My 18th Birthday was celebrated late. A month late, to be exact. But hey! At least it was celebrated.

My parents bought me a cake four days after my liberation. We laughed a lot, shed a few tears, but overall had a wonderful time.

I returned to school the following week. It was definitely.. weird to walk down those cold hallways again.

Sometimes I would get flashbacks that merged with reality. Instead of students with backpacks, I would see scientists with lab coats. The first few times that it happened, I had to lean against the lockers to catch my breath.

The teachers tried to act annoyed with my absences, but I could tell they felt slightly relieved. I had no idea what my parents had used as an excuse to the office and principal. When I asked, they simply told me not to worry about it.

Rumors began to circulate the school. Some figured that I ran away. Others theorized that Darcy, Anne May and I had crashed a car shortly after Jean's party due to drunk driving and that we'd fallen into a five-week coma. Some of them speculated that we'd gotten involved with the mafia or a dangerous gang, that they kidnapped us, and didn't let us go until our parents paid ransom.

I wasn't sure how to deal with my friends that first day. What would I tell them? That I got kidnapped by scientists for a breeding experiment? Sigh. This was going to be a weird day.

Lunch couldn't have come sooner. I wondered if Federico would be at our usual spot. Wait! Why not text him?

I grabbed a lunch tray at the cafeteria- pepperoni pizza. Don't get too excited, it might as well be called cardboard pizza.

After that, I snuck behind a group of people and pulled my phone out.

Me: Yo Federico.

Delivered. I waited. Tapped my foot impatiently. I surveyed the scene, making sure there were no teachers wandering around the cafeteria.

I was just about to call him when I got a message.

Anne May: I don't feel like eating with my group today. 😕 May I eat with you?

Oh. I was not expecting a message from her.

Me: Sure, I have no idea where my friend is anyway. 🤧

Anne May: Where do u want to meet?

Me: I'm in the cafeteria rn.. we could eat in the field behind the school.

Anne May: Alright, I'll meet u over there☺️

I put away my phone and exited through the back of the cafeteria. The field was right behind it. It wasn't a very big field, and there weren't many trees. You'd usually find small groups clustered beneath the shade of the trees, trying to escape the rising heat.

I made my way to a smallish tree (but with enough shade) and sat down on the grass. Other than the faraway chatter of students and occasional chirping birds, the field was quiet and peaceful.

Barely a minute had passed when I felt two arms grab my neck from behind and shake me.

Fear overtook me until I heard a familiar voice.

"WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN BRO?!"

I grabbed his wrists and threw him over me. He landed on the grass with a yell and a slam.

"Augh! What was that for?" He sat up, rubbing his head.

"That's what you get for being an ass and scaring me!" I punched his shoulder playfully.

Federico made a dramatic long face and began to whimper.

"You're not really crying," I said.

"But I really did miss you!" He threw his arms around me and we fell on the grass.

"Gah! Ok ok! I missed you too!"

"So? What was it: coma, runaway, or mafia?" We sat up.

I ruffled the tiny grass and leaves out of my hair.

"None," I said, looking straight at him.

"Then what happened that you went missing for a whole month?" He raised an eyebrow.

I looked away, debating whether or not to tell him.

Suddenly, Federico's eyes widened- really wide- and he gawked at something behind me.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my heart pounding hard against my chest.

His jaw dropped. It looked like he wanted to say something, but had lost his voice.

"A-a-a..."

"A what?" I asked. "A WHAT?" I shook his shoulders, but he still had that shocked expression.

"I see you've found your friend," a soft voice sounded behind me.

I turned around to see the girl I've crushed on since junior year. She smiled shyly as she held a strawberry smoothie, the wind gently brushing her wispy chestnut hair back.

"More like he found me, but feel free to sit down," I smiled back.

"Hi Federico," she greeted as she sat down.

"Hi," he whispered.

I nudged him. Federico cleared his throat.

"Hello Anne May," he said, in a more formal manner than he usually talks.

Federico gave me a side-eye that clearly wanted an explanation for the fact that Anne May was joining us.

"Anne May," I shyly looked down, then back up. "Do you think we should tell him?"

She tilted her head, at first uncomprehending. But then, she knew from the look on my face what I meant.

Anne May looked down and held my hand. "I, think we should." She smiled up at me.

"Anne May and I are dating," I confessed. It was the first time I'd said it out loud like that. And for the first time ever, I could finally believe it.

"I KNEW SOMETHING WAS UP! Wait! How long have..? Since WHEN?!" Federico was mind blown.

Anne May and I chuckled.

"I guess you could say... it started at Jean's party. That's when we confessed to each other," Anne May explained. She looked up at me as she said the last sentence, her eyes sparkling.

I looked at her amorously, admiring her beauty and strength to survive the lab.

"Aww.. I mean! Don't go doing that lovey dovey stuff right now. I'm third wheeling so bad," he dropped his head onto his knees.

Anne May and I gave each other a look.

"We might know someone you'd be interested in meeting..." I smirked.

"That is, if you're not already seeing someone," Anne May added.

"I'm not, but I'll admit that you've got me vaguely intrigued," Federico stroked his chin thoughtfully.