Chapter Text
“Victor! Victor! Victor! Wake up, it’s our first day of school! Remember what Auntie said? She said you gotta take me today, and you promised!” He heard a muffled voice, still half asleep. “Come on, wake up, I can’t be late, I’ve got places to be and people to see.” He suddenly felt his bed moving up and down, side to side.
“Okay, okay, Ivy. Please, just stop jumping on and moving my bed,” Victor answered groggily. He heard her giggle and bolt out of his room, “How is she so energetic in the morning,” he thought to himself. He got up and went into the bathroom to shower, the hot water washing over him like a warm summer morning. As he got out of the shower, he looked at himself in the mirror. His brown eyes and black hair, streaked with red, stared back at him. He definitely should not have spent the last few hours before going to bed scrolling TikTok and Instagram, the bags under his eyes now much more visible than usual.
Victor got changed, grabbed his phone and backpack, and headed down stairs, passing by pictures of him, Ivy, their parents, and his aunt, eager to find out what was sizzling on the stove. He was met with sights of bacon, orange juice, and toast, all spread on the dining table and island. “Victor, how nice of you to join us this morning. Remember, you’re taking Ivy to school today,” Auntie Lilith said while pouring orange juice into Ivy’s cup.
“Yes Auntie, I remember. Ivy does too. She remembers so well that she felt the need to jump up and down on my bed like it was a trampoline.”
“She’s excited, sue her. Well, just be careful when driving, and remember to not speed when taking the left just past the four way stop, there's always a cop there.”
Victor sat down, poured himself a glass of orange juice, and grabbed some toast, spreading strawberry jam on it. “Thanks Auntie, and thanks as well for this breakfast.”
“Of course, now get going, I’m letting you go to this new school you so desperately wanted to go to, so don’t be late.” Today is Victor's first day of 11th grade, at Eclipse High School. Last year, at Shadyside High, he got all A’s and maintained them for both semesters, then he practically begged his Auntie to allow him to go to Eclipse; his best friends, Vera and Vargas, started going there their freshman year. Not only did his closest friends go there, but they had a much better football team. He wasn’t planning on going to college for football or anything like that, but he truly enjoyed the sport after their family friend, Addison, introduced him to it. Her boyfriend, Zed, had played in high school, and now played collegiate football. He just wanted to make them proud.
“Okay Ivy, let’s get going. Bye Auntie!” He walked out to his black Honda Civic, his pride and joy. This was the last thing his parents had gotten him before their passing, two years ago. That was something he and his father shared in common: a love for cars. “Buckle up, Ivy.” As he drove out of his driveway, he looked through his phone to put on music, deciding on his “chill car music” playlist, specifically,“Best Part”, by Daniel Caesar, a good choice for Ivy as well. She goes into a giggling fit if she ever hears a curse word. Taking the left at the four way stop, careful of his speed, it’s not long before he reaches Ivy’s school.
“Okay, be good at school, Ivy. Just remember, I’m not picking you up, Auntie Lilith is,” he said as he gave her a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll see you later, and then after school, we can have that tea party you’ve wanted to have for while.”
Ivy giggles as she gets out of the car, “Okay, thanks Victor. Remember our tea party you promised me, I can’t wait for it! Maybe you could bring over Vera and Vargas.” But, before Victor can answer her, she’s already run off to talk to her friends.
Laughing to himself, Victor drives off, preparing himself for his own first day at school. He’s wanted to go to Eclipse since freshman year, not only because his friends go there, but also because he’s always had this sense of adventure, this sense of longing for something different. Shadyside gets pretty boring once you’re there for more than six months. The same monotonous blacks and greys cover most things, and high school wasn’t much different. It especially got tougher after his parents passed, for Ivy too. She would come home crying every now and then, because some stupid kid would joke about her parents; who knew children could be so nasty? He liked his aunt and all; it’s just sometimes, she could be a bit difficult. It wasn’t easy for her, losing her brother and sister-in-law in one fell swoop. Before he knows it, he’s pulled up to the Twilight Zone, an area of town where Shadyside and Sunnyside, the other neighborhood, converged.
The Twilight Zone was built not too long ago, as a place where everyone, from both Shadside and Sunnyside, could meet and get to know each other. There were parks, cafés, skate parks, tennis courts, and clothing stores. Name it, it was there. As a show of good faith, both sides agreed to fund a new school, open to residents of both neighborhoods. Eclipse wasn’t perfect, vampires, known as that because that is their mascot of Shadyside High, still mostly stuck together, as did daywalkers, known as such because that was Sunnyside’s mascot. But, it worked, there was significantly less fighting between the two sides, and there were even events and parades thrown for both sides in the Twilight Zone. Victor always wondered what it would be like to go to a school with kids from Sunnyside, would they be as excited, bright, and bubbly as Vera said?
Pulling up to the school, he looked around for a parking spot and saw a big firefly emblazoned on the school building, and lots, lots of kids and teenagers. Some are saying goodbye to their parents, others are in a group, phones in hand, and some even seem to be taking a video of everything. It’s a lot, this school is much bigger than anticipated, Victor is overwhelmed pretty easily, he just wants to make sure that-
“Hey!” Victor slams the breaks, suddenly seeing a girl about his age in front of his car. “I guess I zoned out so much I didn’t even see her,” he thought to himself. He rolls down his window, looking at the girl he nearly ran over. “Sorry, I didn’t see you there.”
