Heather

Two weeks later

I trip over a box on my way back from the bathroom. Although it's been two months since I've moved to Idaho, I haven't completely unpacked. I'm hoping that as soon as Daddy realizes what a mistake this was, he'll ship us back to Pasadena. So far, the odds haven't been in my favor. 

I check my appearance in the mirror one last time. Earlier this morning, I finally decided on wearing a preppy black and red plaid pencil skirt and a plain white, button-up shirt. I completed the outfit with a pair of black ankle booties and my mother's golden locket. 

Technically the whole outfit revolved around the locket since I have only taken it off to shower for the past six months. 

This outfit was last of many that I thought I had decided on this morning. I wanted to make a good impression, hoping to fit in sooner rather than later. The first day of senior year is supposed to be exciting, but at a new school with no friends, it's just nervewracking. 

I ran out of time before I could change my outfit again. I slipped my laptop into my brand new red Jansport backpack and then slung the bag over my shoulder. 

"You have to unpack sometime, Heather." My father says as I enter the kitchen. The kitchen is completely set up and has been since the first week we moved in. I pop two slices of bread into the toaster and push the lever down. 

"I'll get around to it this weekend, Dad." I say. I make a mental note to shove the extra boxes in the hall closet. There are just some boxes that are too real to unpack. Like, I'm not mentally ready to unpack my mother's jewelry and mix it with my own yet. It's too final to be unpacking her things in a new place when she's not here to wear them. 

A faint smile crosses my father's face. He's thinking about her, too. For a few seconds, we share the same look, the same thoughts. 

The toast pops up and brings us both out of the moment. I quickly spread a hearty amount of peanut butter on both slices and take a bite. 

"I packed your lunch for you already. It's sitting in the fridge." He says. I nod appreciatively, my mouth full of peanut butter toast. I pour out a glass of milk to make my breakfast go down easier as the peanut butter sticks to all parts of my mouth. 

"So, got any big meetings today, Dad?" I ask, knowing he's going to give me the same answer as always. 

"A few. I might be at the office late tonight, but I made a pot of chicken and dumplings for you to have for dinner." My favorite. "I made it for your special day. First day at a new school." I wince as he says it aloud. "It'll all turn out just fine, you'll see." That last phrase got me thinking about my mother again. At this point that might as well be my dad's catchphrase as many times as he's said it over the past seven months. I just not to let him know that I heard him, even if I feel like it never will be fine again. 

There's a moment of silence as I chew another bite of toast, trying not to find an opportunity to speak again. 

"What's your first class?" He says. He never can let silence be comfortable. 

"AP Calculus," I reply. I received my schedule and locker information via email the week before.

"Oof. That's a hard one for first thing in the morning." He smiles up at me and I obligingly return the gesture. I make a to-go mug of tea to sip on during school. I secure the lid and grab my car keys from the bowl on the kitchen counter.

"Have a great day at school, sweetie," he says. I grab my lunch box out of the refrigerator and walk out of the house, throwing a wave over my shoulder. 

When I get into the car, I select a Spotify playlist and the familiar notes from Travis Scott's goosebumps play. I turn the volume up so I can hear the bass bumping in my speakers as I tear out of the long driveway. 

I drove past my new school twice in the past two months, but it's in the opposite direction of the town. There's not too much there either, at least compared to Pasadena or L.A. I don't know what I expected from Idaho, but it definitely wasn't what I was used to. 

I pull into the parking lot and park in one of the unnumbered spots. I'm supposed to pick up my parking pass this morning which assigns me a spot near the side entrance where the seniors are all supposed to park. I cut the engine, but sit in the car a minute longer, trying to give myself a pep talk. 

One year of this and I'll be back in L.A. at USC. All I have to do is make it one year. Assuming I can make it one day. Fuck.

With that bright ending to my pep talk, I grab my backpack and slide out of the car. I walk with a strut, showing off my outfit and long legs. I feel eyes on me as I pass a bunch of guys leaning against their cars. 

"Damn, girl." Some guy in a red and black letterman jacket mutters under his breath. I glance back at him, signaling that I heard him with a wink. Although this was a bit of a persona, I can't deny liking the attention I was receiving. It felt good to be accepted after all morning I was picking the perfect outfit. 

I go to my assigned locker #159 and enter the combination. I open my backpack and take out the few photos that I have. I put up one picture of my mom and I and one of Mac and I at Coachella the year before. I tuck the picture of Ryder kissing me underneath the books I stack on the shelf. I miss him a little bit, but not enough to display that proudly as if we were still dating. I press an invisible kiss into my fingertips and touch them to the two pictures hanging up before shutting the locker door. 

Just as I do that, my eyes are drawn to a guy walking in through the exterior doors. His appearance makes my breath catch in my throat. As if in a movie, he removes his sunglasses smoothly. His white v-neck looks clean and unwrinkled as if it was ironed that morning. Overtop it he has a sleek black leather jacket. His ripped black denim jeans hug his legs in a way that lets everyone looking know how muscular his legs are underneath. 

But, what catches my attention the most is his face. It's a familiar handsome face. One that I definitely didn't meet here in Bum-fuck, Idaho. 

Officer Kennedy.

(A/N) The first person who comments what they like from this chapter gets their name featured as another character in the next chapter!

Answer this question in the comments: If you were a high school student, what would you think seeing Kayne enter wearing that outfit?

Honestly, I would drool all over the floor.