Hey! I'm in a terrible place at the moment. I have 27 reports to complete and instead I'm writing fanfic lol. At least you guys reap the benefits :p

Thanks for the comments, faves and follows! I get so motivated by them as you know.

Oh and I should warn you all that what I know about American high schools is from movies. Feel free to fill me in on any details I missed :)


All week Irma had been struggling with the feeling she was being watched. Whenever the sensation crept over her it was like wearing an uncomfortable second skin, it made her feel jumpy. Twitchy. On edge.

It came and went so randomly she couldn't make out any pattern to it besides the fact that it only happened while she was at school. Between classes, as she was making her way through the press of bodies, she would suddenly get the distinct impression that someone was staring at her. Sometimes it would follow her until she got to class, other times it would fade quickly when she turned a corner. A few times during a lesson her pen had stilled over paper when the press of eyes weighed on her, a glance around the classroom revealing nothing significant. One morning she had been swamped by the feeling a good block before she even reached school and it had stayed with her all the way to homeroom.

These sensations, while not particularly threatening, were horrible. Combined with the ever present threat of Kraang whispers overtaking her brain and the lingering nightmares that interrupted her sleep, Irma was left feeling like every day she was taking another bunch of tottering steps towards crazy town.

Like right now while she was trying to eat her lunch.

She'd been sitting at the end of the long table for only handful of minutes but the entire time the hairs along the back of her neck had been tingling ever so slightly. Irma paused, her half chewed sandwich an ashy lump in her mouth, and once again swivelled in her seat to scan the busy cafeteria. Among the sea of faces she still couldn't pick out a single one that was specifically fixated on her, but the creepy feeling was there all the same.

Deciding she couldn't take the unseen eyes anymore Irma dropped her lunch back onto the tray and gathered up her things to make a hasty exit. As she did so she saw the group she'd been sitting on the fringes of sharing a few raised eyebrows between them. She bit her lip but didn't spare them a glance. To be honest the fact that she'd never even taken her earphones off had dissuaded them from trying to talk to her in the first place. While she was aware that her abrupt departure was just strengthening the reputation she was earning for herself as being one of the weird ones, she couldn't bring herself to sit down again and try to engage with her peers. She just needed to get away from whoever was watching her.

As she dumped her half eaten food into the trash the tense sadness that was always twisting her chest lately got a little tighter. Had she really thought school would be a cake walk? She could hear herself from two weeks ago telling her mom that very thing and it made her cringe. School was nothing like baked goods. Sure, the work being set by the teachers wasn't too challenging considering as she'd essentially skipped an entire grade, it was the human element she was finding much more difficult to negotiate than she'd expected. Even without the unseen eyes turning her into a twitchy mess.

For a start there were way too many bodies crammed into her old high school. On the first day back there'd been an assembly in the gymnasium, scores of teens packed onto tiered seating until it literally felt like they reached the rafters. Their new principal, a tall woman with a kind-yet-firm demeanour, had launched into a welcome speech featuring highlights on the impact of the Kraang invasion, one of them being the destruction of a neighbouring high school which had left close to a thousand seniors without an academic roof over their head. As a result the nomadic tribe been split, divvied up amongst the surviving schools while theirs was being rebuilt. An effort that would take at least two years and see everyone here through to the end of their school years.

Perhaps hardest to deal with was the recognition, or lack thereof, that she saw in people's eyes when they looked at her. People she used to be friends with brushing right past her while other's she'd never met gave her a smile or a friendly hello. Teachers she didn't know talking to her about assignments she hadn't done, classes she hadn't taken. It reminded her of the 'other Irma' and how her place in the world had been stolen. Walking the halls felt like running a gauntlet and she was left with the distinct feeling that she was the imposter.

Irma shoved her way through the cafeteria doors and into those very halls as she struggled to escape the watchful feeling. Thanks to the time of day it was emptier than usual, but there was still a group of around four students heading towards her and Irma schooled her face into composure as they neared, forcing her lips to curve upwards. Last thing she needed was to look as freaked out and desperate as she felt. A quick mental check told her that the creepy feeling of being observed had abated so she had that going for her at least.

The polite smile froze on Irma's face when her gaze clashed with one of the girls in the small group, confusion mixing with a cold feeling in her stomach as she took in the other girl's widening green eyes. She looked horrified. There was no other way to describe it. Her pale skin whitened even further until the smattering of freckles across her nose stood out in stark relief and her jaw dropped as her mouth formed a perfect 'o' of shock.

Irma's footsteps faltered uncertainly as she took in the other girl's reaction but she managed to keep walking, casting a furtive glance over her shoulder just in case there was actually something threatening behind her causing the concern. Nope, all clear to the rear. She steeled herself and faced forward again, clutching her books to her chest and quickening her steps as she came level with the group of teens.

The girl was still staring.

She gave a start as she realised that the girl was more than just staring now. In the time it had taken Irma to briefly look away the shock had gone from the other girl's face and been replaced by one of...anger? The redhead looked furious. Her eyes had narrowed to glittering slits and Irma flinched when the girl's hand dropped to the waistband of her denim jean shorts. She got the ridiculous yet distinct impression that the teen was reaching for a weapon and she clutched her books even tighter to her chest.

The other group finally passed by and the eye contact was broken. Irma let out a pent up breath, only just managing to stop herself from actually breaking into a sprint. Even so her steps could definitely be described scurrying as she continued down the hallway, the clomp of her boots sounding unnaturally loud on the lino. She could feel fear tightening all the muscles in her body as a sweat popped out on her brow. Why had that girl looking at her like she knew her? Hated her?

Up ahead Irma caught sight of the sign for the bathrooms and made a beeline for the door. Safety lay beyond in the form of cool tiles and confined cubicles. If she could just be alone for a moment then maybe she would be able to gather her thoughts and work out exactly what was going on. Pull herself back together a little and get it straight in her head what had just happened.

As she pushed on the swinging door and ducked inside one question repeated itself over and over in her mind like a broken record.

Who the heck was that?


We know who it was! What did you think? Was it the meeting you were hoping for? Obviously this is just the beginning so stay tuned...

Review please!