“Clearly. Just be more careful next time,” she said. He hears her mutter something about “idiot vampires” to herself as she walks into the school building. Now that he has a good look at her, he realizes that this was his first interaction with a Sunnyside teenager. “Great, first interaction with a daywalker my age and it’s because I nearly made her the new Flat Stanley,” he thought to himself. At a quick glance, he can see that she’s got her gold blonde up in a ponytail, a white hoodie with a big “B” on the back, and big ripped jeans on. “Pretty.”
Victor parked his car, grabbed his backpack, and headed for the school. He texted Vera and Vargas, but before he got an answer back, he heard a voice come over on the intercom. “This is Principal Sol, would every first-year student please come to the foyer. As well as Nova Bright, Bailey King, Elio Luz, Damien McMiller, Arachne Palmer, and Vera Sullivan. Thank you.” He doesn’t recognize any of the names, except for Vera’s and oddly, whoever’s last name was Bright. He feels like he’s heard his aunt mention something about it before.
As Victor walks through the halls of Eclipse, he takes everything in. There are numerous posters up already, campaigning for this club or to sign up for this class. Glass cases, filled with trophies from years ago, celebrating their victories in sports and academics. A lot to live up to, and a lot different from Shadyside. As he’s walking, he feels someone tap his shoulder.
“Hey, Victor! I didn’t realize I’d find you this quickly,” Vera said. “Welcome to Eclipse, I’m so glad you convinced your aunt to let you come here. Still don’t know you did it, but hey, I’m not complaining. Now you, Vargas, and I are all going to the same school again.”
“Hey, Vera. Yeah, I’m still kinda shocked I’m here. Everything seems to be so much… more. More kids, more clubs, more classes,” he chuckled to himself. “More colors. It’s a lot to take in. But, I’m excited, though I’m already kind of off to a bad start. I nearly ran over a girl trying to find a parking spot.”
“Yeah, people here can be kind of clueless sometimes, but you’ll get used to it.”
“Speaking of being clueless, I’m a bit clueless as to why you, specifically, were called to the foyer?” Victor asked.
“Well, it wasn’t just me specifically, but usually on the first day of school they have someone from the same class show around the new kids. I guess they chose me this year. So, since I’m a junior, I’ll be showing around a junior new to Eclipse,” Vera answered.
“Oh, do you think it’ll be me?”
“Sadly no, for some reason, the principal here really tries to integrate everyone. So, a student who lives in Shadyside will show a student from Sunnyside around. And vice versa. It’ll also be someone you share a majority of your classes with. There’s eight periods in these school days, so if you share like, five classes, with someone, they’ll probably be the one guiding you around. But, at least we’re talking right now. I’m so glad you could make it this year, high school is kinda bland without you.”
“Awh, thanks for your loving words, Vera,” Victor said, jokingly placing his heart on his chest. “I’m glad I’m making things less bland for you.”
As they turn a corner into the open foyer, they see some kids already lined up there talking. There is also an older man there, probably the principal. “Ah, Vera, I’m glad you’ve already met one of our new students. Sorry to tell you, but you won’t be showing him around.”
“Yes, Principal Sol, I know. This is my friend, Victor Barton. We were just catching up,” Vera answered.
“Victor Barton, pleasure to meet you. I’m Principal Sol Bright. Yes, Barton, I believe I remember your application. I’m excited to have you here at Eclipse. I hope you have a great year,” Principal Sol said as he shook Victor’s hand, a clipboard in the other.
“Thank you, Principal.”
Principal Sol looked at his watch and sighed. “High schoolers, always on time when you never want them to be and never on time when you do want them to be. Well, I can just catch up with the others when they get here.”
“Welcome, everyone, to Eclipse High School. You’re now all officially Fireflies! I hope you all enjoy your year here, especially if it’s your first. Can I please have all of my new students on the right side of me and the kids who have been here before on the left.”
Victor walked to the right side, along with what seemed to be two other Sunnyside kids and two other Shadyside kids. He stood across from Vera and gave her a quick smile and subtle nod, letting her know he’d be okay. Principal Sol looked at his clipboard. “Once I call your name and your partner, please step towards them. Okay, Bailey, you will be showing around Vito Cooper. Elio, you will be with Thompson Forrest, Damien with Lucia Lux, Vera you’ll be with-”
“Wait, Principal Sol, I’m here sir! I’m so sorry, there’s no excuse for me running late, but I’m here. Thank goodness Nova was here to show me around,” said a curly haired pale kid who was now doubled over, panting for breath. Next to him was a girl, a girl he vaguely recognized.
“Well, if Nova was showing you around, Ray, I don’t see why you’re late, just get in line. On the right side of me. Nova, left side,” commanded Principal Sol. “Well, this is perfect timing, as I was about to say, Vera, you will be showing Ray around.”
Victor looked at Vera, and saw her roll her eyes, but give a tight smile to Ray and Principal Sol. He took a good look at the only person who hadn’t yet partnered up with someone else. The girl he almost ran over not half an hour ago, “Nova, so glad you could make it and show Ray around. However, Ray won’t be the one you’re guiding, as just discussed. You will be guiding Victor Barton around.”