Second Chances

Doing his homework, Scott thought to himself about the situation with Laura.

"Why was Laura vomiting blood? Should she try to get some medical help? I mean when exploring this town last summer, I didn't see any medical facilities or clinics. I doubt John would help her as I now know she lacks his attention."

"Scott. May I come in?" Mrs. Smith knocked on the door.

"Yeah. Just finished my world literature assignment." 

Mrs. Smith enters the room with supper in her hands.

"So sweetie, today's Valentine's Day. Did you have a Valentine?" Mrs. Smith handing Scott his dinner.

"No, not really. My friends did but not me."

"Oh why is that?"

"Because I'm not interested in dating or having a girlfriend. I just don't think it's necessary."

"Oh sweetie. You say that now but at some point you will meet someone who truly likes you and you don't even know it."

"Right Mom." Scott took a bite of his food.

"By the way, I have a question, Mom."

"What is that?"

"Do you know what happens if someone starts to vomit blood and blood comes out of their nose?"

"I'm not sure. But if you see someone having that problem, then I think it's best to each out for help. Why'd you ask?"

"Nothing. Just wondering."

"Okay. Make sure to bring the dish down once you finish." Mrs. Smith left the room.

"Thanks Mom." Scott closes the door.

"Laura. What is happening over there?" Scott looks out the window.

Meanwhile, In John's mansion, Laura looked at the mirror in her room gazing at herself in her cheerleading uniform.

"Me. As a cheerleader?" Laura questions her outfit.

"How did I get here?" 

Outside her room, John knocks on her door. "Hey babe. I'm heading to bed. Just do me a favor and tell those that I'm absent again if some of the students ask you. You know they can't resist my popularity."

"OKAY BABE!" Laura pretending to be her old self.

"By the way! Are you okay with missing nearly three weeks of school John?" 

"Sure. I'm finishing up something to kill Scott so after maybe next week, then I'll come back."

"OKAY!"

John then left for his bed.

Laura looked at herself in the mirror again. "But if I'm not a cheerleader, then who am I?" 

"I guess I should take this off." Laura takes off her cheerleading outfit and throws it in the garbage can.

The next day in the gym, the students were waiting to get Laura to teach today's class.

"What's Laura taking so long?" Scott sitting on the floor.

"Pfft. I think it's because that bitch is still crying because her prince charming didn't come to her yesterday." Bryan is sitting next to Scott.

Suddenly, out of the door, Laura appeared, but in a different way. She wore a thin dark blue jacket, black leggings, a gray cap, and white shoes.

"Good morning everyone! You guys might guess why I am not in my uniform outfit. Well that's because I like to be unique today and it should start with what you wear." Laura holding her clipboard.

"Laura seems different today." Bryan gave her a mean stare.

"I think it's great." Scott smiles at Laura.

"What?" Bryan questions.

"Bryan and Scott. Please do not talk during my class." Laura spoke politely.

"She's even polite now." Scott thought.

"Anyways, today, we are going to do the obstacle course again the same way we did in the beginning of the school year. This is to update our status whether some of us, including me, have improved or not. So class, help me bring out the obstacle courses from the locker."

The whole classroom went towards the gym locker grabbing every piece of the obstacle courses. 

Laura tries to help the class, but Scott seems to approach her.

"Hey Laura, I love your outfit and you seem a lot different today."

"Thanks Scott. I thought about what you told me and I decided that I want to be myself today. So I took off my cheerleading outfit and my personality. It might take time for students to get used to it, but I think it's great to be a new leaf."

"That's great. So I guess you don't plan to kill me?"

"Oh Scott. I was just exaggerating. I'm not going to kill you. I'm not going to let John dictate who I am. Besides, he barely comes to school after what happened last year so I bet he won't care if I wore this."

"Nice. Oh yeah, I think you should just sit down a bit Laura. I'm a bit concerned for your body. I don't want you to vomit out blood." 

"No it's okay. I guess when I get too excited or if my adrenaline is up, that's when I start to cough out blood. I think."

"Suit yourself." Scott and Laura walked towards the gym locker.

The class would later finish up the obstacle course the same way as the beginning of the school year.

"Okay everyone. For each one of you, I will call you up to record your scores to see how long you guys finish this obstacle course." Laura then looked at Scott.

"Scott. You first, since you came in second before, I chose you to go first and I will go last."

"Of course." Scott got on the obstacle course.

"Okay ready. Three. Two. One. GO!"

Scott ran as fast as he could. However, it seemed that he was a lot faster than before as flew across the obstacle course like an arrow. Reaching towards the finish line, Laura recorded his score.

"Wow Scott. Thirty seconds! You finished a lot faster than before!"

