The summer had turned into the dark shades of fall. It was early September by the looks of The ravaged school supplies, Some Halloween decorations scattered here and there and the Christmas section of Groceries stores slowly lurking into view. Junks was ready for another day of school. He hadn't been fond of it, But his conscious told him of he'd drop out he'd be living in this shithole for the rest of his days. His hole was an old apartment. Most people would live there as a political statement. "Squatters" and shit like that. No, Junks was just a homeless bastard. No lights worked in the building. He relied on candles for light. He put some deodorant he lifted from a store a few days ago and tried to look semi decent. By semi decent his goal was "Movie homeless extra". It was 6 Am by his watch he had "Found" on a drunk guy's wrist. He lived a few miles from his school and was preparing for his long walk.
He put on his rugged backpack and stepped it his door and sighed.
"First day of school always sucks." Especially if you looked like shit and smelled like Old Spice.
He never knew that day would be the beginning of the craziest years of his life.
Day One
9/30/17

Victoria looked out on growing colder weather, leaves had begun to turn and the winter had slowly begun to bite. Signing off as lady de winter she headed to the bus to school, her father was working and somewhere in thr North Sea, maybe the bearing strait and a lift would be rather unlikely. Grabbing her hand bag, it was a miracle she could fit everything in, but a miracle that she managed to pull off regularly.

Heading to the school, she was newly back this year properly after 2-3 years recovering and part time. Walking slowly and relying on the the stick still she hated feeling helpless but thr DR said it would be a while.

Dressed in a fitted coat, dress and boots she slowly began to walk into the school for the beginning of a new year... Well the idiot kids calling her Elsa never seemed to get the message. Yes she was pale, well very pale. They did not know if that one would ever change. Smiling as she "acidiantly" caught her ring against the screen. The diamond would make a rather nice scratch.

"nice phone kid... Shame"

New year. Same insults.

Looking at the busy school, people milling about, cliches, and more. Some things never changed as she got a tinge of sadness watching the jocks and such head out to the sports field. One day that had been her. Now she was slower than everyone, could not walk unaided and thought to self.

"a new year vika... One day.. One day."

@PrinceAlexus
Junks walked into the school. If you'd look at his yearbook you would've noticed that this was one of the two days he attempted to look,decent. The other was picture day.
As he scanned the school he noticed a small pale girl walking slowly with a cane. Honestly she was pretty girl if he'd ever seen one. But first impressions always count.
She, To him look's like she was a middle class girl. Out of his range.
He didn't want to imagine what he seemed to her. A skinny kid with greasy hair that dresses like he was straight outta The Great Depression. Giant bags under his eyes from is random bouts of insomnia biting him in the ass from his Junkie past.
Maybe he'd toy his luck.
He thought about helping her-
Holy shit!
Holy shit!
His eyes got big as he noticed the Diamond ring on her finger.
A Fucking Diamond.
Just one snatch and he could leave this shifty town forever. This whole state could Jess his ass goodbye.
He was stuck in this fantasy when his core morales started beating the shit out of eachother
"She's frail, small and helpless."
The voice of an old friend of his, from when he was young, was always the override button in his head.
"It's Dog eat Dog out there,Jerry."
He knew what he was to do now.
He walked up to her
"Do you need any help?" He asked with a smile, Reveling a few missing teeth here and there, Constant reminders of the countless fights he'd been in.

Emily woke up. She shivered in the cold - it was getting into autumn now, and it was more important to save the money than pay for heating. Maria had already left, about an hour ago. She had to work her ass off to provide for the two of them, so Emily rarely saw her in the mornings. She dressed, ate, and half an hour later she was headed to school.

Emily knew how the other students thought of her. They didn't say it out loud any more, but she could see it. Some hated her some were afraid, some just wanted nothing to do with her. Not that she cared. The fact that she didn't care was a result of why they thought that of her, so the fact that they thought it was irrelevant.

