#tsmgochp

By now the leather of the seat beneath her should have been warm, after all, she’d been curled up on it for almost an hour. With her socked feet folded half under her and half to her left, towards the door of the moving vehicle she scrolled through tiktok on the phone she loosely held in her hands. Quickly moving past any post that made her own face stare up at her. The seat stayed cold though, the chill moving up her legs until she absentmindedly rubbed her arms. 

It had been less than two weeks since she had last done that. It was too soon to already be feeling this way, too soon for it to already be starting. 

Once a month should have been more than enough, Vivienne’s voice replayed in her head, sharp and accusatory, just as it did every time she started feeling this way far too earlier than she was supposed to. But you can’t even do this right, can you? 

Lyra pressed her lips together, staring at her reflection on the screen that had gone dark. She didn’t need another thing to remind her that there was something inside her that was broken, greedy and weak. 

Next to her Vivienne sat perfectly poised, her sunglasses covering her green eyes despite the dim interior of the limo. She’d been quiet since they left the airport, feeling no need to keep up the loving-parent façade when the only person around to watch was the lowly chauffeur, who had been buried in NDAs he’d had to sign to work for them. If only her stepmother’s silence didn’t feel like an ever-present pressure. Like she was just waiting for Lyra to inevitably mess up to pounce. 

“You’ll smile when we arrive,” she said, finally breaking the silence with her voice as smooth as glass and as cold as the leather beneath Lyra, “but you won’t be too happy, they need to know you’ll miss me.”

Lyra nodded, eyes still locked on the blackened phone. “Yes, mother.” 

Even without looking she could feel the weight of Vivienne’s eyes on her. After a moment that felt far too long, Vivienne added. “Don’t get sulky. This is your fault. And sulking is only going to make everything worse.” She let out a sigh when she got no visible response from the girl next to her. “Honestly child, it’s like you forget who you are. Who I’ve made you into. You are Lyra Dusk, and Lyra Dusk doesn’t sulk.”

 Lyra bit back the urge to laugh. Right she was Lyra Dusk. Lyra the part of her name she’d chosen against her stepmother’s wishes. One of the only few rebellions she’d managed over the years. She’d snatched it at the last second, nervously whispered it into the spotlight and, unfortunately for Vivienne, it had stuck. Vivienne still hadn’t forgiven her for it, probably never would, even with Lyra having only changed the first name her stepmother had chosen for her, even with Lyra not having been brave enough to also whisper a different last name than Dusk. Vivienne Dusk-Vale’s maiden name.

Vivienne leaned towards Lyra, brushing a soft loose curl of red hair behind her ear. She’d always had a fascination with Lyra’s hair, going so far as to dye her own hair to a shade as close to it as she could. It had always looked a little too off to be real to Lyra. 

The gesture was picture perfect, and tender enough that it would have looked amazing if any camera had been watching. 

“You’re my little star, you know that,” She whispered, “and one day you’ll thank me for that.”

____

The limo slowed as the trees thinned around them and opened up to reveal wrought-iron gates decorated with black vines. The metal barely reflecting the afternoon sun. Lyra found it both beautiful and ominous. The carved words Nevermore Academy glared down at them from above. 

Lyra attempted to have at least one positive thought as the car slowed to a stop. At least I’ll have some privacy here. 

Even without looking she knew Vivienne was already pulling her sunglasses up and fixing her face into a soft sad smile. She’s seen her masking process far too often. Over the years she’d even perfected such things as the exact angle of the chin that allowed for the best angle for the cameras to easily catch the slight sheen of misted eyes. She’d perfected a performance that made photographers sob and the fans gush over how strong the bond between mother and daughter was. 

“Love,” Vivienne said, voice now filled with false sorrow and she took Lyra’s hand, the performance always started inside the car, just in case anybody was close enough to hear, especially in a school full of freaks “I want you to know that I am so incredibly proud of you. This is such a brave new chapter for you.” 

Lyra blinked up at her. Sometimes she was still caught off guard by how gentle Vivienne could be, and even though she knew why it was happening it still made something drop in her. The chauffeur hadn't even gotten out of the car yet. She could see no cameras, no press or any student. Just the forest behind them and the gates in front. Vivienne was spinning her lines for an invisible audience. 

