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— 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐃 school.
It was like an unspoken agreement that no matter where in the world one might be, it was hell on earth. But for Willow Sinclair, it was a little more complicated than just hating high school.
She liked her classes well enough — especially history, and although she didn't like talking to her peers very much; she wasn't afraid to ask her teachers for help when she needed it. She wasn't the best at school grade-wise, but she wasn't horrible either.
Above average, below exceeding — that was the definition of Willow Sinclair.
The one problem she had with school, was the location and purpose of her school. Being the only white student to be attending school on the reservation didn't exactly scream inconspicuous.
But she wasn't mad at the students. How could she be? If the looks students shot her as they passed one another in the halls shouted that she didn't belong, she agreed.
She didn't mind living on the reservation — after all, her situation couldn't be helped. She didn't even mind learning about the culture and way of the Quileute people. Hearing their legends and outlook on different things was interesting to Willow. But she certainly did mind attending a place that was quite literally a tribal school. A school that was not made for someone like her.
She felt like it was a slap in the face to the Quileute people...a mockery of their beliefs and culture, and their scathing eyes as they looked her up and down seemed to feel the same way. The last thing she wanted to do was make anyone feel that way.
But her aunt just didn't seem to get the problem. They'd probably had the conversation ten times by now, but Briony Fuller was nothing if not a stubborn woman.
"Honey, you're family! Why would it be a problem for you to attend the school on the reservation?" She'd ask every single time the topic of switching schools was brought up.
"Aunty B, I know you mean well — but look at me! We're related, but our skin does not say that. I am white, and you are Native American. That is the difference between me and you, and the difference between me and every other person in La Push, too." And Willow would argue back every single time.
But her argument always fell on deaf ears, no matter how hard she tried to push for Briony to understand. Her cousins Briar and Brady even jumping in to support her a couple of times still didn't make the woman budge.
Willow was well and truly stuck going to school on the reservation. But she wasn't one to make herself out to be the victim at every inconvenience, so after one last try and refusal — Willow accepted her situation for what it was.
She would bear through it for the last couple of years of her high school career, and then she would be free to do what she pleased with her life. And although she didn't know what that was just yet, she had time to figure it out anyway.