"Thanks." Scott panting heavily.

"I guess my training with agent Dan increased my stamina." Scott thought to himself.

"Alright. Bryan you're up." Laura called out Bryan.

While going on the course. Bryan gave Laura a mean stare still angry at her homophobism yesterday.

"Go!"

Bryan ran across the obstacle course, but made mistakes tripping on parts of the courses. In the end, his finishing time was forty seven seconds.

"Good job Bryan! You were a bit quicker compared to last time!" Laura compliments Bryan.

Still, Bryan didn't respond.

"Okay class, when I call you up, you better be ready for the obstacle course!" Laura called each student up to the obstacle course.

For most of the class time, the whole class finished their test seeing some who improved and some who didn't.

"Okay class! I think I'm the last one. Scott. Do you mind testing my score?"

"Yeah." Scott taking Laura's clipboard.

Laura got up to the obstacle course tying her shoes as well as stretching.

"Okay Laura. Are you ready?"

Laura nodded yes.

"GO!"

Laura passed through the obstacle course nearly as fast as Scott, but a little slower in order to not overwhelm her body. When she finally finished the obstacle course, Scott measured her time.

"Not bad Laura! You finished in thirty three seconds. Even a second more than your previous score, you did great out there."

"Thanks Scott." Laura panted heavily.

Suddenly, Laura made a face that looked like she was about to throw up.

"Oh my God. Laura." Scott held Laura as she bent her knees.

"Um Laura told me that class is dismissed! So you guys can leave." Scott carrying Laura outside of the gym to a nearby bench.

The class headed back to their lockers getting ready for their next class. However, Bryan clenched his fist as he saw Laura and Scott walking together outside the gymnasium.

Outside the gym, Scott put Laura on a bench.

"Okay Laura. Relax. Breath in and out of your nose." Scott patted Laura softly on the back.

Laura relaxed as she managed to swallow her own blood vomit. After managing to swallow, she took a few deep breaths and is now in a fully relaxed state.

"You're feeling better now?" Scott rubbed Laura's back.

"Yeah. I guess my adrenaline was really high while running the obstacle course."

"Laura, don't push yourself too much, when we can find out what's wrong with your body, me and my friends can try to treat it as much as we can and maybe get you to the school nurse if that doesn't work out."

"That would be nice. However, when I went to the school nurse, she had no idea what was wrong with me. She's thinking that I might have an allergic reaction or something."

"Are you allergic to anything?"

"Don't think so."

"Crap, I guess me and my friends can try to help you then. I'll let Jim know to read some medical books. He's the smartest kid I know."

"That's great." Laura smiles at Scott.

"Alright then, I'll buy you a water bottle from the vending machine, so I'll be right back." Scott ran to the vending machines.

Laura took a deep breath putting her back on the wall. 

"I can't believe Scott is treating me better than John does. Is this what true friends are really like?" Laura thought to herself.

"You!" Bryan shouted at Laura while his right hand was in his pocket.

"Oh hi Bryan! You did great on that obstacle course!" Laura gives Bryan a big smile while he walks towards her.

"So you think being gay is disgusting?" Bryan spoke in a solemn tone.

"Uh Bryan. About yesterday I-"

"Even when I tried to support you in the beginning of the year, what you gave me is a slap to the face?"

"Listen Bryan, about what happened I'm sorry. My mind was so lost and confused and I didn't know what I was saying at that point."

"Tff. You and your stupid lies can't fool me." Bryan then took his hand out of his pocket revealing that he was caring for Natalie's brass knuckle.

Laura was terrified when looking at that weapon.

"Bryan, I know you're angry about what I said, but please I'm different now and I wish you can forgive me for what I did to you yesterday from my complicated personality."

"I don't give a shit. You slapped me in the face on the second day of school and this is payback." Bryan ready to punch Laura with the brass knuckle in his hand.

However, Scott stopped him as he grabbed Bryan's wrist while holding a water bottle on his other hand.

"What the hell do you think you're doing Bryan?" Scott gives Bryan a mean stare.

Suddenly, Scott notices what was on Bryan's hand.

"Are you kidding me?! You were about to hit Laura with that thing!" Scott grabbed the brass knuckle out of Bryan's hand.

"What were you thinking? You can severely hurt someone with that. Also, why do you have my brass knuckle?"

"Well she slapped me in the face and is homophobic, she deserves to get punched! Also, the brass knuckle fell out of your pocket back in Natalie's car! I was going to give it to you, but I wanted to use it first for some revenge!"

"If you dare hurt her, you're no different from Drake."

"I'm not like him. He seeks violence for self pleasure. I want revenge over what she did to me."

