"Ahem! Attention everyone! Please have a seat so we can begin the senior class meeting!"

Students shuffle around the auditorium as they locate a place to sit. I stand on the stage, patiently waiting for everyone to settle down and shut up. This is a pretty important meeting, and there's no time to waste. Once it's finally quiet I smile.

"Thank you. Welcome to our first senior class meeting of the year. We have a lot of things to review so let's get started. The first thing on our agenda is graduation requirements."

I make it about two sentences in before numerous hands shoot up in the air to ask questions. I pause in the middle of my speech.

"Please save all questions for the end."

"But this is important!" Someone calls out.

I breathe in deeply. "What is it?"

"I missed a good chunk of my junior year because I was in and out of the hospital. How do I make up those credits in order to graduate?"

My initial reaction is to snap that maybe if she had kept listening, I would've eventually gotten to how to make up missing credits. But of course, I don't.

"Don't worry. I'll explain everything about that once I get to it. Now as I was saying..."

I go over graduation requirements, attendance, behavioral policies, college applications, and deadlines before finally reaching the real reason why everyone is excited for this meeting.

"Now as you all know, the senior class trip-"

Before I can finish everyone is cheering and talking about where we'll be going. This time I can't get annoyed. Even I'm excited for the trip. I mean, we've all been waiting for this since we were little freshman.

I tap the microphone twice. "I know, I know, I'm just as excited as you are. But before we can start planning we need to decide whether we want this trip in the winter or spring. Here are your options. If we choose winter we'll be going to Hunter Mountain Resort. If we choose spring then our destination will be Albany. For the conclusion of this meeting we'll vote where we want to go, and then in our next senior meeting the winner will be announced and we'll go over details of the trip."

I select a few volunteers from the first row to help me pass out the voting slips. On the way out there's a basket to drop your vote. Vienna comes up to me as students file out.

"What was your vote?" I ask.

"Duh. Hunter Mountain Resort. You know I love skiing. What about you?"

"Same. But not for the skiing. I just love the snow."

Vienna taps her chin thoughtfully. "I hope it wins. I wanna try snowboarding this year. Plus you can go to Albany any time of the year. Everyone knows Manhattan is where it's at."

I give her a blank look. "We live in Manhattan."

"Exactly."

...

School goes on as usual after that and before I know it, the day is over and I'm in the locker rooms prepping for our fourth tennis match of the season. We're playing an away game against Poly Preparatory Country Day School.

"We're so gonna beat them," Tiffany brags while getting dressed. "I mean, have you seen their stats this year? I hate to say it, but after Krista graduated, the team went to shit."

Krista was their old team captain. Last year, before I became team captain, I was one of the number one players on our team, and I got paired in a singles match against her. The game was close, and we ended up going into a tie breaker. She ended up winning, but the fact that I could even keep up with her was amazing in itself. I have no doubt she'll go on to become a professional tennis player.

"Don't get too cocky," I warn. "That's how you get sloppy. Never underestimate your opponent."

"Kennedy is right," Coach Howard booms. Everyone, including me, jumps at her presence. Coach Howard is a very intimidating woman. She used to be a professional tennis player, and even played in the Olympics before retiring and becoming a coach. Each year she personally handpicks a freshman she believes has true potential and trains them to be team captain. That freshman was me, and I was specially trained by her, which is why for the most part, she leaves me in control of the team. Once in awhile she'll show up to practice. However she never misses a scrimmage, match, or league game.

"Remember to always think three steps ahead of your opponent," she instructs. "Study their moves. Watch how they play. That's how you can predict, spot, and exploit their weaknesses."

Everyone nods, soaking in her words. Any advice that comes from her is invaluable.

"Now who's ready to crush them!" She shouts.

"We are, we are, we are!" We chant.

"Then hustle ladies! Start loading up the bus! We'll go over whose playing what on the drive over."

I finish tying my shoes before slinging my duffel bag over my shoulder. On the bus coach goes over the lineup. As usual I'm playing number one singles. Naomi is number two. Hannah is number three. Valerie is number four. Tiffany and Chloe are our number one doubles team, and so forth until everyone is announced.

I settle back into my seat and put in my earbuds, preparing for the long match ahead of me.

...

It's nearly six o clock by the time I get home. My body aches as I walk thought the front door. We beat them, but at the expense of my joints and muscles. Krista may not have been their team captain anymore, but they were still really good. I almost went into another tie breaker with the new team captain, Jocelyn.

All I want to do now is take a hot bath and relax. I slowly climb up the stairs to my room and flick on the light. I wrap my hair up and change out of my sweaty uniform, shrugging on my bathrobe and making my way into the bathroom to run a hot bath. I add lavender bath salts along with some rose essential oil before discarding my robe and slipping into the steaming hot tub.

"Ahhhh," I tilt my head back, muscles relaxing. This feels too good. I have a voice controlled sound system installed in my room and the bathroom, which I ask to play soothing music as I unwind. My body goes lax and my eyes flutter shut. I'm nearly asleep when my phone vibrates on the towel next to the bathtub. I open one eye and glance over the rim of the tub to see the screen. If it's not important I'm ignoring it.

