kitkat's ★ vance hopper

[02] 12.09.79

12TH SEPTEMBER, 1979.

10:58, DENVER BEARS HIGHSCHOOL.

VANCE AND CAROLINE HAVE A MOMENT IN THE HALLS.

Caroline found it much easier to make friends here. On her first day at school, she was sat next to a sweet girl called Frances. She had dark blonde hair and tanned skin, she was much taller than Caroline and was much thinner too. It initially caused some sort of jealousy in Caroline but she brushed it off as soon as the girl started talking. Frances had spilled out all sort of compliments, causing a flustered Caroline. After their friendship had begun Frances introduced her to her best friend, Marilyn. Marilyn, or Mary as she preferred, was also a fairly tall girl with dark skin and a curly afro. Her style was a lot more with the times than either Frances or Caroline, but she still complimented Caroline's stripy long sleeves everyday.

The three became good friends, even though Caroline knew the two girls would always be closer with each other than with her, she was grateful for the companionship they gave during school. Another sort of friendship Caroline had gained was the quiet one with Vance Hopper. She had learned his name on the first day at school, after he had been immediately taken into the principals office for attempting to fight a kid during lunch. While her new friends spoke ill of him out of fear, Caroline quite liked him. Whenever she went to the grab n' go (usually on Friday evenings), he was always willing to help reach things and she was always willing to give him her spare quarters for pinball. She had yet to tell him her name, instead he stuck with kikat, which caused her to flush red every single time. Frances and Mary were unaware of the unspoken kindness they shared, never once had Vance been aggressive to her so she felt no need.

Today, Caroline had been left alone walking through the halls of the highschool. Both Marilyn and Frances took spanish, and there had been a field trip for it that day. Caroline didn't mind that much, she liked her time alone. She'd just finished her french class for the morning, and decided that during break she'd drop off a few books during her break between periods. Once she found her locker, Caroline began trying to open it. For some reason she'd been cursed with the most jammed locker in school, and every day she struggled to open it. Repeatedly twisting the lock to open, and jamming it around a couple times it still refused her. She groaned, and decided it wouldn't be so horrible to carry around a few extra books for the day.

"you need some help with that?" There he was, Vance was leaning against the locker next to hers with some stupid smirk on his face. "I had this locker freshman year, I may or may not have done some damage." Hearing Vance say this, Caroline put on a fake look of offence, placing her hand on her heart. "So you're the reason I struggle so much every day?" He nodded hesitantly, after messing around with it for a few seconds, the locker door popped open and vance smiled in pride.

"thank you Vance, that was sweet of you." For a single second, an unreadable emotion flickered through Vance's eyes. He felt himself cross his arms and stand taller. He wasn't sweet, that wasn't the the of guy he was. Vance was to be feared, but his feelings had changed. He didn't want Caroline to be scared of him, sure other people, but not Caroline.

However, Caroline didn't notice. Rather stuck to rooting through her locker and searching for her english book.

"what class do you have now?" A few people around the pair had noticed them talking, some worried about the welfare of this new girl talking to Vance for what looked like the first time. To them, they didn't think she'd make it out of this talk alive. "Uhm, english with Mr Perry I think." Caroline took some of her morning books from her bag and neatly placed them in a stack in her locker, not realising the worrysome glances being thrown her way. "mind if I walk you?" Vance spoke, while shutting her locker for her. "not at all."

They didn't speak on the walk to her next class, occasionally she would see someone she sat next to in a lesson. Caroline would give them a toothy smile, while they had wide eyes at Vance Hopper. He stood protectively beside her as she walked, while she hugged her arms around her stomach.

"i'll see you friday, kitkat?"

"yeah, friday."