"Drake also wanted revenge. He offered a secret proposal of him wanting me to join his rebellion to overthrow Sunshine Valley as well as kill Laura. So if you try to hurt her. Then you are like Drake and his bastard friends."

"So what Scott. Now you want to be friends with this girl. The same girl who's close to the person we hate the most?!" Bryan looking at Laura.

Laura looked down while being upset.

"You know what Scott. I'm happy that you made me and Liam be together. But now that you are close to her, then I guess we shouldn't be friends anymore." Bryan walked away from Scott and Laura.

"Bryan, wait!" Scott tried to call Bryan.

"GO FUCK YOURSELF SCOTT!" Bryan stuck his middle finger at him.

Being disappointed, Scott sat down next to Laura giving her the water bottle.

"Damn it. DAMN IT!" Scott punched the wall really hard.

"Scott. I'm sorry. If that personality that I had yesterday could've just shut her mouth or didn't hit him, then it should've never happened."

"It's okay Laura. I guess Bryan is just sensitive and angry at this moment."

"But Scott, why do you try to defend me? You could've let Bryan hit me with that blunt weapon."

"Because, even not associated with John, he doesn't have the right to hit anyone. I don't want him to make the same mistake that I made, which was that my anger took over me and hit my varsity captain with a baseball bat. That was the last straw that made me leave Des Moines."

"What's Des Moines?" Laura questions.

"It's a town where I used to live in. It's nice and big, we have a lot of stores and a lot of people. I guess I was the poison to the town."

Laura felt a bit of sympathy towards him.

"So Laura, are you from Sunshine Valley or from somewhere else?"

"I don't remember. Like I told you yesterday, all I remember is being in this town, so I might be from here."

"Wow. I guess besides John, Sunshine Valley might be a nice town."

"I think so too, but I am concerned about something."

"What is it?"

"Whenever I'm outside the school, I would hear some screaming. But I don't know if it's my head or not because the noise was faint so I can't tell."

"Screaming?"

"I think so, but I can't tell because sometimes there are these voices in my head that's telling me something. Something that I'm trying to figure out, but I can't tell." Laura stood up walking towards the window.

"Also, whenever I see snow, I'm somehow getting this sort of nostalgia but I don't know why."

"The snow?" Scott walked towards the window as well.

"I guess the color of it as well as the touch might be the reason why I love the snow."

"Can't disagree with you with that. The snow does look beautiful. However, I'm more of a spring person. I love when flowers bloom and the weather gets warmer." Scott looking at the snow with Laura.

Suddenly, the bell rang. 

"Welp looks like my next class is going to start. Look Laura, I gotta go."

"Okay. See ya!" Laura waved at Scott while he was running to the locker to put his clothes back on.

"I guess I should put away the obstacle course before the next class uses the gym." Laura walked back into the gym.

Later in the day, the cheerleaders met at one table in the cafeteria eating lunch together.

"I can't believe Laura broke my phone. How the hell can I facetime my boyfriend?" Jenny putting her broken phone on the table

"Maybe you can write him a letter towards him." Marilyn suggested.

"I mean I guess, but that would be a hassle."

[Hey guys]

Laura walked towards the cheerleading team.

"Well if it isn't the 'princess of Sunshine High.'" Jenny notices Laura walking towards them.

"Look Jenny I know how angry you guys are about me, especially you Jenny with your broken phone." Laura pulled out a roll of money from her pocket giving it to Jenny.

Jenny opened up the roll of money to see how much it was. "A thousand dollars?!"

"Yep. Enough money to buy a new phone, probably the newest version." Laura smiled.

"But how did you get this money? You don't have a job." Jenny put the money in her pocket.

"I took some from John's giant piggy bank. He probably won't notice."

"Well, thanks Laura."

"No problem. But guys I have to make an announcement." Laura reached in her bag.

She would bring her folded cheerleading outfit and place it on the table.

"What I did yesterday was in violation of our cheerleading rules. We cheerleaders should be together not arguing with one another and breaking other people's phones. So I decided to quit the cheerleading squad and hand my captain position to Jenny. Personally I have no idea how'd I became a cheerleader and I feel like I'm only a cheerleader for John. So ladies I hope you guys can finish the rest of the cheerleading season strong and thank you for this wonderful opportunity."

"Laura. It's okay. As long as you're honest with us, we're okay about it." Jenny says.

"Thanks ladies. I wish you all well." Laura left the cheerleaders.

After school, Scott and the gang all met in Jim's house. They all sat in the cafe area in a big round table. Scott all called them here to make a big announcement.

"Hey guys, where's Bryan?" Natalie questions.

"He left the friend group." Scott answered.

