The remaining days went by quickly, and soon the start of a new school term came. I woke up and changed into my school uniform before going to the washroom. There, I saw Cecelia who was brushing her teeth at the sink.

  "Good morning Cecelia." It was definitely a change of pace now in our house with recent events, with greetings and interactions between the two of us.

  "Grrd murrnig." She uttered whilst brushing her teeth.

  … seeing our interactions, it was certainly much livelier together like this, with moments I could smile at.

  Cecelia soon finished brushing her teeth and washing her face, "I'll make breakfast." She said as she left the washroom.

  Seeing how much Cecelia trusted Alicia now, "..." I looked at the mirror and closed the door. "Living a lie." I uttered looking at my reflection, "Would you accept me, even if the person you knew died inside?" I tried reaching for my heart - putting my hands on my chest. I just felt anxious, what if everything I’ve done colpsed if she rejected who I was? Thinking about the chance of rejection hurts, "..."

  … … …

  I spshed water on my face on the verge of tears and tried to change my focus—wash my face and brush my teeth. "I had to get ready for school right now." I told myself as a means to distract myself.

  After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I left the washroom to go help Cecelia with breakfast. We quickly finished cooking and eating. After we cleaned up, I went back to my room to do one final check up on myself before I going down to the entrance. Finalizing myself and getting my bag, I prepared to leave.

  "Cecelia, I'm leaving for school, I'll see you when you're done with school." I told her as I finished putting my shoes on.

  "Yes." Cecelia uttered quietly. “Have a safe trip.” A wave—it looked cute seeing it from her for my first time.

  "You as well." I returned the wave back to her before I left.

  The scores for the exams were posted in their respective floors for their respective students. From the first year score board, I tried looking for my name, yet couldn't find my name anywhere on the listing.

  Everyone crowding to look at their scores didn't help matters. I wasn’t on the top or top 5 scores - or the bottom scores. I was anxious - in the worst case - if I score much lower than I anticipated, but I threw my worries away as pessimistic. "I'll look ter." I decided to go to css and worry about my score ter.

  As I entered the cssroom, "Ah, Teseia." Instuctor Noe uttered instantly as I stepped into the cssroom. "The Director urgently wishes to see you Teseia." Huh? Noe walked next to me, "Apologizes for not being able to help with that." Ah—I understand now... Hearing what she whispered to me privately was all I needed to know.

  "No," I shook my head, "I understand Instructor Noe. Your trust in me made me more then happy." If someone else didn't believe me, then at least having Noe believe in me was all I needed.

  "Thank you Teseia." Noe said before walking back to the front of the cssroom.

  I left the cssroom to head to the school offices. As I walked away from css away from the rush of students, I let out a sigh—today is going to be another busy day. Reminiscent of when I had to expin my physical condition to my physical instructor, I'm going to have to speak to actual adults. Well, "Whatever—I'm used to it." I walked to the school offices with all my stuff. As I opened the door to the office, the school offices receptionist greeted me. I greeted the receptionist back and told them the Education Director wished to see me.

  “Please wait here, Director Hamlet is currently in a meeting. It shouldn’t take much longer then 15 minutes.” I was told.

  “Understood.” I wasn’t too bothered by the wait as I sat down and started reading my css materials. Soon enough, someone called out my name - the Director. I closed my book and took all my school material into my arms, “Good morning Director.” I stood as I politely greeted him.

  “Good morning to you, Teseia.” He greeted politely in return.

  “You wished to see me Director?” I courteously asked, with a slight bow per professional customs when meeting someone of high stature.

  … of course, I hated professional customs - especially when you were the one doing it -, but I suppose it is pointless for me to compin...

  “Yes. Please follow, as I wish to discuss with you some matters.” Being with Director would be all formalities, unfortunately.

