"Friends are people who know you really well and like you anyway."- Greg Tamblyn

𖢻𖢻𖢻

As Miss Thompson continued with the lesson, Chesa sighed softly as her gaze drifted towards the clock. The green-haired girl glanced back at her before she followed her gaze.

The green-haired girl turned to Chesa and held out a folded up piece of paper. Chesa blinked in surprise before she took the paper and she unfolded it. Scribbled on it were the words: 'I'm Fern. Nice to meet you'.

Chesa smiled softly and she gave Fern a polite nod.

Fern smiled at Chesa before she looked back at the teacher. She glanced at the clock again and smiled slightly. 'Only a few more minutes and the bell will ring,' she silently told herself, leaning back against her seat.

It wasn't long before the bell rang. Chesa blinked in surprise before she started getting up, so did Fern.

Fern walked out of the classroom. Chesa watched her as she picked up her backpack. She hummed softly as she walked out of the classroom. She looked around as students started to leave other classrooms.

Chesa looked around for Alma before she spotted her standing by her classroom door. Chesa visibly relaxed with relief as she walked over to her.

Alma looked at her, "hey."

"Hey," Chesa chuckled. She took a look at her schedule, "good thing lunch is next on the list, huh?"

"Yep yep," Alma giggled as the two started walking.

Fern walked into the lunch hall. Chesa looked towards her and hummed softly before she looked at Alma, "did you make any new friends?"

"Oh! This kid named Earl," she replied, "he's nice."

Chesa smiled as she listened to her sister talk about her classmate as the two walked into the lunch hall.

They grabbed some food and Chesa looked around before she spotted an empty table. "Over there," she said.

Alma nodded and they walked over to the table before they sat down. Alma looked at Fern as she approached with a tray of her own.

"Hi," Chesa greeted with a smile.

"Hey," Fern replied, "mind if I sit with you?"

"I don't mind," Alma said.

"I don't mind either," Chesa said.

Fern gave them a thankful smile before she sat down beside them, and the three of them started eating.

"So how are you feeling about being the new kids?" Fern asked curiously.

"Honestly, it's pretty cool," Alma said.

"That's good," Fern chuckled, "so where are you from?"

"Ohio," Chesa shrugged, "...Worthington Ohio, to be specific. Our mom got a job here so... I guess there wasn't much to worry about."

Fern regarded her with a confused look, "what do you mean by that?"

Alma looked at her sister and she bit her lip but before she could answer, there were footsteps, accompanied by a snobby laugh. The three looked to see Veronica walking up to them with three other girls behind her.

"Looks like the new girls are being bothered by the freak," Veronica taunted with a smirk.

Alma frowned and Fern rolled her eyes.

"Don't you have better things to be doing, Veronica?" Fern huffed, "like, I don't know. Shaking your hips for the entire football team?"

Veronica's eyes widened and she growled. She stepped towards Fern, reaching out to grab her by the shirt collar. "Listen here, you little—!"

Chesa grabbed Veronica's wrist. "I suggest you be careful with how you treat my friend," she hissed. Fern and Alma widened their eyes slightly and Veronica widened her eyes at Chesa.

Chesa glowered at the school bully. As far as she could tell, the other students were watching with mixed expressions of surprise, nervousness and curiosity. Some were even excited.

Anger flashed in Veronica's eyes and she yanked her wrist out of Chesa's grip. "Who do you think you are?!" She snapped.

"I'm one of the new students," Chesa replied calmly, crossing her arms, "and you're the girl who craves attention... when really, no one wants to even bother giving you attention."

"Ooh," some students murmured.

"Damn," another student chuckled.

Veronica gritted her teeth as her face burned. She glared at Chesa, "this isn't over."

She turned and stormed away with her friends following. Fern looked at Chesa, impressed.

"Never thought someone would actually stand up to that brat directly," she chuckled, "maybe that'll humble her."

"Our dad taught me to stand up for myself, my sister and other people," Chesa said with a soft smile.

