Happy 2022! Welcome back to Thorne's arc!

Guys, I'm so excited because as I'm writing this chapter at the end of June 2021, I finally got a copy of Cress and Fairest! [December 2021 me here. I worked on finishing this arc to get it out by the new year since a lot of you were waiting and excited! Thank you so much and enjoy!]

A Crown of Thornes: Part One

Lunar Academy, Commonwealth, The Earthen Union

The start of senior year at Lunar Academy. Ten months to prepare for university or decide what to do after graduation … but that's a later problem. A problem for the stars to handle when deadlines appear out of nowhere.

Thorne takes a dramatic breath as he takes off his army-clad bomber jacket and puts it in his locker. "I forgot what being in school was like."

Wolf scoffs as he leans against the neighbouring lockers. "As if you knew in the first place."

Thorne closes his locker. "Says you. I'm shocked you actually showed up."

Cinder approaches them with a tight-lipped smile that seems too plastered to be natural. Wolf straightens as Thorne eyes her, wondering if they should both run to homeroom because Cinder isn't herself. The school year was off to a great start!

"If you're curious, I've been in the building for five minutes and three teachers have already yelled at me about my white sneakers."

Her smile remains as the boys look down at her sneakers. The uniform policy demands solid black shoes, not boots. Shoes. Not any other colour. Black shoes.

"Not to mention that my locker is across this spading school," Cinder says as they walk down the student-filled hallway to get there. She scowls at all the students with their patterned or bright-coloured shoes when she got reprimanded. For all she knows, they were told off as well but she felt personally attacked.

Cinder arrives at her locker with Thorne and Wolf. Nearby, because Benoit is close to Blackburn on the school roster, Scarlet smiles at them in her bright red sweatshirt that is also not in the uniform policy. Cinder doesn't even open her locker when Scarlet points at her white sneakers.

"Took ten minutes and two teachers to reprimand my red sweater," Scarlet laughs as she pops the polo of her uniform that peeks out from under her sweater.

"How?" Cinder asks. "Nobody said anything? It's big and red."

Scarlet bounces her curls. "So is my hair."

Cress appears after having turned the corner, eyes looking back and forth between Scarlet's sweater and Cinder's shoes as she stands beside Thorne. "They treat civvies like the scarlet letter or a crown of thorns. Turning things we love into items of punishment, suffering, and ostracizing."

"That's dramatic," Wolf mutters as Scarlet and Thorne high-five for their names being said.

Thorne wraps his arm around Cress's waist tightly and kisses the side of her head. "I love you."

Cress smiles, leaning into Thorne. "Because it's true. I don't need to tell you that girls get chastised more for their uniform than boys."

Before Thorne or Wolf could comment, despite not knowing what they could say because Cress was right, the school bell rings.

"So, Scarlet, stopping by your locker to take off your scarlet letter or wearing it to class?" Cinder asks despite the two of them already at their lockers.

Scarlet scoffs. "I'll get yelled at in homeroom and then waste time going to my locker."

"Same. See you back here in ten."

"If we get caught."

-o-

Andromeda Academy, Artemisia, Luna

A day like today is why Jacin ran away from the Academy.

He's in his cleanest training uniform as all the cadets were ordered. They run in rhythm, in tandem around their outdoor track. Nobody is speeding (hopefully not doping) or faking numbers, showing off to instructors who are busy entertaining recruitment officers from various Lunar military programs. Air Force, Navy, National Guard, Marine Corps - all are here, looking at the cadets run around the track like show dogs. Seeing who has the best form, stamina, face to present to the country as the best or in harm's way.

Jacin can almost hear the comments as if they're saying it now. He glances over and reads their lips although the words that echo in his mind don't match the moving lips.

"Who is that cadet over there?"

"Cadet Jacin Clay, the Dean's own son. Spitting image of his old man, isn't he?"

"A fine soldier to be. He'd fit in any sector."

"Look at that cadet over there! He'll be a good one to represent Luna overseas, wouldn't he?"

"You'll be a soldier, boy, won't you? That's why your parents put you in military school. You'll make them proud."

Jacin clears his head and focuses on his running before he loses pace and sends his whole line down like dominoes. That act won't impress anyone. And they put him on the outer lane too, where they'll notice him. Jacin has no doubt they know where he is since, as the Dean's son, he was pointed out first. At least his parents are thrilled about his medical school goals, goals that still remain in the stars' control.

A cough catches Jacin's attention and he turns to see Kinney who's a few strides behind him in the inner lane of the track. Jacin looks forwards again to make sure he doesn't stumble while running. When both lanes approach the turn and the lines shift, Jacin and Kinney are running beside each other.

