Exams are coming up this week and most of next week so this will be the last chapter until second semester starts!
Chapter Fifty-Four: "So You're Back, Eh?"
LACEY'S ALARM CLOCK has me falling off of her bed, gasping.
It's so loud, it's like a Screaming Meenie. For those of you who don't know what Screaming Meenie's are, they are a small little device of pure evil. It's a true fact that they are known for causing heart attacks in young people and breaking eardrums.
They scream. Loudly.
The little thing can make your head turn from more than two professional football fields away.
"Jesus Christ!" I scream at her once she turns it off casually. "Get a real alarm clock, Lacey!"
"Oh shut up." She rolls her eyes. "Grow a pair."
"My pair is bigger than yours." I retort, raising a challenging eyebrow at her.
She turns to me slowly and glares. "Didn't I just tell you to shut up?"
"No, sorry. I'm afraid I missed that part since I was deafened by your Screaming Heart Attack device." I snap.
"Oh, boohoo. Get up and get ready."
I grumble as I rise, stretching my limbs and picking out today's outfit. I planned it out last night, but it's nothing un-casual. It's a burgundy v-neck shirt that says Viva la Vida, matched with white ripped skinny jeans, and high-heel ankle boots.
Lacey emerges from the bathroom all refreshed, so I follow in after to quickly wash my face and brush my hair and teeth. After about ten minutes, my hair is pinned up into a half-up ponytail, my face lightly coated in mascara and eyeliner, and my outfit of the day and glasses are on. Lacey is dressed up in a cute pink dress, with a white cardigan placed over it, topped with matching flats.
She always was a fashion icon at school, and I was always jealous of it.
"Ready Freddie?" She asks giddily, and I grin, nodding my head.
I follow her down to her kitchen, stopping to grab a Pop-Tart. "Morning, ladies!" Her father, Dillon, greets us.
"Morning dad."
"Morning Dil, how are you?" I smile. I haven't spoken to them all too much since I arrived. They own a huge real estate company in California, so her parents are often busy with the business.
They are definitely home a lot more than my parents ever were, so I spent a lot of my time here whenever I had to fend for myself for dinner.
"I'm good, honey, I'm good." He replies. "How are you?"
"I'm phenomenal!" I say honestly. "Work in progress."
"That's good, Brooks. Keep it up, and you'll be back in no time."
"That's the plan!" I chuckle.
"Breakfast to go?" He questions.
"Yeah," Lace answers. "That okay?"
"Knock yourself out." He shrugs.
Lacey then turns to me and narrows her eyes with a S'mores Pop-Tart in hand. "If I toast one of these, I'm not going to find it in my neighbours yard in five minutes, am I?"
"Well if the dog is out then it'll be long gone by then." I say sarcastically.
"Be serious."
"No, it won't be in the neighbour's yard."
"Good." She says. A few minutes later, they pop, and she places them on a paper towel before kissing her dad on the cheek. "Bye dad."
"Bye Squirt. Have a good day." He smiles warmly. "You too, Brooks."
"Yes, sir." I nod, and follow Lace outside to the bus stop. The bus comes only a couple minutes later, and Lacey and I board, sitting in the front so nobody can see. "Meeting at the usual?" I ask her.
"Yep." She replies. "Nothing has changed, Brookie. Absolutely nothing."
"So when I show my face there again, I should expect people to talk smack about me?" I ask.
"I don't know," she sighs, "you were the talk for the first couple weeks, but then it settled. People just thought you moved back to Sacramento again."
"Do they think I'm doing a term?" I ask in worry.
"Some did," she answers, "like your old friends. The people who don't know what happened at all think that you just moved."
"And Stacy?" I ask nervously.
"Actually, I haven't heard anything from her. She's been silent."
"But she knows of my absence, right?"
"Of course she does, Brookie. Everyone does. She hasn't attacked anyone except the Minor Niners. Personally, I think she misses you."
"Pfft, yeah right! Stacy wouldn't ever miss me." I scoff. There's no way in hell. She hates me greatly, now. We used to be really good friends, and now she's just a monster tormentor. The only thing she'd miss about me would be making fun of me and bullying me. Little does she know, though, is that I'm not that kind of person anymore.
"I think she does." Lacey chuckles. "It's fun seeing her miserable."
"She's miserable?" I ask, taken aback. No way.
"Yep."
"Well, it's nice to know that she finally knows how it feels!" I chirp with a shrug.
Bitch deserves a lot worse, to be honest, but I'll take what I can get.
A few minutes later, we arrive at school, and my stomach starts to twist. I haven't been here in a few months, but it still feels like a long time. Who knows what I should expect today, especially since I'll be spending most of the days alone during periods, waiting for them to finish and my friends get out.
"Come on, Brooklyn. Everything will be fine." Lacey assures me, and I nod, taking a deep breath and stepping off the bus. "Tell you what, you stay here for a few minutes, then do a lap around the school and meet me at my locker."
