TWs: Mention of crimes, use of guns (not shown), slight manipulation (blink and you'll miss it kind of thing), using status to your advantage. Stay safe :)
"Crime rates are increasing as inflation in the northern London area spike. They appear to be mostly petty cases, such as robbery and vandalism. Chess pieces are left behind at the scene."
"Arthur, hurry up! You're going to be late for school."
"Ah-" Sky blue eyes looked up from the television, "Right, sorry, mother."
The redhead zipped his bag up and draped it over his shoulder. He took a step before realizing he had forgotten something. He smiled as he headed down the hall, opening the door to his right.
"Hey, I'm heading to school." He called out in a soft voice.
Like every morning, the small figure was awake and sitting up, staring out the window to look at the sunrise. She saw her brother in the reflection of the window, averting her baby-blue gaze to look at him, "You're leaving already...? The sun hasn't even made it halfway."
Arthur chuckled, "I know, but it's quite a walk to get to school."
His sister nodded, "Okay... I'll see you later, right?"
"Of course!" He came over to pat her on the head. Arthur looked at her for a moment longer as he returned to the door, "Love you, Denise."
"Love you too." She waved before gazing out the window again, getting lost in the beauty of the outside world.
Arthur smiled as he shut the door and made his way to school.
The morning wind wrapped around him, tugging at his uniform and hair. It wasn't freezing by any means, yet it still gave him a chill as he made his way down the sidewalk.
Most of the walk he spent in his head, wondering what his friends did over summer vacation. He had a few guesses, a slight frown on his lips as he sighed.
Arthur was a block away from school, his legs starting to ache. He huffed as he looked up, his eyes doing a double-take on someone familiar. He perked up, raising an eyebrow, 'Is that...?'
"Next time, put your fucking trash in the rubbish bin, you asshole!" She yelled, waving around a piece of paper, "People like you are the reason climate change exists!"
"Theresa?" Arthur called, standing behind her.
"Holy- Arthur?" Theresa jumped, turning around. Her demeanor changed as she looked at him, "Arthur, hey! I haven't seen you all summer!" The short woman hugged him, feeling Arthur run his fingers through her wavy brown hair.
"Yeah, let me guess," Arthur peered down at her, "Your parents forced you into going to some Jehovah's Witnesses camp?"
"How'd you guess?" Theresa sighed, pulling away from him, "Sorry I couldn't tell you- they dragged me away at the last minute."
"It's fine. I had my own stuff to do anyway." Arthur shrugged, walking away from her.
"Oh, really?" Theresa followed him, "And what is that?"
"Oh, you know... creating the latest invention of the century."
"By dumpster diving for parts?" Theresa smirked.
"You're one to talk. We both grew up in poverty."
"True, true..."
They walked by a television and radio store, the TVs in the window forecasting the local news for London.
"Graffiti art appears to be the new trend of the decade as most local stores are running low on the product." The newscaster spoke, "Strikes around Europe are demanding that graffiti art should be banned and accounted for as vandalism. The bill has not yet been enforced by the European Commission as of yet."
"Imagine being afraid of a little paint on your building," Theresa spoke, barely sparing the monitors a glance.
"Well, people can be vulgar when it comes to 'expressing yourself.' Remember when Henry drew a dick on that one guy's locker?" Arthur recalled.
"Pfft- how could I forget?" Theresa laughed under her breath.
"Exactly." Arthur nodded, stopping before the road as he waited for the light to change.
"Do you think Henry missed us?"
"Of course not. Knowing him, he probably got on the first train out of this dump."
"Hah, yeah- asshole always hated this place." Theresa stepped onto the pavement as soon as the crosswalk signal turned green.
"I don't blame him." Arthur sighed, following her closely, "This place has the highest crime rate in London."
"Really? I thought it was second." Theresa tilted her head.
Arthur shook his head, "It's gotten worse over the summer if you can believe it."
Theresa opened her mouth to speak when they heard sirens in the distance.
BANG! BANG!
The duo glanced at each other as the sirens and gunfire got further away.
After a long moment, Theresa spoke, "Honestly, I can."
"The culprits behind this massive crime scheme are known to elude the police as well as the detectives. There is no further information about them other than the 'Pawn' chess pieces they leave at the scene." The radio blasted, "We advise everyone in the London area to be on high alert as we don't know if these people are armed and dangerous. Lock your doors, close your windows, and go out in groups... In other news-"
"Oh dear, all this drivel will wear me out." An old-fashioned woman spoke as she turned the radio off. She adjusted the car mirror to look at her three daughters, "Now, girls, I want you to be on your best behavior, alright?"
"Yes, mother." The three spoke, nodding their heads.
"Good- now get out; I have somewhere else to be." She waved a hand, dismissing them.
