One day at a time.

That's what I keep telling myself as I continue my newest chapter in life- being left behind by death and being in a caring foster home with people who wish nothing but the best for me.

It's something that I'm still getting used to with my mother's voice still egging me on to kill myself, to spare myself the misery of facing failure and disappointment. But as with the tryouts for the bands, there's something that won't allow me to end it all just because SHE says so. And there are many people nowadays who keep pushing me to keep moving forward and never give up- the Lomax clan, the teachers and students at Pacifica Glades, Gianna, Jose, Holly and her family, Derrick, and even my teammates from the swimming and diving team.

And speaking of the last group, it looks like there's a new face whom I'm starting to get more friendly with: Oliver Slade, the transgender platform diver who's kind of cool and transparent (I don't mean it as a bad joke, honest) with himself. I wish that I could be more like him: confident in his skin, thriving in his life story, and not afraid to be unapologetic. Sometimes I want to ask myself, "Can we go back to the start when we were strangers left in the dark?" I mean, a guy like me shouldn't be seen with someone like him, no thanks to the ideals of my late family and my now-former relatives. But at least I want to try to open up and break free from the sins of the Bader-Simmons-Ingram family burdens. Because if I don't allow myself to try, I won't lose...but I won't win.

As for Peavey and Kendricks, I've been successfully dodging their advances for the most part and remembering Serenity and Epiphany's words. The girls were thrilled to hear about me being buddies with Oliver, Serenity hinting that he might be what I need. But Oliver and I are just being friends to each other...or can there be something more? I guess we'll have to wait and see. But as for Ryan and Kendricks? The less I have anything to do with one or both of them, the better off I'll become.

In the days that followed, I've been maintaining my status as the "comeback kid of Pacifica Glades High" and continued to make myself known at school. It was now the week after the Labor Day holiday and the talk of football and other fall sports was in the air with everyone making plans to attend the first home game of the season.

I was currently in the band room playing the piano in between looking over my notes for AP Calculus for an upcoming test when I saw Ryan standing by the doorway. "Uh, hi," I said, pausing from my selections from Bizet. "What are you doing here?"

"Just walking about and hoping to catch you here," the football star replied. "Can I come in and hear you play?"

The less you have anything to do with Ryan and Jillian, the better off you'll be, Serenity's warning echoed in my ear. "I'm not too sure if that's a good idea," I replied cautiously. "I don't want Jillian to get the wrong idea and hound me about staying away from you. She doesn't look like the woman that I want to cross."

"And that's the truth, cutie pie, because I think that you're too good for him," came the voice of the blonde bombshell who soon joined Ryan at her side, she dressing up in black leather pants and a jacket that covered her baby-blue top. "Hello, Demario. At the piano, I see?"

I nodded, noticing the chilly atmosphere in the air. "Just needed to brush up on my skills and Mrs. Bermudez-Estrada had asked me to use my break period to play some music."

"But why waste your time here when you can be the newest face of the music industry?" Jillian chirped, suddenly on her spiel of me being a star. "And I'm still hoping that you'll change your mind and sing at Serenity's birthday party next month. Think about the music executives that I'll be inviting on her behalf just to see you sing and wow the crowd. You'll get VIP access to what'll go down and I'll make sure that you're paid handsomely for your time. All you have to do is say yes and I'll be the one to make things happen."

"He said 'no' the first time, Jillian," Ryan shot tersely, shooting her a heated glare. "Why do you have to be such a nagging bitch and never leave things be?"

"Because I hate for anyone to take away what's mine, baby," she crooned, batting her eyelashes and smiling widely like the Cheshire cat. "And I'm not nagging him, just reminding him of what I can give him if he says yes."

"Funny, because I know what nagging sounds like."

All eyes whipped around to see a glaring Oliver who was being accompanied by Mr. Callaway, neither of them looking happy to see Jillian. And if I had a guess, they weren't happy to see Ryan either.

Oh, Lord. The drama and shade that's about to go down.

"Demario, are you okay?" the principal asked me, brushing past Jillian and Ryan and coming inside the band room.

"Ginger peachy," I replied. "I was mainly playing the piano and studying when Ryan and Jillian arrived.

"Well, those two will be leaving if they know what's good for them," Mr. Callaway replied.

Ryan did so without another word. Jillian looked non-perturbed but she too took her leave. "To be continued, Bader. I'll be waiting until homecoming for you to make the right choice," she said as she sauntered away. "Slade. You look good for a disgusting tranny."

"And that'll earn her a trip to detention," Mr. Callaway replied, shaking his head. To me, "Demario, you're in a storm between a blonde femme-fatale and a brunette-haired jock with too much baggage. Ryan's a good guy, but even I'm thinking that you should stay away from him."

"And for good reason," I couldn't help but comment. "Sutton and McVeigh said the same thing."

"It might be for the best," Oliver agreed, nodding his head. "Anyway, I want to know if you were interested in joining me for coffee after classes."

I nodded, smiling thinly. Ah, a good distraction from Kendricks and Peavey. "Sure," I said. "I'll let my foster dads know where I'll be."

"Great," Oliver smiled. "I can't wait to know you better."

So do I, Slade. So do I.

Coffee with Oliver is the perfect time for Demario to know his teammate better. And trust me, there's going to be a lot going on in the next chapter, including a kiss! Oh, my!

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