"Okay." I nod. She always made me take a lap or two around the school during class to clear my mind. Except now, it's just so I can get ahold of my surroundings once again.
Lacey smiles, rubbing my arm before she winks and walks off.
I start walking a couple minutes later, lapping the school before standing in front of the doors, then walking inside them a mere moment later, as casually as I can. I entered through the doors farthest from Lacey's locker, like how I used to.
As I begin walking through the corridors of my old high school, I definitely do not fail to notice the direct stares I am receiving by almost every student present in this hallway.
Even teachers are staring with wide eyes, and that's saying something.
I silently walk some more, keeping my head held high, however inside I am screaming with prayers that today runs smoothly.
"Hey."
I gulp, then stop and nervously face the person who's hand touched my shoulder.
It's Brooklyn Hall. Why she's approaching me, I've no clue.
"Um, hi, Brooklyn." I say awkwardly. It always was weird calling people by my name.
"So you're back, eh?"
"Um, nope." I smile. "Just visiting."
"Oh."
"So, um, how are you?"
"I am amazing!" She exclaims. "Did you hear?"
"Hear what?" I ask.
"The news. You know, how I'm no longerâ"
"A lesbian? Yeah, I know about that. Um, congratulations, I guess?" I don't know if that's what she wants to hear, or if she's going to take offense.
"It's nothing congratulatory! Thanks anyway. See you around." She grins weirdly, and I give her what hopes to be a smile, but I think I give her a cringe instead.
Oh well.
"Right. . ." I walk off, more towards Lacey's locker. My heart starts to beat wildly in my chest when I see Lace, my other best friend standing beside her, leaning against the locker beside hers. "Here goes nothing, Brooklyn. It's just your friends! Not the president." Although if it were the president, it'd probably be a lot easier.
He's facing me, laughing along with Lacey, until his eyes casually drift towards the crowd, then they finally land on me. The large smile on his face disappears immediately, and he stops mid-sentence, it seems, as he stares at me. He blinks once. Twice. Thrice; rapidly, making sure his eyes aren't messing with him. His head is tilted sideways, studying me very closely to make out my features.
I start walking towards him, giving him a small, shy smile. His eyes widen once he sees that I'm actually here and he pushes himself of the wall, rushing over. He sprints towards me, pushing other students and faculty members out of his way as we close the distance between us.
In a blink, he bends down, wrapping his arms around my waist and scooping me up, squeezing me tightly as he inhales my scent.
"Oh my God, it is you." He whispers into my neck, sending shivers down my spine. I missed him badly, I don't ever want to leave this moment.
"I've missed you so much." I mutter, my eyes starting to go glossy from all the emotions I'm currently feeling. Stupid period symptoms.
"I've missed you too, JâLo. So fucking much." He murmurs in my hair, and I squeeze tighter, if that were even possible, and try to breathe, because my emotions are all over the place right now and I'm finding oxygen hard to get.
We remain in this position for a few more minutes, and I forget about the fact that I think that the bell had already rung.
When we finally pull away, the halls are deserted.
"You're late for class." I say softly, a light blush forming on my cheeks.
"I'll also be absent for class." He tells me.
I furrow my eyebrows. "Why not?"
"Why would I go to class when you're standing before me?" He shoots back. He laughs at my awkwardness and then frowns. "Are you crying?"
I sniffle, and wipe my eyes with the back of my hand. "No."
"You are!" He exclaims. "Please don't cry."
I shrug helplessly. "I can't help it. I've missed you."
He smiles, leaning in and pressing a slobbery kiss to my cheek and forehead. I immediately wipe it away, cringing.
"Gross."
He chuckles, and throws an arm over my shoulder, leading me back to Lacey, who is the only one besides us in the halls. "Well, I'm glad that's over." She giggles.
Justin looks back and forth between us, frowning. "Why aren't you bombarding her in hugs?" He asks me, and I shrug innocently.
"I've already."
"What?"
"I got here Saturday afternoon." I explain, and he slaps my chest. "Ouch! Justin!"
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?!" He asks angrily, but I know he isn't angry. Maybe a little upset I didn't tell him I was coming, but definitely not mad about it.
"Because I wanted to surprise you!" I grumble, rubbing the spot he hit. "God, you're so mean. Was that really necessary? That hurt."
"Oh, get over it." He flicks his wrist. "I, however, will not get over the fact that you didn't tell me you were coming!"
"Why is it such a big deal?" I question. "I mean, I'm here anyway. It's too late."
"Because, you dummy, I would have dressed better! Instead of rocking these khakis I would've been rocking some sexy skinnies."
I roll my eyes. "And here I thought that you would be happy to see me and not just dress to impress me."
"Can't a man do both?"
"Well, you didn't."
He clicks his tongue, a smile coming to his face again. "It's nice to have you back, babe."
I smile too. "It's nice to be back."
And I actually meant it.