"Are you good?" Kinney whispers.

"Yeah," Jacin responds, "why?"

"You look like spades."

Jacin narrows his eyes despite it being true.

-o-

Lunar Academy, Commonwealth, The Earthen Union

"I got threatened suspension!" Cinder exclaims at the end of the school day. She slams her locker shut as she proudly walks down the halls of Lunar Academy in her white sneakers. She can't get suspended now since school hours are over.

"Detention threat," Scarlet says proudly.

Cinder can't believe it as she looks at Scarlet who's still wearing her red sweater, who has been wearing that red sweater for the majority of the day. In third-period biology, the teacher didn't even notice Scarlet's sweater. Cinder looks at her other friends who shrug, especially since Cinder got reprimanded for her sneakers, even when she was walking down the hallway to change out of them for homeroom.

"I swear it's because I'm Asian," Cinder states, linking arms with Kai proudly since he gets it. "I thought this school was a Lunar safe haven and now I'm threatened."

"Lunars have to follow the uniform too," Thorne says mockingly, grinning to piss off Cinder.

It works since she's glaring.

"Shut your spades, Carswell."

Before Thorne could go after her for using his dreaded first name, the school's PA captures their attention, as with every other student in the hallway. Cress and Winter are the only ones paying attention, glancing up at the nearest speaker above a classroom door. Thorne was scrolling on his phone, Cinder and Kai were chatting with each other in linked arms, and Scarlet and Wolf were leaning against the nearby lockers. In their defence, it was an announcement regarding the results of the student body election for School President and Vice President. They voted at the end of the school year last year and the winners were elected. President and Vice President had the whole summer to plan events for the school year with the rest of the student council … so they didn't care about the announcement.

"Due to unforeseeable and unexpected reasons, our Student Body President and Vice President will be unable to serve their terms for the school year."

That statement captures their attention. The group looks at each other in shock as surrounding classmates stop what they're doing and talk in hushed whispers full of questions and rumours, fresh gossip starting its spread within school grounds.

"What do you think they did?" Scarlet whispers. "Hook up in the meeting room? Did each other in the meeting room?"

"They also host detention there, sometimes," Cress says with a sour expression.

Scarlet winks at her. "Even spicier. Hooking up in detention? That's hot."

Scarlet winks at Wolf and he clears his throat.

"Uniform violation?" Cinder jokes with a sharp laugh. With the way the teachers were on her case about her stupid sneakers, she wouldn't be surprised if it caused the School President and Vice President to be revoked of their duties.

"Drugs?" Winter guesses. "Maybe they were caught using behind the dumpster."

"What morons use or deal behind there?" Wolf asks, laughing because it could be true. "Anyone and everyone knows that's the first place teachers will catch you."

"Oh, spades!" Thorne exclaims as he holds up his phone for them to see.

They crowd around the screen to a post from the junior representative saying that the School President and Vice President were laundering school funding from the treasurer, who reported them since he was wondering why they didn't have enough money for certain supplies for upcoming events. Aside from having their powers stripped, there will be an investigation that would likely lead to suspension or expulsion from Lunar Academy. Talk about a scandalous start to the school year.

"Rich people spades…" Wolf mutters unimpressed. "Aren't their families old money type of rich?"

"Hooking up in the meeting room would've been funnier," Thorne comments. "And spicier."

Scarlet high-fives Thorne again. He glances at Cress who's face burns at the thought.

The announcement starting again garners their immediate attention since they want to know what happens now.

"So in compliance with our school's student council, they have agreed to allow our runner-up candidate fulfil the role of School President. Since he was a write-in, Vice President will be their choice and announced in the coming days. Your new School President is Kai Rikan."

Silence in the hallways emerges again as all eyes land on Kai, whose face is now blanched. Then, everyone's cheering for him and Cinder kisses his cheek as she hugs him tight. Wolf and Thorne playfully nudge him and Kai's body rocks back and forth like a doll.

"Did I hear that right?" Kai questions, looking around at everyone applauding for him.

"Nice, man," Thorne says proudly.

"We all heard it!" Cress beams.

"I didn't even run!" Kai yells.

"Hence the write-in," Wolf says, shaking Kai out of his trance. "Take the win, man, and not the school's funds."

"Let's celebrate!" Scarlet exclaims.

And as with every start of a new arc, we will have weekly updates!

And speaking of Thorne, I have a Cresswell one-shot coming out on January 3rd. I'll remind you in the next update in case you forget.