The sound of the start of the lunch period startled me out of the current story Liz was telling me. Unlike Winslow's electronic tones, Immaculata had actual bells, their deep booming rings echoing through the courtyard and down the halls. It was a little disconcerting actually, and more than a little cool, how the way the air itself almost seemed to ring along with the bells.

Soon enough crowds of students started to make their way out of the various building to congregate around the tables inside and outside the cafeteria building. Liz and I sat at a table off near the corner of yard between the South and West buildings. From where we were we could see pretty much the entire school; even so someone still managed to sneak up on us.

"Here I thought Selena was having me on when she said you were finally replacing Brigid. How could you Liz?" I twisted myself around to see the speaker and ended up right about eye to eye with her, a little surprising since the bench for the table was rather low to the ground.

She was cute, in the same way Madison was, with soft, almost pixie-ish features and a carefree grin. Of course, the shock white hair and heavy dark makeup was totally different. Her uniform was wrinkled and looked a half a size too large for her thin and spritely frame.

"I said no such thing." I blinked as I noticed the other girl standing there. She was giving her friend a heated glare that even I could feel. "Despite my disdain for Miss McLain, I would not advocate ending our relationship with her in such an impersonal manner. As usual Iphera enjoys putting words in my mouth."

The second girl was a sharp contrast, her black hair not quite shaved but only just, no makeup at all, and her uniform pristine and perfectly ordered. She had fairly large muscles, and I wondered if the school had a women's wrestling team, because she looked like she did some kind of contact sport. That or she was planning to be a competitor in the Highland games when she grew up.

The first girl, Iphera, which was a hell of a name to be saddled with, laughed as she sat down next to me. Liz let out a few chuckles of her own and shook her head. Iphera stuck out her hand and I shook it tentatively.

"I'm Lois, and you can call Miss Sourface beside me Selena. I was joking about Brigid by the way,"she directed the latter over the table to Liz.

"I figured as much," Liz said with a shrug. She wiggled a little to the side to make room for Selena. "Where's everybody else? I know Peter's got his AP stuff, and Tommy's already set up shop, but the twins should have been out by now."

I raised an eyebrow as Selena let out a loud snort. "Knowing those two, they are probably distracted with some inane argument of theirs, as they usually are the moment they leave anyone's sight."

Lois nudged me in the side and pointed over Liz's shoulder. "Speak of the devils."

It wasn't hard to see that the two girls heading our way were twins, just one glance at their faces could tell you that much. Their uniforms and most of their exposed skin was covered with oil stains as they bumped up against each other and stole a tablet out of each other's hands. The only thing that distinguished one from the other was their hair; one had dyed the bangs of her black hair a deep red, while the other dyed all of hers a bright pink and spiked it. As they came closer the sounds of their ongoing argument grew loud enough to hear, if no clearer in meaning.

"An' I'm telling you," the spiky haired twin said as she pointed to something on the tablet. "That much power will just wrench the whole thing apart."

Her sister grabbed the tablet and tapped the screen. "Non, it will be fine if you reinforce it here and here."

"But then it becomes too rigid and even the smallest impact will do serious damage." I felt like I was watching some strange tennis match as they finally reached the table, although they didn't seem to notice in their distraction.

"Twins!" The two stopped arguing and turned to stare at Liz. "You were bickering again."

"Sorry Liz," the two said in stereo.

"Twins, Taylor." Liz grinned and waved her hand towards me before waving it back the other way. "Taylor, the twins. Do I want to know what you two were going on about this time?"

"It is Professor Emmerich's extra-credit assignment," said the twin with the dyed streak as she took the open space next to me, her sister taking seat at Liz's side. I noticed that while her sister had a subtle southern twang when she spoke, the twin next to me had a French accent. "We stole one of father's rejected projects and decided to try and figure out a way to make it work. It should make Papa happy when figure out to make the damn thing move. "

At the look of confusion that was probably all over my face the other twin leaned across the table towards me. "Pops pretty much runs the Senate military development committee and he constantly gets designs sent his way from think tanks and Tinkers. Most of them suck, so he doesn't really mind if a few go missing every once in awhile."