The driver finally opened the door, and the smell of the forest rushed into the car, cool against her face in a way the air conditioning of the car couldn’t mimic. Lyra hesitated and Vivienne gave her hand a squeeze. Any non-existent onlooker would think it a comforting gentle gesture. They would not see the nails digging into Lyra’s palms serving as a warning. 

“Don’t forget to smile.” Vivienne muttered through her own smile. 

Lyra, like she’d grown to always do, obeyed. When she stepped into the gravel drive. The sun caught her red hair but the coldness refused to leave her bones. Vivienne’s hand fell onto her shoulder and the heat of it as she followed her out of the car almost felt like a burn. Vivienne let out a lone tear and Lyra took that as her cue to pull out an embroidered back handkerchief  and hand it to her. She theatrically dabbed it on the corner of her eye. 

The gates creaked open as a figure approached them from the other side. He was a sharply dressed man whose figure was stiff with an authority Lyra wasn’t sure he possessed. He was the new principal, the one she knew Vivienne had been in contact with for a few weeks, arranging for Lyra’s stay and her slightly delayed arrival to avoid cacophony of the other students’ arrival.  

“Principal Dort,” Vivienne greeted smoothly and softly. “Thank you so much for arranging all of this on such short notice. I know it is all a bit.. unusual. “

Lyra remained quiet by her side, smiling at the man and waving with the hand that was holding her phone, a small bag kept the other occupied. Us, she thought like any of this is my choice. For Lyra there was no “us” in this situation. There was only her stepmother shoving into another arrangement, just like she’d always done with the pageants, the auditions and the cameras. 

The principal’s eyes flickered between them both, his polite smile giving nothing away. “Of course, Nevermore is always prepared to welcome exceptional students into its halls.” The principal paused for a moment. “There is however, one little caveat. Due to the events of last year, there have been some new security measures instilled. Vehicles from outside are no longer permitted past the gates. If you follow me, we can take my car the rest of the way.” 

The chauffeur appeared beside her with some of the bags he’d removed from the trunk and went back for more. Lyra finally noticed the very small car parked on the side of the dirt road just inside the gates. There was no way all of her bags would fit in that trunk. The principal noticed her glance at the bags and then the car and had the same realization. 

“Oh,” he said scratching his moustache,  “how about we leave the bags here and I’ll have someone come retrieve them and drop them off at your dorm?” 

Vivienne's smile didn’t falter, though Lyra, as used to her small tells as she was, caught the faint twitch of irritation that showed itself in the corners of her smile. 

The chauffeur already knew the drill; he would be staying with the car, and the bags, just outside the iron gates. Lyra wished to swap places with him. 

Lyra felt Vivienne’s hand tighten on her shoulder, long nails digging a bit onto the skin the ruffled sleeves of her black dress didn’t cover, and pushed her forward towards the gates and the car. “That sounds wonderful.”

“Right, this way then” The principal said as he led them towards the car that was nowhere near as luxurious as the limo they had just exited and her stepmother would absolutely hate every minute spent inside it.  For a moment Lyra’s smile was real. 

Lyra climbed into the backseat, settling down on the vinyl seat and her stepmother settled down in the front as the principal took the wheel. 

The car hummed to life louder than Lyra was used to, and started its path towards the place that would house her for at least a full semester, and hopefully not a day longer. 

She spotted some movement through the trees, the open window allowing some voices to reach her. Clearly the news of her arrival had clearly not been kept as quiet as it should have. There were a few students gathering off the path, curious about the arrival of the escorted new student. 

A pair of eyes that shone far too yellow to be normal caught her attention. The girl they belonged to smiled at Lyra, showing off her teeth that were just a bit too sharp to belong to someone normal.  In the whispers they were passing she could only make out her name. 

Lyra Dusk.

Her jaw tightened. Freaks, she thought, pressing her phone against her chest as if it would protect her. 

