direction of the teachers.

She wasn't snapped out of it before Ophelia ran up to them, bright yellow dress both glittery and frilly. A pair of cookies were in her hand. "I notice you saw something you liked," she remarked as she presented the cookies to them. "With whom am I going to dance?" Her voice was loud in attempt to be heard past the din of teenagers.

Soleil's hands came off Nina's shoulders as she took cookie, taking a quick bite. Crumbs sprayed onto her top, both on the black blazer and the pink, frilly, bunny-patterned undershirt. "Thanks! Nina's the better dancer… I think you should go with her, haha."

"Oh, I'm fine either way." Her eyes narrowed at the teachers as she took the cookie, a dreamy grin coming onto her face. "I see something I like."

"Hmhm. I believe this next number is a quick one. Shall we, Eponine of Eavesdropping?" Ophelia extended a hand and did a small curtsey.

"We shall." Nina gave her cookie to Soleil and gave her limbs a good stretch. "I can just keep an eye on the biology closet for those two, heh heh!"

"Knock 'em dead, gals. Show them just how cute theatre kids can be!"

As she stepped out of the scene, Nina took on a proper dancing position with Ophelia, one hand on her hip and one to the side. She shot a glance to where Soleil was standing; she gave a thumbs-up.

Then the music began. The beat was quick, a combination of accordions and pianos… A tango.

Before Nina could think of her first step, Ophelia took the lead, giving a small spin and then walking back. Nina matched her steps with the equal opposite. The rhythm wasn't really that complicated.

'Man, does she know how to lead. She could make anyone look good. Even a techie. Heck, she might be able to make SOLEIL look good.'

She pulled their hands up as Ophelia fell into an easy twirl. Somehow, she landed so it looked like she was being completely dipped by Nina. 'What?! How did she do that?'

She held the position for a full three seconds, at an exclamation in the music. Nina's mouth went agape. Ophelia's glittering smile grew, and almost imperceptibly, she vibrated with silent laughter before continuing the dance.

The exclamations, the rhythm, the pauses… Ophelia knew them all as she guided Nina through the heart-pounding, thrilling dance. Even at the very end, Ophelia once again in a dip with Nina's head by her ear, it felt like the dance could go on for ages.

A ring of admirers had gathered 'round in a circle, their clapping audible even over the sound of the next song beginning, a low bass line. Nina's cheeks lit up and she played awkwardly with one of her braids. Beside her, Ophelia got to her balance and began bowing, winking, gesturing to the crowd. Occasionally she motioned to Nina, put an arm over her shoulders, to make her be included.

'What an actress. I hardly even did anything…'

Luckily, the drumbeats beginning the next song began a total crowd-pleaser, so the attention quickly left them as they got ready to dance and sing along.

"How do you even tango that well?"

Ophelia smiled warmly at her. "Theatrics are in my blood, and what is a more theatric-ish dance than the tango? But don't get me wrong, Eponine of Tech - it takes two to tango, and tango you did!"

Nina raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. "Anyway, I'm through with dancing for now. Gonna head to get rehydrated." She glanced pointedly back at Mr. Kaden and Mr. Azama, now scolding a pair of fourth-years from props. 'Boy, am I thirsty…'

The song was too loud for much of their conversation to reach Nina's ears, unfortunately, but Kaden's daughter did come over and dance with him for a bit. Azama's was nowhere to be seen. ('So what if they have daughters and are married? These guys are made for each other. I've got to write this down.')

As the crowdpleaser song ended, the voice of the DJ came on over the crowd's talking. "Peeps of Rexcalibur High, I hope you're all ready to wind this down. It's time for the last dance of the night! And it's your favorite love song, baby! So get ready for a slow dance!"

'Oooooh. Time to keep an eye out.'

"Gods, there's no reason for any of this. They'll all be broken up by the time college rolls around," Nina could hear Azama saying, voice amused, as Nina slinked away. People were just beginning to partner up, she could spot the cheer captain and the basketball captain a little ways away... And hear their conversations. A pair of boys she'd never seen got into position with smiles...

Soon the signature saxophone of the tune began. And soon after the lyrics followed, telling of waiting a long time before confessing one's feelings, and the exhilaration of finally having done so. It'd been on the radio a ton.

So many couples, so many she'd never even thought of. 'Boys with boys, populars with nerds, the children of feuding teachers… wonderful. Such a clarity of emotion!'

A few moments after the song began, at the second chorus, Nina spotted a familiar headband under pink hair. 'Oh, I should see who she's dancing with. Girls were probably lining up. Then I should check for Oph-'

Nina froze at the sight which awaited her, mouth agape.

Ophelia and Soleil, dancing together roughly in time with the music. Embracing. They were kissing deeply, Soleil's hand playing with the curl atop Ophelia's head, Ophelia's hands kneading her shoulders. Their expressions of pure bliss.

An intense, unignorable pang of loneliness in Nina's heart. A hole in her heart.

She saw it coming from a mile away. The naturally affectionate childhood friends hugged plenty. Soleil looked at Ophelia like she was a queen, and Ophelia supported nobody with as much enthusiasm as Soleil at everything - failed forays into the arts, whirlwind dating, or big games.

Oh no, there was no question that they had history.

The question was whether Soleil would do something unforgivable and ruin the three's friendship. She had a history of that, too, after all.