"Let's go back to simplicity
I feel like I've been missing me
Was not who I'm supposed to be
I felt this darkness over me
We all get there eventually
I never knew where I belonged
But I was right and you were wrong
Been telling myself all along."
—Don't Be So Hard on Yourself by Jess Glynne

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

| KENZIE |

Because of my status, I was already used to the attention that I always received (not to the point of having a big head, mind you), but my seatmate was different: he hadn't reacted like most of the guys would do when they saw someone beautiful. It wasn't because I was assuming or anything. Gods, no. I only found it nice and disturbing at the same time.

Maybe he's just pretending, I thought while half listening to the teacher, like most guys do.

After an hour, Mr. Larter dismissed the class, except for Rachel, my seatmate and me, and then called us to the front of his table.

"Mr. Lance Collins," he started, "you'll be the one who will tour Ms. Mackenzie Adams and Ms. Rachel Simpson around the school, if you don't mind."

Lance Collins.

I'd heard that name before, especially from my paternal grandmother who was a pianist. I remembered Lance Collins was a famous violinist.

"I do not mind, Mr. Larter," the boy with a cheerful, babyish face said. "But why me, if I may ask?"

Mr. Larter smiled, and I guessed this Lance guy was one of his favorite students. "I noticed you were the only one in this class who wasn't starstruck when these two ladies came in. We don't want them to be scared of a tour guide who would always keep screaming their names, do we? The three of you are excused from your next subjects. Principal Reynolds already has it covered." He turned to Rachel and me. "Do you ladies have any objections?"

The two of us shook our heads.

"You three are free to go," he said. "And let me be the second person to welcome you both, as I'm sure Principal Reynolds was the first." He grinned. "Welcome to Weyral High School! Just remember the teachers here don't bite their students!"

Lance did the same, and I couldn't help but notice how white his teeth were. "Welcome!" He laughed freely. "Well, that would make me the third person to welcome you two."

Rachel and I also laughed, and then thanked them.

"A shame. I heard cannibalism was the new trend in the other schools," my best friend joked.

"Don't worry, Mr. Later," I said with a kind smile. "We won't forget about it."

🎹 🎹 🎹

"That is The Cafeteria. Yes, with the capital T and C," Lance said in his cool and smooth voice while pointing to a building that looked like a gigantic lunch box. (No pun intended.) "And next to it is the Left Pegasus Park, where you are free to hang out or whatever. The Right Pegasus Park is on the opposite side, which is already self-titled." He chuckled. "But I am sure you already saw that in the school's booklet."

I was now only half listening to him, because I was busy wondering why some of the students of Weyral I'd seen earlier had been wearing capes in different colors. Was there a special event in Weyral every first day of school? Principal Reynolds hadn't said anything about it to us, so maybe no.

Or were they members of the school's Rainbow Club, or Superhero Wannabes Club? If yes, then that was very weird. Wait, did such club even exist?

Purpose of the club: Sorry, information is classified.

Um, just to have fun...?

"Earth to Mackenzie Adams!" Someone snapped a finger in front of my face, causing me to blink, startled.

"S-sorry," I apologized to Lance. "What was that again?"

"You are always spacing out," Lance said, and I did my best not to roll my eyes. "But it's all right. I only asked where you wanted to go next."

Rachel's eyebrows were furrowed at me. "What were you thinking so badly, anyway?" she asked, curious.

"Capes," I mumbled absentmindedly.

She looked at me dumbly. "What? Snape?"

"Oh, er, nothing," I told her quickly with a sheepish smile. I was thankful Rachel hadn't heard what I'd said. I didn't even want to ask Lance about the capes, believing it'd be embarrassing. I looked again at the booklet Principal Reynolds had given us. That's why Rachel and I had been late for our first class, not that we cared. It included the vision, mission and goals, the map of Weyral, and other information about the school. "Do we really have to go through all of these places?" I groaned. "I mean, I'm sure even an hour isn't enough; Weyral's so huge!"

"True, but we do not have any other choice." Lance shrugged nonchalantly. "So, where do you want to go next?" he repeated.

"History center, library, or indoor sports center?" Rachel asked like Dora the Explorer after looking at the booklet, and then turned to me, her face beaming. "Well, Kenzie?"

Rachel and I were best of friends since first grade, and she was one of the few people who could call me by my nickname "Kenzie."

"Chel, those places you've mentioned are, like, a million miles from here!" I complained.

She rolled her eyes. "Dear, you're just exaggerating. 'Sides, we have a hot guy who's giving us the tour. We should make the best of it!"

Lance just laughed awkwardly while I groaned again. "Whatevs with the capital W." I sighed in defeat. "Fiiine. History center, then."

Good thing the walkways were deserted because most of the students were attending their classes, except for the new students who were also having their tour, but they were too far to notice the three of us, or else we'd be surrounded by our fans by now.