  "Understood." I gave a slight bow of respect and entered the fabled meeting room of the Director of Education... which I already knew was nothing more than a basic wooden office table and a computer. I thought back to all the legends of students being lectured by the director here - then thought back to my experiences here almost everyday before with talks about social connections. Now as someone normal, I carefully sat down on the chair opposite of his office…

  Hah~, I took a deep breath—it was fine... I might not be someone of high stature myself - currently -, but hopefully I could argue my defense.

  "I'll be direct to save us time—could you expin the sudden discrepancy between your entrance exam scores and the scores you've achieved on the current exams?"

  ... eh...? That was what he wished to discuss? I took a bit to think... I took another deep breath, "Permission to expin my situation, Director?" I asked - as I was sure this would clear most misconceptions here.

  "Your instructor expined to me, but I'll listen to your expnation." He said.

  With permission, I politely expined my situation to the Director. After my expnation, he simply just stared bnkly at me...

  "... I advise you be quiet about this for the time being Teseia, I have a lot to advise you about recent events currently..." Why did he look so grim?

  And... "What recent events...?" I had no idea what he was referring to.

  "Someone from the Republic's top has been busy trying to search for someone. Private information was leaked, and the qualities he’s looking for is, I quote, 'Someone who suddenly turned extraordinary, with abnormal changes recently'. All this so suddenly, with almost no basis, so I would advise you simply keep your story quiet to others." The Director said...

  ... What...? The top? And, 'Someone who suddenly turned extraordinary, with abnormal changes recently'?

  "Though, I'll buy your story for who you are now. It still seems suspicious that one of the lower scorer art application students scored perfect scores, even more so from someone with neurological trauma, but I'll believe your words. Come back to my office afterschool to sign something." I heaved a sigh of relief, I was done...

  "Permission to leave Director?" I asked politely. "I wish not to miss css time."

  "You may leave, just come back afterschool to sign some documents." He said.

  "Understood." I stood up and took all my school materials with me out.

  I still had time to make it to my first css. I may have missed out on Homeroom period, but I should be able to come in and ask Noe for our schedule for the day.

  Our st css period for the day begun - Homeroom. I took this time to send a text message to Qualtia and Ignation that I wouldn't be at club meetings afterschool for a while due to some personal issues—,

  "Did you see? At lunch, the Education Director's assistant put up Teseia's score, and it was 400!" Eh? What? A small conversation that quietly took up a small part of the room suddenly dropped a bomb that silenced everyone... me included...

  "Ah—!" Suddenly my desk was crowded by people. From people congratuting me, and questions. "Ah—ano..." I didn't really know how to response to the masses of people so close to me.

  I dropped my phone to my desk—bad trauma of being swarmed by questions and people flooded me...

  "Give Teseia some space!" Eh? Someone broke through the wall of people and stood next to me, "Give Teseia some space, no need to swarm her to ask questions, and thank you to all who simply wanted to congratute her." Felis stood with me defending me.

  "Everyone returns to your seats." Noe herself got through to the css crowd and calmed the css down. Felis turned to look at me sitting in my desk and smirked before returning to her own desk. "I have some announcements to make for our upcoming days." With that, my break from the masses started and our school news channel for the new quarter. Nothing notable really was in Noe's announcement besides a congratutory speech and some school events upcoming for students to participate in. "That is all. Enjoy the time to yourselves but remember to respect each other's spaces."

  With that, the css returned to it's usual atmosphere. I was still a topic of conversation and interest in the conversation, but there were a few girls who politely conversed with me. I was a bit reserved and wary at first, but those that spoke with me didn't seem troublesome. Felis joined along, and eventually talking to them turned out to be enjoyable.

  ... or maybe I was just lonely...

  "Ah—" I looked at the time, and school was almost over. I still had something to do at school, "Sorry, I still have to go meet the Education Director today." I said as I packed my belongings in my school bag.

  "Okay, see you tomorrow Teseia!" One of the girl, Keseia said to me as I left. The others said their goodbyes to me for the day as I left the cssroom to see the Director.

  I came to the same school offices with the receptionist there. "You are here to see Director Hamlet?" I nodded to her question, "Director Hamit is free in his office. Just knock on his door."