"Why?"

"Because. Well. Let me explain."

Everyone listened to Scott.

"Remember what Laura did yesterday at Bryan and Liam's moment where she called their relationship 'disgusting.'"

"Yeah. What she did was very inappropriate. But at least homosexuality is now acceptable in Sunshine High."

"Well about that. While you guys were with everyone else, I was chasing after Laura and wanted her to apologize to them. However, I don't think she's not a bad person."

"WHAT?!" Dwayne spit out his soda.

"Guys, hear me out. What Laura did was inappropriate, but what if she didn't mean to do it. What if this is what John wanted?"

Everyone gave Scott a solemn stare.

"Because looking at her, she started to vomit blood and blood also came out of her nose. There might be a chance that John must've brainwashed her to say and do these horrifying things. I personally can tell because of what happened to Troy."

"Troy? What does he have to do with Laura?" Jim questions.

"Back in November, Troy's intentions weren't to kill me. He was forced to by John and if he didn't kill me, John would've. I'm not surprised now since he's a big manipulator and liar and he framed his death on me."

Scott walked towards Jim. "Jim, Troy only tends to bully you because you were the school's nerd and John for some reason believes that nerds are weak and puny and that they should be beaten up by jocks for their own amusement. Can you see how things are starting to connect Jim?"

"I think so."

Scott then walked towards Dwayne. "And Dwayne. Why do you think Troy framed you for that drink mix?"

"Is it because I'm fat?"

"Exactly. In John's world, he expects football players to be buff and strong, not fat. So my theory is that John was also in it with Troy to frame you to get kicked off the team so John can replace you with him."

"That does make sense." Dwayne took a sip of his soda.

"I don't think that's true for Drake though." Natalie coming into the conversation.

"I mean I knew Drake ever since we were in Minnesota. He probably doesn't care about having the role of being a bully. That's just who he is."

"You're right about that Natalie." Scott walked towards her.

"So Scott, you're saying that this school is trying to act like we are in a movie or a musical and we have to roleplay these kinds of characters?"

"It seems like it. If I was called an 'outcast,' then that's who I am in John's world."

"So with Laura, then that must mean since she's John's girlfriend, she needs to obey what John says."

"Exactly Natalie. Laura only wanted me dead because that's what John wants."

"However, I realized that roleplaying a character in John's world can be exhausting for some people. Because not only did Laura throw up blood, she was also breaking character, which is not something you expect from her. She started crying and ran away from me."

"Laura crying. That's not what I expect from the princess of Sunshine High." Jim was surprised.

"I don't think Laura is trying to be the 'Princess of Sunshine High,' she's just a human just like us and right now I think her personality of being that person must've blocked her true memories of who she was." Scott walked back to his seat.

"So I was thinking, maybe we can try to help her."

"HELP HER?!" all of them were surprised.

"Why would we help her? She tried to copy off my assignments when I was with her in class last year." Jim said.

"She kept fat shaming me so I can feel insecure about my body." Dwayne said.

"And she keeps interrupting my poetry sessions whenever she's in the theater." Natalie said.

"Look, I know what Laura did in the past was wrong, but sometimes, you have to give people chances so that they can become a better person. Jim, I thought you were the most annoying person in precalculus, but now I realized that you're a human like us and stripped your role as a nerd that you were engulfed with."

Jim looked at himself.

"Dwayne, me and Jim helped your actions get justified so you got to play in the last game of your season. Without us, you would be back in the library crying about how you were framed by Troy."

Dwayne put his soda down on the table.

"And Natalie, I fought Drake just so you can feel safe in this school. I knew he must've made you feel uncomfortable all those times with him from Minnesota to Iowa. I don't want you thinking that the past still affects you. I don't know what happened to him, but as long as he's not in Sunshine High, you'll feel better expressing yourself as a poet."

"You're right Scott."

"So guys, if I gave you guys an opportunity to be who you guys truly are, then give Laura a chance. It's time to give Laura a second chance. That's what Ashley did to me before she died."

"Yeah Scott, we'll give Laura a second chance. I'll check in my bookshelves to see what books are about medicine." Jim went towards the bookshelves.

"But what about Bryan? You never told us what happened to him." Natalie questions.

"Well, Bryan was so fed up with her that he tried to attack her with your brass knuckle so I stopped him. I can't risk Bryan making the same mistake that I did."

"Do you think he'll come back?"

"Maybe. I think he's just upset at the moment. I do hope he can come back for us." Scott said.

"So guys, I'm heading back home. I'm just a bit worried about Laura and her condition." Scott leaves Jim's home.

"Scott. I hope what you said about Laura is true." Natalie looks at Scott leaving.