"Your dad sounds cool," Fern commented, her voice suddenly quiet. Alma and Chesa looked at her.

Fern was staring at the floor with a distant gaze.

"He was," Alma said with a soft smile, making Fern look at her, "you would've liked him. He was funny and kind. He told us a lot of great stories about fantasy and mythical creatures."

Fern smiled a little. Chesa returned it but Fern could see that she was sad too. The girls nearly jumped when the bell rang.

Alma looked at Fern, "guess that's the bell for our next class?"

"Yeah," Fern nodded, "just two more classes then we go home."

Chesa visibly relaxed and she let out a sigh of relief. Fern chuckled as she stretched her arms. She certainly couldn't blame the girl for wanting to go home so badly.

Fern pursed her lips before she looked at Chesa and Alma, "we can skip for a few minutes. Just until the final bell rings."

Chesa regarded the green-haired girl with a startled expression, "is that allowed?"

Fern chuckled and shrugged, shoving her hands in her pockets. "I've seen Veronica and her posse do it all the time. If they can do it, so can we."

Chesa bit her lip and she looked at Alma who looked excited and she looked up at her sister with a puppy dog eyes expression.

Chesa grumbled, "okay, fine."

"Yay!" Alma cheered with a giggle.

Fern smiled and she gently took Chesa's hand, "come on. I know the perfect spot for hanging out. It's behind the school."

They nodded and the three girls grabbed their trays and set them on the table by the door before they went outside. Alma looked around curiously as they walked behind the school. There was a nearby wooded area.

They walked down the dirt path and Chesa could hear the sounds of trickling water and rustling leaves. She widened her eyes when she saw a beautiful creek.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Fern chuckled, "I come here whenever I want to clear my head."

"It's awesome!" Alma giggled and she bounced over to the water. She took off her shoes and socks and she leapt into the water feet-first.

She squealed and Chesa couldn't help but laugh.

Fern smiled as she sat down on a nearby flat stone and she patted the spot next to her, looking at Chesa, "come sit. We can stay here until the final bell rings."

Chesa nodded as she walked over and she sat down mext to her. She watched as Alma kick her feet in the water, laughing.

Fern looked at Chesa, "so... how are you doing, being here?"

"I'm okay," the eighteen-year-old girl sighed, "honestly, it's different with how... farm-like everything looks. But I think I like it. Honestly, I just wish something could happen; something big. Something different."

Fern hummed softly before she looked at the clouds, "maybe you'll get your wish."

Alma trudged through the water before something caught her eye. She slowly bent down and she saw a small, black stone that was laying flat against the white rock. It was honestly strange but Alma's curiosity took over as she reached down and she picked it up. She tilted her head as she gazed at it.

It was smooth, like a pebble. But deep down, something about it felt familiar. She couldn't place it. She ran her thumb over its surface as she stared at it.

"—...lma. Alma!" Chesa called out, snapping her out of her stupor. She looked over at her sister and Fern.

"Come on. The bell's ringing," Fern called out, "we get to go home."

"Yay!" Alma giggled. She put the stone in her pocket and she hurried over to Chesa, grabbing her shoes as she went.

The three walked inside and once Alma dried off her feet, she and Chesa grabbed their backpacks.

"Can we hang out if we get the chance?" Chesa asked as they walked out onto the steps.

"Yeah. When we get the chance," Fern chuckled, "I'll see you two later."

"Byyyye, Fern!" Alma said with a smile and a wave.

Fern waved back as she walked off. She walked down an empty road. She slowed to a stop by an old, decrepit church.

She was alone.

She took a deep breath before she exhaled light green flames. Sparks and swirls of green and blue magic enveloped her and in her place was a bright grassy green dragoness.

She growled softly, her tail whipping back and forth before she flapped her wings once and she was up in the air. She flew through the clouds before she flexed her claws and bright green sparks of magic crackled in her palm.

She hissed before she swiped them across the air. A magical rift appeared before her and without hesitation, she flew through it.

The rift closed with the sound of distant thunder.