Welcome back

My phone was barely thought about since I received it yesterday. It didn't come to mind. I felt no need to use it. I opened it up to a flurry of messages which dropped the hint that I was probably dead. I can't believe it's the first thing everyone jumped to because I was M.I.A. Most of them were from Lorel texting me even though she knew where I was, talking about feeling lonely with a mix of shit talking people from her tennis camp and then talking about her trip to bali. It felt like she was using our private chat as a summer journal which I didn't mind. I guess she just wanted to share her summer with me since I wasn't around but for some reason I felt guilty. I had nothing to feel guilty for since it's because of Laverne I went away. I scrolled a bit down my messages and a contact stood out to me. There were a few messages from Aaron which made me anxious. I'm trying here but I don't know what to get sucked back in.

"Are you okay?"

"Where are you?"

"Are you doing well?"

"Is it because of me?"

"I'm sorry…"

I couldn't read anymore so I shut it off and I slid my phone back into my pocket. I stared at the entrance where everyone was pulling into with their chaffers and private transport. More people have heightened their security since last term. I don't think any of them are in danger but I fet it. I stepped out of my car and some familiar faces turned to me and I could hear people whispering.

"I thought he died." he heard a classmate whisper to the other. Fuck them. I smiled and walked on like everyone wasn't avoiding me like a ghost. I was swiveling and it was amusing to watch. I really ceased to exist to them.

"He's alive!" Some girl that I couldn't place a name to gasped and jumped out of my way. "He was nowhere to be found." It was as if I was a cryptid or something. I could see Lorel digging through her locker while some mutuals stood by talking to her. For some reason I felt a bit awkward just strolling up to her.

"Hey." The two standing near to her back away wide eyed.

"Ay Dios mio!" One of them panicked and turned into class. I didn't even get a chance to greet her properly before I got decked in the nose.

"I said next time I see you expect to be hurt." I held my nose in pain as she pulled out a few more things from her locker. "Welcome to Sophomore year Snipes." She slammed her locker and walked off to class. What the hell is that? Lorel's attitude towards me seemed more cold than ever. Her usual demeanor was dismissive but she always came off friendly. I don't really know what to do. It felt kinda… I really don't know but I feel not so positive about how this might go. I tried to smile it off but my mind kept replaying it. Fuck… I feel like I messed up somewhere.

"Welcome back Ferris hugh's Orchids, I'm glad we all made it back. Well some of us." The principal sounded less than enthusiastic for the new school year after all the drama she went through. I'm surprised she reprises her role as principal even though the majority of parents didn't seem to want to see her again. "I hope this school year we can learn to to grow and live with each other like the beautiful flowers we are." I hope so too.

"Zayn Snipes!" I whipped around to be face to face with Mormon. Well I had to look down since he sat in a wheelchair. "See no jail time." His facial wounds seemed to be healing well but you could see the pain on his face when he smiled. "Well I'm supposed to start community service but because y'know I'm just sidelining. I thought you dropped off the face of the earth. Where have you been." In a mental hospital disguised as a vacation home in another city.

"Uh… Vacationing somewhere remote with no cell service."

"Good for you. I've been interrogated and banned from leaving here and I'm temporarily disabled so my summer was less than fun." I didn't know how to reply so I just laughed alongside him. "I forgot to thank you so thanks for your help. I feel like I used you for my own gains so I'm sorry for that. I hope we can start fresh and actually have something like a friendship but I'm okay if you're uncomfortable with that due to the circumstances." He wasn't that bad of a guy. He seemed shady and was actual shady but he could be a really nice guy if he wasn't a snake and I'm afraid of trusting him so I would rather keep him at an arm's distance than truly being his friend.``

"I'll think about it."

"Hey, I hope you took my advice and stay away from that guy cause I'll hate to see it." I did and that was no longer a problem. I nodded to him which he smiled at. "I have to get to class as a prefect but see you around Zayn Snipes." I felt ill about his circumstances but then again it was doing. One thing I'll hate to see is Saintclair finding out I was involved. He already has so many grievances with me I don't want to pile on another.

