Levi's POV

"Are you nuts? Walking home on one of the coldest days of the year?" I yell out the window to her.

"I'll be fine," Bailey replies.

"No, you won't. Get in," I demand.

"No thank you."

"I didn't ask. Bailey, get in."

She finally gives in and climbs into the truck. I heard she was coming back to school today but I didn't see her in the halls.

"What are you doing leaving school late?" I ask

"Had a meeting with the Principal." She tells me.

"Everything okay?" I ask.

"Yup." She stares out the window and I can tell she's not excited to see me. Not that she ever is.

I pull away from the curb and continue down the road. The silence between us is awkward but not uncommon for us. Last time I saw her was the night of the party because I was still in the hospital when they buried Jack. I remember her wearing a beautiful black dress because she wanted to attend the celebration and as usual, Jack told her no.

He never wanted her to be in 'that' atmosphere. It was his way of protecting her. Although, she never saw it that way. Part of me is glad she didn't come that night, but another part of me wonders if that night would have turned out differently if she had. It's one of those questions that will remain unanswered for eternity.

"Why didn't you text me back?" I decide to break the silence. I sent her multiple text messages these past two months but she never responded. I even tried to visit but she never wanted to see me.

"Because I didn't want to," She answers.

"Fair enough." Is all I can say. I don't know why she doesn't like me but I know her annoyance for me started in elementary school. At first, I thought it was because she had a crush on me but after four years of her bullying I realized her meanness towards me had no secret feelings behind it.

"Why were you leaving school late?" She asks.

"I don't know what you're talking about, I'm currently working out with the team." I say.

She looks over, confused, "Why aren't you actually working out with them?"

I shrug my shoulders, "Didn't feel like it today. Instead, I'm getting some food and I guess you're coming with me."

"No thanks, you can drop me off at the corner"

"Oh, I wasn't asking," I assure her.

++++++++

Bailey picks at the salad she ordered and I inhale my double bacon burger.

"Not hungry?" I ask, my mouth still full of burger.

"Not really." She murmurs.

"It will get easier. Soon everyone will leave you alone. It's awkward at first because no one knows how to act around you." It's true. After I was released from the hospital and went back to school, they all treated me as a victim. Everyone felt bad for me and wanted to be there for me. I hated every minute of it. It was a constant reminder that he was gone and I was still here.

"Will it happen tomorrow?" She looks up at me.

I laugh at her hopeful words. It will be weeks if not months before everyone leaves her alone. How the school is treating her is way more intense than how I was treated. I lost my best friend. She lost her brother.

"Give it a month, at least."

She groans at my statement and drops her head down on the table; her black hoodie covering her face. I said the wrong thing and it made her feel worse. This was not my intention. I reach out and grab her arm.

"If it makes you feel better, I won't treat you differently," I assure her.

She lifts her head up, making eye contact with me. I finally said something right.

"I get what you're going through, so I am not going to do that to you," I say.

She scoffs, "You get what I'm going through?"

"Yeah, everyone is giving you sympathetic eyes. They're telling you how sorry they are. Using words like my condolences and I'm sorry for your loss. People you've never talked to before all of a sudden want to eat lunch with you. It's annoying. You just want to be alone, but it's hard to do that in a small town." I tell her.

She sits back up. Her facial expression is not one I was expecting. I thought she would be smiling, but instead, she looks angry.

"I don't like you."

"Why? I mean I know you don't like me. You've always made that obvious. But why? I've never been mean to you."

"Because you're annoying. You're a kiss up. You were always nice towards me to impress Jack. It was annoying. Now you are being nice because you want Jack to be proud of you."

"You really think I'm trying to kiss up to Jack? I was trying to relate to you because that's how everyone treated me when I came back to school. "

"Well you can't relate to me. You didn't lose a brother." She stands up and throws her napkin on the table and before I know it, she's storming out of the restaurant.

But I did lose a brother.

