This ain't a diary, this is a - mirror?

Chapter 44: 'Cheating' on the History Homework

"We have Free Period, so we can literally sit in our rooms for an hour and continue eating." Elena remarked, still gnawing contently on her granola bar. "That's how it works, right?"

"I suppose so," Samantha replied as she squinted at her paw - which was thankfully free of paint, but scrubbed so much that her paw pad really did feel like it had fallen off. "Oh, wait - we still have History work to do. Darn."

"Ugh, History and homework? The worst combination ever." Elena groaned and turned over on her bed. "I'll get on to it... once I stop procrastinating. What was it, a one page essay? Can't I just make the font on my page huge or something?"

"Good idea... but she's explicitly put 'font 12' on the email about the homework she sent us." Samantha scrolled through her emails and took a bite of the cookie that was on her desk. "Maybe just shove a lot of pictures in there to take up space or something."

"Nice." Elena finally sat up and stretched. "Well, better get working. Which Egyptian deity did you choose?"

"Me? Uh, haha..." Samantha scratched the back of her head awkwardly. "Well, I was just about to get deciding on that..."

Elena sat down at her desk and pulled out her laptop. "I see. Well, I'm choosing the cat goddess - Bast - because she seems pretty cool!"

"Good idea..." Samantha said, her attention already wandering elsewhere as she spoke. "I'll choose in just a second... let me pull up a list of all Egyptian gods and goddesses right now."

---

"I'm done! I'm just going to change here because the school changing rooms suck." Elena announced.

Samantha looked up at her, wide eyed. "Wait, how are you done...?"

Elena chuckled. "Well, to start with, I actually pay attention in class..."

Samantha huffed playfully. "Rude. I'll just shove in a few random pictures and it'll be a page. There. Done." Samantha stood up and scrolled through her essay. "Yeah, that looks legit. I'll just submit it... yep, that's done too."

"Well, good job." Elena picked up her PE clothes and trotted into the bathroom. "You can change out here if you want, since I'm not leaving this bathroom anytime soon. Just remember to lock the door."

"Yeah, sure... Let me just procrastinate a bit." Samantha flopped on her bed and pulled out her phone. "Also, there's something I need to do..."

---

'Hey, Astra,

It's been a while since I saw you. Wanna, uh, hang out for a bit whenever you're free and get Starbarks or something? Looking forward to catch up with you (is that how they say it?) - Sam'

Samantha pressed the send button without even rereading over her text and flopped back on her bed again. "There, done." She said aloud. "I'd better get changed... how long has it been? 5 minutes? Hm, whatever. I still have ages until PE actually starts... by ages, I mean 15 minutes. Whoops."

---

Samantha immediately trotted upstairs to her dorm to change after PE - after all, she wasn't too fond of sharing a changing room with a group of sweaty dogs (and other animals). It wasn't like she was rushing to lunchtime anyways or that she had a lesson to get to...

Elena had gone off to get food (because food was apparently her priority - not that Samantha would argue, since she'd probably do that as well if she wasn't that sweaty). Samantha locked the door and quickly changed back into her favourite grey hoodie.

After taking the time to redo her hair (yes, Samantha did care about her hair - like most girls would), she grabbed another cookie and went downstairs to the canteen to meet up with Elena.

"Did anyone hurt you?! Did anyone say anything to you?! Did anyone even look at you funny?! I swear, if they did any of those things, I'm going to...!"

"Sis, it was fine! Everyone was really nice... but thank you so much for caring for me!" A voice chirped back. "I don't know what I'd do without you!"

Curious, Samantha slowed down at the corner and peered around it. Waddling - if that was even the word to use - down the corridor were two bats - one black, orange and yellow furred, and another with orange and yellow fur. They both appeared to have feathery little antennae on their head - a pair in a dark orange-red and another pair in dark grey. The one with the dark grey antennae and the black, orange and yellow fur also appeared to have one completely blank white eye that seemed to be glowing faintly.

The bat with the white eye let out a long, breathy sigh. Her voice - at least, Samantha assumed it was a her - softened slightly. "Aw, Robin. I don't know what I'd do without you, too."

Samantha decided to go down the stairs on the other side of the building before the bats could spot her. After all, she didn't want a reputation as some sort of... stalker. She trotted down to the bottom floor, shot a glare at Ember - who was curled up on a bench next to the canteen - and went inside to find Elena.

She found Elena sitting with Sharon, Luna and Zephyr, as usual. To her surprise, it appeared that they had decided to sit by a few students and they were making conversation - not that Samantha minded, but they'd never really sat next to other students before during lunch.

Samantha grabbed herself lunch and padded over to Elena. On seeing Samantha, Elena pulled aside her bag - which had been resting on the chair next to her - and gestured at the seat.

"Thanks," Samantha whispered as she sat herself down. "Er, catch me up on what's happened?"

"Oh, right!" Elena whispered back. "Well, we sat down where we usually would, then a few new students came over and asked if they could sit here! So we couldn't say no, since, well, it'd be rude... but they're actually really cool people! Hey, wait a minute -"

"Hey, darlin' - 're you a friend of theirs?" A tan, black and brown furred fox drawled as he adjusted his hoodie. His piercing green eyes met Samantha's for a few seconds then his eyes widened in surprise. "Hey, you're the infamous Samantha I've been hearing so much about!" He swivelled over to Elena and chuckled. "So, here we have them - the two infamous rebels I've been hearing so much about! Sorry for not recognisin'  ya earlier."

"Uh... thanks?" Samantha replied, slightly taken aback. "I didn't realise I had a... reputation."

"You should introduce yourself before you jump straight into things, 'cal," Zephyr offered helpfully. "I think Sam's a bit confused."

"Uh, yeah, that'd be a good idea. Since you seem to know me already, I guess I don't have to introduce myself... but what's your name?"

The fox let out a bark of laughter. "Of course, silly me. I'm Rascal Leonhart, the charmin' fox of Alpine High. Nice to meet ya."