(Please don't hate me)

Chapter two

Your alarm clock goes off in your ear. Loud. It wakes you, but not pleasantly. Sleep was evasive, but when it finally took you, you were out cold. Groaning, you toss your covers aside and slowly dress yourself. It's a monday, and your first new day at the new school. It's nothing special. They don't even have a creative name. "Snake Cult High." Can you guess their mascot? Luckily, it's only a few minutes to walk, which you gladly do. The morning is fresh, and already warm. After a few minutes, you find yourself standing in front of a slightly imposing, likely centuries-old building. Snake Cult High, in all its glory. The courtyard and front steps are littered with students here and there, donning variations of the same uniform you are wearing. Each one seems to be unique in their own way. You notice a few familiar faces. The same pale boy is observing a patch of mushrooms. The tall blonde, whom you believe to be Scandinavian of some sort, walks past you into the building, sans spear and bunny.

"Hello!"

A delighted voice startles you. You spin around, greeted by a friendly, trustworthy face.

"Are you new here?" they ask, sticking out a hand, "I'm Tibe!"

You can almost hear the smile in their voice. You've never trusted a stranger quite as much as this one. You gladly take their hand.

"Yes, I'm afraid I am, Tibe," you softly admit, "I'm y/n."

"Glad to meet you, y/n!" They say, positively beaming. It's as if there's a smiley face attached to everything they say. "Welcome to Snake Cult!"

"Yes, well, I must say that it's certainly unique."

"It sure is! Home to the world's one and only Snake Pit Wrestling Night!"

"I'm sorry, the wh-?"

You're cut off by a large man with a ripped fishnet for a vest on his uniform pushing his way in between you and Tibe.

"Move."

Tibe frowns, and starts to say something, but is cut off by a shrill voice.

"Oooh! Nice one, Yept!" a smaller, more gangly boy calls, stepping in between the gap formed by who you assume is Yept. Yept simply grunts and walks off.

Annoyed, you get a better look at the laughing boy following Yept. It's the same boy from yesterday, the one getting his ankle bandaged.

"Are you ok?" Tibe asks, voice full of sincerity.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," you respond, "are you?"

"Of course! It's just Yept and Alex, no big deal."

"That's who those two are?"

"Yeah, don't worry about them. They mean no real harm!"

"Are you sure? They don't seem too friendly."

"I've known them for years. I've known everyone here as long as I can remember. It's all ok!"

"Well, if you say so."

"Mhm! Anyway, I have to hurry off to art. Have a good day, y/n!"

They scurry off before you get a chance to respond.

Without anyone else to talk to, you go ahead and continue on up to the steps. At the top, you encounter a girl handing out papers. Her brunette hair is tied up into a high ponytail, and she seems all business.

"Good morning!" She says, smiling at you.

"Hello," you respond, taking a pamphlet from her hand.

"Are you new here?" She asks. It seems your presence will not go unnoticed in a town of less than 200.

"Yes, yes I am," you murmur.

"Well, welcome to Snake Cult, I suppose. I'm the president of the student council. My name's Feline Snake, but you can just call me Feline."

Twice in one day, you shake a new person's hand.

"Your last name is Snake?" you ask, "in a town called Snake Cult?"

"Yes, well," she begins, pushing up her glasses, "my family did help found this godforsaken place."

"Ah. That would make sense."

"Indeed."

"So, president of the student council, you say?"

"Yes, well, I did found it after all, so it was a bit of a shoe-in."

"That would also make sense."

She grins a bit at you.

"Why do you ask?" she says, "thinking about joining?"

"Heavens no," you reply, "I can't be trusted with that power."

"Good. I wouldn't have let you anyway." She smiles a bit more.

"Oh. Thanks?"

"You're welcome." She turns away from you and begins passing out more pamphlets to the few students lingering behind.

This place is certainly interesting, you think, and, taking a deep breath, step inside the building.