From the passenger seat her stepmother cleared her throat and caught Lyra's eyes in the rearview mirror. Her smile remained untouched as she listened to the principal talk about all that was great with the school, but her eyes told a different story. One that Lyra could read perfectly. Smile. 

The coldness in her bones intensified, but she smiled anyway. She even threw in a few waves at the monsters hiding behind their own smiles.  

Principal Dort’s office was something… Lyra considered it to be unnecessarily large, so much so that even the darker walls and decor did not seem to make the space diminish how grand it appeared. Her gaze was stuck on the medusa shaped fireplace for longer than it should have been if the slight glare she got from her stepmother was anything to go by. 

“This place is very lovely, Principal Dort. The fireplace is a real,” she searched for the most appropriate word to say, “showstopper.” 

She wasn’t sure if it was the compliments or the literal award-winning smile she told them with, but both the Principal and her stepmother seemed pleased enough with her performance and  after a proud “Thank you.” from the man, went right back to what they were in the office for in the first place. 

“Please,” Dort said sitting on his chair, indicating to the two other chairs placed before his desk. “Sit.”

Vivienne took the lead, sitting herself down on the chair like royalty would sit upon a throne. She kept her back straight, crossed one leg over the other and folded her hands together on top of her legs.  Her face still stuck on that soft brightness that made everyone just a tad more agreeable. 

Lyra stood just inside of the door for a moment longer. With her phone still in hand and her bag strap digging into her shoulder. Despite its size the room felt heavy to her, and cold in a way that didn’t help the chill still in her bones.  

“Principal Dort,” Vivienne said as Lyra moved to the other chair, ”Thank you so much for personally welcoming us here. I am aware that the circumstances of Lyra’s enrollment are particularly unusual, but I strongly believe that all of that just gives us more reason to do this correctly.”  

Lyra lowered herself into the second chair beside Vivienne and took the time to arrange her skirt so that the ruffles lay just right. 

The principal nodded. “Oh no, no need to thank me for that Mrs. Dusk-Vale, after all, we here at Nevermore are all very thankful for the trust you are placing on us. I’m sure that in your line of work you understand how important optics can be, especially after the scandal we suffered last year. I have personally gone through everything you’ve sent us.” His gaze flickered to Lyra who still smiled up at him and then returned to Vivienne.”Our mutual goal here is to make sure Miss Dusk integrates into the student body in a way that sets a positive example for all others to follow.” 

Vivienne’s smile grew just slightly. “Exactly, and I trust that a shared dormitory has been arranged for my little star?”

Lyra kept her face still, even if the words hit her like a punch in the stomach, the muscles on her face were too well trained after years of acting classes and slightly inappropriate questions in interviews to allow news like that to make her drop her smile. There goes her privacy.  The principal, unaware of the thoughts in Lyra’s head, seemed extremely pleased. 

“Yes, of course. That has been approved and handled. I also find that sharing a living space with her new peers will encourage cooperation and help us all mend some destroyed bridges.”  He laced his fingers together at the last word. 

“It most certainly will,” Vivienne agreed. “ I feared a private room would send the wrong message. Lyra definitely understands that being part of a community means being present in it.” Her hand settled heavily on Lyra’s shoulder. What would be interpreted as a loving gesture by others was read as the threat it was by Lyra. 

“Yes,” Lyra interjected, “I can’t wait to meet my new roommate, we’re going to be best friends.” Her tone came out bright and cheery, with a cadence she’d not only spent hours perfecting, but also used hundreds of times before.  Inside she just shoved the disappointment she was feeling into a little drawer and used all her metaphysical weight to slam it closed. 

“Good, good,” Dort said. “One little correction though. Roommates. You’ll have two. We figured that, considering we are doing all of this to improve the normie and outcast relationships we figured that there was no better placement for you than with two of the people responsible for saving our beloved Nevermore. So you’ll be staying at Ophelia Hall with Wednesday Addams and Enid Sinclair. 

“That’s great!” Lyra said. “Can’t wait to meet these two extra special roommates.” Extra special freaks. She corrected in her mind but the two other people in the room only saw her excited smile. 