I felt my jaw working but no sound made it out of my throat. "Wha..." I shook my head. "How smart are you two?"

"Smart enough. Right Fi?" The sister with the streak in her hair looked up from the tablet and shrugged.

"It helps that Papa arranged for some of the best tutors when we were younger. Until someone, Viola," she added with a half-hearted glare at her sister, "decided they wanted to see what it was like in a real highschool."

Viola clutched her chest and faked falling backwards. "Ack! So much for familial loyalty!"

"If that's how you feel then I guess you won't be needing my notes for English later."

Vi shot forward so suddenly I nearly fell from my seat. "I take it back! Would you be so devoid of feeling as to abandon me in my hour of need, Fiora my sister dear?"

"In a word: oui."

Lois leaned over as I watched the twins continue to have something vaguely resembling an argument. "Relax, this happens ever few days. They're kinda blowing their skills out of proportion, they aren't nearly as smart as they think they are. Not quite idiot savants, but close enough."

"We heard that!" Both twins glared as Lois laughed her head off.

I blushed before joining her and Liz a moment later. As the laughter died down and conversation resumed I smiled softly. It had been so long since I'd really been part of a group that I'd almost forgotten how much fun it was. As the laughter died down Lois propped her arms up on the table and rested her head on her hands.

"So I get that they're geniuses," I nodded my head towards the twins," and Liz has some deal going on with the Headmistress, but what about you?"

"I'm nothing special, my brother on the other hand..." She trailed off before leaning back and studying me up and down. A moment after it started to become uncomfortable a wide grin spread across her face. "I'll have to introduce you two later. I'm sure the two of you'll get along great. He's in a bunch of advanced placement stuff cuz he's a legitimate braniac."

"Wow, that's pretty impressive."

"I know right?" Lois' grin turned crooked as she gave her head a shake. "Of course he plans to waste it by going out and save the world after he graduates. Which, by the way, seems to be something that only I have an issue with."

"I think it's cute how noble he is," Liz offered. "Like a little knight, ya know?"

"We think he'd be a good customer for our designs," Vi said as her sister nodded in agreement.

"You know what I think?" I turn my head as Selena spoke up for the first time since she'd sat down. She was staring straight at Lois with a half-smile half-smirk on her face. "I think he'd look pretty damn hot in spandex."

"I meant with science and stuff..." Lois' face combusted as the table again erupted into laughter. I shook my head as conversation slowly resumed, mostly about about course work or some TV shows, which I occasionally offered my own opinion on. I noticed Liz taking a break from talking and leaned forwards, tapping her hand to get her attention.

"Hey Liz, uh, this Saturday we're having a housewarming party," I blinked as the other conversations immediately died and faces turned towards me," and, well, I'd like to have people I know there, so..."

Liz grinned and pumped a fist in the air. "Woo! Not even here a day and you're inviting us to a party? Best new friend ever!"

"That's an open invite right?" Lois asked and I shrugged. Dad hadn't really said anything other than to invite my friends, so I hoped he wouldn't mind if I brought over people instead of just Emma. Yeah, not going down that line of thought right now. "I'll have to see if my brother can drive me, but yeah, I'm down for that. Twins?"

The sisters exchanged glances before nodding. "We'd be glad to come. Our parents may want to come too, if you don't mind."

I shrugged again. "It should be fine. I'm sure my dad would love to have some more adults around."

"And I suppose I shall attend in order to keep an eye of Elizabeth," Selena grumbled. Liz turned and gave her an offended glance. "Unless you want my mother to come with us?"

Liz hung her head and sighed. "No, you're cool enough, I guess." After a moment she bounced back with a grin as she swiped Fi's tablet. "I almost forgot today's the day they're releasing the Protectorate swimsuit calendar!"

I grinned with wide eyes as everyone crowded around the tablet. Having friends was definitely something I could get used to.