It's Vienna. Damn it.

I accept the call and put it on speaker. "This better be important. You're interrupting me time."

"Emergency!" Vienna screeches over the line.

I roll my eyes. You're kidding me. "What, you got caught shoplifting again?"

"No, like an actual emergency! Danny was arrested!"

My eyes widen and I sit up, water sloshing over the side of the tub. "He was what?!"

"Look, I'll tell you everything, I promise. But right now I need you to call your dad."

"My dad?"

"Well he's a lawyer isn't he?"

"Um no offense, but I don't think Danny could afford him."

"Please!" She takes a deep breath. "Please just- just ask."

Her voice is desperate and she sounds on the verge of tears. I've never known Vienna to be a crier, neither of us are, so I know it's serious.

"Okay," I agree. "I'll call him."

"Thank you," she sniffles and hangs up. I sit in stunned silence.

What the hell happened?

...

It takes a lot of begging on my end but I finally convince my father to meet me at the police station. My eyes scan the waiting area for Vienna and spot her huddled on one of the hard chairs, eyes red rimmed and face blotchy. There's a large bandaid on her forehead and she's wearing an oversized plaid coat. I assume it's Danny's.

Immediately I rush over to her. "Vienna!"

"Kennedy! Thank God you're here!" she jumps up and hugs me, burying her face in my shoulder.

"What happened? Where's Danny?"

She pulls back and wipes under her nose. "They have him in another room for questioning."

"Not without a lawyer they aren't," my father storms off. When he disappears around the corner Vienna turns back to face me.

"Thanks for coming," she sniffles. "I panicked and I- I didn't know who to call."

"You know I'm here for you," I reassure her. "But what happened?"

I lead her back over to the chairs to sit and she takes a shuddering breath. "Danny and I were hanging out at a karaoke bar. There was this creepy guy who kept staring at me, but I just tried to ignore him you know? After Danny and I sang a duet, he went off to use the restroom and then the creepy guy came up to me and started hitting on me. I tried to politely tell him I wasn't interested and that I was here with someone, but he kept being pushy. Then he tried groping me. Danny came back and lost his shit and they started arguing back and forth. The owner threatened to call the cops so I tried to calm Danny down and get us to leave. Then the creepy dude grabbed a beer bottle, smashed it, and tried to stab Danny!" Vienna's voice cracks. "I-I think he was drunk. Everything happened so fast. I started screaming and Danny shoved me out of the way. I hit my head on one of the stools and lost consciousness for like, a split second. When I came to, the police were there and arresting Danny and the creepy guy. I tried to explain that Danny was just defending me, but my head was throbbing and I felt sick. Not to mention I was half sobbing, half yelling, so I'm pretty sure no one understood me.

I shake my head and rub her shoulder soothingly. "Don't worry, if anyone can get Danny off it would be my father."

Vienna bites her lip. "Thank you. And please don't tell my parents. They'd literally lock me up in a tower for the rest of my life."

I nod but don't say anything. That request might be a little harder to oblige. My dad and Vienna's father are pretty good friends, and I know he'll want to inform him about what's going on, especially since Vienna was injured.

Vienna lays her head on my shoulder and closes her eyes while I try my best to relax in the uncomfortable seating. It feels like we wait forever before my father re-emerges with a police officer and Danny in tow. I shake Vienna awake and she immediately jumps up, rushing over to Danny.

"Everything's been taken care of," my father informs me. "Has Vienna contacted her parents?"

"Yes," the lie slips easily off my tongue. "She called them while we were waiting and explained everything. They couldn't come since they're at work, but she told them I called you and that you're here with us."

He nods. "Good. I'm just glad she's okay."

Danny comes up to us while we're talking. "Thank you again Mr. Davis."

"No problem. Stay out of trouble okay?"

"Will do sir."

After I reassure my dad I'll call Charles to take Vienna and I home he reluctantly leaves to finish up some work at the office.

"Are you sure you'll be okay getting home?" Vienna asks Danny for the hundredth time.

"Yes, I promise," he kisses her softly. Then he rubs his thumb gently across the bandage on her forehead and frowns. "You sure you don't want to get that checked out? I'm sorry I pushed you-"

Vienna shakes her head. "Don't even apologize. I know you were just trying to protect me, and if you hadn't pushed me it could've been worse. I'm fine, don't worry. Text me as soon as you get back home."

"I will."

Danny waits with us until Charles arrives, and he stands at the curb as we drive away. Vienna looks even paler than usual, her usual cheery disposition all but gone, and I know today's events have taken their toll on her.

"Can I come back to your place?" She asks quietly. "I don't think I want to be alone right now."

"Of course," I squeeze her hand reassuringly. "I'm here for you, however you need."

She squeezes my hand back and gives me a small smile before resting her head on my shoulder. I rest my head on hers and we drive silently on into the night.

...