Eris' Life

Preview Chapter

Eris sat down nervously in the back corner of her sociocultural studies class. Next to her, was a girl her height with fair skin, brown eyes, and brunette hair that was combed in a ponytail. The girl gave her a cold glare, making Eris shudder.

"What's her problem," Eris thought. "I hope she doesn't hate me."

Trying not to let her anxiety get the best of her, Eris looked at her notebook and started doodling to calm herself down. A few seconds later, the teacher walked inside. She was a middle-aged woman with glasses and light blonde hair that was going gray.

"Hello everyone," the teacher announced. "I'm Mrs. Wilson. And I will be your instructor for this year's social studies course."

As the instructor started going over the syllabus, Eris couldn't take her mind off of the girl next to her.

"What does she have against me?" she thought.

"Alright," the instructor said. "Now I want you to get in groups of four. I want each one of you to introduce yourself, give an interest of yours, say what you know about social studies, and say what you plan on studying for your major. This is going to be an interactive class. So I want students to participate and express what knowledge they bring to the table. After your done introducing yourselves, I want one person from each group to introduce everyone in their group to the class."

"Great," Eris thought. "Now I have to talk to people. I haven't finished voice training yet. I'm gonna sound horrible."

The girl next to Eris turned to her along with two girls sitting in the row in front of them.

"Okay, I guess I'll start," said the girl in front of Eris. She was a fair-skinned, green-eyed girl with long wavy red hair.

"I'm Rachel," she said amicably. "I like gymnastics, I hope to be an archeology major someday, and I think I know some stuff about ancient mythologies and folklore from different Eurasian cultures. I don't know how useful that would be for this class but it's something. heh, heh."

The girl next to Eris went next.

"I'm Jenny," she said nonchalantly. "I like tennis. I hope to be a sports science major someday, and I know a lot about sports cultures."

She was followed by moments of silence. Eris could tell that, like her, the girl in front of Jenny was shy and didn't want to talk.

"I guess I'll go next," Eris said awkwardly. Jenny gave her a weird look.

"I'm Eris," Eris said, trying to ignore her insecurities. "I like video games,"

"Shit! Why did I say that?!" she thought. "That's not a feminine interest."

"I also, um, like art," she went on. "And I hope to be a data science major someday and I know some stuff about different art styles from various ancient cultures."

Jenny looked at her in annoyance.

"Okay," Rachel said, trying to keep the mood pleasant. She turned to the girl next to her. She was an East Asian girl with short black hair that only fell slightly past her chin. "You're last."

"I'm Melissa," the girl said shyly. "I like video games too. I hope to be a computer science major and I know some stuff about different types of fighting sports."

"Oh, phew!" Eris thought. "I'm not the most masculine girl here."

"Alright, who wants to introduce everyone in our group?" Rachel said.

"I can do it," Jenny answered.

"Okay, do you remember everyone's names, majors, and interests?" Rachel replied.

"Um, you're Rachel, you're....,"

"Why don't we write it down?" Eris suggested, rearing a sheet of paper from her notebook. She took out a pencil and wrote down her name, major, and interests.

"Good idea," Rachel responded as Eris handed her the paper and pencil. She took them and wrote down the necessary facts about her. Melissa and Jenny did the same.

"Alright, time to introduce yourselves to the class," Mrs. Wilson announced.

"Oh, I better write my pronouns down so she doesn't accidentally misgender me," Eris thought. Once Jenny put the pencil and paper down, Eris took them and wrote her pronouns in parentheses after her name. Once it was her group's turn, Eris listened intently for how Jenny would refer to her.

"This is Eris," Jenny said. "They are..."

"'They?' What the fuck?!" Eris thought. "I wrote my pronouns on the sheet of paper! There's no way she wouldn't remember them! She has to be doing this on purpose!"

Eris wanted to correct Jenny but she was too nervous to speak up.

"What would even be the point?" Eris thought. "It's obvious that Jenny's transphobic. I should just report her after class. Hopefully that does something."

The rest of the class, Eris angrily doodled through her notebook, thinking of what Jenny had done.

"I need to retaliate," she thought. "But I don't know how I can without getting in trouble. I can't confront her here because that would disrupt the class. And if I confront her outside of class, I'll look like the bully."

After what felt like hours, the teacher finally dismissed the class. The students quickly got up and left. However, Eris remained sitting in her chair, still shocked by what Jenny had done.

"She's still here," Eris thought, as Jenny started packing her backpack. "I could confront her right now."

She was about to say something but her nervousness stopped her. Before she could work up her courage, Jenny turned to her.

"Bye Eris, see you next class," she said in a mocking tone. Too anxious to respond, Eris watched as Jenny exited the classroom.

"Was she threatening me?" Eris thought. "I'm fucking scared."