  "Thank you." I thanked the receptionist and went to go knock on the Director's office. "It is Teseia." I said.

  "Enter."

  I opened the door, “Excuse me.” before sitting down in the chair opposite of the Director’s desk.

  “I have the document ready for you." A paper appeared on the desk between us. "This is simply nothing more than a formal consoling statement and swear in stating that your score is your honest score. The consoling will also constitute the short-term monitoring of two more terms of exams until you are cleared of suspicion." He briefly summarized the document as I skimmed through it myself. I didn't find anything too odd, and after going through the document and seeing the end agreement area and rereading the document again, I felt satisfied with signing it.

  "Teseia Alicia." After signing the document, I handed it back to Director. "Signed."

  "Thank you Teseia. You may leave - I wish you luck and enjoyment for to school." Director said, dismissing me.

  "Understood." I stood and left the office with all my bags.

  I still had something to do today before I could rex for the day. The end of the school day was near with some students in the halls, being dismissed by their instructors early. I blended in with the others and simply got all my things to leave school.

  Once I left school, I headed to get Cecelia from her school. Even if I left a few minutes after school, I had some time, but I had to uphold my promise to her - and see just how deep down her social situation was at school. At the very least I didn't have to detour by train rides, as her school was still in the Thersia District.

  Cecelia told me when school ended for her - 16:00 -, and looking at the time, "15:44." I found myself a seat at a daytime cafe building nearby her school to wait. I ordered myself a frozen hot chocote whilst I waited for Cecelia.

  As the time approached, students slowly started to leave out the school. I decided now was time for me to go out and get Cecelia. I sent a text message to her saying I would be outside her school in my uniform. As I approached the front of the school, I heard comments from various students about... me.

  Well, I suppose Thersia District Central Commerce Highschool was a pretty high-end school that many could only dream to get in. "Thinking about it—," Actually, never mind... I forgot Alicia was actually an arts student, and considering my csses were both arts reted, it makes sense. Though I really wondered what Alicia's initial exam scores were, much less how she even managed to get in...

  Well, thinking about it, I suppose seeing someone from my school here was a rare sight. I found a pce to sit where I would be very visible, and waited...

  "Alicia!" I looked at the voice that called out to me and saw Cecelia running towards me.

  I waved at her, "Hello Cecelia." I stood up to greet her, "Let's get going." I mostly wanted out, as I was feeling a lot of unwanted attention being here.

  I walked Cecelia away from school. While she seemed bright with me, I was still wary about other students - perhaps a bit too so... I was just worried about any troublesome students that may have followed her, like that time before... As we made it to the station, I heaved a breath of relief and let my guard down.

  "Alicia..." Cecelia lightly held onto the hem of my skirt, "Thank you for getting me."

  "It's—it was the least I could do as your older sister." I lightly tried to gently remove Cecelia's hand from my skirt - I wouldn't mind it normally, but in public I was still wary of my skirt... Though it was nice hearing Cecelia thank me.

  ... guguguh~... I popped my head back out of the bathtub filled with warm water. The weather was finally starting to get hot, so washing off myself felt nice. "It's going to get much worse..." Hot summers, snowy winters. Dry spring, wet autumn, the Astoria Metro Area was a weird pce, yet it had everything one could experience in terms of seasons and things to do.

  I took a few minutes to rex my mind in the warm bathtub before leaving. "... Almost there, I'll finish a year soon enough," If I could be a girl for this long, a quarter of school, a year and a lifetime shouldn't be hard. It seemed more enjoyable than before. I dried myself before wrapping a towel around me and leaving for my room. There I dried my hair properly with a hair dryer, "Hmm~hmm~,” It was a nice way to rex…

  School life… well, now that my score was public, and now that I was a girl, I am bound to collect a lot of attention. "School... is going to be troublesome from here on out..." I uttered thinking about my name being public now... "But—liveliness is fun."