GLITCHES , apply fic

*•.¸♡ chapter four

neptune really didn't want to be that person. it wasn't her fault that it was the one she had become.

she hadn't had anyone she could call a friend growing up, and it didn't make much sense to start now, seeing as in less than two years, she'd no doubt be at oxford, where she'd be far too busy working to even talk to her fellow students. her lack of the desperation to socialise that everyone else seemed to have gave off the impression of coldness, she knew, so it was rare that anyone approached her with anything more than a bribe for answers to homework (which she obviously declined). she was seen as a stuck-up loser who thought she was better than everyone else, neptune was sure, but she couldn't really bring herself to care. so she played into the act, stopped even attempting to hide her thoughts which may have come across as rude, and let people see her however they wanted, because soon she'd be out of this school and none of it would matter.

that was the plan. at least, it had been until this morning. you see, a very important part of this plan was not letting her secrets – her family's secrets – get out, seeing as they would certainly both throw her and her mother's lives into jeopardy.

her mother had ran for and served as an mp for the majority of neptune's childhood, and was still deeply involved in politics. this had given her quite a reputation in their small town, which had very few claims to fame. enough of a reputation that the truth would almost definitely ruin her career, her chance of ever getting it back, everything. the truth being... well, they weren't the picture-perfect family neptune's mother had advertised when basing her campaign on family values. she had only increased in popularity after neptune's father's death, her mother playing the sympathy card, but this event may have included a few more forged medical files and lectures to get it into ten-year-old neptune's head that if anyone asked, her dad had died of cancer, it had been a terrible tragedy and it could have happened to anyone. later, she'd be given a pretty similar speech about never saying a word about her father's other family, but that was a different story. one that lisa knew everything about.

now, she had taken three of her classmates by surprise (she now recognised them as william jones, luna hart and umber agnesies: three of the nicer students, but ones she was in no way of any allegiance to) after seeing one of them on their phone. in their shock, the three had left the phone screen completely in view, so neptune could easily see what they'd been so interested in before. what it was made her throat go dry and her heart speed up.

"hello, neppy!" chirped that sickly-sweet, all too familiar voice. "did you miss me?"

"that's... that's..." neptune pointed feebly, and her classmates looked just as scared.

"i didn't open the app, i swear!" luna squeaked.

lisa giggled. "come on, lulu, we're friends! i can come in without knocking, can't i?"