ɢᴏ ꜰᴏʀ ɪᴛ, ᴍᴀᴛᴛʜᴏʟᴏᴍᴜʟᴇ!

weak

"According to the map, we should be getting close," I remark, peering at the weathered paper in my hands. Distracted, I don't realize that my next step is not onto solid ground.

Panicked, I yelp as a menacing snake pulls me into a tree by my ankle.

Bria makes a move to help me, but before she can, Gus crouches down, again reaching into his collar. "Don't worry, Matty, I got you," he smirks as he slams another HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS looking paper onto the ground and sprouts a barrage of thorny vines.

Blushing furiously, I deflect my feelings (Wow, again?) and snap, "Only Bria can call me tha-" before being rudely interrupted.

Good news is, the vines made the snake let go.
Bad news is, the vines made the snake let go.

Wincing as I smack hard into the ground, Gavin and Angmar roll their eyes and drag me away. "Come on, dude," Gavin groans. "Not surprised he couldn't handle Glandus.." Angmar mutters not-so-subtly.

Ashamed, I stand up, brush my clothes off, and wander back to Bria and Gus. I overhear them speaking in hushed voices, and my eavesdropping instincts pull me behind a bush to listen to their quiet conversation.

"What did they mean by 'couldn't handle Glandus'?" Gus questions, sounding worried. 

My heart comes 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 close to beating right out of my chest.

He's about to find out how pathetic I am. Then what will he think of me? Probably the truth: that I'm a whiny, dramatic loser.

But instead of exposing all the.. things that happened to me at my old school, Bria shrugs and says "Things work differently at Glandus. Weak students are pushed around by the strong. But if I had a Galdorstone, I might be able to change things for the better." 

I snort (hopefully) quietly. As if 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘢, of all people, wants to change things. She thrives at Glandus. The weaker kids get pushed around by the stronger ones. That's just how it works. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 knows that, and she's never been one to upset the natural order.

(omg double update?? i'm slaying today wow)