+++++++

Bailey's POV

"Mom I'm home!" I shout into the quiet house but as I expected, no one replies. I know my dad's not home because he's out god-knows-where, working, but my mom should be home. The bar doesn't open for another hour. I drop my bag down on the couch and make my way into the kitchen and see the note on the fridge.

Went into work early to do inventory. Won't be back until tomorrow. Love mom.

Of course, she's at work. My stomach growls from hunger and I open the fridge to find beer and spoiled milk. Just another day in the Moretti household. I search through the cabinets but of course, they're all empty and I regret not eating the salad back at the restaurant.

Thinking about the restaurant fills my stomach with knots. How could Levi say he understands what I'm going through. His ass-kissing performance may have worked on Jack, but it's not going to work on me.

Levi's POV

I walk through the front door and throw my bookbag on the ground. "I'm home," I yell out.

"How was your workout?" Mom yells from the kitchen. The house smells like fresh garlic and I forgot I would have to eat dinner when I came home. I'm still stuffed from the bacon burger.

"It was fine." I sit on the wooden barstool watching as my mom finishes cooking.

I can't believe Bailey thought I was pitying her. What's it going to take to show her that I'm a nice guy? I tried to check on her after everything happened and offered to give her rides when no one else would. Shit, I even offered to marry her when we were kids! Why does she think it's all an act?

"Sweety, are you listening?" My mom interrupts my thoughts.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"Remember Clarice Moretti? She's coming home!"

"Oh, that's nice. When?"

"Tomorrow. Lori's throwing a welcome back party on Saturday, and I expect you to be there!"

"Sure ma, I'll be there."

++++++++

Bailey's POV

I sit at the empty lunch table and observe the cafeteria, waiting for Georgia to join me. The Board Game Club all sit together a few tables over and not long ago I used to sit with them. Now I have no desire to play board games or any games for that matter. To be honest, I never cared for it in the first place. I only joined because Georgia wanted to and we do everything together. I've always wanted to be a cheerleader. I did gymnastics my entire life and it's the only sport at Baraboo High where I could show off my skills. Jack, however, wouldn't let me join.

He used to always tell me how the cheerleaders were dramatic, dumb and slutty. It never made any sense to me considering he always dated them. They may not be the smartest in the school, but they sure are the prettiest and the most popular.

I watch as Hayley and AnnaMae walk into the cafeteria arm in arm. Both of their blonde hair in ponytails. Both wearing turtlenecks tucked into miniskirts. AnnaMae wears a black turtleneck with a plaid skirt and thigh-high boots. Hayley has on a green turtleneck with a black mini skirt and flats. Both of them are rocking the preppy look. I wonder if I would look that pretty in an outfit like that.

"Their outfits are dumb and make no sense. Who wears mini skirts in February?" Georgia sits down across from me joined by Dakota and Denver who also decided to sit at our table again. Is this going to be our new thing? Before my brother died they always sat with the art club, which makes sense, they're both in art and theater but I am thrilled they are choosing me over them.

"It's almost March," I remind Georgia.

"Still means winter in Wisconsin," Dakota says.

"Still getting the sorrys from classmates?" Denver asks.

"Of course she is. Jack was a legend," Dakota says.

The long answer is yes. Wherever I go. Whoever I see. Whatever I do. It's "poor Bailey." I'm over it. I'm done talking about my brother's death.

"Can we talk about something other than my brother?" I groan.

"My bad," Dakota says.

"Yeah, your bad. You're so insensitive." Georgia calls him out.

"What do you want to talk about?" Denver asks.

"I don't know. I've been gone for two months, any new gossip?" I ask.

"Well, do you remember Clarice?" Denver asks.

"Clarice Moretti, my cousin on my dad's side?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Well, she's coming back from studying abroad. I heard she's changed a lot." Denver tells us.

"Where did she study?" Georgia asks.

"Paris," Denver and I say in unison.

"How could she afford to study abroad?"

"Her dad and grandpa both own and run the Moretti restaurant. My cousins are so spoiled," I state.

"Next time you talk to her, you have to tell us what she's like now," Denver demands.

