gold rush ♬ {𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐮𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐲}

iv. antisocials

A friend to all is a friend to none. I think it's always better to have one friend than a million friendly strangers. It's always quality over quantity. Emma knows it. She once had a large group of "friends" and now she only has her sister and her band, but that's enough. Rory knows it too. She never really had a large friend group, she always just had Lane, but she watched her sister being stuck in the misery of being alone in a common crowd, and that was definitely not enough.

Apparently, the guidance counsellor thinks that the twins not really socializing with their peers is not enough, is discourage, is incorrect. So, while the girls where eating together in the canteen, they were called to go to Mrs. Burgoness office. They're in there right now.

"Come in." The guidance counsellor says as they walk in. "Hello Rory. Hello Emma. Take a seat."

"Thank you." Their response came at the same time.

"So, don't worry about being late for your next class. I'll write you a note if you want." They both nod. "I know from your records you're sticklers for punctuality. You only came late one time."

"That was an accident. It wasn't our fault. We got hit by a deer, but it also wasn't the deer's fault." Rory started anxiously ranting.

"Calm down. Breathe." Emma pronounces those words quietly.  

"Sorry." Rory looks down and Emma brushes her hand on her sister's shoulder.

"Why don't we get to the reason why I asked you here?"

"Okay."

"Headmaster Charleston brought you two to my attention a few weeks ago. He's worried, and after observing you a bit, I'm worried too."

"You've been observing us?" Emma was startled.

"We've been concerned about your social behaviour at school."

"What about it?" I think Rory got a little defensive, although still polite.

"Neither of you interact much with the other students."

"I do. We do, sometimes."

"In class, all the time. " Emma finishes her sister's train of thought.

"At lunch, you're both always by yourselves in the farthest table from the crowd."

"We like the quiet."

"And that's when we catch up on our readings." Rory finishes her sister's train of thought.

"Because you're always together it makes you less approachable."

"Maybe we don't want to be approached. We have each other." Emma protests.

"And that's the problem. We here at Chilton value social skills as much as academic skills. You have to branch out, get out of those shells and make friends. Separately. You have to learn to not depend on each other." They were in silence. "This could affect your future."

"I don't understand. We get good grades, isn't that enough?"

"You know it's not." No, she didn't know. Neither of them knew. They were there to learn and the pressure on her shoulders, the weight on her backs that was heavier than an elephant, was always reminding of grades, test scores, excellence. All their hard work wasn't enough and that wrecked them. "Girls. I advise you to mix it up with others. Meet new people. Get to know your peers. Start with lunch. But, please, do it separately. Independency is an essential trait for your future."

"Thank you." And they leave.

As they walk to their next class, it's English, they have together, the twins complain: