You burst into your class and the door crashes against the wall, no one notices your rather dramatic entrance and the teacher is still occupied writing at her desk.
"Miss Sands...?" you say wearily approaching her.
She looks up with a smile, "Hi yes, welcome" she flicks through the stacks of paper piled next to her, "y/n is it?"
You nod and return her warm smile.
"Perfect, lovely to meet you" she stands and shakes your hand, "if you wouldn't mind taking a seat at the back and just follow along until you catch up"
You nod again and walk to the back of the room, taking in the faces of your new classmates. None of them bother to acknowledge you but as you near the back of the room you see the empty seat and next to it a familiar face.
She wasn't paying any attention, she seemed far too interested in her book; and you watched as she read the well worn pages.
Just as you pull out your chair she looks up and meets your gaze, rolling her eyes.
"Surprise" you mutter sarcastically, taking a seat.
"What did you just say, snowflake?" She turns to you, glaring, and sets her book down; not breaking eye contact.
"Right class" Miss Sands sits against the edge of her desk, hands clasped in her lap.
Maeve reopens her book and continues to read, you occasionally follow along out of the corner of your eye until your attention is diverted elsewhere.
"...You will be working in pairs for this project" you look around go see students looking at one another, "with the person you're sitting next too"
The whole class groans in unison, except the seat to your side. As you turn back around you catch a glimpse of her quickly flicking through the pages in a failing attempt at acting 'natural'.
Was she just watching me?
———————————————————————————
The class is nearing to a close and Maeve hasn't spoken since she asked you a question.
"For the-" the bell rings and Maeve stands quickly, leaving you talking to no one but the air around you. You sigh and walk out into a crowd of people, hoping somehow to find Otis and Eric.
"Y/n!" You turn and see Otis waving you over to a wall just outside of the building. Eric already sat down talking.bYou make your way over to them, trying not to bump into anyone else and eventually sit down next to Eric who bombards you with questions.
"How was it? Meet anyone nice? What classes do you have? Who's in them?"
"Eric, slow down" you say mocking Jean's voice as you bring your hands up and down slowly taking a deep breath as you do so. Otis laughs and Eric catches on, joining in.
Eventually you begin answering his questions and he grows more excited with each response. After he gets what he's looking for, he starts filling you in on some of the people at Moordale.
"The group sat over by the steps are 'the untouchables'" he says making dramatic hand gestures causing you to let out a laugh.
"No one else calls them that but you you know" Otis chuckles, throwing a sweet at this head.
Ignoring him Eric continues, he goes on for what feels like forever until he changes topics and talks about the building and where to go, you nod half following along, half guessing what else he's saying.
"And over there are the abandoned toilets, no one really uses them unless it's to smoke or have some time alone" he shrugs and looks away.
———————————————————————————
After lunch Otis takes you to math, making sure you don't get lost.
"It's just us after school, Eric's auditioning for swing band"
You look at him confused but just shrug it off and carry on walking.
He stops before the door, "I'll see you later"
"Bye Otis"
He turns on his heels and walks back the way you came.
You walk in and introduce yourself like you had for English. The teacher seemed very relaxed and let you sit anywhere, you find yourself a seat next to a blonde girl you don't recognise.
"Hi, I'm Aimee" she says with a bright smile.
"Y/n" you respond as you take your seat.
You sit in silence for a few minutes before she turns curiously in your direction.
"Everything okay, Aimee?"
She sighs and shows you a piece of paper, "Do you get math?"
You take the paper and read over the questions, stopping when you find something easy enough to explain.
"Think of a fraction like a cake, the fraction as a whole is a whole cake and parts of the fraction are slices" She nods and looks between you and the work, "So if you have 2 slices out of a 10 slice cake and add 4 more slices from another 10 slice cake, how many slices do you have?"
"6?!" she says excitedly
"Yes!" you say as she applauds herself.
You carry on explaining to her what she's supposed to be doing until suddenly her phone pings.
"You'll carry across-", Aimme puts the phone infront of you, showing you a video of a Jean's sex therapy. You look up realising the whole class has errupted into laughter.
