Beginnings and Bonds

Emma leaned over to her brother, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "Hey, bro," she said teasingly, "she didn't tell you her name before you suddenly left after saving her, right? This is Rika!" She gestured to the girl sitting in front of Ethan.

Rika turned around, flipping her hair dramatically. "Like, oh my gosh! Hi again!" she said, her tone bubbly and full of energy. "So, now you know my name. Rika! Isn't that, like, so cute? Nice to meet ya… officially." She giggled, leaning her chin on her hand as she looked at Ethan.

Ethan gave a small nod, keeping his eyes down. He could feel the weight of their attention, and it made him want to disappear into his chair. But Emma wasn't about to let him off that easy.

"Come on, Ethan," Emma said, clearly enjoying herself. "You're not even going to say anything? Rika's trying to be friendly."

Rika giggled again. "Oh my god, Emma, it's fine! He's, like, totally the quiet type. It's kinda cute, y'know? Mysterious guys are, like, totally my vibe."

Ethan, ignoring them, picked up his pencil and scribbled something on a piece of paper. He tore it off and slid it toward Emma without looking up. Emma picked it up, read it, and burst out laughing.

"'Why are we even twins anyway? I feel like you were adopted the same day I was born.' Really, Ethan?" she said, showing the note to Rika.

Rika clapped her hands together, laughing loudly. "Oh my god, that's, like, soooo funny! You two are, like, total comedy goals."

Emma smirked, grabbing her pen and scribbling something back before sliding the note toward Ethan. He read it, rolled his eyes, and scribbled another response without saying a word.

Emma read the note aloud: "'Cooler? Please. You're about as cool as a broken fan.'" Emma gasped dramatically. "Wow. Rude."

Rika was practically in tears from laughter. "Oh my god, you guys are, like, the best. This is, like, soooo entertaining."

Ethan sighed, writing another note. He slid it to Emma, who read it and laughed even harder.

"'Stop talking.' You're such a charmer, Ethan," Emma teased, handing the paper to Rika.

Rika glanced at it and giggled again. "Okay, but, like, I love this. You're so chill and, like, totally unbothered. I respect it."

Ethan scribbled something else quickly, sliding it to Emma without even looking at her. She read it, her grin widening.

"'Annoying sister of the year,' huh? Well, guess what, little brother, I'm proud of it," she said, tossing the paper back onto his desk.

Rika leaned closer, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at Ethan. "Y'know, Ethan, you're, like, kinda cute when you're flustered," she said with a playful wink.

Ethan froze, his face turning bright red. He quickly picked up his pencil and scribbled furiously on another note, sliding it to Emma. She picked it up, read it, and burst into uncontrollable laughter.

"'Make her stop,'" Emma read aloud, tears forming in her eyes from laughing so hard. "Oh, Rika, you're really getting to him."

Rika giggled, her tone light and teasing. "Oops, did I, like, go too far? But seriously, Ethan, you're so fun to tease. Don't worry, I'll, like, go easy on you… for now."

Ethan groaned inwardly, his head buried in his hands. *This is going to be the longest day of my life.*

Rika and Emma began chatting with each other, their voices animated and cheerful.

"So, like, Emma," Rika said, flipping her hair, "you gotta tell me—what's the vibe here? Are the teachers, like, super strict or chill?"

Emma grinned. "Depends on the teacher. Some of them are cool, but Mr. Reynolds here? I've heard he's super into essays. So, good luck with that."

Rika groaned dramatically. "Ugh, essays? On the first day? That's, like, sooo unfair. I thought high school was supposed to be fun!"

Emma laughed quietly. "It can be. You just have to survive the boring stuff first."

Rika twirled a strand of her hair, glancing at the teacher, who was writing something on the board. "Okay, but, like, what's the deal with everyone here? Are they all this quiet, or is it just because it's the first day?"

Emma shrugged. "First day. Give it a week and the noise level will be off the charts." She tilted her head toward a group of students whispering nearby. "That group over there? They're the ones who'll always be loud no matter what."

Rika smirked. "Good to know. I'll keep my distance. I'm more of a 'pick my crowd carefully' kinda gal."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? And what crowd am I?"

Rika grinned, leaning closer. "You're, like, the cool-but-not-too-cool type. The one who knows stuff but isn't, like, all stuck-up about it."

Emma snorted. "Wow, thanks for the analysis. I'll take that as a compliment."

The bell rang, cutting through the room's lively chatter. The students quickly settled into their seats as the classroom door opened, and the teacher walked in.

"Good morning, everyone," Mr. Reynolds said, his voice calm yet authoritative. "Welcome to your first day of high school. My name is Mr. Reynolds, and I'll be your English teacher this year." He paused, scanning the room with a friendly but firm expression. "Let's start by going over what we'll be doing today."

Mr. Reynolds turned to the whiteboard and began writing. "Today is all about getting to know each other and setting expectations. We'll go over the syllabus, talk about what you can expect in this class, and finish with a short writing activity to help me learn more about you."

The class murmured softly, a mix of interest and mild groans at the mention of writing.

Rika leaned closer to Emma, lowering her voice so the teacher wouldn't hear. "Okay, but, like, is this writing thing gonna be hard? I didn't sign up for, like, a full essay on day one."

Emma smirked. "Relax. It's probably just one of those 'tell me about yourself' things. Easy stuff."

Rika sighed in relief. "Thank god. I mean, I can do it, but, like, I wasn't ready to be, y'know, Shakespeare or whatever."

