Chapter Text
“Betsy come on hurry up. Don’t want to be late on your first day” Lisa shouted up the stairs of her home. Her daughter Betsy was starting another new school. It was their third one in two years. If this school didn’t go well, she would have to consider moving. Giving them both a complete fresh start.
“Why do I even have to go to school. It’s not even important” Betsy stated storming down the stairs. She was definitely not a morning person.
“Your 14. Its law and you and I both know I take the law very seriously”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re a copper. I get it” Betsy rolled her eyes at her mother.
“Where’s your tie?” Lisa asked Betsy noticing that her daughter was already making her own twists to the compulsory school uniform.
“The tie is ugly. It’s only a clip on anyway. I’d end up losing it”
“Betsy Swain” Lisa warned.
“Fine I’ll go get the stupid tie. But if I lose it, it’s not my fault” Betsy shouted running back up the stairs.
The drive to the school was filled with awkward small talk. If Lisa was being honest, she didn’t really know what to say to her daughter anymore. She was running out of chances and Lisa wasn’t sure how many other ways she could say it. She wasn’t sure how she could get through to her daughter.
“We are here Betsy”
“Oh great. Can’t wait” The sarcasm dripped from Betsy’s voice.
“Come on Bets. This is one of our last options. Please just give it a chance. I’m begging you here”
Betsy softened at her mum’s desperation. “Okay. I’ll try. But if it’s as bad as the last one I want to be homeschooled” Betsy joked already knowing her mum’s viewpoint on the matter.
“We aren’t rich enough to buy that many tutors. There’s a higher chance of me sending you to boarding school. What do you think about a nice military one?” Lisa joked back. It was times like these where she felt normal again.
“You’d miss me too much” Betsy replied smiling at her mum and pulling her in for a quick hug.
“Have a good day Bets. Love you”
“Love you too mum”
‘Right Betsy, new school. No need to be nervous. You’ve done this before. Multiple times. Just got to figure out where room G7 is’ Betsy thought to herself. Sometimes she regrets getting kicked out of so many schools. As she is looking around reading all the different class names Betsy feels someone walk into her.
“Hey, watch it” Betsy called out to the person who ran into her
“You’re the one who walked into me. Maybe you should look where you are going”
Betsy immediately felt herself go defensive. She wasn’t going to be seen as a push over just because she was new. “Who do you think your talking to”
“Whatever. I’m not letting you make me late for class”
Betsy felt somewhat accomplished that she had won her first argument at her new school. And it wasn’t even an argument she had purposely started this time. The bell rang causing Betsy to come out of her thoughts. She groaned realising that she still didn’t know where G7 was, and she was now officially late to her first class.
Betsy was 10 minutes late once she had finally found G7. While she was happy to have missed 10 minutes’ worth of English, she wasn’t happy about the big deal that was about to be made. Not only was she late but she was also new. Two things the teacher is bound to make a big deal of. Betsy knocked on the door and walked into the classroom.
“Sorry I’m late. Er got lost” Betsy decided to keep it short and sweet. Every knew she was the new kid so there was no point in sugarcoating what happened. And she promised her mum she would actually try at this school.
“You must be Betsy. Welcome to the school. We can have someone show you around at break time if you would like. So, you can get used to the school”
“Yeah maybe” Betsy replied just wanting to sit down. There were far too many eyes on her.
“Well, there’s only one seat left so you don’t have a choice I’m afraid. You’ll be next to Darcey at the back”
Betsy looked around the room for the empty seat and started making her way to the back of the classroom. She groaned once she realised who Darcey was.
“Of course it would be you” Betsy muttered.
“Should I be worried that you’ll somehow walk into me again” Darcey joked looking up at Betsy who was still standing. Darcey raised an eyebrow. “Are you going to sit down?” She asked.
Betsy grumbled out a practically incoherent reply as she sat down. She was only in this lesson for an hour she reminded herself.
“Look I’m not happy about this either. I like sitting on my own”
“Yeah well at least its only for this lesson” Betsy snapped.
“If we are in the same English then we will be in the same history and geography. Don’t ask me why that’s just how it works. And like I said I like sitting on my own”
“Right. And? I don’t see what that has to do with me”
“I’m the only one with an empty seat next to me. So, you’ll be seeing a lot of me”
“Brilliant” Betsy rolled her eyes and focused her attention back on the teacher. Might as well try and get some learning done.
Betsy was in her third lesson of the day. She had spent her break time on a tour of the school. It was actually kind of useful and she did feel as though she knew her way around the school slightly better now.
“Are you going to ignore me the whole time?” Darcey whispered to Betsy.
“Well, I was planning on it”
“Oh, come on. We sit next to each other in three lessons, maybe more. You can’t ignore me for the whole year”
“I can and I will” Betsy snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. She was not in the mood to keep this conversation going.
Darcey rolled her eyes. The girl next to her was clearly very stubborn. “Look I’m sorry about this morning okay. I was in a bad mood because of the buses. I’m not normally like that I promise”
Betsy looked at the girl next to her and sighed. She was holding a petty grudge for no reason. If she was going to be stuck at this school, she might as well try and make some friends. “Truce?” She offered.