There was a dangerously pale, thin girl arriving at about the same time as her. Even someone as socially disconnected as Emily could recognise her, if only for her unique condition. Like Emily, Victoria Romus had been mistreated for things outside her control, though Emily expected that the other girl had been more affected by it. Maybe she saw a kindred spirit in Emily for that; Emily couldn't be sure, though she did know she didn't and couldn't reciprocate that regardless, though she had become quite good at falsifying emotions.

It was then that Emily saw Victoria run a diamond ring across the screen of one harasser's phone. Clever girl. She suspected she'd have done the same, had their positions been swapped. She smiled at Victoria, raising one eyebrow in appreciation. It wasn't real, but it looked the part.

Apparently Emily hadn't been the only one to notice Victoria's ring. One boy, who had apparently come from an even worse background than herself, had approached Victoria and began to speak to her. Perhaps it was unfair to assume the boy's intentions, but, again, had she been in such a bad situation it would have been the first thing on her mind. Still, there was a good chance that something would happen, so Emily stepped to one side and leant against a wall about fifteen feet away, watching the pair as their conversation began.

Victoria had noticed Emily earlier, she was awkward and rather much had a certain reputation in general, she was some what known for being a misfit.
Nodding as she weant by heading into the school, the smell of fresh paint and cleaning products was evident. New year smell, but at least someone had noticed her in a non insulting way.

Victoria was unsure about her, she was not the norm but her reputation was somewhat cold to say the least. Maybe they strangely did have one uniting factor they did not quite fit in.

Looking back she saw someone taller by a good foot, rather slim and dressed like he had jumped into a pile, walked out and managed to just about be vaguely presentable responding cooly, slightly irritated, sure she was not as fast or strong, but not helpless. Her accent was distinctly English though.

"I'm alright thanks... Just because I am like I am. I do not need help everywhere I go."

Relishing her situation was not entirely the best, it was obvious to feel threatened slightly. He was a foot taller, stronger and faster than she was. She needed a distraction maybe a change of direction. ICT corridor was normally busy... She hoped..

"if you wanna help... Maybe you can show me where the new ICT block is. I kinda was not around much last year."

Looking over she spotted Emily a second, was she following her, eyed flashing about a cool grey that tried to hide a degree of nerves caused by the stranger.

@Ciaran
@Jaded

@PrinceAlexus
Junks prove for a moment
Where the fuck is that?
This is it,Junks. THINK. GODDAMMIT
YES
Ummm.. It's right over there. I Think." His mind was still stuck on that ring.
His mind didn't give two feting sucks in hell if she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.
That pale finger was the only thing keeping him in this shithole Think. How can I touch her hand. What if it's fake?
Fake? That's it! I'll make a fake ring and switch them when she won't notice!
But that was for later. Now he had to make he was stealing a real diamond
"Hey, Do your have any classes with me? I think they gave everyone sheets. I'd hope I'd see you around sometime!
Are you fucking serious, Junks? She looks RICH, capital everything!
He hopes his plan would work to his liking.
Oh his dreams!

Victoria looked over and saw the obvious number that inidcated the coridor she had pretended not to know which one she needed and made a move to back self out of corner pretending to strech her leg.

"Thanks, i been off most last few years, place has changed abit"

Questions, she needed a deocy, knowing her disadvantage maybe insulting off the bat was not the best plan out this situation and played for time pretending to sort out a errant hair from her detailed platt. Damn, this guy, she could have sworn there was something, maybe he was less beat up a few years ago, maybe he had been in some class. it was years and put that thought aside. Picking a few classes, surely he would be taking, they where pretty niche.

"Umm, well maybe if you take Russian 2 and Advanced computers"

Luckily her distraction came in form of her sister jogging in, late having been up too late working on a last minute project for the new term that was due in today, she always left things till the deadline. Noticing her half sister stood by some guy who looked from the back like he had walked out of a hedge that morning. Marilania was in her final year and having to earn a decent grade so she could get onto the aircraft crew course and hopefully a license to fly commercial one day.

