Alone Together

Apparently, the principal had told Lumen to find Toria, she learned later. Lumen was more than happy to eagerly sign all sorts of things at Toria. It was strange.

Toria mostly just listened as Lumen talked about some of the places she'd been, and things she'd seen. Her parents usually moved every few years.

"Talked" being relative, of course. Neither of them made a noise aside from the occasional ones from movement or using pencils.

Toria gave her a tour of the school, and helped her find her way around.

And as much as Lumen was looking around at everything, she was also watching Toria a lot.

Actually, so was everyone else.

The new girl was apparently such a big deal that they'd all been unable to contain themselves, and couldn't help but look. They'd broken their own stupid rule.

But Toria found she wasn't really bothered by this, either. Lumen seemed unphased.

Perhaps otherwise still just as ostracized as before. No one else really tried to speak to them.

But they had each other.

That was worth far more.