The start of a new school term came as school resumed. I woke up and changed into my school uniform before going to the washroom. There, I saw Cecelia who was brushing her teeth at the sink.

  "Grrd murrnig." She greeted me while still brushing her teeth.

  "Good morning Cecelia." It was definitely a change of pace now in our house with recent events - greeting each other like this every morning.

  It was certainly much livelier living together like this, with moments together like these. Smiling at her returning my greeting despite brushing her teeth, I stood beside her and began brushing my teeth.

  Cecelia soon finished brushing her teeth, "I'll make breakfast." She said as she left the washroom.

  Seeing how much Cecelia trusted me now, "..." I closed the door, before looking into the mirror. "Living a lie," looking at my reflection in the mirror, "Would you accept me, even if the person you knew died inside?" I tried reaching for my heart - putting my hands on my chest. I just felt anxious. What if everything I've done colpsed if she rejected who I was? Thinking about the chance of rejection hurts, "..."

  … … …

  I spshed water on my face on the verge of tears and tried to change my focus—wash my face and brush my teeth. "I had to get ready for school right now." I told myself as a means to distract myself.

  After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I left the washroom to go help Cecelia with breakfast. We quickly finished cooking and eating. After we cleaned up, I went back to my room to do one final check up on myself before heading down to the entrance. Finalizing myself and getting my bag, I prepared to leave.

  "Cecelia, I'm leaving for school, I'll see you when you're done with school." I told her as I finished putting my shoes on.

  "Yes." Cecelia uttered quietly. "Have a safe trip." A wave—it looked cute seeing it from her for the first time.

  I couldn't help but smile looking at her. "You as well." I returned the wave back to her before I left.

  The scores for the exams were posted on their respective floors for their respective students. From the first-year scoreboard, I tried looking for my name, yet couldn't find my name anywhere on the listing.

  Everyone crowding to look at their scores didn't help matters - I could barely see the middle scorer with the crowd combined with my small stature. I wasn't on the top 5 scores - or the bottom scores. I was anxious, worried if I scored much lower than I anticipated, but I threw my worries away as pessimistic. After trying to look at the scores again, standing on the tip of my toes but still not finding my name through the crowd, I gave up. "I'll look ter." I decided to go to css and worry about my score ter - the scores would be here for a few days.

  As I entered the cssroom, "Ah, Teseia." Noe uttered, seeing me instantly as I stepped into the cssroom. "The Academic Director urgently wishes to see you Teseia." Huh? Noe walked next to me, "Apologizes for not being able to help with that." Ah—I understand now... Hearing what she said, I understood what happened.

  "No," I shook my head, "I understand Instructor Noe. Thank you for trying."

  "Thank you Teseia." Noe said before returning to the podium in front of the css.

  I left the cssroom to head to the school offices. As I walked away from css, away from the rush of students, I let out a sigh. "Today is going to be another busy day." Reminiscent of when I had to expin my physical condition to the Student Advisor, I'm going to have to speak to another troublesome person. Well, "Whatever—I'm used to it..." I walked to the school offices with all my stuff. As I opened the door to the office, the school offices receptionist greeted me. I greeted the receptionist back and told them the Academic Director wished to see me.

  "Please wait here, Director Hamlet is currently in a meeting. He should be done soon." I was told.

  "Understood." I wasn't too bothered by the wait, as I didn't really have much going on. I sat down and started reading my second-year study materials.

  ... ... ...

  Soon enough, someone called out my name. I look up and see him - the Director. I close my book and put all my study material onto the seat next to me, "Good morning Director." I stood, making a courteous bow as I politely greeted him.

  "Good morning to you, Teseia." He greeted me back politely in return.

  "You wished to see me, Director?" I already knew he wanted to see me, but I still had to ask formally.

  "Yes. Please follow, as I wish to discuss some matters with you."

  "Understood." I nod before putting my stuff into my bag and following the Director.

  Entering the fabled office room of the Academic Director - which I already knew was nothing more than a basic wooden office table and a computer -, I thought back to all the legends of students being lectured by the Director, in this room. Then I thought back to my experiences here almost before, with talks about social connections and considerations for my image.