"Welcome back class 21443 and welcome to your sophomore year. We had some delays and so on but we're here and this is new for all of us and this is another step in your future and hope we all can make this big jump together." Our teacher was all smiles while we all looked tired of this already. Nobody actually wanted to be here or enjoyed this. We were all tired of each other. Many people left us due to their parents pulling them out and we are all surprised the school is still being held together. "Okay nobody is smiling." She looked disappointed but held it together and started roll call.

"Are you doing fine?"

"Are you doing fine?" I retorted back to Daniela sarcastically.

"Therapy doesn't fix everything y'know." She chuckled.

"I know."

"Is there something I don't know? Why aren't you and Lorel buzzing?" I don't have an answer to that.

"I have no idea." She looked between us and wanted to add something but held back. Lorel wasn't even paying attention to us; she was texting away on her phone.

"Well… okay." Daniela turned back around. I don't really know what to do. I can't tell if she's not talking to me as a punishment or if it's because we haven't seen each other in a while. Either way I didn't want this. I wanted her to speak to me. After being barred from familiar faces the last thing I needed was to be ignored. I'm not demanding her attention but it would be nice.

"What's wrong?" I pulled her away from everyone so this can be between us, no interruptions.

"What do you mean?"

"Uh… you're like really cold to me."

"I mean we haven't seen each other in a really long time and haven't even spoken to each other. What do you expect? I'm not Daniela, I'm not all open arms."

"We're friends."

"Yeah but shit changed when you weren't around. It was really hard." Here is where the guilt kicks back in. "I'm not blaming you but I was really lonely without you two then things picked back up and picked up some people and I was fine. I'm glad you're both back but I don't need to throw a whole party for you two. At Least she communicated." I wanted to grab her as she walked away but I just couldn't. I felt overwhelmed and worse than before and once again this day isn't going as planned. I'm already feeling shitty and the day hasn't even begun fully. I still had things to do and now I was less than happy to attend. I had people to welcome to the track team, people to talk with and I no longer feel great about it.

"Zayn say something." Coach pushed me on my shoulder and told me that I was spacing out and this was something important. I stood in front of my teammates and potential applicants dozing off and making myself look stood.

"Uh sorry. Hi I'm your team leader Zayn Snipes and I hope we all could get along and work together." It came out almost awkwardly since I already made a fool of myself. Coach could see how far my mind was and took over again. One thing I hate about opening day is no drills. Nothing is happening because we're being accommodating to the new members and all we do is bonding exercises. "I forgot the female members are joining us today. Girls sit down." Someone from the crowd stuck out to me. Is that Lorel's little sister? She noticed me immediately and ran over.

"Hi Zayn." She waved and sat next to me. "You're the team captain? This is great." I hardly knew anything about Saleena other than her awkwardness around me. She seemed to lack much of that now. Before all I saw of her was her hiding behind Lorel and now she was sitting confidently besides me. "Y'know this weekend is my quince…"

"Really?"

"Yeah and you're invited. I wanted you to be my escort but Lorel said that would be inappropriate to ask."

"I would love to." I guess she wasn't expecting me to agree because her eyes widened and shined at my answer. Kind of weird.

"Oh my god! Thank you, Thanks. I thought you were gonna say you don't care or something. That's what she said."

"I don't mind." She reminded me a lot of earlier Lorel as in first year Lorel, really hopeful and charismatic.

"Great, great, great. I have another question. I didn't tell her about this one because she would go off on me if I even mentioned it but… Do you want to join my court for the queen of hearts?" She smiled hopefully at me.

"Uh, sure." Can I even be in two courts? I'm pretty sure Daniela wanted me to join hers but if I join Saleena's would I not be able to? I have no idea but I'd like to support both.

"Thank you!!" She threw her hands around me happily and I returned the hug. "This is going to be amazing. You're gonna be my prince or whatever. OMG!" Highlight of my day.