Rising Shards

Word spread more quickly than I imagined. Over just a weekend there were already murmurs in the morning about my unmasking. And as I ate breakfast, my face out in the open for the first time to this extent at Rising Shards, I could see all the eyes on me. I sat by myself, but other students stopped by in the brief window, some talking to me like we'd never spoken before when we had plenty, and others genuinely talking to me for the first time.

The first two were Iris and Maia, the green haired girl and her tall cat Kanibari "friend." The two were effectively dating, and practically anyone who spent more than five seconds around them could tell, but both were far too stupid to realize it. Iris looked at me like I was some kind of cryptid.

"So, like," Iris started as she played with her fork. "Are you for real with this? If it's like a con or something you can tell me, I won't spoil the surprise for anyone."

"What part of this would be a con?" I asked.

"The whole sister thing," Iris said. "Like, Zeta never mentioned you."

"Zeta wasn't aware," I said. "Neither was her sister."

"Huh..." Iris poked at her food, eating about half her tray as she tried to piece something together that wasn't at all complicated. "So like, why the helmet?"

"Because I would have been unstable in this dimension without it before my treatment," I said.

"Why call yourself 'Peedee'? That's so dumb." Iris said.

"I didn't pick that name, it was just something Mother requested," I said.

"Why?" Iris asked.

It was like talking to a third grader, endless questions.

"Because she wanted my identity hidden while it was dangerous to reveal it," I said.

"You were in danger? And now it's cool?" Iris asked.

"Apparently," I said.

That was Mother's reasoning, at least. I wasn't sure what the danger was, exactly, or why she could go by her name and I couldn't, but I trusted her the most.

Iris eventually got bored of me and left, about at the same time Sai joined me for their breakfast. I could tell Sai was still upset with me, but we at least made small talk until our next interruption.

Oka Ohri, Zeta's girlfriend. I didn't realize until she stood across from my table, hands on her hips and an angry pout on her face, that she wasn't present at my unmasking.

"I'm only going to say this once," Oka said. "Well, alright, I'll say it more if I need to, but I want this time to count, so."

"Spit it out already," I said.

Oka was taken aback by my bluntness for a moment, but recovered quickly. She pointed at me.

"You're my future sister-in-law, so I have to be somewhat nice to you," Oka said. She squinted. "But talk to Zeta like that again and you'll regret it."

"Try me," I snarled, sick of this. I tried to get up, but Sai grabbed my arm.

"Alright, easy," Sai said. "Maybe relax a bit."

"I'm perfectly relaxed," I said.

"You're about to get in a fight, so no," Sai said.

Oka, to her credit, wasn't at all intimidated.

"Are we clear?" She asked.

It was very clear that she wouldn't approve of me announcing my hatred to Zeta again. Apparently no one would be. I thought about telling her she needed to be aware that I could obliterate her in a fight at any moment, but it was too early in the day for something so dramatic.

"We're clear," I said.

Just walking to class felt different. Not just being able to really see everything without the mask's filter over it, but to have everyone either looking my way. Whispering, giggling. I was used to that when I had to wear my mask. People thought they were being conspicuous when they pointed and giggled, but I saw all of it.

"What?" I snapped at two girls outside my first period class.

"Oh! Um. You're...tall." One said, blushing. "I didn't...notice as much when you had your mask."

"Well, get used to it," I said.

Even teachers seemed distracted by my new appearance, having trouble figuring out how to address me when I raised my hand. I didn't care if people still called me P.D. while they adjusted, but it did feel wonderful to start to be called Anastasia again.

I found Nikki at lunch, she smiled at her phone as she tapped away.

"Oh, hey," she said as I sat, barely looking my way. After a few minutes, she finally noticed. "Oh! Hey! What the? You forget your mask?"

"No, I told you..." I sighed, she didn't hear me at all during all the times I said it. "The treatments are working, so we're trying without the mask."

"Awesome," Nikki said, going back to her phone. "Sorry, one sec, Bree is sending something super funny."

"Can I see?" I asked.

"Oh, you'd hate it," Nikki said, snort laughing. "We're just being gross."

"A-alright," I said. My appetite left me there, so I excused myself.

Leaving the cafeteria, I passed somewhat by Zeta's table, not close enough for her to notice me right away. She and her girlfriend and their friends shared a full table, all lively, animated. It made me sick.

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