"hey Vika! .. yes i should of done it earlier. "
Looking over at the guy she soon could tell from Victorias eyes somthing was up and forwning slightly.

Heading over and hugging her sister, pulling a distraction that she seemed to need, dressed in her normal skirt and fitted top combo that let her exploit her atheltic figure many long hours in the pool had earned her and enough leg to distract some of the idiots but not land her in front of the head for being a temptation.

Smiling seeing Marilania, Maybe might give her least some breathing room.

"Mali!, and i thought you where meant to be the wiser older one. "

@Jaded
@Ciaran

As she entered the school, Nemo groaned for about the fiftieth time that day. The first day of school was always hell on her back. Her backpack was filled with everything she could ever possibly need for the school year, even though about 75 percent of it would sit in her locker completely untouched. Nemo was carrying her backpack in her arms in front of her, for fear that if she used the straps, the bag's stitches would break. She really liked that backpack; she wasn't in a hurry to ruin it.

She hadn't done much during the summer, but it was a comfortable kind of idleness. She didn't have any responsibility, looming deadlines, or the need to hide her gender. As such, she was dreading the next nine months.

She just knew that she would get fucked up emotionally today. The first day was always a parade of introductions and icebreakers, and she would have to introduce herself using a name that wasn't hers anymore.

Nemo dropped her bag to the ground and leaned her forehead against her locker, sighing. She was being overdramatic. Probably because she had barely slept the night before.

She turned around and ran her hands through her hair, trying to wake up and stop wallowing in sorrow. She got to work dumping all the heavy books and binders into her locker before looking for her first class.

As she passed two girls and a guy, none of whom she recognized, some huge guy roughly bumped her with his shoulder, sending her stumbling awkwardly into the group of strangers.

Nemo immediately jumped back from the people she had just fell into.

"S-sorry! Sorry about that!" She hated how weak and anxious she sounded.

She could hear the shithead who knocked her over laughing in the distance.

Awesome. Great. Perfect start to the year.

@Jaded@PrinceAlexus

@knifeman
SHE FUCKING RUINED It!
Junks was alright with her abrupt appearance because he managed to reach into her pocket for a split second
Nothing
Well,There was a chance.
"It's alright...I'm Junks.And you are..?"Junks controlled himself and hoped this incident would have been brushed off by his attempt at smalltalk.
But in actuality
@PrinceAlexus He had noticed the pair both had rings and was feeling quite lightheaded, Almost high.
Despite his new obsession he wondered who this stranger was.

He looked at this stranger. No curves, Odd. He didn't question it. They looked girlish and in his days as a homeless kid, You learned not to question people.

Now he was back to his scheming.
How do I get two for the price of one?

Victoria looked over as the person fell over, well she sounded feminine, but there was somthing different about her, quiet? Shy? . It seemed all the misfits where in one place, was this some kind of universe joke?

She was a ghostly pale and unable to walk properly, some misfit, the girl with a reputation for being a ice queen nearby. What was going on... This guy.. The swim team sister...

She fell slightly into her sister who helped her and places a arm round her smaller sister. Her ring seemed to glitter in the light, she had worn it for years, her hands balence get wrong without it, even in the pool, gold never reacted unlike her necklace.

Victoria replied
"il be alright. I ain't a China doll.. Thanks Marlin."

Marinalia frowned slightly standing a good 8 inches tall than her sister, athletic built. Watching the girl, some first day, some idiot laughing, one of thr foot ball team probbly, the jerks could take some getting used to. Might of recognised them in a week when she got used to the new sports facility members.

It was her last year, she was busy with studies, swim practice and all her college applications but she could always seem to find time to look after Victoria. Even when she protested. They both knew it was from kindness not pity.

"some first day. Oh you dropped that. Don, t want to have to pay for a new one on day one."

leaning down slightly to pick up a Id card and handing it back to the unfortunate girl.
She stood 5'5 and though small towered over her 4'9 half sister though both shared almost matching cool grey eyes.