Emma chuckled. "Trust me, neither is anyone else here."

The two shared a quiet laugh, their conversation punctuated by occasional glances at the teacher to make sure they weren't caught. Around them, the other students began settling into the routine of the first day, while Rika and Emma continued to exchange whispered comments.

As the teacher handed out the syllabus, Rika leaned in again, her tone soft but sincere. "Hey, Emma, can I, like, be honest for a sec?"

Emma glanced at her curiously. "Sure. What's up?"

Rika twirled her pen nervously. "So, like, I've been kinda freaking out about this whole transfer thing. New school, new people… it's, like, super overwhelming. But, y'know, meeting you? It's made me feel, like, soooo much better."

Emma's expression softened. "Rika, you don't have to worry. You're doing great. Honestly, half the people here probably wish they had your confidence."

Rika smiled brightly. "Oh my god, Emma, that's, like, sooo sweet. So, uh, are we, like, friends now? For real?"

Emma laughed quietly, nodding. "Yeah, Rika. We're friends. And trust me, you're gonna do just fine here."

Rika's eyes lit up. "Yay! Okay, this is, like, officially the best first day ever. We're gonna have soooo much fun this year, Emma!"

Emma grinned. "Looking forward to it. Just, uh, maybe keep your voice down so Mr. Reynolds doesn't catch us."

The two stifled their giggles, exchanging a quick, conspiratorial smile before pretending to focus on the syllabus.

Meanwhile, Ethan sat at his desk in the back, staring out the window. The soft rustling of leaves in the breeze caught his attention, pulling him away from the chatter of the class. *Why does everyone seem so excited? It's just another day,* he thought. He let out a small sigh, his focus shifting to the world outside as the hum of voices faded into the background.

The first class ended, followed by the second and third classes, which seemed to fly by in a blur. Now it was time for lunch.

Ethan grabbed his lunch from the cafeteria and headed outside, looking for a quiet spot. He found a bench under a tree, away from the crowd, and sat down alone. As he started eating, his mind wandered to his first three classes.

*First period wasn't bad. Mr. Reynolds seems fair enough, but English isn't really my thing,* Ethan thought to himself, chewing thoughtfully. *Biology was alright, though I'm pretty sure half the class was asleep already. And PE?* He let out a small sigh. *At least I didn't have to talk to anyone.*

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice the sound of footsteps until a familiar voice called his name from behind him.

"Ethan!"

He turned to see Rika and Emma walking toward him, their faces lit up with smiles. Ethan sighed, raising his hand in a half-hearted wave but saying nothing.

Rika plopped down on the bench beside him, her ever-energetic demeanor making her presence impossible to ignore. "So, like, what are you doing out here all by yourself? Hiding from everyone?" she teased, leaning closer.

Emma stood in front of them, hands on her hips. "Yeah, Ethan. You're not gonna survive high school by being a total hermit."

Ethan said nothing, keeping his gaze on his food, but his ears perked up as the two girls started talking to him. He continued to listen quietly, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly at their banter.

Rika leaned in closer, her voice taking on a playful tone. "You know, Ethan, you're, like, way too mysterious. It's kinda cute, y'know?" She gave him a playful wink.

Ethan's face immediately turned red, and he looked away, his hand instinctively going to his neck as if to shield himself from her words. Seeing his reaction, Emma burst out laughing.

"Oh my god, Rika, I think you broke him!" Emma said, laughing so hard she spilled her drink all over herself. She let out a loud yelp, jumping up and holding the now-empty cup in her hand. "Are you kidding me? Ugh, look at this mess!"

Rika covered her mouth, trying not to laugh but failing. "Oh my god, Emma, that's, like, soooo funny. You're a total mess right now!"

Before Rika could say more, they both froze as they heard something unexpected: Ethan laughing. He tried to hold it in, but soon he was doubled over, tears streaming down his face from genuine, uncontrollable laughter.

For a few minutes, Ethan's laughter filled the air, catching both girls off guard. Rika and Emma exchanged glances, their teasing forgotten as they watched him.

"Oh my god," Rika whispered, her tone softer now. "He's, like, actually smiling."

Emma nodded, her expression shifting to one of surprise and warmth. "I don't think I've ever seen him laugh like that before… not in a really long time."

Rika tilted her head curiously. "Wait, what do you mean? When was the last time?"

Emma's smile faltered slightly as she glanced at her brother, who was now quietly finishing his lunch. She hesitated before speaking. "It was… when Mom was still around. She was his best friend, you know?"

Rika's expression softened. "Was?" she asked gently.

Emma let out a small sigh, her tone quieter now. "She died last year. It was… really sudden. A car accident. She and Ethan were so close. I think that's why he's been like this. He hasn't really smiled or laughed since she passed."

Rika's eyes widened, her usual playful energy replaced by genuine empathy. "Oh my god, Emma. I'm, like, so sorry. That's… awful." She glanced at Ethan, who was still silent but seemed calmer now. "No wonder he's so quiet. That's, like, a lot to deal with."

Emma nodded. "Yeah. He's been keeping to himself a lot since then. But today?" She glanced at her brother again, a small smile returning to her face. "Seeing him laugh like that… it's nice. Really nice."

Rika smiled softly, nudging Emma playfully. "Well, maybe you and I can, like, keep him smiling. He's got a great laugh, y'know?"

Emma chuckled. "Yeah. Let's make it our mission."

The two girls exchanged a look of understanding, their earlier teasing forgotten as they resolved to bring more light back into Ethan's life.