Dan POV

"Daniel!" Eliza calls for the second time, her voice echoing up the stairs.

Dan groans, irked at her but more irritated that she thinks he's not ready. Of course he is, having woken up way to early because of a strange combination that merges nerves, doubt and excitement.

It is secondary school, the next step in the cycle of life. He briefly wonders what comes after that and what happens if secondary school is horrible, somehow managing to convince himself that his life will fail if he doesn't create a perfect day. Dan shakes his head, killing the thought as he re-checks his bag and ensures everything's safely inside.

He sprints down the stairs and fixes his fringe in the mirror out of habit, slipping into his black coat as Liz grins, "There's just enough Crunch Nut left, I reckon."

"Mum been eating it again?" Eliza asks, straightening her tie.

Ellie laughs as she skips down the stairs, "I still can't believe you're wearing a tie."

"Shut up, El." Eliza whacks Ellie, laughing nonetheless.

Dan makes his cereal as Liz spread the jam onto her toast, grinning. The four of them eat together, their easy silence more comforting than words could be at this point. They've all been through it but the experience is different for everyone so it can't be prepared for, only gone through. Eliza leaves first, followed by Liz, who decides not to ruffle his hair on his first day to avoid a bad mood and consequently a bad start at secondary school.

Ellie finishes her bagel and, together, they leave the house, each taking a pair of house keys in case anything happens. They wait at the bus stop along with everyone else, Ellie smiling, "Hey, don't stress."

"I'm not." Dan replies, shrugging.

"Hey, chin up." Ellie grins as the bus arrives.

Two of her friends arrive and she shrieks, hugging them. Dan sighs as he watches them and climbs on the bus, his new galaxy backpack slung over his left shoulder so he can easily access it if he needs to. Ellie leaves him, on his insisting, and goes to sit with her social group, all of them acting like they've been reunited after centuries.

He sits near the back of the bus, but not far enough that he has to actually socialize with the group who claim the end seats. Placing his black headphones over his ears, he listens to his moderately less dark but not quite happy playlist on the way. He'd dumped his bag next to him and nobody wants to talk to someone with headphones on, so he's thankfully left alone.

He waits until everyone else has gets off before clambering off his seat and making his way to the doors. The driver smiles, "Good luck."

"Yeah, thanks." He mumbles, awkwardly smiling before stepping off.

"Dan, hey!" a girl called Mariah calls, waving at him. A moment later, she and two boys come over, all smiling. Dan fleetingly smiles back and Mariah laughs, "Guys, this is Dan. Dan, this is Chris and Carter."

"Hello." The two of them wave. They're matched. Of course they are. Chris' forest green eyes and hazel hair a direct parallel to Carter's hazel eyes and forest green hair. Dan sigh internally, wondering how people actually meet their matches or whether it's just a myth. Mariah grins, obviously knowing what he's thinking.

She waves a hand, "They grew up together, kind of a cheesy story really."

"Oi!" Carter elbows her, easily defensive.

Dan jumps as the doors open and people swarm inside, each travelling to their allocated registration rooms. His is the same as Mariah's, so the two of them make their way to the language room, Mariah talking excitedly about her exotic and outlandish holidays the whole way. As they enter, they see Toby, the boy who used to live near them but moved a few blocks down and didn't stay in touch very well. He's sitting with his match, a taller girl who nudges him as they walk in. Mariah smiles and the two of them sit opposite the pair.

Toby's eyes light up as well, "Hey guys, how you doing?"

"Great, and you've matched! You didn't tell us!" Mariah accuses, having a personal mission to know whatever she can about whoever she can.

"Yeah, are you ditching our club?" Dan smirks.

The girl laughs, "Sorry that was my fault. I thought it would be a nice surprise."

Toby shrugs, "This is Carri."

"How do you spell that?" Mariah asks, frowning.

"C-a-r-r-i." Carri replies, not at all offended.

The four of them quickly exchange their introductions before a formal lady briskly walks in, clearing her throat, "Hello, I'm Miss Parins, and I'll be your group tutor over the course of the next five years or so." She smiles, sitting down at her and Mariah exchange a knowing look and groan, not liking her overly saccharine tone.

Just as Miss Parins starts the register, two girls stumble into the room, flushed and panting slightly, "Sorry, the tram was late!" The smaller of the two announces apologetically, the taller one simply nodding as she catches her breath.

Miss Parins shakes her head, "Not to worry, just find a seat."

The two nod and flop down in the pair of spare seats at Dan's table. The taller one smiles, finally having caught her breath again, "Hi, I'm Janie."

"I'm Holly." The other says. They aren't matched but clearly best friends, wearing one half of a friendship necklace each. Janie's ginger hair falls over her shoulders as she shoves her coat into her bag and Holly rolls her eyes. "I told you to put it up."

Janie sticks her tongue out, instantly diffusing any tension between them, "That's your look."

Holly shakes her head in amusement but Mariah nods, as if examining Holly's hair, "Yours is almost as nice as Dan's."

It's not callous but true, her emerald locks almost as complex as Dan oceanic colour. That and the fact that Mariah is fiercely biased towards her friends and, with Dan being a significant one, Holly doesn't stand a chance. Holly laughs, "Your match must have seriously amazing eyes then."

Dan smiles genuinely, "Damn, I hope so."

Miss Parins calls out the register, the entire group then complaining when they have to participate in team-bonding tasks that never really work out that well. Dan acquiescently takes part, trying to avoid any conflict or problems on his first day and prevent Miss Parins creating a vendetta against him.

I've just realised how not-good these are...