"Key, you're gonna have to go to school, I can't keep you at home forever!" Will said, begging me to get out of bed and try out a new school. Truth be told, I didn't want to go to school. I was completely fine being homeschooled, I hated being the new student. I didn't like telling new teachers my pronouns or hearing kids call me a freak when I told them I was acearo. Plus, I was sick of the workload. I was sick of homework, I was sick of teachers, I was sick of everything.

"Come on, this is a really nice school and I heard the kids are really nice too. You're going to be fine, and I'm sure you're gonna make some friends." 

"No one in any of my old schools ever wanted to be friends with me, so why bother trying at this place?" I snapped, forcing myself to get out of bed and get a somewhat presentable outfit from my closet. Will sighed and said, "Look, I'll make a deal with you. Just give this place a chance, please? If you seriously don't like it, we can look into homeschooling you. Just give it a week, okay? I love you and I only want what's best for you."

"Fine. You really want me to go to this hellhole? Then I'll go. Just don't expect me to like it."

_______

And I was right. I didn't like this place. In fact, I hated it more than any other school I've ever been to.

My school in Tahiti was small, and was full of natives. It was the best school out of the three I've ever been to. I had a few friends there, family friends, but that was good enough for me. 

Then I moved to Hawaii, and I was thrust into a big city school with thousands of kids. I felt out of place and overwhelmed when I was there, it was confusing and terrifying to me to be there. It was so hard to find friends, and no one ever seemed to notice there was a new student. And if they did, they completely ignored my presence.

This school was no different. I tried to say hi to a few people, at Will's request, but I was alone for most of the day and felt completely ignored. I hated it here, and all I wanted to do was go home. 

It was lunchtime, and I was trying to look around to find people who seemed nice to sit with. Everyone gave me a dirty look when I tried to sit with them, and I sighed and found a table alone and started to eat my sandwich.

I looked around at all my new classmates sitting with their friends, talking and laughing and having a good time. It made me ache inside, I wanted a friendship like that, but I didn't know how to get it. I was just the loner, like I was every single year of my life.

"Hey, you're Keira, right?" I heard someone say. I looked up and gasped, moving over to make room for them.

"Avery?"