"Shit, Otis" you ride quickly from your sheet grabbing your things and rushing out of the door you run through the halls trying to find Otis. You see Maeve leaving the building in a hurry, in the direction of the abandoned toilets.
"...she could've been stroking an actual penis"
As you round the corner you see Otis sat on the floor, legs between his arms rocking back and forth with his inhaler in his hand. You stand in the broken gateway noticing Maeve stood against the wall opposite you, lighting a cigarette.
"She's got a point" Otis laughs and Maeve glared at you.
"I- I think I'm just gonna die now" Otis manages between breaths.
"Don't worry about it" Maeve says shaking her head, "speaking as a long-term member of the Moordale Social Pariah Club, you'll survive" she takes a drag of her cigarette.
You look down trying to refrain from laughing, "That's a real thing?"
"JESUS" a voice from the toilets echoes.
You all exchange confused glances before Maeve stumps out the rest of her cigarette, walking towards the door, motioning for you and Otis to follow her. He looks at you but you simply shrug your shoulders and help him up.
The three of you creep into the toilets figuring out which stall the strange noises are coming from, Otis pushes the door to one and it opens with a slight creek. The brown haired boy in the stall looks up at the three of you and yells, Maeve yells in response and Otis screams, all of you quickly back away from the door.
Maeve pokes her head back round to look at the boy, "Oh my god", she motions you to look over and see for yourself.
"Get the fuck out!" the boy exclaims, trying to cover what seems to be a giant erection.
You and Maeve exchange looks before laughing and turning away.
"No wait!" the brown haired boy states. You all edge slowly back to the stalls entrance. He looks between you all with pleading eyes, "Help me?"
Otis steps towards him pointing his finger, "I know it was you who sent that video around!"
"So?"
"So, I'm not going to help you!"
"Wait what?!" you interject, looking between the two boys.
"He sent around that video of my mum!"
"How did he aquire said video...?" Maeve asks still not taking her eyes of off the brown haired boy.
"Please! New kid" he continues, "it feels like it's going to explode and not in a good way"
"I don't think anything exploding can happen in a good way" you state, half smiling. Maeve catches your eye, a smile also forming on her face.
"Not my problem Adam" Otis states turning his back and making his way out of the bathrooms.
"No wait!" Adam stands slowly, "Please don't go"
Otis turns back around and sighs, looking rather frustrated.
"Shouldn't we get the nurse-" you question
"No!" Adam pleads, "you can't tell anyone."
"But what if he dies or something?" Maeve asks looking down at Adam's crotch.
"Dies?!" the brown haired boy reiterates.
"it's an erection he's not going to die" you say looking to Otis for reassurance, but his face doesn't look quite so reassuring, "right...?"
"Adam... what did you take?" he asks.
Adam, still holding his crotch, bangs his forehead against the frame of the stall door, "Viagra"
"How much viagra?" you ask, trying desperately not to laugh.
He looks down, scraping the dirt between his shoes. Maeve once again peeks around taking a look at his penis, you shoot her a glaring look and she rolls her eyes at you.
"Look, Adam, think of this room as being..." Otis trails off.
"...four walls of trust" you continue.
"Yeh, right" Otis nods, "whatever you say is fine, we're not going to judge you"
Adam looks up slowly and holds up three fingers, "three viagras"
Both you and Maeve let out a laugh.
"Jesus Christ"
"You said no judgements!"
"Shit, sorry", Maeve says still smiling.
"Is three viagras bad? Her reaction made it seem like it was bad" He asks, pointing at Maeve.
Otis looks down to Adam's crotch meets your eyes and looks back at Adam.
"I feel lightheaded and I can taste scampi" He continues.
"I'm not surprised it's fucking massive" Maeve says, still staring.
"Stop looking at it!" Adam protests.
She laughs before turning away and heading over to the sinks.
"What now?" she says, lighting another cigarette.
Otis looks between the two for you, "We wait"
———————————————————————————
You stare at the clock on your phone, watching the minutes pass by, before looking up at Maeve, "hey um, about the English assignment..."
She looks up at you from across the room, "what about it butter fingers?"
"We have to work together"
"I know that"
"So where?"