"Sure," I say.

++++++++

Only one more class before the weekend. I'm really glad I didn't come back to school on a Monday. There's no way I would have survived a whole week of this. I switch out my books in my locker and grab my biology textbook, heading to seventh period. Math and science are two subjects I struggle the most with. My brain is not programmed to think with numbers and equations. The sad part is, those are probably the most important subjects for us to learn.

"Bailey! There you are." I look up and see an unfamiliar face standing before me. He must be older because I've never seen him in my classes before.

"Yeah, I'm here, at my locker," I tell them. I stare at him, still unsure of where this conversation is going.

"Oh, you probably don't know who I am, but I know who you are."

"You do?" I ask.

"Yes, you're Jack's little sister."

"My name's Bailey, and you are?" I ask.

"Oh, I'm Brandon. I'm a reporter of the Grizzly Bear Gazette. I was wondering if I could interview you."

"No." I continue walking down the hallway but he follows close behind.

"You didn't let me finish," he says.

Ignoring him, I quickly turn down a long hallway away from the classrooms, hoping he heads to his next class but to my surprise he continues to follow me.

Now the worry sets in and I figure the only way to lose him is in the girl's locker room. He can't follow me inside there.

"This would be a huge deal for the school." He continues to talk but I continue to ignore him.

I pass by the gym and notice a class running laps inside. Shit, I'm late for my class! I must not have realized the bell rang.

Next to the gym are the locker rooms and I scurry inside but the door doesn't close behind me and when I turn around I see Brandon standing in the doorway.

"It would mean a lot to the school if you could say a few words about your brother."

"What are you doing? You can't be in here!"

"It would only be a couple of questions!"

"I already told you, no!"

"But think of your brother! He would love it if you did this."

"No. Now get out of here."

"I'm not leaving until you say yes."

"Then I'm leaving." I try to push his arm down to make room for myself, but Brandon doesn't budge. Instead I duck under it and walk past him. However, before I make it far, he grabs me the arm, turning me around.

"Tell me you'll do the interview and I'll let you go." He squeezes harder.

"What's wrong with you? I said no!" I shout. What the hell is this guy thinking? I just want to go to Biology. Well, not really, but I rather be in class studying dead rats than in a girls' locker room with this psycho!

"There's a good story here and Baraboo deserves to know. With this story I could finally get my big break and make senior editor," he affirms.

"My answer is still no. I don't care about your stupid newspaper," I spit.

"What..?" Brandon's voice deepens and the color in his eyes darken, both sends shivers down my spine, and I can't help but wince as his grip on my arm tightens even more. I know this is going to leave a print later.

"She told you no," Someone growls from behind Brandon.

"Stay the fuck out of it bro," Brandon demands.

Before I can piece together what's happening, someone grabs Brandon by the collar yanking him backward and he clumsily falls to the ground landing on his ass. Standing over him is Hunter.

When Brandon notices Hunter, his face goes white as a sheet and the arrogance he once had is now replaced with fear.

Hunter picks him up off the ground slamming him against the wall, his feet barely touching the floor.

"Dude, I was just kidding." Brandon, now helpless, begs Hunter.

During all of this, I stand there frozen to the ground, watching in awe, as my knight in shining armor comes to my rescue.

"Just let me go. I'll leave her alone." Brandon pleads.

Hunter glowers at him, fist clenched and I can tell his emotions are starting to take over. His arm slowly rises and as he goes into punch Brandon I run over and grab onto him, "Stop Hunter, it's okay."

Hunter shifts his gaze down at me and his darkened facial expression slowly disappears. The blue ocean waves crash around in his pupils sending electricity pulsing through my body and if Brandon wasn't here to witness us, I probably would have kissed him right then and there.

And while our eyes are locked on each and me clenching onto his arm, Hunter eventually unleashes Brandon sending him falling back onto the ground. He grabs his backpack and scrambles down the hall disappearing around the corner.

After realizing that I'm still holding onto Hunter, I quickly let go and regain my composure. I've never seen him in this way before. Part of me is still in shock, but the other part of me is aroused.

