⠀⠀The first day of the new semester is buzzing with excitement from the senior class. It's the Spring semester, so it's their last few months before they get to leave high school forever.

⠀⠀While everyone in Mr. V's first period class can't seem to shut up about their great winter break adventures, one girl sits in the back row, her head down. She's been nervous about this day for far longer than anyone in the class can ever be aware of, mainly because none of them seem to have noticed her presence.

⠀⠀"Everybody, shut up!" Mr. V hollers from his desk, his thick glasses perched on the bridge of his nose so magnified that they make his eyes look three times their actual size. He's considered the cool teacher of the government class all seniors are required to take. He has this reputation because he really does not give a shit about anything.

⠀⠀He begins to call out names from the list of students on his computer screen, having to use a handheld magnifying glass in order to see them even with his glasses on.

⠀⠀The students monotonously call out the word here when he says their names, and then they all seem to freeze upon him calling out a single name.

⠀⠀"Kalani Hunters," Mr. V says.

⠀⠀Kalani Hunters? the class wonders. She moved to Arizona years ago. What type of mistake is this?

⠀⠀"Here," a quiet voice says from the back of the room. Suddenly, the entire class turns to look at the girl they hadn't even noticed was there, their jaws all dropping.

⠀⠀They wouldn't have even recognized her if she hadn't been called for attendance. She's a lot more modest looking now than she was when she left. She's wearing a sort of baggy sweater and jeans, not the typical Kalani Hunters style she left town with. Her face is free of makeup, revealing the blemishes on her skin that nobody thought existed because she is Kalani and Kalani is perfect.

⠀⠀Her persona is different as well. She didn't make some grand entrance to announce she's back like she would have back in the day. Her voice is soft and almost scared, not fearless and confident. She isn't looking at anyone but rather staring down at the desk in front of her, clearly not basking in the attention that she once demanded.

⠀⠀The news flies around school so fast that nearly everyone knows that the legend is back by the time that first period ends.

⠀⠀Somehow, the news manages to skip one person— Alec Johnston. Everyone probably just assumes that he knows that she's back and why she's back. They were best friends, and this is the type of thing that best friends tell each other about.

⠀⠀"Dude, why didn't you say anything about Kalani coming back?" Vince "Gismo" Gismondi, asks at lunch, peeling a pepperoni off his slice of pizza and throwing it at Anthony Bay across the table.

⠀⠀Alec stops stabbing at the pieces of orange chicken in his rice bowl and looks up at his friend. "What? She's back?"

⠀⠀Gismo raises his eyebrows. "You didn't know?"

⠀⠀Alec shakes his head. "We haven't really talked since she moved. I mean, we did at the start, but then she started making friends at her new school, and we just kind of stopped."

⠀⠀Nobody says anything after that. Anthony and Gismo go back to eating, and Alec stares down into his bowl.

⠀⠀"So she's back?" Alec asks, and his friends simply nod their heads in reply.