Part I
Summary: What if the Society decided to keep Joy where she was instead of kidnapping her?
Evie's Notes: So I might have just started a new season re-write concept. Whoops?! Hope you all enjoy 💜
The start of a new school term was Anastasia's favorite time of year. The leaves were changing, the halls were filled with happy chatter and the world just seemed to be full of brand new possibilities. The first two weeks of the term had been full of non-stop fun!
After a long summer of moping around her empty house, her parents being far too busy to even notice she was around, Anastasia was happy to be back with her friends! Unlike at home, Anubis House at Frobisher Academy was full of life and surprises!
From the moment she stepped out of the cab onto the familiar gravel road outside her boarding house, she was wrapped up in the arms of her two best friends, Michael Campbell and Amber Millington. The beautiful blondes had talked her ear off about their summer adventures, from snorkaling off the coast of Australia, to a spa retreat in the Switzerland Alps. Their stories reeked of adventure, fun and love... all things that Anastasia's did not have. Yet the pair sweetly listened to her silly adventures of adopting a stray cat which she named Dauchess, and waging war against the mice that threatened to topple her home.
The pair bore her hanging all over them with their normal generous grace and returned it in kind, with Mick flopping on top of her on the couch and Amber braiding her red hair in various ways. The young couple had only heard snatches of Anastasia's homelife but had correctly pieced together that she was touchstarved. So in their adorable, loving, oblivious way they set to work letting Anastasia know that she was seen and loved here at school.
It did not take long for Anastasia to settle back into her school routine. She had happily reconnected with her roommate Natasha, and the pair had spent several fun evenings putting order to their room as they unpacked from their months away.
Natasha was one of the sweetest girls that Anastasia was blessed enough to meet. Anastasia had been so nervous when she had first arrived at Frobisher academy 4 years ago as a 6th year. She was sure that no one would want to be her friend! But upon meeting her roommate Natasha, Anastasia's fears were asssurged. The girls had gotten along like ducks in water! And while they were not as close as she was to Mick and Amber, Anastasia treasured her friendship with the girl.
Making her way over to school arm in arm with Mick and Amber, Anastatsia spotted the other trio on campus messing around with the camera Patricia had been sent that morning.
Amber burst into peals of laughter as Joy toppled over the oblivious Fabian who, as usual, was nose deep in a book. The trio watched as Fabian sputtered, finding himself with a lapful of beautiful Joy.
"Way to go mate" cackled Mick, cheering on his roommate, only to have Fabian flip him the bird.
"Well I've got to split for training, lovelies. I'll catch you in french, yeah?".
"Sounds good. Have a good session" encouraged Anastasia as Amber pressed a quick kiss to the boy's cheek before turning her focus back to the hilarious scene on the front lawn.
Classes blew by like they always did. Everyone had warned them that 10th year would be hard but so far classes were super easy, though to be fair they were mostly still reviewing.
Leaving Pre-Calculus, Anastasia hurried to catch up with a familiar blonde head. In doing so she passed Patricia and Joy planning a Romantic Commedy marathon.
Catching up with her BFF, Anastasia linked her fingers with Amber's. "Hey girlie"
"Hey hon, how was Pre-Calc?"
"Fuckin Hell. I hate math"
"Awww, poor baby," laughed Amber. "At least we're headed to French next, you're ace at that".
"Good Afternoon to the most gorgeous women at Frobisher Academy" called their housemate Alfie as the pair passed his locker.
"Hi Alfie" waved Anastasia when it appeared that Amber wasn't going to reply to the boy's lovesick greeting.
Sliding into her normal seat next to Amber in the French classroom, Anastasia pulled out her notes to review as Amber answered her phone.
"Hi Daddy! I miss you!" chirped the girl happily, before beginning her normal negotiations for a larger credit limit.
The debate continued into the beginning of the class period as Mrs. Andrews passed out the group's practice exams.
"So, this afternoon we are going to have, as promised, a practice exam," announced the woman to the sounds of the room's groans and Anastasia's cheers.
"But Daddy, you have to extend my credit limit. I've found a pair of REALLY important shoes" whined Amber, causing Anastasia to laugh quietly.
"Phone off Amber" tried Mrs. Andrews. But Amber was in her own world as a determined business woman, at least until Mick entered the room.
"Dad, I have to go! I'm in school" declared Amber, shutting off the call. "Mick you're back!" cheered Amber, jumping up to hug him as if he had been off at war rather than at Football training.
Tossing his ever present football ball into the garbage can, Mick swept the gorgeous blonde into a deep kiss. The pair only separated at the irritated throat clearing of their professor.
"Sorry I'm late Madam Andrews," apologized Mick with a rougish grin. "Coach Royalls kept us late running sprints today, I promise it won't happen again".
The woman was charmed as she always was by the boy's grin and excused his lateness with a simple "See that it doesn't happen again" and noted that he should have changed back into his uniform. Even though everyone in the room knew that it would happen again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next.
"Could he be any hotter?" sighed Amber dreamily to Anastasia; and yeah, she had a point. Ana's two best friends were up there as the hottest students in school.
"Silence please, the time is currently six past two, you will have 54 minutes for your examination, and begin".
"Mrs. A!" shouted Alfie from the back of the room, Anastasia turned around and was instantly concerned.
"Yes Alfie?" answered the professor off handedly.
"Nose-bleed. It's a gusher" announced the boy.
"I can walk with him to the infirmary" offered Ana, passing the bleeding boy another couple tissues from her school bag.
"That will not be necessary Anastasia, but thank you for offering" denied the professor. "Make your way to the infirmary quickly, please Alfie"
The boy hurried his way out of the classroom, but not without spinning around to pull a silly face at the class. Unfortunately, with his back turned Alfie ended up backing into their esteemed headmaster.