We stopped in our tracks when we heard music coming from a pair of loudspeaker megaphones mounted atop a tall pole to our left. The poles with megaphones were in different areas in Weyral, I noticed.

"That is the cue when an announcement is coming right up," Lance explained, and I couldn't help wondering if his tone was always this formal. "Bach's 'Minuet in G Major.'"

After twenty-one seconds of the music, a booming voice that sounded familiar to me came out from the megaphones.

"Good morning, Weyralians!" The tone of the principal's voice was lively. "This is your principal, Edward Reynolds, and I just wanted to say welcome back to Weyral for the old students and staff members! To those who are new and transferees, welcome to Weyral, even though I've already welcomed some of you. I'm thankful you chose to study and work here! Rest assured that you'll not regret your choice, and I hope you'll have a grand school year! If you have any concern about the school, please do visit me in my office located on the fifth floor of the main building. Thank you, and good day to all!"

The music played again, indicating that the announcement was finished. Principal Reynolds was indeed a very nice man.

When we started walking again, I noticed Lance looked so happy, like he owned the place or something, and I was sure it wasn't because of him giving us the tour. Perplexed why he was acting that way, I started, "Lance?"

With a confused expression on his face, he turned to me. "Yes, Mackenzie?"

"Kenzie thinks you're hot to the max," interrupted Rachel with a wicked grin, and I slapped her on the arm, hard. "Hey!"

"That's not it, Chel," I said while rolling my eyes. "Besides, I'm way over boys."

She smiled sadly at me, as if I needed it. "You should move on now, Kenzie."

Not this topic again. "I've already moved on, Rachel."

"Er, no. Your eyes tell me so."

Unfortunately, Rachel was right, and I hated it. It was already eight months since that had happened, and I still couldn't stop thinking about him, even after reading a book entitled 101 Ways to Move on from Your Last Relationship. I'd wondered why that book had become a bestseller when its tactics weren't even effective.

Epic fail.

The downfalls: eight months was still a short time for my heart, and I--hated to admit it--still loved him, even after what he had done to me. I should be hating him to the highest level for breaking my heart. I couldn't understand my mixed feelings.

Oh, the torture.

Lance coughed, which made me snap out from my thoughts. "Sorry to break your little chat, but someone is out-of-place here," he said. "And I am not going to ask what that was all about, since I do not care. Anyway, what were you going to ask me, Mackenzie?"

I scolded myself for remembering the past. This was no time to remember what had happened to me eight months ago! "Um, why do you seem so happy?" I asked eventually.

Chortling, he told me, "Well, it's rare that I can walk anywhere inside the school without the fans surrounding me. I am sure you can relate."

"Ah." Well, he was right.

Lance turned to my best friend. "Can I ask you a question, Rachel?"

She grinned. "I think I already know what you're gonna ask."

"Really? What is it, then?"

"Why did I transfer here at Weyral."

The violinist smirked. "Bingo! So, why, if I may ask?"

I gave Rachel a pointed look. If Lance noticed, he didn't give any indication to it.

She smiled at me, implying she already knew how to answer Lance's question. "Because my best friend wanted me here. So, yeah!"

What she'd said wasn't a lie, but "needed" might be the right word.

He raised a questioning eyebrow. "But you could have encouraged Mackenzie to study at Eldreez Point."

"My grandparents wanted me to study here at Weyral, even if it's just for one year, and I wanted it, too," I said with a shrug before Rachel could answer. "And besides, E.P.'s curriculum and uniform color suck."

It was the half-truth, actually. My grandparents had wanted me to study again at a school here in Denver, my hometown, even if it was just for a year, and they had let me choose between Eldreez Point and Weyral. Well, at first, I'd chosen E.P., but after what had happened eight months ago, it'd been crushed to ashes, so I'd picked Weyral instead. My last sentence had been kind of a lie.

Lance chuckled. "You are picky when it comes to colors. I am biased, so I agree with you about their curriculum. Rachel, I hope you do not find that offensive."

"Well, I don't mind hearing that from my best friend. But from others, I mind," she said, then grinned. "But since you're nice, it's okay with me. 'Sides, I'm a Weyralian now."

"Do you plan to join Ricochet? I am sure the team will accept you with open arms."

"I'm still thinking about it. But I can't wait to see my frenemy, Winona Kingsley. She'll be shocked to the max!" She grinned cheekily.

I'd ignored Lance's first statement, but was secretly glad he'd stopped asking questions about why I'd chosen Weyral High, or else I'd have another reason to remember him again. That stupid-good-for-nothing--enough, Kenzie!

"How about you, Mackenzie: do you want to join the Drama Club?" Lance asked. "The members will also do the same thing to you, no doubt."

"I'm not yet sure," I replied honestly. "We'll see."