Vivienne seemed satisfied. “Wonderful. There is also the matter of the uniform. Consistency is important and my little Lyra does have a certain image to uphold.”

“Oh, yes,” Dort cleared his throat, reaching for something behind his chair. It was a garment bag that had been hung on the top of the chair. “Your team provided very detailed specifications that we followed to the dot. We have made this one for you to double check if you need any alterations they will be done, if everything is alright they should have a few more uniforms sent to her room within the next few days. 

Lyra and Vivienne watched as Dort unzipped the bag. Overall it did look similar to the uniforms she’d seen on the other students on the way to the office. She would fit in but not blend in. 

The blazer had the school’s black and purple pinstriped pattern but the waist had been drawn in and the sleeves were a little tighter and shorter. The blouse was white and made of a light fabric that wouldn’t add bulk to her frame and the sleeves ended in small lace ruffles that started at the place the blazer ended around its neck was a silk ribbon bow. The plaid skirt would end well above her knees and held a second layer that gave it some shape, the hem ended in more silk ruffles. 

The principal reached under his desk and placed two things on the desk besides the opened bag. The item on top was a pair of knee-high socks that also ended in some ruffles, which she thought she’d be able to avoid by wearing a uniform. They always make the back of her knee itchy. Below the socks were platformed black shiny Mary Janes. 

“It remains within code.” Dort said. “Barely, but yes. I expect proper conduct from Lyra whilst in this uniform.” “The uniform is perfect and she already knows what is expected.” Vivienne replied before Lyra could. It suited her fine, she was already past done with this conversation. 

The uniform was laid on the table and the end of the blazer fell onto Lyra’s and Vivienne’s side of the desk. Lyra reached out to feel it. It was soft at least and she didn’t find it ugly, at least it had some color unlike all the other clothes her stepmother had chosen for her. However Lyra was not under the delusion that this would simply be another stage outfit. Just another set of clothes chosen for her to play the character they need. 

“One more thing, As we discussed little Lyra has a standing appointment in town every other Tuesday.The first one will be tomorrow, there will be a driver at the gates to pick her up and she will be brought back by a driver as well.”

“Ah, yes, we did not forget that. With the tightened restrictions that was a little harder to obtain, but Lyra does have permission to leave the grounds on Tuesdays and is excused from classes. It would be better if we did have a time frame to adhere to.” 

Vivienne’s left eye did a slight twitch at the last part. “I understand that fixed hours would help you, however, I can not provide them. You must understand our side here. These Tuesdays are for her to have a few classes to make sure she doesn’t lose her talent, she may also need to record a few things. Some days she may be done earlier than others, some days she may need to stay until later in the night. Unfortunately without that it would be impossible for her to attend this prestigious academy.” 

“Well, we’ll have to make do then.” He took a laminated piece of paper from the folder in front of him and handed it to Lyra. “You shouldn’t need this but if you are caught by someone who isn’t properly informed of the situation just hand them this and everything will be fine.”

Lyra took the pass and smiled at him. “Thank you, Principal Dort.”

“Yes, thank you. We appreciate what you are doing to make sure this works out for everyone.” 

Dort closed the folder. And stood from his own chair. “With all of that being taken care of, allow me to properly welcome you to Nevermore, Miss Dusk. We will have a student bring you back to your dorm where your luggage should already be waiting. Orientation materials are in this packet, including the rule book.” He slid a slim binder across the desk towards Lyra. “Your mother and I will finish up here with contracts and signatures, then meet you at the entrance as soon as you finish up a school tour. Vivienne rose first and bent down to press a gentle kiss to Lyra’s hairline. “Make me proud.” She whispered. 

Lyra stood up from the chair. The lace of the knee highs she was wearing brushed the back of her knee. She put her smile back on and held it.

“Thank you, Principal Dort,” she said, ”I’m glad I get to experience this school.”

The lie settled around her next to all the other ones she had had to say. 

The phone at his desk rang and he answered it, having a short conversation before hanging up. 

“Right on time,” he said, zipping up the garment bag and giving it to her. ”Your tour guide is just outside, I’m sure you’ll get along great.”