Summary: The only thing tougher than Vegnagun: highschool. Primarily PaineLai, with a little Ri(vote Au or Gi), Tiyuna, Luakka… and anything else you can think of.
Chapter 1
Paine looked around her slowly, taking it all in. The school before her was comprised for three buildings, preceded by a large yard. She thought it looked like a prison. Besaid Girls' was a private school, full of Maester's kids and would-be summoners, from the moment Paine laid eyes on it she knew she wouldn't fit in at all.
Paine stood there for a while, just staring straight ahead of her, but soon the roar of a loud motorbike burst in on her quiet reflection and she turned in time to see a short brown haired chick hop off the back of the bike and hand the helmet back to the boy who sat in front.
"Thanks a lot, Ti," she said, grinning. "I swear, I was this close to being late on my first day." She pecked him on the cheek and turned around as he drove away, catching sight of Paine. "Wow, hey, are you new here or something?"
Paine nodded but didn't have time to reply, because a moment later, two new motorcycles were speeding up, one of them held a girl with long blonde hair and no helmet, while the others held two boys, waving her pink flowery helmet and chasing her.
"Rikku! How was your summer!" the brunette squealed, seemingly forgetting about Paine.
But that was okay, because Paine had forgotten about her too, "hey," she said and the two guys on the tailing motorcycle looked over.
"Paine!" said the first, jumping off, "what's up?!"
"Gippal," said Paine, nodding easily.
"Heya, Paine," said the other guy, not moving from his seat.
"'Lai."
"You know her?" said Yuna, looking over.
"Oh yeah," said Gippal, "her, 'Lai, Nooj and me went to this summer camp together- thick as thieves we were!"
"Really?" said the blonde, beaming, "well, I'm Rikku! Cousin to the daughter of the late High Summoner Braska, A.KA. 'Yunie'! And daughter of the leader of the Al Bhed a.k.a. 'Pops', or 'freakazoid'. "
"Hiya!" said the brunette.
"Who're your parents?" asked Rikku, obviously thinking that hers were superstars too.
"Don't know," said Paine and she turned, walking towards the school.
"Bye, Paine!" Gippal called and Baralai waved too as they sped off to get to their own school on time.
"So, your name's Paine then?" said Yuna as she and Rikku jogged to catch up.
"That's right," said Paine.
"Cool name."
Paine didn't reply.
"Uhm… not to be rude, but if you have no parents then how can you afford to get into this school?"
"Same way I did," said a voice behind them both. "Scholarship, right?"
Paine nodded.
"I'm Lulu- homeless, penniless etc."
"Hey! That's not true!" said Yuna, nudging her.
"I'm boarding at the school- my parents are dead too."
"I have a part time job and a cheap flat," said Paine bluntly. "That, and I have a few choice friends who'll lend me money in a heartbeat."
"Gippal and the guys?" said Rikku.
"The very same."
"Don't you have any girl friends?"
Paine shook her head.
"Don't know anyone here?" added Yuna and Paine shook her head again.
"Then it's official!" said Rikku brightly, slinging an arm around her shoulders, "we are your new best friends!"
"I'm not desperate, Rikku, I can get by on my own," said Paine, shrugging her arm away.
Rikku pouted.
"She's just trying to help," said Lulu, "even if she does come on a little strong."
Rikku ignored her, grabbed Yuna's arm and dragged her on ahead.
"I take it you're not much of a girly-girl?" said Lulu, still walking by her.
"Not half," said Paine and she looked over at Lulu, noting the older girl's long black skirt and black lace tank top, "you neither?"
"Chanceless," said Lulu. "Whatever you do, don't let Rikku drag you into the mall."
"The… what?"
"A big shopping centre in town- it's a prime teen hangout."
"Oh…"
"You're from Bevelle, right?"
"How'd you know?"
"You just look it-"
"Lulu! Wait a minute!" called a voice and another girl ran up.
"It's Nhadala, isn't it?" said Lulu coolly, taking in the girl's evident frustration.
"Where is that good-for-nothing Rikku?!" the girl stormed, "she's stolen my bandana again, I know it!"
"Rikku just left with Yuna- I do think she was wearing a bandana," said Lulu.
"I'm gonna kill her!" Nhadala muttered and she ran off.