  Now as someone normal, I carefully sat down on the chair opposite of his office, awaiting what I knew he likely was going to discuss about with me.

  Hah~, I took a deep breath—it was fine... I might not be someone of high social standing - currently -, but hopefully I could argue my defense.

  "I'll be direct to save us time—could you expin the sudden discrepancy between your entrance exam scores and the scores you've achieved on the current exams?"

  I took a bit to think... How do I expin myself - or, how do I expin the past Alicia and my current self now? I took another deep breath, "Permission to expin my situation, Director?" I asked - as I was sure this would clear most misconceptions here.

  "Your instructor expined and ensured to me that you were academically honest, but I'll listen to what you have to say." He said.

  With permission, I politely expined my situation to the Director - my newfound 'drive' and 'motivation' after I woke from my accident, and what I have been doing. After my expnation, he simply just stared bnkly at me...

  ... ... ...

  "... I advise you be quiet about this for the time being, Teseia. I have a lot to advise you about recent events currently..." Why did he look so grim?

  And... "What recent events...?" I had no idea what he was referring to.

  He let out a dry cough, "Ahem, slip of the tongue - pay no mind to what I said. Just be mindful, lest you fall into someone else's hands."

  I felt like what he said was ominous, but from what I knew of the Director before, clearly there was something major going on behind the scenes... Yet, I didn't have much power or influence to probe here. Without much to do, I nodded my head quietly - surely there was something going on in the country ever since my death.

  "Though, I'll buy your story for who you are now. It still seems suspicious that one of the lower-scoring art applicants scored perfect scores - even more so from someone with neurological trauma -, but I'll believe your words based off my impressions of you and your instructor's word. Come back to my office after school to sign something." I heaved a sigh of relief, I was done...

  "Permission to leave, Director?" I asked politely. "I wish not to miss css time."

  "You may leave, just come back after school to sign some documents." He said.

  "Understood." I stood up and took all my school materials with me out.

  I still had time to make it to my first css. I may have missed out on Homeroom period, but I should be able to get to my First Period css in time. With that in mind, I quickly made my way out of the school offices and towards my css.

  Our st css period for the day began - Homeroom. "Did you see? The Academic Director's assistant just put up Teseia's score, and it was 400!" Eh? What? A small conversation that quietly took up a small part of the room suddenly dropped a bomb that silenced everyone... me included...

  "Ah—!" Suddenly my desk was crowded by people. From people congratuting me, and questions. "Ah—ano..." I didn't really know how to respond to the masses of people so close to me.

  I dropped my phone to my desk—I was unsure of how to respond to the masses at my desk...

  "Give Teseia some space!" Eh? Someone broke through the wall of people and stood next to me, "Give Teseia some space, no need to swarm her to ask questions. And, thank you to all who simply wanted to congratute her." Felis stood with me defending me.

  "Everyone returns to your seats." Noe herself got through to the css crowd and calmed the css down. "I have some announcements to make for our upcoming days." With that, my break from the masses started and our school news channel for the new quarter. Nothing notable really was in Noe's announcement besides a congratutory speech and some school events upcoming for students to participate in. "That is all. Enjoy the time to yourselves but remember to respect each other's spaces."

  With that, the css returned to its usual atmosphere. I was still a topic of conversation and interest in the conversation, but there were a few girls who politely conversed with me. I was a bit reserved and wary at first, but those that spoke with me didn't seem troublesome. Felis joined along, and eventually talking to them turned out to be enjoyable.

  ... or maybe I was just lonely...

  "Ah—" I looked at the time, and school was almost over. I still had something to do at school, "Sorry, I still have to go meet the Academic Director today." I said as I packed my belongings in my school bag.

  "Okay, see you tomorrow Teseia!" One of the girls said to me as I left. The others said their goodbyes to me for the day as I left the cssroom to see the Director.

  "I'll see you again Teseia." Felis said, smiling at me... I felt like her smile was more of what a proud parent would show rather than a happy smile, but I couldn't really say - though I returned the smile before leaving.

  I came to the same school offices with the receptionist there. "You are here to see Director Hamlet?" I nodded to her question, "Director Hamit is free in his office. Just knock on his door."