After the history center, we went to the library. It was a three-story building and as wide as an Olympic swimming pool.

"It's a haven for bookworms, obviously," Lance stated as we went inside the double glass doors. The walls were brown, and the shelves and tables were lined neatly. "Most of the books--be it fiction or non-fiction--are in here, even articles and American magazines." He pointed at the latest computers near the help desk next to the Internet lab. "Just type the title of the book or author you are looking for, and it will quickly give you the location."

I decided to come back here soon to look up for novels I didn't own. I loved to read books, especially fantasy, humor and adventure. Romance was crap to me now.

When we reached the music building, I couldn't help asking Lance, "This is where you study music and play instruments, right?"

Turning to me with a teasing smile, he answered, "That is what a music building is for, yes?"

I rolled my eyes playfully. "Jeez, I was just making sure."

"All of the practice rooms are air-conditioned and soundproofed," he said. "Why, do you play a musical instrument?"

"Nah. I was just wondering..." I faltered and couldn't help staring at the building longingly. Next time, Kenzie, I thought to myself. Next time...

Rachel gave me a secret smile, while Lance was giving me a curious look.

Then, we went to the theater, arts center, clock tower, Main Pegasus Park (where the greenhouse and The Café were located), science center, the track, football and soccer fields, the tennis courts, indoor sports center (where the basketball, badminton and volleyball courts were located), pool gym, music hall, the dormitories (where students not from Denver could live) and, at last, we were back inside the main building.

"The admission office and information room are on this floor, and health room is on the second floor," said Lance. "So, any questions before I dismiss this tour?"

Rachel raised her right hand like an obedient student would do.

"Yes, Rachel?"

"What's your next subject?" she asked him.

"Chemistry. How about you two?"

"Drat! I have world history." She faced me. "Hey, Kenzie, you also have chem before lunch, right? Maybe you and Lance are classmates."

I looked at my class schedule by using my phone. We Weyralians had received our class schedules via email three days before the first day of school. "Yeah. Room A2L," I answered.

"Yes, we are indeed classmates," Lance said. "Your room, Rachel?"

"A3P. Hmm, wherever that is."

"That's on the third floor. The number between the letters indicates the floor, just to let you know."

When we reached the second floor, the bell rang. Rachel beamed at him. "Thanks for everything, Lance! You make a great tour guide, you know?"

He laughed. "Thanks, I guess."

Starting to walk away, she turned to gaze back at me. "See ya later at The Cafeteria, Kenzie!"

I smiled and waved good-bye. "Duh!"

Rachel winked all of a sudden. "You two better do it slowly and nicely, or else!" she shouted while ascending the stairs, and then she was gone.

I blushed deep red from embarrassment, wanting to run after my bestie and whack her on the head many times with my phone. "T-the heck, Chel!"

"Well, if we are going to walk slowly and nicely, then our fans will get to us before we even get to reach our room," Lance said with a frown.

I turned sharply to him with a shocked face. Seriously?

He tilted his head to the side, which I found to be cute. Oh, no! I did not just think that! "What?" Lance asked coolly. "Now, is there something on my face?"

I gulped. "Was that what you really thought after Rachel said that?"

He rolled his eyes. "Of course. Why, did she mean something else?"

I shook my head quickly. "N-no. Y-yeah, that was it. W-walking! Of course!" I scolded myself for thinking something else in my mind, though that might be an exception because I was a teenager. I never thought Lance had an innocent mind, or just didn't care at all.

He shrugged. "Well, if she was talking about the two of us having sex in the hallway--"

"Lance!" I cried with a horrified look, taking a step back from him. Okay, he didn't have an innocent mind, after all. Who was I kidding?

Lance chortled. "Nya-ha-ha! Good grief! That was a joke. Well, let's head to our next room now."

🎹 🎹 🎹

I separated myself from Lance the moment we entered our chemistry room; it was also a laboratory. I couldn't believe he'd said that, even as a joke!

Lance didn't notice a thing, though, and I was fine with it. Or maybe he was just pretending he didn't notice a thing. He was busy looking at the large periodic table poster on the wall like nothing had happened. Well, it'd been Rachel's fault in the first place, anyway.

As I took a stool at the second lab table, many approached me with gasps and squeals, asking for my autograph, which I gladly did. I even approved picture taking with my fans, or Adamsters, as they're called. Without them, I wouldn't be where I was now.

I also got determination from them, especially after what had happened to me eight months ago. I was very thankful to the Adamsters.

But there was still a side of me where I just wanted for the society to treat me as an ordinary person, not as the "Oscar Winner Mackenzie Adams." Though I knew full well that was wishful thinking now. At least there was someone who was treating me ordinarily aside from my family, cousins and close friends...if that person wasn't pretending, that is.

Guess who!