"I'll text you" she says finishing the conversion.
She doesn't have my number...
"How's it looking?" Otis asks from the stall next to Adams.
"Still large, still..." he pauses, "...angry"
You all sigh.
"Where did you even get the viagra from?" Maeve asks joining you in the stall opposite Otis's.
"None of your business" Adam snaps.
"Please don't tell me you got it from your dad" she continues, ignoring him.
You furrow your eyebrows in confusion, the silence from Adam's stall tells you everything you need to know.
"Why did you take it" Otis asks, doling his arms like his mum just before she therapies someone.
"Oh I don't know, heard it gives you a good buzz." Adam scoffs, "maybe you should try it sometime instead of being such a joy fucker."
You push yourself of pff the stall wall, "Oi dickhead, he's trying to help you, try being a little nicer."
Adam scoffs again.
Maeve grabs your arm forcing you back to where you were stood, "he's having dick problems"
"Yeah? And how would you know, Wiley?" Adam asks, clearly hurt.
"Girls talk, dumbfuck," she stands up, closing the already tense distance between you and leans on the doorframe, "she says you can't come."
Adam's stall falls silent again.
You stop listening to what Adam's saying as Maeve starts twisting her rings between her fingers, she twists them all individually with her thumb. She kicks you, clearly noticing the staring and smiles.
"...what if he sees my jizz face? What if-"
"Okay." Otis interjects also smiling, "we get it" He pushes off against the door frame and starts to walk around. "Well, it sounds to me like you're experiencing some performance anxiety."
***
"I just wish..." Adam confesses, "that I could be a normal kid... with a normal dad."
Otis looks over to you, unsure of what to say next.
You jump down from the windowsill and join him, "I think that you need to own your narrative, and not let it control you... yes, you have a significantly large appendage" you say looking up and meeting Maeve's gaze, she smiles encouragingly, "and yes you're visible in the school because of your dads position..."
"But neither is likely to change," Otis finished, "but your outlook on said things can, does that make sense?"
Adam murmurs, "Not really"
At a loss for words Otis looks to you for some help again, "It shouldn't matter what anyone else in the school thinks Adam, you are who you are. Don't let anyone take that anyway from you."
Otis mouths a thank you and smiles.
"So everyone's wrong, and I'm basically..." Adam pauses, "awesome?"
The three of you smile.
"Be proud of your genitals and your heritage, 'cause neither are going anywhere." Otis states.
"Just work with what you've got." you add.
You hear him fumbling around in the stall and his head pops up above the wall, "thanks New Kid," he looks at you, "and thanks New Kids friend." He slaps Otis on the shoulder and falls back behind the wall.
***
The three of you walk out of the toilets. Adam stops, "you won't tell anyone about this will you?" He looks between you all, "you said that whole thing about the four walls of trust"
"We won't tell anyone" Otis confirms, "if you leave my friend Eric alone..."
"For good" you add staring at Adam.
"Tromboner?"
"Your choice" Otis shrugs.
"Fine" Adam agrees before turning to leave.
"I think you owe Otis and y/n an apology" Maeve states, causing you both to look at her and Adam to turn back around.
"Sorry... for sending that video around but your mum," he points to Otis, "really got in my head, new kid. She's like some kind of... sexy witch"
You grimace and Otis looks like he's about to be sick.
Maeve shrugs as Adam walks away, "close enough"
———————————————————————————
"That was unusual" you say turning to look at the both.
"Far too unusual" Maeve agrees, she holds eye contact with you for a second before continuing, "see you around snowflake" she smiles, walking away; not giving you a chance to respond.
You follow her with your eyes as she leaves, once out of earshot Otis turns to you, "She knows that was a 50/50 effort right?"
You shrug as you both walk down the steps, "we make a pretty good team"
He nods in agreement.
You spend the rest of the afternoon with Otis until you see Eric rushing over to you after his final class.
"Oh my god!" He exclaims, clasping his helmet, "Adam Groff showed his entire penis to the school cafeteria."
Otis looks at Eric with wide eyed disbelief as you almost spit out your drink.
"He- he what!?"