Chapter 2: Tough Crowd
Monday 19th February 2018
6:00 A.M sharp
Beep Beep Beep
Lena awakes with a long groan.
Sunday dawned cold; pattering of rain filled the silence around her new, completely empty bedroom. Except for the three large boxes that held her clothes. She let out a long, tired sigh, and begins her day.
Now, she has no idea how public high schools are, unless they relate to the ones on television in which they break out into song and dance. She decides to wear something casual which contrasts from her constant needed business attire in her family position at LexCorp- well, L.Corp now,- her father had told her the news last night. She chooses a loose white t-shirt and light washed distressed jeans to seem as casual as possible- as she's seen online. It was with much that she had the movers bring her clothes first, otherwise she'd have to go out and buy a jumper.
Busy, Lena thinks in her cab as hundreds of students are rushing into campus, she slings her bag over her shoulder and leaves the cab. First off, people had found it quite odd she had arrived in a cab to get to school. Which she hated because she hadn't realized how hard it might be to keep a low profile- and it's just her first day.
The campus had a grassy area before leading into multiple different pairs of large, swinging doors. Pine trees dotted the perimeter and the brunette thought about how it'd have looked nicer during summer.
The brick buildings were soon filling up with students, the hallways reminded Lena of the press at L.Corp. meetings. After retrieving her schedule from the office, Lena sets off to find her first class, World History.
She pushes through the door labeled 302 and is greeted with many confused looks shot her way, more questioning than threatening. She hoped no one in her class already knew who she was.
Until,
"Lena. Lena Luthor?" The man at the front of the class questioned loudly, the class' eyes were pointed towards Lena and she couldn't help but feel so exceptionally vulnerable under the gazes of thirty-plus people.
"Here," Lena said, not nearly as loud as he did, almost inaudible, but he did seem to hear it, "I'm- I'm Lena Luthor." The brunette's brows furrowed in slight frustration as whispers began being exchanged throughout her new peers, "Luthor? Like the dude who blew himself up Luthor?" "LexCorp, huh?". Lena shuddered with nervousness as she waited for the man's response.
"Ah, yes- our new student,", The man's voice was soft, he had a head full of white hair and was short. His eyes were rounded with a soft kindness that was friendly to Lena and those eyes were framed with a pair of square-shaped glasses. He tried is best to seem unphased by the mention of her last name, but Lena knew the look on his face as she was very familiar with that reaction,"I'm Dr. Stein, I am your teacher here in physics.." His eyes scanned a clipboard and nodded to the seat far in the back.
It seems she had gotten to class quite early considering no one has begun yet. She tilted her chin up and gripped onto the straps of her back-pack as she walked through the lined desks of the students to the only empty one in the back of the class, a young man smiled kindly up at her- it was a timid smile he was short and had trimmed brown hair with a white button-up.. Wait, Lena thought, He's the guy in Kara's photo! Oh. Lena had also began thinking if he'd had just smiled out of pity and it made her gut wrench.
Alright, maybe calling him 'young man' was misleading because he was her age, easily, but he gave off a younger feeling. Although he wasn't much taller than she was, he gave off an air of childlike wonder.
She took the seat next to him and put her bag down on the ground, "I'm Winn!", Winn whispered enthusiastically to the Luthor, "You're new, but I would like to help you with anything- you know- since you're new and all- just in case."
"Uh thanks,", The brunette said reluctantly, she wondered if he didn't know about her last name or if he was just being genuine. She decided that she wouldn't say she knew Kara it would be sort of… Alarming? "I'll hold you to that, Winn, when I get lost right after this class",
She pulls her time table out of her back and hands it to the young man, asking what she has next. "Looks like you have.. Physics C Electricity and Magnetism," He paused in thought until his eyes light up, "I guess I have Physics and AP Biology with you!"
Lena finds herself wishing she had more classes with the boy considering he's already been so nice, it was quite overwhelming.
"Oi," a voice said at her elbow. She looked over, a young boy had materialised beside her and sat down on the desk Winn had been occupying. And of course, he had been the other boy in the blonde's photo with the letterman's jacket. He was wearing a bright smile and could've easily been ten inches taller than Lena.
She blinked at him. "Yes, that's right."
He beamed at her, offering a hand. He was her age, as well, and broad across the shoulders. With his height, he gave off an air of dominance, lending him an even larger appearance than he already had. "Cool, I'm James. James Olsen. You're Lena?"
Hesitantly, noticing how much larger his palm was compared to hers, she nodded, shaking his hand simultaneously. "Lena Luthor.", she replied.
"Awesome. You already met Winn?"
"Yeah," Lena glanced and both of them, seeing how James wrapped his arm around Winn's shoulder like brothers would- they seem close. "I enrolled last week."