Hunter shakes his head. "Sorry, You shouldn't have seen that. Brandon is such a dick sometimes and he pisses me off."

"It-it's okay," I stutter, wanting to relive the moments again and this time kiss him.

"Are you alright?" Hunter asks as he grabs onto my shoulders, leaning in closer to my face and if I wasn't so nervous I would take this opportunity to truly thank him but instead, I nod. Hunter smiles, "Good."

"Thank you," I say.

"Would you -" Hunter's interrupted by Mr. Smith as he walks up to us, "Bailey, Hunter, shouldn't you both be in class?"

Hunter replies, "I just came out to take a piss and I noticed Bailey out here upset."

"Well, get back to class. Bailey, can we meet in my office?" Mr. Smith asks.

"Uh-sure," I say. It's my second day back and I'm already in trouble for missing class.

Hunter and I part ways and I follow the counselor to his office.

"Are you and Hunter close?" He asks.

"We grew up together, so I guess so." I wish we were closer, but I'm not going to tell Mr. Smith that.

"Be careful with who you surround yourself with," He warns me and I wonder what he is trying to say through his passive aggressive statement.

We enter his office and I immediately sit down, mentally preparing myself for whatever punishment he may have.

"So, I notice you used to be in the Board Game Club. Is that something you plan on rejoining?" He asks.

"I'm not sure. Probably not," I admit.

"Well, It's important that you join an after school activity. It looks good for colleges," he affirms.

"I'm only a freshman. College is a long way away."

"That's not true. It will be here before you know it and nowadays colleges look at your entire high school experience. Not just what you do in your senior year. They want students who are well-rounded. I see that your grades are decent, we just need to get you more involved. How about the school newspaper. Do you enjoy writin-?"

I cut him off, "No. I'm not joining that."

"Alright, what is something that interests you?"

"I'm not sure."

"Did you ever play a sport?"

"I used to be in gymnastics."

"Well the closest we have to that is the cheerleading squad," he chuckles.

"I could join that. Would that count as an extra school activity?"

The school bell rings letting us know it's officially the weekend and Mr.s Smith hands over a piece of paper. "I suppose it does. Here, take this."

"What is it?" I ask.

"It's a list of all of our clubs and sports. Take a look and let me know what interests you." I take the paper and shove it in my backpack still confused on why I am thinking of colleges as a freshman? Shouldn't I be doing that in my junior or senior year? There's already so much on my mind. I can't possibly handle anything more.

The hallways are once again crowded. There's no need for me to go to my locker so instead, I head out of the school building. Everyone on campus travels in mini-groups. I notice the potheads making their way to the bleachers. The preppy cheerleaders walk in line taking up the entire sidewalk, expecting everyone to move aside for them.

I watch as couples migrate to Lover's courtyard, which is located in the center of the school. It's an optional space for those who want to eat outside. It's surrounded on almost all sides except for a tiny alley that leads to the parking lot. It was designed this way for fire safety, but of course, kids use it to skip class.

To my right, leaning against the school building in the alley is Hunter. His long, blonde hair blows slightly in the wind. His khaki Levi's coat really compliments his broad shoulders and his straight leg Levi jeans really hug his thighs, showing how in shape he's in.

I wave at Hunter, making my way toward him because I want to thank him for earlier, and ask him what he was going to say to me before we were interrupted by the school counselor but before I can manage to take two steps forward I see a tall, blonde, beautiful cheerleader emerging from the courtyard. Hunter smiles at her and wraps his hands around her waist. She lightly kisses him on the lips. Hunter kisses her back, pushing her up against the wall. How long has this been going on?

"Bailey, Let's go! Jackson is waiting!" Georgia yells across the schoolyard.

~~~~~2/6/20 • 3246 words~~~~~

Do you enjoy biology? I hated it. I was terrible at anything science-related.

Who is the planner in your family? I am most definitely the planner in my family. I feel like I missed my calling as an event planner. 

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