"Festine Lente Boy! More haste, less speed Mr. Lewis" directed the man, sending Alfie on his way. "Sorry to interrupt Mrs. Andrews. Miss Mercer, there is someone to see you in my office. Come along please".
"Huh... wonder what that's about" whispered Ana to Amber.
"Don't know, don't care," replied the blonde disinterestedly. "I'm just trying not to fail French" before refocusing on her test.
As Ana watched the petite brunette leave the room with the headmaster, she couldn't seem to shake the weird vibe that something was about to go terribly wrong.
Anastasia was so happy that classes were finally over for the day, while the work wasn't necessarily hard, with the exception of Pre-Calc, it was exhausting to sit in the classroom for hours while being lectured.
She was making her way to her locker when a furry paw reached out and grabbed.
"AHHH.. Alfie!" shrieked Ana as she toppled into the jokster's chest. "What the hell?"
"Rarrrr Ra Rarrr Ra" rambled the boy, fully embodying his sasquatch character. As an actress, Ana could appreciate his commitment to meta acting, as his unwilling victim she strongly disagreed.
"Very funny. Can I get up now please?" she asked with her signature "arched eyebrow of doom" as Jerome had coined it.
The furry man beast simply shook his head and hugged her tighter to him.
"I think you should take that as a no," laughed Jerome, to which Alfie roared in approval.
The trio's shenanigans were interrupted by a very worried goth pixie. "Have you guys seen Joy?" demanded the girl.
"Rar ra ra rar?" growled Alfie, finally releasing Anastasia in order to pantomime several movements.
"Joy? Yeah we've seen her" revealed Jerome, somehow, probably the fact that Ana had lived with the trickster for years, she knew his statement would be far from helpful. "She's about this tall, dark hair".
"Ha ha" returned Patricia deadpanndedly. "She missed all of her afternoon classes and I've just been to Sweetie's office to check and she's not there".
"Maybe she got the rest of the day off and went back to the house?" suggested Jerome.
"I can help you look for her!" offered Anastasia.
"Thanks, Ana. Yeah, I bet she's just chilling in our room, but the whole thing has just been kinda strange".
"Don't worry, you'll have your girlfriend back soon enough" teased Ana as the pair made their way back across campus.
"She's not my girlfriend!" huffed Patricia, turning beet red.
"Uh huh. Tell that to your complexion? Besides you totally want her to be"
"Ugh, whatever" huffed the other redhead, before quickening her pace to a jog.
Ana just laughed and gave chase.
"I'll check the kitchen and you check your room" offered Anastasia.
"Sounds like a plan. Cheers" agreed Patricia before legging it up the main staircase in search of her friend.
Anastasia dropped her bag into the green armchair in the sitting room and stopped to pet Albert the crocodile. The stuffed creature stood guard over the sitting room, warding off any unwanted intruders.
"Yoo hoo! Joy?! Anybody in here?!" called Anasasia, feeling kinda foolish given the fact that the sitting and dining rooms were completely empty.
"Joy? Come out, come out, wherever you are" sang Ana softly, until she realised that they came off as more creepy than helpful and abruptly stopped.
Her search of the kitchen and laundry room also yeilded no results, but Ana took the sudden yelling and thumping from upstairs as a sign.
Hustling her way up the back staircase, Anastasia arrived outside Patricia and Joy's room to find her housemate screaming at some unknown girl and Victor.
"Joy will be back this evening" snapped Victor.
"But where is she now?" demanded Patricia.
"She is on an outing with her father" replied the grouchy caretaker. "She'll be back in a couple hours".
"If Joy is still here then why is his random girl on her bed?"
"Mr. Mercer has requested new accommodations for his daughter so that she may focus on her studies. Miss Martin wil be your new roommate from now on" explained the housekeeper.
"So where is Joy supposed to sleep?" argued Anastasia, deciding now was as good a time as ever to intervene.
"Miss Mercer will be moving up to the attic. Most of her items have already been relocated, but if you or Miss Martin find any remaining personal effects you can pass them on to her."
When Patricia continued to glare sullenly at him, the remaining threads of Victor's patience snappped. "Wipe that look off your face Miss WIlliamson and help Miss Martin clean up all of this" he demanded, gesturing to a large pile of pillows and blankets that Ana was just now noticing.
"No way!" Scoffed Patricia. "I'm going to go phone Joy and find out what's going on". Ana sighed sadly as she watched the furious redhead storm off, chased by Victor. Hopefully Joy would have some answers for her.
Stooping down, Ana gathered up some of the blankets and passed them over to the unknown, but clearly frazzled brunette. "Hi! I'm Anastasia"
"I'm Nina. I'm new and from America" introduced the girl, gratefully accepting the blankets.
"How charming! Welcome to Anubis house, Nina. Don't mind Patricia, she's just had a very stressful day. Once she gets a chance to talk it all out with Joy things will be right as rain".
" I can see she really misses her friend, I hope she can get in contact with her soon".
"You and me both!" laughed Anastasia. "Do you need any help with moving your stuff in?"
"I think I'm ok for now, but thank you for the offer" declined the American girl.
"Of course! I'm planning to chill with some of the other students in the sitting room, you should come join us when you get a chance":
"That sounds nice, thank you Anastasia" agreed the girl before taking her sheets back into her room.
With that crisis handled Anastasia set off in search of her friends.
Evie's Notes 2: Thank you all so much for reading 💕! I love hearing from y'all! Let me know what you think of the the story so far in the comments or my Tumblr House-of-Secrets! Have a great week and stay safe! - Xo Evie🌺