Interesting nickname

Moving to a new city wasn't easy for Larisa. It wasn't just about the change of scenery. A new place wasn't as intimidating as a new school. Spring had arrived, a time for romantic encounters and first kisses, and she had time to prepare for her upcoming classmates. How could she make a good impression to avoid being seen as a loser or a dullard? The easiest way to do this was in the class chat, where none of her classmates posted their real photos, except for the girls from various parties and notable places in the city, some of whom posted cute cat and animal art. The boys, on the other hand, posted intimidating or anime-themed images. It was worth considering. If you make a mistake and don't get on the right track, you'll be laughed at, trampled on, and either become an outcast or a loser, and neither of those things did Larisa want to be. In her old school, she was an unremarkable student, and it seemed like no one even noticed her, except when she needed help with her homework. In fact, she didn't have any friends, and she longed to make some at her new school. Adding herself to the chat under the name "Lara" with a flower on her avatar seemed like a simple idea. However, the school's "Crazy Bees" chat was buzzing like a disturbed hive. The nicknames were diverse, including "King of Dislikes," "Goddess of Photoshop," "Eternal Slowpoke," "Bald Skull," and "Witch." There were also individuals who used their real names. However, she didn't like her own nickname, finding it too simple and boring. She needed to come up with something more creative. Larisa launched a nickname generator for chats. After half an hour, having not found anything suitable, she was struck by an idea that she considered brilliant. "Plus Ultra": Hello everyone! Do you accept new members? 🙂 "The King of Dislikes": It depends on the new ones. Do you post funny memes? "Photoshop Goddess": A flower on the ave is a cute request. Strength test: drop the cat! "The Eternal Slowpoke": (after 5 minutes) A cat? Did someone ask for a cat? I have a funny one! (sends a gif of a dancing cat). "Plus Ultra": (sends a sticker with a surprised cat) Wow, this is fun! I'm just getting started. "The King of Dislikes": Get involved, get involved. We have our own atmosphere here. The main thing is not to be afraid of trolling!😉 Lara felt a slight thrill of excitement. "Trolling? Interesting," she thought, looking forward to the game. The girl wasn't one to shy away from a challenge. On the contrary, she enjoyed testing herself, coming up with witty responses, and surprising others. "The Seer": Ultra, are you by any chance the one who draws awesome graffiti on the school walls? There are rumors. "Plus Ultra": (sends a sticker with a winking cat) Maybe. Or maybe not. Rumors are sometimes exaggerated. "The King of Dislikes": A graffiti artist? That's a turn-up! We're definitely taking her on. We need talent! "Bald Skull": (3 minutes later) Graffiti? Cool! I've always wanted to learn how to draw graffiti! Maybe you could organize a workshop? Lara smiled at the phone screen. It seemed she had managed to get the attention of the Mad Bees. And she was just getting started. Lara leaned back in her chair, feeling a wave of inspiration sweep over her. She quickly typed her reply: "Plus Ultra": (in response to the Bald Skull) A master class? Hmm... that's an idea. But first, we need to understand just how crazy "Crazy Bees" really are. She knew that the most important thing right now was to maintain interest, to play with the audience, to give them just enough information to make them want more. Trolling was an art, and she was going to show off her skills to the fullest. "Photoshop Goddess": So, Ultra, what else are you hiding? You must have some secret talents! "Plus Ultra": (sends a sticker with a meaningful look) Secrets? Every bee has its own secrets. Lara rubbed her hands together. The game was still going on, and she was determined to win. "The King of Dislikes": What are your hobbies, Ultra? 😀 "Plus Ultra": I like a lot of things, but I like reading and drawing the most. I don't even know which one I like better. There was a meaningful pause in the chat. She felt a cold chill. "What if they think I'm a nerd or a poser? Why did I say I like reading? I should have said I like parties and K-pop. They would have accepted me, but now..." Lara thought desperately. She had achieved so much in just an hour, only to ruin it all with her own stupidity. With a heavy sigh, Larisa closed the app along with the chat. The future seemed dark and hopeless. Now, studying at this school would seem like a living hell. The first day at the new school was dreary and cold, as if it were not spring, but autumn. Larisa trudged along, looking at her feet, and was constantly overtaken by younger students. She dreaded meeting her future classmates. The gray sky weighed heavily, as if foreshadowing an impending rain. The cold wind pierced through her, making Larisa wrap her thin jacket tighter around her. She felt like an outsider in this bustling city, where everyone was in a hurry, oblivious to the lone girl walking to her new school. The school building seemed huge and impregnable. The gray walls and narrow windows, like arrow slits, gave it a sense of formality and lack of emotion. Larisa swallowed the lump in her throat and took a deep breath before stepping inside. The noise of voices and the smell of new furniture and dust filled her nostrils. The corridors were bustling with activity. High school students walked past with indifferent expressions, oblivious to their surroundings. Meanwhile, younger students ran and shouted, engaged in their own games. Larisa felt invisible, like a ghost. She wandered through the hallways for a long time, trying to find her classroom. The room numbers seemed like a meaningless set of numbers. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and her mind was filled with anxious thoughts. "What if no one accepts me? What if I'm an outcast?" Finally, she found the right office. The door was slightly ajar, and she could hear voices coming from inside. Larisa hesitated for a moment, gathering her courage. She felt as if her fate was about to be decided. She entered the office. Everyone turned their attention to her. Larisa's heart skipped a beat. "Hi, I'm new here, my name is Larisa Abramenko," she said hesitantly. The silence in the classroom was oppressive. After she fell silent, everyone returned to their interrupted activities and discussions, as if she had ceased to exist for them. Larisa trudged to the end of the middle row and sat down at the last desk, reluctantly placing her writing utensils on the desk. There were two students sitting in front of her. One of them turned to her and asked, "Plus Ultra, why did you leave the chat so quickly? I wanted to ask you what genres of literature you're interested in. Just not classics. I couldn't handle that. By the way, that's an interesting username. Are you an anime fan?" The guy was handsome, with dark hair, brown eyes, and thin gold-rimmed glasses. "Yes, I... a little," Larisa could only stammer, staring at him as if he were a ghost. "You know who I am, but I don't know who you are. Don't you think that's not quite fair?" Lara asked. "But it's royal," he replied arrogantly. "Ah, so you're the "King of Dislikes" and always unhappy with everything," she guessed. "Why is that?" the guy was slightly offended. "Everyone, everyone," the blue-eyed blonde confirmed as she approached her desk. "And you," Lara said, taking a closer look at her new classmate. "I'm the Queen of Photoshop, and my name is Maria," the girl introduced herself. "This snob is named Victor." "Do you really know about this?" Larisa asked. "That's right," Masha said proudly. "So what about graffiti?" asked a brown-haired man with a very short haircut as he approached them. "I don't really understand it," Larisa admitted, embarrassed. "You said you like drawing," he reminded her. "Anime characters, but that's a different thing. I'm just talking about graffiti to keep the conversation going. And you're the Bald Skull," she guessed. The guy nodded in agreement. "My name is Sergey. Let's get to know each other," he said, smiling and extending his hand for a shake. "But give me a couple of lessons anyway. If you can draw, you can do graffiti." There were more conversations, jokes, and new acquaintances. The "witch" turned out to be the class representative, a girl named Evgenia. "The Eternal Slowpoke" was a student who struggled with all subjects but excelled in sports and participated in various competitions. Fortunately, the reality was quite different. The questions about her new residence were filled with genuine interest rather than mockery. During lunch, she was approached by others who invited her to join their group and inquired about her hobbies. As the fear subsided, surprise and relief took its place. It turned out that her fears were unfounded. These kids were friendly, open-minded, and willing to accept her. Instead of feeling rejected, she felt warm and supported, and a faint hope began to grow in her heart that she could make real friends at this school. The day was filled with bright sunshine, promising new conversations both online and in person, and, of course, a good spring mood. "How was your day?" asked her mother as Lara entered the apartment with a bright smile after returning from school. "Great! " she replied happily, dropping her backpack on the couch. After dinner, she went back to her room, did her homework, and logged in to the chat. "Plus Ultra": (sends a sticker with a friendly cat saying "Hi") Who's in the chat? "The King of Dislikes": I'm in the chat. I'm calling a roll! Those who were online started sending thumbs up, funny emojis, stickers, and even gifs to the chat. "The Eternal Slowpoke": (sends a pleading sticker) Who made the geometry, let me copy, please! 😩 ""Photoshop Goddess"": You're as usual. 😒 Lera took a photo of the assignment and sent it to the chat. "Eternal Slowpoke": (sends emojis with love faces, hearts, kisses, and roses) Thanks.😍 🌹 ❤️ Her mother came into her room after knocking on the door and saw her smiling at her smartphone screen. "Who are you writing to?" she asked. "To my friends," Larisa replied.