After living with the Stuek's for a couple weeks, they decided it was time for me to go to school. This gave me a whole new level of anxiety. From what I heard from the older kids at the orphanage, school is bad enough. But going to a new school, as a freshman would be hell.

"You'll have so much fun! wewe can meet new people, and if wewe want, wewe can have your new Marafiki over..." Mrs. Stueck alisema cheerfully. She'd just gotten nyumbani from the store. She'd gotten me a bunch of new "school clothes." Thankfully, she refrained from buying anything pink.

"Thanks," I whispered. She stopped and gaped at me.

"Uh... No problem, Dear. Your welcome." I pursed my lips and nodded slowly. Then she returned to glorifying high school, when I knew it wasn't true.

The inayofuata day, I had to get up extra early, which I was not so thrilled about.

"Good morning, Hecate," Mr. Stueck smiled. He'd made the kids breakfast; eggs and toast with machungwa, chungwa juice. "G'head and eat before it gets cold," he alisema kindly.

"Thanks," I muttered. He smiled warmly. Amica and Amory's eyes widened. I bit my lip. If they acted like this every time I spoke, then I'd prefer to just shut up. I finished getting ready, and Mr. Stueck told everyone to get in the car. I got to sit in the front, while Amica and Amory sat in back. Amory got dropped off first, at the elementary school. Next, Amica got dropped off at middle school. Soon, Mr. Stueck pulled up in front of the high school.

"Well, here we are. Just go to the office and they'll give wewe your schedule. I hope wewe don't mind, but we registered wewe as Fayard-Stueck..." I shrugged. "Ok, well, I'll pick wewe up for school. Have a nice day." I nodded and got out, readjusting the strap of my messenger bag. I managed to find my way to the front office.

"Are wewe a new student?" the secretary asked. I nodded, and she went to look through some papers. "Name please?"

"Hecate," I whispered. She leaned toward me; she hadn't heard me. "Hecate," I alisema again, my voice trembling.

"Ah, found it..." she smiled. Her eyes widened as she looked over my schedule. "Um... here wewe are Miss Fayard..." she said. I took my schedule and then made a quick escape from the office. This is one of those times where I really hate what my parents did. Actually, I always hate it. But this is one of those times where I'm reminded of it.

I went to my first class, which was English. The teacher there, Mr. Ballard introduced me to the class and I took my seat.

"Aren't wewe excited to be here?" he asked cheerfully. I shook my head, and the class giggled. Mr. Ballard frowned, and I cringed into my seat. I was just being honest...

After class, I was headed to math when a girl stopped me.

"Your name's Hecate?" she asked. I nodded and started to continue walking, but she stopped me again. "You live with the Stuek's, right?" I nodded again. So she remembered my last name... I was just glad that was what stuck with her. The kids my age don't generally know anything about my parents, because they weren't born when they did all those cruel things... The girl held out her hand. "Hi! I'm Chasity. I was Marafiki with Averil. Welcome to the school!" I hugged my vitabu closer to my chest, and did not try to shake her hand. She slowly pulled it back. "Um... So... wewe wanna sit with my Marafiki and I at lunch? We'd upendo to have you." I shrugged. "Well, if wewe do, come on over! See ya!" she smiled and practically skipped away. I stood there for a while frozen, then shook my head and went off to math.

I didn't run into anyone else that wanted to talk to me for the inayofuata half of the day. Then lunch came, and I started to grow worried. At the orphanage, I had no problem eating kwa myself. The older kids would remind me though that when I started public school, I'd get picked on if I ate alone. I wasn't so sure I wanted to test their sincerity. I stood in the cafeteria with my tray, looking for a meza, jedwali that was barely occupied. If there wasn't that many people there, I'm sure they wouldn't mind me sitting there. It's not like I'd bother them at all.

"Hecate!" a voice called. I turned around, terrified. I'm sure no one knew me. I was ready to get beat up au something. Lots of the older kids at the orphanage would tell horror stories to the homeschooled ones about how kids get beaten senseless all the time. But instead it was Chasity. "Wanna sit with us?" she asked. Not really, but I don't think I had a choice. I nodded and she smiled. "Great! Come on!"

I followed her across the cafeteria, to a meza, jedwali that had only a couple people at it.

"Sit here," she alisema excitedly. I did as she said, and my moyo picked up as the others at the meza, jedwali stared at me. "Guys, this is Hecate. Introduce yourselves!"

"Hi, I'm Liberty," a girl said. She had dirty blond hair and glasses. "Nice to have wewe here." She looked to her side, where a boy with choppy blond hair was sitting. He wore a neon blue and green hoodie.

"Axel," he alisema in a rough voice. Chasity looked to a pair of kids that looked similar. The girl had long, spiky black hair and a couple red highlights. The boy had short spiky hair, and the tips were purple.

"That's Raven, and Crow. They're twins," Chasity said. jogoo nodded once and Raven smiled and waved.

"Our mom likes birds," Raven whispered. "In case wewe couldn't tell." Axel scoffed.

"Hecate lives with the Stueck's," Chasity announced. Everyone's eyes widened, and Axel turned his gaze to the table.

"Oh," they all alisema grimly.

"How are they doing?" Liberty asked. I shrugged and nodded. "That's good," she alisema half heartedly. "...So, Axel, did wewe finish the history homework?" she alisema quickly, changing the subject. Axel nodded and took it out, and Raven asked if he knew the answer to a question.

"Sorry about that," Chasity whispered. "It's been hard ever since Averil left. She was a good friend of ours." I nodded. Conversation picked up after that, to things that people enjoyed talking about. I didn't voice my opinion on anything, I just slowly picked at my lunch and listened in on a heated debate about animal abuse.

"Don't wewe ever talk?" jogoo asked. Raven elbowed him in the side.

"Shut up! She's new here; she's just shy." I shrank inside myself and ducked my head. "It's ok, just ignore him," she said. "Just like I do." jogoo rolled his eyes.

Everyone was ok. Raven and jogoo seem to get on each other's nerves a lot. Liberty is the sweet and nice one; who's very aware of others' feelings. Axel is the goofball, but is also really smart. And Chasity seems to be the head of all of them. She kind of directs the conversations, but she doesn't seem to be aware of her power, and if she is, she doesn't abuse it.

Soon enough, the siku was over. Everyone met me outside and alisema goodbye. Raven hugged me, which was startling.

"Tell her parents we're so sorry," she said. She pulled away and waved, then left with her brother. Axel waved once and left his on skateboard. He ruffled Raven's hair as he passed them on the sidewalk.

"See ya," Liberty smiled before heading to her bus.

"So, did wewe have a nice day?" Chasity asked. I shrugged. It could've been worse. She looked at me thoughtfully for a while. "You're not very talkative are you?" I blushed and shook my head. She had no idea... "That's ok," she smiled. "We're just glad to have wewe here." A car honked. "Oops, that's my ride. See wewe tomorrow, Hecate!" She patted my shoulder before running off to a car. I saw Mr. Stueck's car, and I went over and got in. Neither Amica au Amory were there, making it even zaidi awkward.

"Did wewe have a nice day?" he asked. I shrugged. "I saw wewe with that girl. Is that Chasity?" I nodded. He was quiet for a moment, and nodded. "Wow... Haven't seen her in a long time. Well, I'm glad wewe had a great day." I raised my eyebrow. I never alisema that, but ok.