//------------------------------// // Freshman Fear // Story: Equestria Girls: Just the Tip // by Whirlybird //------------------------------// I wonder if High School is always like this. Being an only child, I don't have any siblings I could ask about this being the typical high school experience. I had heard and seen from TV and cartoons that it would be very cliquey, but they always seemed so... exaggerated. Everyone sticking to the same little groups, one popular mean girl that ruled over everyone and everything that the teachers either didn't know or care enough to do anything about. Nerdy kids stuck with nerdy kids, jocks stuck with jocks, dramas stuck with dramas, everyone seemed to know where they belonged and never crossed that line. Coming to Canterlot High School I learned that it all seemed to be pretty much true, everything I saw in teen dramas growing up. But then again I've never known a High School without Sunset Shimmer. First day of freshman year. The first thing I can't help but wonder is if all high schools smell like this. I couldn't quite place it, the strange scent of rubber from everyone's shoes, the musty, stale air that most libraries seemed to have, and the overpowering scent of male body spray that does not substitute a proper shower... Lord only knows how bad the boys locker rooms were. My cheeks flush red at that brief detour in thought, clutching my schoolbag tighter and keeping my head low. I felt like any of the students around me could read my thoughts if we made eye contact. Looking at all the other students only made me feel somehow under and overdressed at the same time. My blue sweater and loose jeans held up by an unstylish and thankfully hidden belt wouldn't exactly be turning any heads... but at the same time everyone at the school seemed to have a sense of style that seemed to belong. Sure the nerds were dressing geeky and stereotypical but they weren't alone. The nerds could spot each other from a mile away, here it was a good thing, everyone could spot where the others and the ones that dressed alike naturally flocked to each other. But not me. I don't talk to anyone, I just file in and follow the flow of students till I break off at the stairs, only slightly less crowded as students filed in for first period. It wasn't a very crowded school, only two floors, but there were plenty of students just milling about, sitting on stairs or just hanging around the lockers and blocking up precious lane space. I wasn't sure why they weren't hanging out in the cafeteria like most of us before the bell rang, it was aggravating, but like hell I was actually going to approach any of these strangers and tell them to get a move on. Thankfully this seemed to be relegated to the first floor and the second floor was free of much traffic with half the student body getting to their first period classes on the first floor. A sigh of relief escapes me as I pull out my class schedule again; 216, Algebra 1. That causes my brow to narrow. So there was an Algebra 2? Or 3? Why was there a sequel? Why couldn't it just be Algebra? Distracted, I reach out for the door and grasp at nothing. I look up in surprise and the door was already open... it had been open since I got here, but I was too distracted looking at the number above it and my schedule. There were students both in and outside the classroom looking at me now, my face flushes with heat yet again and I feel an uncomfortable prickly sensation along my skin at all of the stares as I hurry inside and just take a seat. The heat reaches my ears when I hear a few students snickering. My bag is in my lap as I just wait for the minutes to pass for class to get started. Once I start to calm down and the heat starts to face I dare to raise my head and look around the rest of the classroom; It was only about half full of students and the teacher wasn't in sight. Some students that sat next to each other were chatting and making jokes, others were reading or checking their phones while they waited for first bell to ring or the teacher to arrive. No one was paying attention to me anymore and I could take another breath of relief. As I observed the class I noticed one girl seemed to be just as wary of everyone around her as I was. She was in a seat right next to me... was she already there when I sat down? I couldn't remember hearing her take a seat when she was very occupied with her desk. Her teal.. or cyan? Some kind of light blue eyes were narrow as she took note of each and every other student, maybe out of worry or paranoia? I wasn't sure why, this girl looked like a stereotypical cool girl, she wouldn't have any problems fitting in. A black leather vest over an orange shirt and a stylish purple skirt and black boots with purple flame-like designs, even her hair was striking, a vivid red streak with yellow like a fire. I may have been staying for longer than intended because her eyes quickly focused on mine and I quickly turned my gaze back to my desk, fidgeting with the bag in my lap, my eyes looked away, scanning the room and the other students that sat next to each other and seemed to be having fun. The cold, sinking feeling in my gut was replaced by something hotter as my eyes narrowed at them. How could they make it look so easy...? I want that... A few deep breaths, my left hand gripping the edge of the desk as I turn to face the girl on the right. That near-burning desire was nearly extinguished when I realized she had been watching my awkward and silent panic the whole time. My eyes widen briefly, my mouth opens but for the first few seconds I can't get any sound out. And the first syllable was dry and raspy. I bring my fist up to my hand and cough into it, my face heating up again. "Ahem... Um... h-hello! My name's Anonymous. Anonymous Tip! Guess we'll be neighbors for this class, eh?" I said with a chuckle, holding out my hand. Dead silence. I don't feel any else's eyes on me, but now that I'm awaiting her response it feels terribly quiet in the classroom. I we weren't two stories up I'd swear we'd be hearing crickets or something. It becomes harder and harder to hold up my smile and justify keeping my hand extended while Sunset just raises a brow and looks from me to my hand quizzically. Oh god, oh god... is this not how you do it? Do people even shake hands like this anymore!? I think I'm sweating, I should pull my hand back, I look like such a weirdo like- Time seems to slow for me as the girl in the leather vest slowly raises her hand... or maybe she's actually moving that slowly? She holds out her hand to mimic me. "Sunset. Sunset Shimmer." I don't mind the limp grip as I quickly shake her hand. "Nice to meet you Sunset Shimmer!"