Sour raisin (джен)

The school courtyard on the first of September was a human beehive. Hundreds of voices merged into a low, annoying hum, occasionally pierced by whatever generic pop song the outdated speakers over the main porch were blasting. Barbara stood near an old chestnut tree, as far from the main entrance as humanly possible, trying her absolute best to blend into the shadow. She wore her favorite oversized grunge jacket—perfect for swallowing her fragile frame—and a pair of heavily battered, torn Vans.With a sharp jerk of her head, she adjusted the clips on her bangs, making sure the dark strands reliably covered her left eye. Beneath the thick denim of her sleeve, just above the elbow, a yellowish-purple bruise throbbed. It was a parting gift from her father’s heavy hands over the weekend—a lovely reminder of what waiting for her at home."Earth to Babs! You’re spacing out again," Lila said, nudging her shoulder and making her jump. Lila was smiling, but her eyes held that instant, razor-sharp perception. She could read Barbara’s body language like an open book. "Mizuki and I were just debating whether they’ll sentence us to the third-floor dungeon for math this year.""I don't care, honestly," Barbara muttered, burying her hands deeper into her pockets. "As long as it's quiet.""Quiet is statistically impossible," Mizuki chimed in. She was standing half a step behind them, completely absorbed in her phone, tapping away with a soft smile. "The rumors say a transfer student from the elite district just landed in our parallel class. She’s already trending on the local school boards. Apparently, she’s a certified internet idol.""Ugh, please. Like we don't have enough overpriced, overly-dyed main characters walking around," Lila scoffed, tossing her hair with a haughty roll of her eyes. "Look, Babs, if anyone breathes in your direction wrong, just give me the signal. I will fake a medical emergency or start a full-blown screaming match with a teacher. Distraction is my spiritual calling.""Thanks, Lila." Barbara managed a small smile. With these two, she actually felt like she had a fighting chance. Lila could lie her way out of a high-security prison with a straight face, and Mizuki... Mizuki was a human supercomputer, but with a huge heart. She never threw empty words around. If she stated a fact, she already had a digital folder with three receipts and a time-stamp.Suddenly, the collective chatter of the courtyard dipped, replaced by a wave of frantic whispering. Walking down the main path was a girl who looked like she had literally escaped from a Harajuku street-fashion magazine. Her kawaii kei style looked completely alien in their grey, provincial school. Pink ruffles, layers of lace, perfectly styled long hair adorned with an absurd amount of clips and two massive pastel bows on top. Dozens of plastic and glass bracelets jingled on her wrists. A loyal entourage of fans practically orbited around her."Ah, speak of the devil," Mizuki said without looking up, though her tone was light and amused. "Online, she goes by 'Dead Chan'. Nobody knows her real name. She guards it like a state secret.""Dead Chan? That’s a bit dramatic for a walking pastel cupcake," Lila sneered, her voice dripping with pure sarcasm. Right then, Dead Chan turned her head. Her eyes locked onto the trio standing in the shade of the tree. Instantly, a blinding, sickeningly sweet smile plastered across her perfectly made-up face. She practically glided toward them, her bracelets clinking like cheap wind chimes, leaving her loyal subjects behind."Hiya! Helloooo!" Dead Chan squeaked loudly, completely invading Barbara’s personal space. Barbara instinctively took a step back, but Dead Chan reached out with terrifying speed, locking her fingers tightly around Barbara's wrist. "Why are you guys lurking in the shadows like gargoyles? The weather is so nice, everyone's mingling! Come over to my group, stop being such total sociophobes!~"The sudden, aggressive grip made Barbara’s stomach drop. Dead Chan’s fingers dug directly into the fresh bruise beneath her jacket. Barbara winced, her jaw tightening as she tried to pull her arm back."I’m fine here. I don't want to go," she grunted, pulling her bangs lower over her eye."Oh, don't be a party pooper!~" Dead Chan giggled, yanked Barbara’s arm with surprising, forceful leverage, completely ignoring her resistance. The plastic bracelets bit into Barbara's skin. "I'm literally doing this for your own good! You can't just sit in a corner rotting all year. Everyone needs a social life, and I’m like, a certified expert at making people popular. Come on, let me introduce you!"Lila stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she prepared to eviscerate the girl verbally, but Barbara gave her a tiny, desperate shake of her head. She didn't want a massive scene on day one. Dead Chan just seemed like an overly obnoxious, loud extrovert, even if her forced friendliness was already causing Barbara a headache. She just wanted her quiet back."Fine," Barbara muttered, yielding to the physical pull. "Just for a minute." "Yay! Perfect!~" Dead Chan chimed, her eyes sparkling with artificial joy. "You’ll see, life is way better when you’re hanging out with me!"Mizuki watched them walk away, her eyes cool and analytical behind her glasses. She locked her phone, sighed softly, and followed at a safe distance. The first day of September had barely begun, and Barbara already knew this year was going to be an absolute nightmare.