Marinalia looked over to junks and decided that she did not quite trust this new guy yet. She was probbly being judgemental but between the look of being dressed by a hedge, missing teeth, he did not quite tick the boxes for her. Replying cooly, but without offense in a stronger English accent.

"my sister will be OK, thanks for offering."

@Jaded@knifeman@Ciaran

@PrinceAlexus
"Are you sure? I mean I wouldn't mind..
Taking that ring off your hand..
Great, He would have to start from square one with his plan.
I..I best be going. He smiled his signature holey smile and began to walkway.
How? How do I get those rings?

Thankfully, none of the people Nemo interrupted seemed to be angry at her. One of the girls even handed her her ID. She hadn't even noticed that she dropped it.

"Thanks. I'm, uh.. I'm Jarod."

She couldn't help the little twinge of discomfort as she said her birth name. She hoped nobody noticed.

@PrinceAlexus@Jaded

Victoria smiled slightly and relaxed as junks seemed to turn and walks away, somthing about that guy had given her a odd feeling and better safe than sorry. Turning back to the girl seeing Marilania hand back the ID, her name, well everyone had different names. Maybe...
"hey, Victoria though quite a few call me Vika."

Swapping the last word her English accent added a surprisingly accurate Russian twist.

She looked round the corridor. Emily's was still there, did she look out for her? Never close to anyone she had become somewhat a enigma at the school. Waving back over to the girl, she hoped at least she realised she noticed her. Thinking on that she was on bus... Though she had a reputation maybe she was not quite the person people made her to be?

Marilanina saw the girl, though the name, she said it quickly, could not quite make it out. Jade, jao..? She looked nervous though, probably a few years younger and maybe have a NG a bad day.

"Marilania Olympus. Though most call me Marlin. Good luck with the new year you lot, I have a team meeting. And I'm late! . See ya sis."

Turning away. She noticed Emily's, she had hered abit about her but also knew she was a out case of sorts, Victoria would be fine. Shouting over to a tall male team mate in a sports jacket with a large fish and name in college script on the back she headed off and started to the pool.

Victoria waved over and turned back slightly intrigued by Emily's and this new girl eyes lingering on the walking away Junks.
"thanks Mali. Least you ain't... Well, abit creepy. Sorry, that guy... Well ya know."

@Ciaran

@knifeman@Jaded

@knifeman
Unfortunately. Junks noticed.
"You don't seem like a Jarod. But then again, I don't seem like A Jerome. That's my name, actually. But I've gone by Junks since I was Young.
Guess we both had wrong names, huh?" Junks lowered his guard about his up and coming Diamond heist. Least he could do is be nice to Her after getting pushed around. He had the slightest hint of regret for feeling her pockets.
Slightest.
"Don't you go all softy on me, Junks. She is and will be a target. Use her as a means to gain what you need. Then discard her friendship. Remember it's-"
"-Dog eat Dog." He muttered under his breath. He had taken his old mentors words to heart. There were shallow marks on his back from when he hadn't.
Nevermind that, for now.

Emily stepped forwards when Victoria waved to her. It was an unlikely gathering that had assembled, anyway. She'd hardly stick out.

Two cripples, one's sister, a boy who could've just crawled out of a dumpster and a girl called Jarod. Emily believed she knew the explanation for that one, but she decided not to mention it for the time being. Instead, she greeted the group, introducing herself.

"Hey. I'm Emily. Bit of a loose end, and not in a good way, but I think I just found the club for that." Emily said. That was an understatement. Three to one this would be the last time she'd speak to anyone here for a month. People tended not to like those who didn't like them, whether or not that person had any choice in the matter. Still, Emily had become a good actress. She probably had a shot with these people.

Michael hopped out of his dad's truck, slinging his pack onto his back with a brisk farewell, and walked quickly and surely onto the campus. He still had some time to kill before classes, and despite the many people arriving and milling about and socializing in groups like that one over there, he wasn't really one who cared. Instead, he headed towards a table that was nice and centrally located with regard to all his classes, sat down with his back next to him, and pulled out a novel to read until class.