"Oh, yeah, what year are you in? I'll give you some pointers" The boy, Winn, offered handing her time table back, still smiling. "Everyone's really friendly though; don't worry about that"
"Eleventh," The brunette informed him.
His eyes lit up once again, "Extra-awesome," he cried. "Me too. I'll introduce you to all my friends. It'll be great. You already know James!" Dr. Stein called attention and everyone began straightening themselves up in their seats.
So, she had already made two acquaintances. James; he was a sporty looking boy with a surprisingly very kind and soothing feel when being around him. Then, Winn; he seems to be in a lot of engineering and robotic classes- which Lena appreciates as it's one thing they can bond over. He's also very enthusiastic. Though, she still felt a bit of melancholy towards this whole Midvale situation.
Monday 19th February 2018
6:34 A.M.
"Wake up, or I'm going first," A voice threatened. Kara blinked. She opened her eyes, squinting as light spilled into their room through the curtains. She then sat-up sending a challenging look towards the voice.
"No way, Alex!" the blonde leapt from her position in her bed and sped past the brunette into the hallway, locking the bathroom door.
The familiar smell of sea salt and pancakes filled the old house, it was the Danvers' house which Kara had been living in far shorter than Eliza and Alex since she got adopted by them three years ago. Since then, they have made her feel completely at home.
Although with a bit of over-protectiveness and sternness from Alex, she couldn't be happier. Eliza had done her best to make the blonde feel just like a Danvers.
The house was decorated in a rustic-like design, wooden with white chipping paint. It stood tall on the cliff with crashing seas behind it. The sea is what Kara loved most about it, she hadn't ever seen the sea from before she lived with the Danvers family.
"God, Kara, you know normal people chew, right?", Alex teased as the blonde basically inhaled the last pancake. "I hope you get fat," Alex pouted.
"Never do, sis", Kara smirked as she checked the time, which, they were almost late.
The door creaked inwards softly, Kara was not fully sure this was not fully sure this was such a good idea. Inside, the room was moderately well lit, with wide windows which were shaded at the moment. She blinked, wondering if she was here at all.
"Ms. Grant?" she called into the office.
A blonde woman lifted from under a big white desk, carrying a box of folders. With a slight slamming sound the box was dropped onto the desk, Cat stood, heels clicking against the floor as she walked. Her eyes widened as she saw her there and a smile burst across her face.
"Why aren't you in Journalism, Ms. Grant?" she asked, stepping inside and closing the door with a gentle click.
She waved a hand, "Oh I had some last minute things to be doing today, so I figured I could spare a few minutes gather some things.."
She smiled at her. "Yeah, I know. You said you wanted to see me?"
"Don't beat around the bush do you?" the older blonde chuckled, flipping through the folders in front of her. It was unusual for her to be doing something she could have someone else do for her; she is the principal- and journalism teacher. She leaned on the desk behind her, carrying one thin folder in particular. "We have some.. Things we have to discuss involving your slip-up in
Physics this year,"
Kara tilted herself back on her heels as she did the night before, a nervous tick she had grew over the years. Her shoulders slumped, "Go for it."
"I want you to get a tutor," Cat said, finally looking up from the folder, "You can go to Dr. Stein's after class and see who he can assign you"
The younger blonde wasn't particularly happy with this situation but she figured maybe Winn might be assigned to her? Then, it wouldn't be so bad. She exhaled, mentally trying to list the pros and cons of this situation. "Fine, Cat," she grumbled. "I'll do that, but do you have any idea who I might be assigned to…?"
Cat stuck out her hand and wiggled her fingers. "You have a deal, and no, I don't know, actually", she shook her head.
Kara slouched off the bench to shake her hand, smiling and shooting a friendly eye-roll.
"Lena Luthor, please report to the principal's office, thank you"
She blinked. The class had paused at the name being announced as well and she couldn't help but wince at how much unwanted attention she's been getting.
What could they possibly need from me? Lena scowled as she made her way through the empty hallways and into the principal's office.
Now, there was a short, older blonde woman wearing a simple, tight dress that led down like a pencil skirt. Although her small figure, Lena had felt the wave of power in the woman's eyes when she sat down before the desk.
Principal Cat Grant Lena read off the title on her desk, looking up at the woman, who hasn't even taken her eyes off the papers shuffling in her hands.
"Lena Luthor, sixteen-years-old, wins Andrew Gemant Award, Science Communication Award, and AIP Humanistic Biology Research Award, all in the same year." Cat announces into the room, reading off a piece of paper, her eyes drifting towards the Luthor.
The brunette doesn't respond. She knows this game, she'll wait for Cat to speak first unless she hears a question being asked. She'll let Ms. Grant go on, without showing any effect to the statements. So, Lena eyes her expectantly and the blonde's eyes finally meet her's with a proud smirk.
"You know, you're quite the genius," Ms. Grant says, raising a curious eyebrow towards Lena. "How'd you feel becoming a tutor?"