"Another friend?" asked Paine.
"I don't know her well but I think she has some ties with Rikku- most people do. She tends to make a lot of friends- or tries too."
"In-your-face much?"
"Very."
The two girls made it into the building just in time for the five minutes warning bell and Lulu helped Paine find hers.
"Number 203," she said, "need help unpacking? I board here so I'm all set."
"It's fine," said Paine, "I've got it." She scrambled in her bag for her timetable and made a mental note of the first two periods.
"SH CL A12? PDHPE SG GYM?"
A small smile passed over the gothic teenager's face, "you have Spirian History with Mrs Levas in A12- that's in the Alexander building. Then PE with Mr G in the Gym," she explained. "You've got homeroom with Ms Campbell-Allen, right?"
"Uhm… homeroom 10G RCA?"
"That's the one- you're with me."
"I could use a guide," Paine admitted.
"I can do that too."
-
Ms Campbell-Allen was a short woman with relatively spiky short blonde hair that just couldn't be natural, she had a thing for stiletto heels she couldn't walk in and laughed when nothing was funny but she was harmless enough and Paine found her humour oddly refreshing.
"Right, we have two new students in our homeroom this year- Paine Keller and Elma Lei. Tell us something about yourselves."
"Uhm… I like chocobos!" said Elma quickly, "I think they're really cute and strong and… and, uhm… I hate a pet chocobo called Eddie once who died and mum said I couldn't get another one and, uhm, uhm, yeah…"
"Great… Paine?"
Paine shrugged and didn't say anything.
"What do you like doing?"
"Fighting."
"That's interesting," said Ms Campbell-Allen, obviously drawing up a comparison between the two girls in her mind- Little Miss Hyper and Ms Strong and Silent. "What PE elective are you taking?"
"Swordsmanship."
Deciding that she wasn't going to get more than a one worded answer, Ms Campbell-Allen gave up and let people talk about their holidays before the bell rand, quickly marking the roll as the girls filed out the door.
Paine made to check her timetable again but Lulu stopped her, "Spiran History, A12," she reminded her. "I've got the same thing- I'll show you."
"Thanks, Lulu."
"No problem."
They turned towards the Alexander building and were immediately confronted by a posse of three extravagantly yet scantily dressed girls.
"Hey, new kid," said the first, a blonde with a large tattoo of a heart on her chest.
Paine folded her arms across her chest and turned to Lulu, "friends of yours?"
"So not," said Lulu, making a face.
"You do know that this is an all-girls school, don't you?" said the blonde, flipping her long hair back.
"Yes."
"Well what's with your hair?" the second speaker was a smutty, dark-haired girl who had a contemptuous and self-righteous air about her.
"What's with your outfit?" Paine retorted, turning away, but the last girl had yet to make her presence known.
"What about yours, little miss leather?"
"Paine, let's scat," said Lulu, tugging on her arm, but Paine jerked away.
"I'm not finished here!"
At that moment, though, the warning bell rang, and Paine reluctantly allowed Lulu to drag her away.
"Just ignore them," she said, rolling her eyes.
"Bitches," Paine hissed. "I coulda taken them!"
"You spend way too much time around guys. Being tough doesn't pick you up any brownie points around here. In fact, some of the teachers will hold it against you. Don't pick unnecessary fights."
Paine huffed but remained silence.
"Cool it," said Lulu, sighing. "Look, some of us are going out after school. It'd be cool if you wanted to join us- we could show you the ropes."
"Who's going?"
"Me, Yuna and Rikku," Lulu paused for thought, "probably Gippal, Baralai and Nooj… Wakka too…"
"Who's Wakka?" asked Paine.
"Just a guy- it'll be right, he's cool."
"Okay…"
"Oh, and Tiuds," Lulu added, seeming satisfied now that she'd completed her list, "Yuna's friend."
"The blonde biker," said Paine, shrugging.
"That's him," said Lulu, "Tidus Warner- self proclaimed manager to the Crimson Boyz."
"Eh?"
Yet another thing Paine didn't understand.
"The so called 'up and coming' boy band- your friends: Gippal, Nooj and Baralai."
Paine snickered.
"Exactly," said Lulu, smiling a little, "now let's get to class- I don't fancy getting detention first day back."