Smoothing Out the Details
As Fontaine stood in front of her new school for the first time, she couldn't help but feel jittery. It was like a whole school of Psuedanthias bicolors (Jefferys) were swimming laps in her stomach. Maybe, she thought, this wasn't such a great idea. Her usual courage and stubbornness had been quelled by her fear of not fitting in. After all, she was very much out of her element… literally. What she wouldn't give to be back in the Aronax, studying whales or searching for clues to finding Lemuria. Even deadly underwater adventures seemed much more appealing than entering this house of learning.
"You aren't chickening out on us, are you Little Fish?" Kendra smiled knowingly as she stepped out of their vehicle. She used her favorite nickname. Fontaine would never admit it, but she didn't mind being called Little Fish. "I promise you, once you take the leap, you'll have the time of your life."
Fontaine heard the challenge in her voice and it rekindled the spark of courage that had momentarily flickered out. "Who, me? Nah I'm just giving the school time to prepare itself to hold my presence."
Kendra smirked at her facade of aloofness. Swinging her bag over her shoulder Kendra strode forward with confidence. "In that case what are we waiting for?" She threw a conspiring wink at Fontaine as she strutted passed. "Let's get a move on."
Fontaine had only known Kendra personally for a few days, and yet she was so grateful and comforted by just her being here. So much so, that Fontaine didn't even hesitate in following her lead. She grabbed her backpack and guitar case and rushed to catch up. Together, they walked through the large, glass front doors.
Fontaine glanced down at her class list and locker info in her hand for what felt like the thousandth time. She probably had it memorized by now, but she refused to part with it for even a second; you know, just in case.
The two of them found the front office, and Kendra immediately started up a pleasant conversation with the older receptionist as they waited. They had a meeting with the principal scheduled an hour before school started. It seemed last minute, but it was the only time the principal was able to squeeze them in since Fontaine had only just arrived a few days ago.
Speaking of the Principal, her office door swung open and a few serious looking adults strode out. They were bickering amongst each other. Before they left Fontaine managed to pick up the words "budget" and "unhappy" leave their mouths.
"Are you two Fontaine Nekton and her guardian Kendra Sanderson?" A tall woman stood in the doorway the other adults had just left. Upon seeing their nods of confirmation she took a step back into her office. "I am Mrs. Hall, the principal here. Come in and be seated."
Fontaine took her time to admire the principal as they took their seats. She was tall and prim, giving off an aura of professionalism. Glasses perched on her hawk like nose and her graying hair was pulled up in a tight knot atop her head. She had the look of a hawk studying its prey.
Once seated Mrs. Hall got straight down to business. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Nekton. We are happy to have you joining us this year and perhaps future years. Now let us discuss the nature of this meeting." She skimmed a paper on her desk before continuing. "I have spoken to your parents about the set of circumstances you are here on. Your parents have informed me of the high possibility of you needed to leave school for several days, possibly weeks, at a time in order to help them with their research. They have assured me that you will stay punctual with all of your school work and, judging by your past academic accomplishments, I'm inclined to agree. However, while many teachers are fine with the situation, this could prove problematic for some of your extracurriculars. I hear that you plan on trying out for the swim team?"
Fontaine sat straight up in her chair. She knew this was a chance to impress Mrs. Hall, and an opportunity to show the kind of student she was. "That is correct. I assure you, Mrs. Hall, that I will take my studies and activities here seriously. I wish to experience everything I can here at your wonderful school." She took a deep breath and continued, "I also understand that in order to accomplish my goals, I'll need to spend as much time as I can in class. This means that I will only leave if my presence is absolutely necessary to my family or if there is an emergency," That last bit popped out as she thought about all of the times her family had gotten into trouble.
Mrs. Hall nodded, an small approving smile upon her thin lips. "Well said, Miss Nekton. I will make a special note on your files that, due to extenuating circumstances, you are allowed to be absent from school for large amounts of time as long as it does not affect your grades. How does that sound?"
"I think that sounds amazing," Kendra, who had been mostly observing till now, said. "And I assure you, I'll make sure she studies hard," she winked.
Mrs. Hall didn't reply, just nodded and then stood from her desk. "Class doesn't start for nearly an hour, but I suggest you walk around and get yourself familiar with the school's layout. You do not want to be late for any of your classes." Her gaze fell upon Fontaine's guitar. "I'd perhaps start with the band room first so you do not have to carry that across campus. If you need a guide, I'm sure we can find a student willing to show you around."
"Thank you Mrs. Hall, but I want to figure it out for myself. I will take you up on your suggestion of stopping at the band room first." Fontaine laughed and added, "It gets kinda heavy after a while."
Fontaine stood up and headed for the door with Kendra following. Just as she gripped the door handle, Mrs. Hall's voice made her freeze. "Oh and Miss Nekton," she turned to meet the principal's steely eyes. After a moment they crinkled up in a surprisingly soft smile. "Welcome to Elephant Bay High School."
Warmth flooded through Fontaine at those words. She left that office with a large smile. All nervousness was gone and she was ready to take this school by storm. Get ready high school! You have a Nekton in your midst!
Thank you for reading! Sorry for the slow update, I've spread myself a little thin with all of my fics and homework. While this is one of my favorites the other ones have demanded more of my attention. Next chapter will be Fontaine's first day of school so stay tuned!
