THE NEXT MORNING, WEDNESDAY

          i woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside my window. i turned on my left side, reaching for my phone on my night stand. as i grabbed it and i turned it on and it was 9;45am. i have about an hour until i have to go to the school.

i slowly got up sitting on the edge of my bed, rubbing my left eye. i stood up walking tiredly
into the bathroom, turning on the shower water. i took off my clothes, looking in the mirror at myself and pushed my hair back behind my shoulders.

this feels like the first day of school or some shit, but like in a whole different universe where everyone has been talking about me for months.

i got into the shower facing away from the shower head, letting the water run down my back.

after i finished up in the shower and i reached for a towel hanging on the towel rack. i turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, wrapping myself in the towel, and drying off my body.

fifteen minutes later, i got dressed in black Zara jeans and a white hoodie and threw on a black puffer vest over, with white converse.

i grabbed my phone and AirPods and went downstairs, grabbing a Redbull as i put one airpod in my left ear. i looked around hoping my mom would not be taking me. i wanted to drive myself.

it is currently 10:30 so i decided to get in my car before my mom wakes up, maybe i can talk to lauren. since she totally ditched me after school for Chase and Emily yesterday.

i fell asleep and she never came over and woke me up or anything.

i drove off and decided to call her so i called her with my phone connected to the car. it rang for about 30 seconds before she picked up.

"kels, hi," she said quietly into the phone.

"hey. i'm on my way to the school." i said while watching the road.

"cool! we all are excited to see you. after your thing do you wanna go with us to chipotle?" lauren asked me and i thought for a minute.

"yeah, let's do it. I'm not sure how long this thing is but i'll text you after and i'll see you before?" i asked in a question.

"alright, im headed to biology but yea come say hey," she added, "gotta go, text me when you're here."

"ok bye."

-

:>}

-

I pulled into the school parking lot, parking near the south end of the school. I sat in my car for a moment before grabbing my keys and phone and getting out.

I haven't been here in months.

the last time i was here was ...

the day i ran away to escape the tour.

walking through the main entrance i texted lauren that i was here, hoping she'd answer fast.

i walked into the bathroom and hid out in a stall for a bit when i got a text from lauren.

lauren; ok wya?

me; in the bathroom. can u meet me by the bathroom near the cafeteria pls

lauren; sure omw

i turned off my phone and walked out of the stall, looking in the mirror at myself.

about 5 minutes had passed and lauren walked in the bathroom, "oh my god. it feels like it's been forever." she exclaimed

i nodded and hugged her. "thanks for being my best friend, laur. forreal. you're the best."

she smiled, "of course. hey ya know you should try out for track with us. tryouts are tomorrow, you're here just in time and the track meets are supposed to be so fun, there are some hot ass football boys on the track team."

i shrugged. "i don't know. that doesn't seem like me."

"i know but practices are 4 days a week, we'll never be able to hang out but if you do it you can come to meets and practice."

"nah. not my thing, but i can still go support you right?" i asked.

"i guess. Emily and I wanted you to tryout though." she said

"Emily did?" i asked, shocked at the thought of Emily wanting me to join a team she was joining.

"yeah. i told you once you get to know her she is a cool ass person, and a good friend." lauren said and walked out of the bathroom and i followed.

i just shrugged, looking down at the time on my phone, "oh it's 10:56 i should go to the office and see where i have to go."

"alright. text me after about chipotle." lauren said and walked down the hallway.

i felt weird around lauren but i just walked into the office and Mr. Maynard was standing behind the desk next to the office lady.

he looked up at me as i walked in, and spoke up, "kelsea, hi. welcome back."

i just stood still and looked at him, only saying, "hi."

"come with me into my office, before we take the assessment." he added.

i shrugged and followed him into his office and sat down on the chair in front of his desk.

"so kelsea, how are you feeling?" he asked me as he pressed the mouse on his computer.

"i'm fine." i spoke giving him no emotion.

he just nodded, "for the first week back, you will be with a paraprofessional, who will help you and she will be walking you to and from your classes and to the parking lot after school. we want to see how you are being back. i'm telling you this and we are doing this to protect you and your classmates."

"that's fucking stupid." i said, giving him a death glare.

mr. maynard sighed, "kelsea, this is to help you, and to make sure you are okay to come back on your own."

"whatever." i said and got up running quickly out of his office.

i didn't look back as i ran out the office doors and to the parking lot, when i heard him yelling my name and i got in my car locking the doors and turning it on as he ran over to my car and i quickly backed out of the parking space and sped off.

i got onto the main road and just started driving, not sure where i was going because i didn't want to go back home.

i feel like i'm back where i started. maybe i should transfer schools or just do online school. i was doing ok in California. at least i thought and it felt like it.

i started calling corbyn while driving and he picked up on the third ring.

"hey kels, what's up?" he said, he looked like he was in the airport.

"hi, nothing i just got done at the school." i said shrugging to myself.

"nice, how was it? i'm about to get on the plane to virginia in 20 minutes." he told me, he looked excited.

"it was fine. i'm probably gonna be staying the night at lauren's."  i added.

"for real? come home and see me" he frowned.

"i need a break from mom and mr. maynard ok." i sternly told him.

he was quiet for a bit before saying, "alright."

"yeah. i don't think i can go back to that school." i wasn't planning on telling him that but it just kinda slipped out.

"alright, that's fine. you can do online school or find a new school." he said, i could tell he was trying to help.

"i know."

"i have to go. i'm driving." i said and hung up without saying bye or giving him a chance to.

when i got to a red light i quickly texted lauren and asked her if i could stay the night at her house.

i drove past the movie theater and decided i kind of want to go see a movie and get popcorn. so i pulled into the movie theater parking lot, i found a parking spot and got out locking my car behind me.

i walked in and up to the ticket counter, looking at the movies that are playing, "hi. could i get one ticket for ticket to paradise?" the one with Julia Roberts. It looks good.

the cashier told me yes and i handed him my debit card.

he handed me my ticket and i bought popcorn and a sprite. as i was walking down the hall to the theater the movie is in, i was looking down at my popcorn and eating some, which made me not notice anyone in front of me and i bumped into someone walking the opposite direction. it was emily and chase.

chase looked at me stunned, "kelsea. hi."

"hey." i said quietly.

"what are you doing here?" he asked me.

"uh seeing a movie. what about you? why aren't u at school?" i asked him, looking at emily and back at chase.

"we skipped second and lunch. our grades are fine anyway," he told me.

i just nodded.

"how are you? how was everything? lauren said you went to the school today?" he looked like he wanted to leave.

"i'm fine. i did, yeah."

"nice. i'm glad you're doing ok." i watched as emily tried to grab his arm and pull him off like she wanted to leave, and he looked at her, "well we should get going, emily has track tryouts."

lauren told me track tryouts are tomorrow.

"cool. good luck em." i said to her.

"thanks kelsea." she said and they walked off and i watched them leave.

i sighed and tried to steady my breathing, chase hates me for sure.

him and emily seem.. happy? maybe, i don't know.

i walked into the theater and sat down watching the movie.

-

after the movie ended i grabbed my empty popcorn bucket and sprite and threw away them away while walking out of the theater.

i got into my car and checked my phone and lauren texted me back that she will ask her mom so i texted her back to let me know.

i leaned back the drivers seat and took a nap in my car.