Cynthia refrained from sighing as she opened the car door. She was met with a red brick building with a symmetrical structure- white pillars with intricate details on both sides. It was beautiful but could use more greenery.
Cynthia felt Katherine push her aside as she passed, "You're in my way, Cynthia! I need to talk to my friends before class starts!"
"Sorry!" Cynthia called, but her sister was already through the doors.
"Don't mind her, Cynthia!" An arm curled around her shoulders. It was her other sister or rather- twin sister, Chastity, "She's just angry since the brat ruined her favorite bow this morning."
"That 'brat' is our brother, and he's literally eight years old. He doesn't know any better."
Chastity wasn't listening, having that deadpan and cold stare she usually had when in space. She blinked, peering at her twin, "Sorry, were you saying something?"
"Mmh, forget it." Cynthia brushed the arm off her shoulders, somewhat annoyed, "I'm going to find Margot."
'Ugh, not her...' Chastity frowned, "Well, I'm going to hang out all by myself then."
"Okay...? Have fun." Cynthia gave her a small smile yet couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, having a slight feeling of guilt lingering in her heart as she walked through the school's doors.
Her frown turned into a smile as other people, especially guys, glanced her way. She was used to getting attention and praise from others, even though deep down she knew everyone thought of her as nothing more than a stuck-up Puritan from down the lane, aka, the rich part of the neighborhood. Everyone wanted a part of her money and everyone wanted to be her.
It was normal.
And she was a rather good actor, playing the part she was destined for.
Her sisters were better at telling people off or, in Chastity's case, getting them to do what she wanted.
But for Cynthia, it was hard. She was kinder and more outgoing than her sisters. She wanted to be everyone's friend, yet she knew it would leave her without friends. She couldn't please everyone... and that was that.
She was just a mask without a face.
"Cynthia!" Yelled a voice through the crowd.
"Huh?" Cynthia looked up, seeing an arm waving high above everyone, her fake smile becoming genuine as she saw her friend, "Margaret!"
The ginger rushed forward, hugging her friend. Margot reciprocated, lifting her a few inches off the ground, "It's been so long! I missed you!"
"I missed you too!" Cynthia squeaked, "You have no idea the kind of pain I went through over the summer with them..."
"Ohh, can't wait to hear about that." Margot placed her down, "My vacation in the States didn't go too well, either..."
"Shame. Both of our vacations were a total bust." Cynthia crossed her arms.
"Oh, look, there's Wesley." Margot gestured to a guy with slick brown hair and a tan.
Cynthia hummed, "Yep."
"Aren't you two dating...?"
"Not anymore." Cynthia flipped her hair, "The guy's dumb as a rock, and I'm pretty sure he has some unsolved mommy issues."
"And you don't...?" Margot raised an eyebrow.
"What does that mean?" Cynthia glared at her friend.
"Nothing- so I'm guessing you broke it off over the summer?"
"The first week of summer vacation."
"Wow- fourteen days? That's a record."
Cynthia elected to ignore the comment, "Anyway, I'm done with dating and boys... this year, it's all about my education."
Margot blinked, "Uh-huh... no offense, but I think that's a hard goal, even for you."
Cynthia huffed, puffing out her cheeks, "It is not! Watch me- by the end of the year, I'll have straight A's and no boy to hold me back!"
Cynthia waved her arm in an outward motion, going to the side. She was startled upon realizing her hand bumped into someone.
"Hey-" The person spoke as Cynthia turned to them to apologize, yet the words died on her tongue as she looked into sky-blue eyes. The stranger also seemed to freeze, his sky blue eyes peering into emerald. The person before her mumbled, his voice softer than before, "Hey."
"Hi..." Cynthia smiled, feeling the blood rushing to her face, "S-Sorry for hitting you. I was, uh- caught up in the moment."
"It's fine." He shrugged, also smiling. There was a long pause as the person next to the handsome stranger cleared her throat, "Oh, uh, see you around, I guess."
The stranger walked away, his shorter friend following behind him.
Cynthia's eyes couldn't help but trace his features as he walked, 'He would make a good model...'
"So," Margot spoke, a smirk rising on her face, "'No boys,' huh?"
"Oh- look at the time! We're going to be late for class!" Cynthia flushed, hurrying away. She heard Margaret calling after her, choosing to ignore her as she walked down the corridor. The ginger sighed, perking up as a group of girls waved at her. She smiled at them and waved back as she passed by them. She slowed down as she got to her homeroom classroom, taking a deep breath.
'Alright... here goes nothing.' She exhaled as she opened the door that awaited her future.
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SURPRISE!
You guys thought I was done with the series? HAH, no-
Welcome to pain :)
Are you ready? Cause I'm sure not.