“Truce” Darcey smiled.
“Can I er-“Betsy felt so stupid for the question she was about to ask. “Can I sit with you for lunch”
Darcey’s smile grew wider. The girl next to her was so intriguing. One second, she hated her guts and the next she wanted to have lunch with her. “Of course you can”
“Betsy, Darcey. Care to share your conversation with the rest of the class”
“Sorry Sir” They both replied in unison, struggling to stifle a giggle.
“One Direction really?” Betsy exclaimed. “I didn’t think anyone listened to them anymore” Betsy giggled, looking across to Darcey who looked offended.
“They made good music” Darcey huffed out.
“Yeah okay” Betsy paused to take a couple of bites of her sandwich. “Come on then Directioner, what other music do you listen to?”
“I’m not telling you. You’re just going to make fun of me again” Darcey joked crossing her arms over her chest.
“Well, no promises”
“Well, I obviously like Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter” Darcey stated, eyeing Betsy to see if she would be made fun of.
“Who doesn’t?”
“Enough about me. What do you like” Darcey asked realising that she knows absolutely nothing about her new friend.
“Mmmm I’m a mystery me”
“Oh, come on that’s rubbish. You’ve got to give me something”
Betsy smiled, jokingly rolling her eyes. She hasn’t had a friend that actually cared about her interests in a very long time. “If you must know something about me, I’m really into fashion. Want to do a fashion course once I’m done with school”
“No way”
“What? Do you think its lame?” Betsy asked suddenly insecure.
“No. I think that’s cool. I love fashion as well. Looks like we have something in common after all” Darcey smiled.
“Yeah, guess we do” Betsy smiled back at Darcey. The bell rang indicating the end of lunch. For the first time in the day Betsy and Darcey were in different lessons. “Wanna hang out after school?”
Darcey hesitated. She really wanted to spend as much time with her new friend as possible. But she was meant to meet her mum at the factory after school. Darcey’s thought process was interrupted by Betsy speaking again.
“We don’t have to if you don’t want to” clarified Betsy, worrying that she was being too pushy.
“No no I want to. It’s just I promised my mum that I would go straight to her after school”
“I’m sure it will be fine. We can hang out closer to your house if you want. That way if your mum needs you, your close by”
Darcey still wasn’t sure. But there was something about Betsy. She wanted to know everything about her. “Okay fine. Meet me by the bike sheds after school” Darcey stated before walking away from Betsy and to her next lesson.
“So this is one of the main hangout areas around Wethersfield” Darcey stated before showing off the park at the precinct.
Betsy made her way over to the swing set and sat down, nodding with her head to indicate that Darcey should do the same. As Darcey made her way over, Betsy took her phone out of her pocket and quickly sent a message to her mum stating that she was hanging out with her new friend and would therefore need a lift home.
“So” Darcey hesitated unsure if she should ask what she wanted to ask.
“So what?” Betsy raised an eyebrow
“Why did you move schools? It has only been three months of the new school year”
Betsy hung her head, staring at the floor. “You don’t want to know” she muttered
“No, I do” Darcey exclaimed “I mean only if you want to share of course, no pressure”
“I bought weed into school. Got caught. They kicked me out” Betsy shrugged, playing it off like it was no big deal.
“You what!!!” Darcey shouted, clearly horrified at what her new friend had done.
Betsy immediately broke out into laughter, unable to keep a straight face. “You should have seen your face. Priceless” Betsy spoke in between fits of giggles.
“So, you didn’t smuggle drugs into school”
“No” Betsy laughed. “I just bunked a few too many lessons. Attendance was very low. And I might have potentially set off the fire alarm once or twice” Betsy winced at that last part. She wasn’t proud of it but she new it would get her kicked out. And that was what she wanted.
“That’s not much better” Darcey looked over at Betsy trying to judge if Betsy was remorseful.
“Oh, come on. Don’t tell me you’re a goody two shoes. You’ve must have done something you regret”
“I just don’t like doing the wrong thing”
“Well, it’s too late for that” a voice calls out from behind them, startling both Betsy and Darcey. “You were meant to be back ages ago.”
“Mum I am so sorry”
Betsy interrupted Darcey before she could dig herself into a hole. It was clear that Darcey needed help. “Sorry Darcey’s mum. It’s my fault. I’m new to the area. Darcey was the first friend I made, and I asked her if she could show me around” Betsy tried to make her voice sound as innocent as possible.
Carla softened at the teenagers in front of her. It was nice to see that Darcey was willingly hanging out with someone her own age. And Darcey was clearly upset that she was in trouble. “It’s okay Darce, just let me know next time yeah?”
“Yeah, sorry mum” Darcey mumbled, slightly embarrassed that this was all happening in front of Betsy. “I’m going to have to go Betsy, see you at school tomorrow?”
“Hold on not so fast Darce. Don’t want to leave your friend stranded at the precinct now do we. How are you getting home love”
“Oh, don’t worry I asked my mum to pick me up”
“Right well we will stay until your mum arrives” Carla stated not wanting to leave a young girl at the precinct on her own. It was getting dark after all.
“Thank you. She shouldn’t be long” Betsy replied sitting back down on the swing so her and Darcey could continue their conversation.