I was snapped out from my thoughts when a woman came in who was obviously our teacher. She looked like she was in her fifties.

"Sorry I'm ten minutes late, class. I went to the office to get the official class list," the woman said in a clear voice. "Anyway, good morning. I'm Mrs. Carolyn Steward, your chemistry teacher for this school year."

We greeted her back while taking our stools.

"I hope no one's absent today," said Mrs. Steward, wearing her reading glasses and getting a piece of paper from her bag. "I've already divided you into seven groups. You better listen carefully for I will only say your name once!"

After several minutes, I was in group five at the fifth lab table near the back of the room along with two girls and two boys. The first boy was none other than Lance Collins, and I groaned inwardly. I couldn't help noticing that some of the students (even the teachers, I guess) in Weyral highly respected him, but I still had doubts about him, like what he'd said earlier. What if he was indeed a great pretender, or was I just paranoid?

The other introduced himself as Marcus Rayner, who turned out to be a friend of Lance's since freshman year. He had raven dark hair that was neatly combed. Maybe if someone ruffled his hair, even the slightest, he'd think it was the end of the world. Marcus shared he was one of the cellists of the Weyral Symphony Orchestra.

"I missed you so much, Lance!" Marcus exclaimed as he hugged Lance, who surprisingly returned the hug in a friendly way.

I later found out that Marcus was gay, not that I minded. In fact, I was thankful I'd only have to deal with one heterosexual guy in our group, except if Lance was a closet queen, but I found the thought unbelievable.

"If I were a girl, I'd want to have a body and beauty like yours, Mackenzie," stated Marcus while examining me from head to toe.

"Except for the height, I bet," I joked, and the two of us laughed.

The two girls introduced themselves as Lauren Mason and Sabrina Lynch, who kept staring at Lance and me. They were like identical twins because of their same strawberry-blonde hair and hairstyle, which was braided to the side. But they assured us they were only cousins.

"I can't believe I'm classmates and groupmates with a famous violinist and a famous Hollywood actress," Sabrina began with sparkling eyes. "I'm a big fan! This is so surreal!"

Lauren nodded in agreement. "I know, right? We're so lucky!"

The two of them faced each other and then said at the same time, "Very sosy!"

Nice catchphrase.

"Hey! Don't hurt my feelings like that. I'm also famous!" Marcus protested. "Well, famous as the person who always protects Lance from his fangirls."

Lauren, Sabrina and I did our best not to laugh out loud. Lance just chuckled awkwardly.

"Believe me," I told them, "we're just normal people like everyone else here."

"That's why you're one of my favorite actresses, Mackenzie," Sabrina said while her cousin nodded. "You're so humble!"

I shook my head in disagreement. "Nah."

"I have to agree with Mackenzie Adams here," Lance said, smiling, and I quickly looked away before he'd notice I was staring at him.

Sabrina, Lauren, and Marcus asked for my autograph, then the two girls asked for Lance's.

When Mrs. Steward was writing on the whiteboard, Marcus asked Lance, "So, did you and Alice Hamilton see each other earlier?"

That name sounded familiar to me. "Isn't she a famous teenage violinist, too?" I asked him.

Marcus nodded. "Yeah, and a model for Trench. But she's a stuck-up, I tell you."

"Alice is not that bad," Lance defended, raising his eyebrows. "And her skills in playing the violin are also superb, I must admit. I respect her." He grinned. "Maybe I should indeed try dating her, huh?"

Marcus looked outraged. "What? That's a big N-O. Cindy and I will absolutely not accept it." He was doing his best not to shout because Mrs. Steward was lecturing at the front. "You deserve someone better, Lance."

"Good grief. I was just joking."

Glancing slyly at me, Marcus said, "Well, if it's Mackenzie Adams, we don't mind, of course."

I raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "Excuse me?" I wanted to tell him I was so not interested in Lance. Heck, I wasn't interested in guys and dating anymore.

Lance chuckled again. "I am sorry, Marcus, but I'm not interested in dating."

"Same here," I said instantly.

"Oh, that's a shame," Lauren said, frowning slightly. "Seeing you two sitting beside each other, you look so cute and sosy."

Sabrina nodded in agreement. "Yeah, rather than you and Alice. No offense, Lance."

Turning to Lance and me, Marcus grinned. "Great minds think alike, huh?"

I almost choked on my own saliva. These people were crazy! "Right," I said nonchalantly, doing my best not to roll my eyes.

Lance's eyes widened, but he didn't say anything. I wanted to know what he was thinking inside that head of his right now. I had to admit Lance was hard to read.

Stop it, Kenzie! I thought quickly, shaking my head mentally. Why're you thinking like that? You don't even care!

But still, I couldn't stop stealing glances at the violinist beside me, and I sighed inwardly.

What was wrong with me?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~