Daylight streamed down like a golden cascade of warmth onto the dull-colored, stone architecture. A flock of birds fluttered carelessly across the blue canvas sky, and those bright emerald eyes followed them until they drifted out of view, past the frame of the tall window. With a quiet sigh, the young female reached up to the long bangs of her raven hair, her finger delicately tracing a loop behind her ear to tuck away the persistent strands. She gazed down to the courtyard below, watching as the students walked to and from the school itself or simply walking past. Her mind seemed to saunter aimlessly around the anticipation of the school year that lie ahead, occasionally daring her to wonder what the students would be like, or if the classes would be engaging, but for the most part just remaining calm, quiet, and blurred. It was such a strange feeling to stand there, leaning against the railing on the second floor of a school she hardly knew, looking down to a kingdom of strangers and knowing that she soon would be amidst them.


SNAKES AND ARROWS
Chapter 1: New School — Old Habits


Already having changed into her choice of school uniform – a dark green Astronomy Vest over a short-sleeved white polo and a green plaid skirt, along with striped arm warmers and stockings – she decided she should go unpack and get settled in her new room. She'd passed the girls' dormitory on her way in, so she knew where it was, walking sheepishly among unknown boys and girls as she neared the corner. However, she heard a low rumble of noise in the opposite direction, and chose to go investigate. Instead of turning to go to the girls' dorm, she turned the other way to head towards the boys', where she saw a group of guys standing with their backs to her. They were cheering and shouting and grunting like excited animals, and as she got closer, she could see they were circled around two other guys who were beating each other up – or rather, one of them was getting their ass handed to them by the other. The guys in the crowd as well as the guy losing the fight were all wearing only the white button-up polo with the Bullworth emblem on the chest, but the little spitfire fighter wasn't dressed in uniform at all.

The boys didn't seem to notice her as they yelled and encouraged their friend to get up and fight, despite the fact that he was pretty much knocked out, so she was able to easily slip in between them to get a front row seat. It was these situations that made her grateful for her small size. She watched with an almost childish delight, her eyes wide and alert and drinking in the violence. The nearly flawless victor laughed as he stood over the fallen.

"Hahaha! Not so tough now, are ya? Come on, who's next?!" As he boasted to the fellow watchers, the door to the dormitory behind him opened and out emerged a gargantuan dressed in the same style as the others. His unexpected bulk even made the female flinch slightly – what an exciting first day, and it was still only morning!

"You're dead, new kid! Dead!" The deep, haughty voice seemed to echo against the concrete wall and chain-link fence before the heavy figure bolted down the steps, an angry and frighteningly large fist crashing into the kid's face. He stumbled backwards a few steps as the giant roared, beating his chest like an overly aggressive gorilla. The guys around her suddenly turned and ran, disappearing as an older black male seemed to come out of nowhere.

"Hey! Hey! Break it up!" He marched up to the both of them as he scolded them loudly. "Not the smartest choice to pick fights on your first day, boy!" The bigger student saw his opportunity and quickly left, and the teacher made no attempt to go after him. "At least change out of those clothes and put on your uniform before you go around trying to assert your dominance." He gave the kid a look of disgust before turning and leaving, walking right past the girl as she stepped to the side. His words had left a sort of sting in the air, and as she looked back to the boy, she saw as he rolled his eyes and sighed. The teacher had said it was his first day, too, so he probably didn't have any friends yet. She saw her chance and moved forward.

"Well that sure was entertaining!" She said with a friendly smile as she approached him. He had begun to turn towards the dorm but stopped and turned back to her with an agitated expression as her eyes widened. "Err, the fight, I mean, not the scolding part~"

"Yeah, I figured."

"Oh… Well, just… in case…" Her voice trailed off awkwardly for a moment. "Uh, sorry~" she laughed nervously and shook her head. "I overheard that you were new, and today's my first day, too! Oh… haha, that rhymed!" She laughed again from the rising tension, listening to herself as he just stared at her. Stopping herself from chattering further, she took a breath. "Anyways, um, I figured since we were both new here, it might be a good idea to maybe stick together and become friends. It would probably make it easier to adjust here and all… I'm Belle, by the way!"

He continued to watch her for a moment before quietly sneering. "Easier to adjust? I don't exactly see you getting attacked or yelled at. I think you'll do just fine on your own." He turned to go up the steps but she quickly moved around him.

"Trust me, the girl world is more vicious and merciless. If I could end it with a few punches, I would." Her playful remark caused him to smile just a bit before walking around her. She didn't want to pester him, and was already afraid she'd messed up her chance to make her first friend. "I get it, the whole 'lone wolf' act. That's fine. Just… know that if you do need a friend, I'll be around."

He stopped for a moment as he reached the door, and glanced down to her over his shoulder. "…Jimmy Hopkins. Nice to meetcha, Belle."

Her eyes lit up as she grinned and nodded, and he opened the door and disappeared into the dorm. She spun around and gave her own victorious laugh. "Haha! I have obtained an acquaintance! Boo ya~!" Feeling a bit more confident than before, she looked onward to the girls' dormitory across the courtyard. She might have been slightly awkward around guys, but she was even worse when it came to other girls. Of course she'd had girl friends in the past, but the majority of the female population just never seemed to approve of Isabelle Spicer. Perhaps it was her intelligence, above average looks, or how she refused to do all the silly 'girly' things that most girls did, or maybe it was something else altogether. Either way, it was as if she was never accepted into the girl world, and the knowledge that she'd be living in a building full of them was rather daunting. Still, she had already made an acquaintance! I got this, she told herself as she walked forward.

She again found herself wondering what her year would be like here, at Bullworth Academy.