It was a quieter day than most, as a low fog descended over the school grounds... Not that it mattered to Saira. She was inside, after all! The tanned girl moved through the halls in her school uniform, pulling the jacket close as she glided past doors. As usual, she had been going over her files of students and monsters, looking for 'interesting' students to meet.

It was... a little creepy, she had to admit, but... she was kind of shy still (sort of), so she needed all the help she could get. And if this Erica Riley was as smart as her stolen files said... then she'd probably be a pretty cool friend, right? It was with that... foreknowledge let's call it, that Saira walked into the library, having asked around a bit earlier to hear that she was there, reading... And, finding her, she walked towards the table she was sitting at, calmly leaning over to smile over at the other glasses-wearing girl.

"Hello, are you Erica?"

Just like that. Right out there, all of a sudden even!

It had been a quiet day, the fog that had decended over the island was a bit disheartening really but, I had woken up that day with a purpose. With no classes to go to I felt I needed to be in the library looking through certain tomes to accertain some knowledge I required. I already had the basics of my experiment ready I just needed the last bits of information to complete the first quick grow PECO experiment... of course I'd also need a thunder storm but, that would have to wait.

I sat in the library with books lining my table, mostly advanced theoretical genetics books; each written by someone most people would never have heard of; I was surprised the school had these honestly but, then again it seemed they had everything for everyone here.

It was when I heard a voice and only then that I looked up from a particularly interesting page to see a dark skinned woman... egyptian i assumed from the facial structure and pigment.

'are you Erica?'

she asked me. And of course I couldn't help myself, I didn't always think before I spoke.

"I am an Erica yes, of course with how common the name is among women there are probably at least... fourty on the island based on the average of 10 to every hundred or so being named such... of course that knowledge is long out of date and no doubt faulty to begin with. but I assume you mean Erica Riley, I assume you wish to see if the other students are right in calling me a presumptuous, know-it-all, snobby, four eyed cunt... or are you here to actually speak with me?"

I sighed as I finished... really I hoped it was the latter

Saira frowned a bit when Erica went into the big long cynical monologue, sort of shaking her head a little. And in her tone was an obvious note of... disappointment? Pity?

"...Do you do this to everyone who says hello to you? I mean would I even make that little... uh, lovely description of you anyway? Seems kinda hypocritical, doesn't it?"

She pushed up her glasses idly, trying to get across the idea that someone wearing glasses calling someone else a four-eyed anything was... dumb and, like she said, hypocritical. But... still...

"Are you gonna keep biting my head off or will we be able to just sit down and talk a little? I did a lot of research just to figure out that you -might- have good conversation. Don't want to throw that all away now!"

I smiled noticeably when she began to dig into my words. I couldn't help but laugh a little bit nervously blushing faintly at my own assumptions. I had really become rather jaded and withdrawn since I got here since people kept seeing me as some unfeeling machine.

"Well I didn't always act like that but, yeah lately I have, since I started classes a week ago I kinda got used to people looking down at me for being bright."

I pause for a minute; my tone had sounded joyous now mixed in was the relief of having an actual conversation rather than a talking down to.

"You'd also be surprised at how many girls in glasses called me a four eyed freak of nature in my lifetime thus far."

the tone that time, though cheerful held just a little bit of disgust.

"Now anyway; sorry for being rude, but yeah I'm Erica Riley. Now, about this 'Research' you've been doing Miss... Oh sorry I didn't catch your name."

Saira smiled at that, calmly. Almost serenely.

"...Saira. Saira Nejem. And I guess so, though I never really got that. I've heard the reasons and so on but... Still doesn't quite make sense to be looked down on for intelligence. Maybe mocked a little out of jealousy or something but..."

She shook her head. Erica HAD asked her another question and she didn't want to ramble her way out of it. Though at the same time she didn't want to tell her the full truth flat out, either.

"Er, anyway. Yes. I'm an anthropology major and I happen to have a little bit of know-how in sociology too. And I was able to compile files and data on the student population at large. Your name came up when I was flipping through."

Saira giggled a little, blushing too.

"You could say that I abused the power of science a little, there."

"Abused science? those words can be used in a sentence in such a way?"

I paused scratching at my chin slightly in thought before shrugging slightly.

"Science can't be abused as long as it's being used to further knowledge and humanity or even yourself in one way or another Saira."

I snickered a little at that and was being completely honest to her. My hands slipped to my glasses to push them back up to the bridge of my nose.

"how much info do you have on me exactly?"

I was a little worried really, I hoped she didn't know the connection between me and my internet idol persona Laria... that would be completely devastating! I just smiled nervously to her waiting for her to respond.

Saira blushed a bit at the answer she got, and tried to come up with a way to explain herself to Erica, eventually smiling sheepishly and speaking with a sort of unsure tone.

"I meant I... I thought it was too selfish of me, or maybe creepy-stalkerish or something. But I guess if you don't think so, it's fine..."

Then a pause, tilting her head, wondering what to say. Luckily for Erica, her secret was safe, as that just wasn't the kind of thing that the files really had a need to record.

"Well, anyway. I know your name, general appearance, height, weight, measurements, biographical history..."

Saira looked nervous, and leaned in to whisper the next part to Erica.

"...And some things about... let's say, what the school would rather normal girls didn't know. About them and you. Not graphic details or anything, but records. I... I wouldn't tell anyone else."

She hoped Erica knew she meant the monsters. She... also hoped that Erica wouldn't get shocked and offended that she knew.

"Well the measurements weight and all are probably wrong... I lied on every application and had doctors lie too so I could get larger clothing."

I told her before she told me something else that sent a shiver downmy spine.
'And some things about... let's say, what the school would rather normal girls didn't know. About them and you. Not graphic details or anything, but records'
She knew?! I couldn't believe she knew!!! well at least i thought she knew. at that time I had never met any of the islands secret inhabitiants. I began to panic noticably.

"How on earth did they like me and Laria as the same person?! I can't believe the administration knew that! It's... it's unfathomable! I worked so hard to hide that side of me!"

So i inadvertantly reveal that me and the popular internet model/idol were the same person... I really feel like an idiot thinking back on that.

"

Saira blinked, veeeery confused by this whole train of events. But... raising a finger, almost as if in protest, she shook her head.

"So wait. I... I wasn't talking about that. I don't even know what you're talking about! I think. But I meant... them! ...You... Maybe I misread it. You haven't met them yet?... Wow. I... Sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up."

She nervously chuckled, though, trying to keep the conversation alive.

"I guess we both have our secrets, don't we?"

I paused looking her nervously. I laughed a little then a lot shaking my head softly.

"Yes... we both HAD secrets... until I did the most idiotic blunder a genius can make blurting it out... it isn't going to get out to the entire campus that i'm an internet idol will it? I won't be able to live with myself if it does! I'll be a laughing stock... and probably seen as a slut for the way I dressed in half of those pictures on my site..."

I was practically begging her now looking down to the floor eyes closed hoping she'd promise never to tell anyone.

"But, Might I ask... since you already know my secret now... what do you mean by 'them' Saira?"

the way she used the word instead of a name of a group or something... it made me think she'd think i'd think she was insane if she told me.