Viv began to head towards her room, keeping to herself. Fifth years got rooms to themselves, as many students didn't make it past fourth year. It wasn't that they died or anything, they just thought another year of the same shit was unnecessary. Viv wished her parents saw that.
Cliff hummed a small tune to himself as he walked down the halls. Had he missed the school? No, not really, in fact, he hated it there- but his parents wanted him to gain perfect control of himself before permanently living at home again, so he continued to return to Miss Possikelf’s. He now stood in the counsellor’s room, behind half a dozen other people who had also lost their schedules or needed alterations.
Viv arrived in her room, closing the door and sitting on her bed. "It's so bland," She said with a sigh. She waved her hand, and plants of all types filled the room. "Ah. Much better."
Cliff finally got a copy of his schedule, walking back to his room. He needed to unpack, but couldn’t that wait? His horns barely fit through the doorway, but with enough maneuvering he was able to get into his dorm. Cliff read over his schedule once more, trying to remember where all of the classes were located.
"Attention students. Lunch shall be half an hour early today to make more time for assembly this afternoon. Please head to the lunch room." Viv sighed and began to head that way.
"Hey pretty girl." She turned to see a deer catcalling her.
"I would recommend that you don't try and flirt with me, especially in that way. You see, I'm a grey wolf, which is clear to see. And a fact about grey wolves that you should know is that they eat deer. And unlike some other hybrids, my family eat the diet of our animal. So I will eat you. I don't think you want that." She smiled, showing her sharp teeth. Then she walked away.
Cliff left his dorm, ducking through doorways as he made his way to the cafeteria. He caught a couple odd looks for his horns, which he was used to, but at least most people let him through the crowd with no issue.
Viv sat down at a table, a plate of raw deer meat in front of her. She knew that she made some people uncomfortable, but this was her diet. It wasn't that she liked making people uncomfortable from eating their animal half, but it was what she ate.
She was alone. She had been friends with many of the girls in fifth year, but they'd all decided to do better with their time for a year. The ones that she wasn't friends with were the ones that stayed.
Cliff grabbed a plate, taking a seat in an empty chair near Viv. He ate rather quickly- after all, his animal half being an herbivore meant that eating meat in large quantities made him incredibly ill. He dug in his back pocket, pulling out a small little sketchbook and beginning to draw. Most of his own friends had left the school at that point, going back home to work and continue their lives.
Viv dug into the meat, her sharp teeth cutting through it. Across the lunch room, Elijah was doing the same.
"Excuse me, miss?" She heard, and looked up to see a first year. "Why do you eat raw meat? A lot of us are uncomfortable."
"This is my diet. I eat meat, not plants. It makes me uncomfortable that you're eating salad," She motioned to the vine she was sitting on, making it wave. "But I don't think you're gonna stop that."
Cliff heard the exchange, and looked over. He furrowed his brow. “I agree wi’ this gal here. She wa’n’t bein’ rude. Aside from that, eatin’ meat is different from eatin’ plants, ‘cause nobody here’s a plant hybrid. Now, I respect your choice to eat meat, but you gotta understand that you’re gonna get flack for it.” His voice was dripping with a thick Texas drawl, and he waved his hand. “But that’s just me.”
"Well why you getting angry at me? What about the lion over there, or the panther over there. I'm not the only one." She sighed. "Look, I can't change my diet. This is what I've been eating since I was a kid. Just be glad I'm eating deer meat, rather than grey wolf meat. I'm not a cannibal."
“Not angry with you. I’m simply statin’ and explainin’ why this young lady feels the way she does.” Cliff shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck with a hand. “I don’ expect ya to change your diet. Don’t misconstrue me ‘n put words in my mouth.”
Viv sighed. It never changed. She wasn't being judged for being a princess. She was being judged for her diet. God forbid.
Cliff stood up, going to put away his tray and dishes. He always had to do a bit of maneuvering when he walked— his horns made it difficult to get anywhere without hitting or bumping into someone. Once he had come back, though, he didn’t cast any looks in Viv’s direction- only sat down, pulled out that pocket sketchbook of his, and began to draw once more.
God, I just really wanna get out on the archery range.
"Attention students. Your lunch hour is being cut short for assembly. Please head towards the assembly hall. First years in the front, then second years, third years and fourth years in the back. Fifth year students are to sit in the galleria assigned to them on their schedule."
(viv and cliff in the same one, since theres so few fifth years they are the only two in their galleria. by galleria i mean those private things in the big theatres and stuff)
(alright!)
Cliff fished in the pocket of his jeans, pulling out the schedule. Galleria… He stood, beginning to make his way to the assembly hall.
The one thing that Viv was excited about for fifth year was the gallerias. With assemblies every week, it gets boring sitting on normal chairs. But no one checks the gallerias. You could fall asleep and no one would care. You can do what you want.
The only thing you can't do is leave, a fact they tell you from the start. They have a silent alarm that tells the security that you've gone, and you'll get a week's detention. No one wants that, so no one leaves.
Cliff walked to the galleria, running the number over and over in his head. He walked into the galleria, assessing the provided space and the other people in the space with him. Nice view of the assembly hall. Cliff touched his horns, trying to figure out how he could move and where he could even sit.
Viv knew which galleria she was in even before she looked at her schedule. Her mother had made sure she was in the best one. If it hadn't been for Viv secretly interjecting, she would have been in it by herself.
Cliff stood at the edge of the galleria, looking over the assembly hall. He was silent- it would’ve been odd if he wasn’t, given the severe lack of other people with him. Every so often he would glance behind him, trying to see if any other students would come in.
Viv reached the galleria, wondering who she was paired with. They were most likely in there already, since she'd taken her time. She opened the door to find a curtain. Pushing through it, the door closed softly behind her.
The soft noise had caught Cliff’s attention, and he turned around to see who had just entered. His lips pressed into a thin line and he gave Viv a small wave before turning back to the rest of the assembly hall.
Oh, it's the one who judged me for my diet. God, his horns are huge. Why are they so big? How does he navigate with them? She moved to go sit in the other seat, ducking slightly under the horns. She could see Elijah from her spot in the galleria. He looked happy with his friends.
“Well, hello to you too.” Cliff nodded at Viv, noticing how she had ducked underneath his horns. He decided not to say anything on it.
Viv thought of a snappy comment but decided not to say it. She and this other guy where going to be stuck in the same galleria for a whole year, so she didn't want any sour motives towards each other.
“What, you pissed at me or somethin’?” Cliff turned his head to look at Viv. He adjusted his cattle tag earring, lightly patting down his buzzed hair.
"I don't want to say anything we'll both regret, cause I can guarantee I will soon. We're gonna be stick together the whole year, so we might as well get along."
“Might as well. My name’s Cyrus Bailey, but call me Cliff. You?” Cliff’s voice was gruff and somewhat tired, but he tried not to come off too aggressively.
"Vivian Posikolf. You can call me Viv, if you want." She saw his eyes. "No, I'm not related to Adelena Possikelf, the founder of the school. She's Possikelf, I'm Posikolf. They're two different names, two different spellings."
“Yeah, alright, I get it. Don’t drill that so hard into me, Viv.” Cliff raised his palms defensively, leaning back a bit. “But nice to meet you. Seems like we’re the only fifth years- that I’ve seen, anyway.”