  "Thank you." I thanked the receptionist and went to go knock on the Director's office. "It is Teseia. Permission to enter, Director?" I said.

  "Enter."

  I opened the door, "Pardon me, Director." before sitting down in the chair opposite of the Director’s desk.

  "I have the document ready for you." A paper appeared on the desk between us. "This is simply nothing more than a formal counseling statement and swear in stating that your score is your honest, academic score. The counseling will also constitute the short-term monitoring of two more terms of exams until you are cleared of suspicion." He briefly summarized the document as I skimmed through it myself. I didn't find anything too odd reading it over myself. "Do you have any questions, Teseia?"

  Reading over the document one more time, I found no major faults or anything I disagreed with. I shook my head, "No, I have no questions, Director."

  "If that is so, please sign the counseling statement."

  I took a pen from my bag, going to the bottom of the document where it asked for my signature. "Teseia Alicia." After signing the document, I handed it back to the Director. "Signed."

  "Thank you Teseia. You may leave." The Director said, taking the document.

  I nod and stand, "Thank you for everything, Director." making a courteous bow. "Permission to leave, Director?"

  "You may leave."

  I make another courteous bow, "Thank you Director. May you have a good day." I turn to leave the room. I open and go through the door—,

  "I wish you luck and enjoyment in our school, Teseia." He said just before the door closed... I wanted to say something, but the door was closed by then.

  I left the school office and prepared to leave school. I still had something to do today before I could rex for the day. The end of the school day was near with some students in the halls, being dismissed by their homeroom instructors early. I blended in with the others before heading out.

  Once I left my school, I headed to get Cecelia from her school. I had some time, but I had to uphold my promise to her - that was the least I could do to make up for everything that's been done to her.

  Her school wasn't too far, around a 10 minute walk from our schools. I was done with school by 15:30, and Cecelia was done by 16:00 - and looking at the time, "15:39." I found myself a seat at a daytime cafe building nearby her school to wait. I ordered myself a frozen hot chocote while I waited.

  As the time approached, students slowly started to leave out her school. I decided now was time for me to go out and get Cecelia. I sent a text message to her saying I would be outside her school in my uniform. As I approached the front of the school, I heard comments from various students about... me. The students made no attempt to make it discreet, "She's from Thersia District Central Commerce Highschool!" "She looks so pretty..."

  Well—I suppose Thersia District Central Commerce Highschool was a pretty high-end school that many could only dream of getting into. "Thinking about it—," Actually—never mind... I forgot Alicia was an art student, and considering my csses were both arts-reted, I understood how Alicia managed to get in. Though I really wondered, what were Alicia's initial exam scores? From what the Director said, Alicia was a 'lower scorer art applicant', so I guess my sudden change and perfect scores must have been quite the shock.

  Regardless, my uniform - which looked pretty generic, but noticeable - was one that held high significance. Regardless of my score, I was a student of a high-achieving academic institution that many could only hope to apply to, much less be a student of.

  "Alicia!" I looked at the voice that called out to me and saw a girl with hair simir to my own - Cecelia. Having seen me, she was running towards me. I looked at her - thank goodness, she looks okay.

  I smile and wave at her, "Hello Cecelia." I put my phone back into my bag, "Let's get going." I wanted to leave the area, as I was feeling a lot of unwanted attention being here... and I was worried if there were any students that would make a move on her. Even if I could handle them, doing so while wearing my school uniform would bring quite a lot of unwarranted attention and drama.

  I walked with Cecelia away from the school. As we walked away, I was wary - even away from the school, I was worried if there was anyone who would make a move. As we made it to the station, I heaved a sigh of relief and let my guard down - we were safe...

  "Alicia..." Cecelia lightly held onto the hem of my skirt, "Thank you for getting me."

  "It's—it was the least I could do as your older sister." I lightly tried to gently remove Cecelia's hand from my skirt - I wouldn't mind it normally, but in public I was still wary of my skirt... Though it was nice hearing Cecelia thank me as her honest, truthful, pure self...

  With that, we board the train and head home together, done with school for the day.