Coinpilfer University!!

You buy the necessary uniform -- enough to last one week, so that you can just wash it on weekends -- and head off! You're a bit sad to say goodbye to your white shirt and jeans, they've done you very well so far, but those feelings of sadness are quickly overtaken by joy as you look at yourself in the mirror -- a white, button up shirt with the school crest on its chest pocket, a black blazer with red lining on the cuffs and collar and red vertical stripes along it, a black tie with red lining along its edges, and black pants -- with pockets! There's no official school shoes, so you just wear your same partially worn down runners. It's a bit annoying that you have to tuck the shirt into the pants, and that (as far as you know) the same goes for the tie, but you'll get used to it.{if RobberCaught == 0} Entirely on your own, you decided to get the pants a bit tight. And you've washed your hair!{endif}

As excited as you are, you still can't help but feel small and nervous and afraid as you walk up that gravel road again, walking slower and slower until you come to a stop. Looking around as the grassy flats and trees which intersect the old buildings, you see a lot of other students -- but none of them are alone. There's a boy and a girl sitting in the shade of a tree, there's three girls walking up the gravel road ahead of you, there's six boys tackling each other into the grass -- and one of the girls from ahead of you just sprinted over and tackled two over at once. Okay, that reminds you, it's just like Ben said -- everybody here is nervous, everybody here is new, if you just try talking to somebody and joining in, you can't go wrong.

You look back down at the ground and keep walking up towards the main buildings. It's one thing to know that something's true, and something entirely different to act like it's true. Maybe the friends will all come to you....?

bump

You bumped? Oh no, you bumped! You totally just ruined somebody's day oh god maybe they didn't feel it maybe they won't turn around oh no oh no just keep looking at the ground and you'll be alr-

"Oh, hey! Sorry, I was walking a bit slow."

KEEP LOOKING AT THE GROUND.

"Um- are you alright? I'm sorry, I didn't-"

You can't just ignore him! Your head snaps up at never before recorded speeds, eyes uncomfortably wide and mouth in an equally wide, weird looking, 'I'm at the dentist and you are the dentist' grin.

"Woah!" The guy jumps back, landing on just one foot and raising his arms into a karate pose.

The two of you stay like this for several seconds. It's going well so far! you think to yourself.

{if RobberCaught == 0}"....Debbie?"

WOAH! THIS GUY CAN READ MINDS! Quick, think of something unassuming!{if@ Purity>80} Cake!{else} Cock! No, w-wait...!{endif}

"Hey, Debbie! It's me, Jace, from the bank!"

....oh. You relax your face, and he moves out of his uncomfortable but intimidating combat pose. Wait a sec!

"What are you doing here?! You were trying to rob a bank not too long ago!"

"Shhhh!" He steps towards you again and puts his finger against your lips. This angers the Debbie. "Come on man, don't just say that out loud! You pinky promised!"

You pull his finger off of your lips and eye him warily. "Why were you robbing a bank?" you say in a quieter voice.

"Dude, I don't know if you're aware, but it costs a lot of money to come here."

You're aware.

"It wasn't even a proper robbery, it was just with a water pistol I'd painted. Even if I'd been caught, they'd probably have let me off with a warning. That's, like, the law."

He's making good points. Still, you don't like it.

The two of you talk a short while longer, and as it turns out, you're heading for the same room -- which means you're in the same class! You don't know how you feel about that, but still, Ben wanted you to make friends, and friends are just people you know and don't actively plot against. For the moment, this counts.{else}"Um, hiya- bud. Buddy. I'm.... Jace?"

"I'm Debbie" is what you try to say, but speaking through your dental exam teeth it comes out more like "m ghuahat". You relax your face and straighten up your back. Jace gets out of his admittedly terrifying one-legged combat pose.

"Nice, uh, meeting you Ghuahat. Are you... a first year here?"

The two of you get to talking, and as it turns out, you're heading for the same room -- which means you're in the same class! Well, that was lucky. Maybe he can be your friend!{endif}

The two of you go down the gravel road together, you clutching tightly at your backpack's straps, and Jace doing a weird thing with his feet that looks kind of like he wants to dance right now but cannot because of the nature of university. You guess everybody here's going through their own problems.