Marilania grabbed her new schedules and the years team jacket before heading to the main area to sort out her diary. Finding it busy she saw someone younger sat alone at a bench who looked harmless ernough, bit emotional ish maybe but hey, free seat was a free seat.

"hey. Hope you Don t mind. Just sorting my secdule. Won, t be long."
Sure she was intruding abit, but she was the blonde sports team girl, usually it was ernough to push things a a little. Smiling slightly she Sat down putting down a jacket with a large fish graphic, college style lettering and" Marlin" In Pink lettering.

Sitting down and putting dates and times into her diary for the r the coming year, times and a few too many highlighter colours and finishing up.

"thanks for thr bench. Good book?"
She was making some random small talk, it was abit of a decoy, just to fill time and such, she always had stuck to small but tight circle of friends.

@Cruallassar
....

Victoria looked round the group, lose ends for sure. Most of em had least one obvious or known problem.

"lose ends... Broken maybe. Well long as you Don t call me Elsa. Victoria Romus."

She shrugged slightly, there was no point hiding it. It was impossible and she might as well be honest about it, they said it behind her back or in front of it regardless.

Noticing Jared. She. Well yes there was maybe somthing but it was a tad rude to ask. She seemed nervous ernough as it was. Sure she was crippled not deaf. Responding cooly to junks.
"leave people be, I did not question your teeth or other things"
@Jaded@Ciaran@knifeman

@PrinceAlexus
At the mention of his horrible dental situatio like anyone else would've done, He felt his teeth with his tongue. Is it really that bad? he had lost many through countless times of getting the shit end of the stick in life and he was not used to being called out for such.
you just had to bring they up? Hadn't you, it was just nagging you, Wasn't it?
You don't know what I've done, what I've been though. I don't know how you got all dented up and on crutches. Do I? it don't bother me. Look Else. How about you just...
Let it go." Truth be told. He was never really self conscious about histeeth. He had seen worse, Chewing Tobacco folk he'd seen around. Luckily for him he'd somehow managed to escape his junkie years with atleast some of his teeth.
But despite that. Everything changed. He would feel no regret from from this day forward about stealing that ring, No more guilt of considering the thought.

Michael looked up briefly when the other girl sat town to sort her schedule. "No problem." He responded, sizing her up in about half a second. Sports girl...usually a bit shallow, but a hell of a lot nicer to hang out with than the guy version. Even still, predictions he may make, but it's a bit premature to assume them to be true...he'd just be unsurprised later if they were. Then the obvious book question...hmm, plus one point. "Quite. Ender's Game." He said with the appropriate degree of friendliness, holding the book up for a moment to show the cover.

Victoria was expecting the bad joke, how many times had she here that one, did she wanna make a snow man too, maybe some bad joke about being a cripple. It was a cutting remark but he was somewhat a jerk too.

"no, maybe you not question strangers names though. And I spent over a year in hospital, I'd not exactly recommend it."

"and no. I Don,t wanna make a snow man..."

He looked somewhat.... He was probbly about right age if you took away the sheer battered state he was in, replace a tooth,... He might have been in her year? She had vanished years ago, no wonder she could not remember that.

@Jaded@Ciaran@knifeman
...

Marinalia smiled slightly, she knew she had a advantage at times and was in good shape, least he was being pleasent, books well she read abit but training and lessons kept her too busy to ever be a book worm.

"thanks, bit of a Outlander girl. Fit Men n kilts help. Well when I get time anyway. Training is pretty intense and I got finals this year"
Throwing her jacket on, she, had worked hard to earn her place on the team after being stabbed, months to get her fitness and times back, and more after this to bring back to a peak edge. Maybe the kilts bit was abit much but she did not care too much.

Maybe she should check on Victoria before class started but she seemed to have it handled now.

@Cruallassar