Chapter Text
@wheel.shoelace_
I pull on my backpack as I get off the bus. Westwood Cove High School looms over me like an old friend. I liked summer, all things considered. I spent a lot of time with Piper and Leo. We went to the only skatepark in town and I watched the two of them a lot. To be honest, I don’t do much except play my guitar and attempt to keep my grades up. I want Mom to be proud.
“Good morning, Westwood Cove. Seniors, please make your way to the gym for an assembly.”
I assume most of my friends are in the gym already, and sure enough, there they are, sitting at the back end of the bleachers, Piper’s bag holding a spot for me.
“Hey, guys.” I give Piper a kiss on the cheek and sit next to her and Leo. The principal and vice principal are on the basketball court, talking to each other, though their conversation can’t be heard over the students shouting and reuniting.
The gym falls silent after the Principal taps her microphone.
“Welcome back, seniors! This is your final year of high school. Make the most of it, as we say goodbye to all of you. We have a few announcements and a few reminders of behaviour.”
I look over at Piper who’s already on her phone. I’ve always hated assemblies, but I suck it up and listen anyway.
“First of all, all club days have now been moved. We’ve consulted with club owners, and new rooms and days will be posted on the cafeteria noticeboard.”
A few groans escape people's mouths at the sound of that. I get it to some extent. When I was little, I used to do all this shit like sports and piano and art class. I was so productive and busy and I had fun constantly. Then Dad left and Mom didn’t have nearly enough time to be driving me places.
“Secondly, our football season has commenced and The Westwood Eagles are training very hard for the upcoming game, which will take place this Friday.”
A few kids from the football team cheer from their seats and are subsequently shushed by teachers.
“Finally, we are deeply saddened to announce that, due to… incidents last school year, many of our teachers have resigned and we are now understaffed. Please be understanding and patient. This also brings us to a reminder of student behaviour. We do not want something like this happening again. Not like last year, not like two years before that.”
I see Drew Tanaka tense up. Her sister Silena died due to that godforsaken game Luke Castellan played. His name is more of a curse around the school now. No one dares speak a word unless they want Rachel Dare to say anything about it.
Last year wasn’t any better, either.
“Our school has now taken extra measures to ensure a safe student experience, and we are holding a bake sale to raise funds for the school to establish a counsellor. Our school council will be making posters for the event, so you can find out more from those.”
About time. I personally think school counsellors are fake and don’t help at all, but I guess there are some kids that could really use one.
“Finally, please try to enjoy this year. The events of your junior year may have decreased morale,” Reyna Ramirez-Arellano made a loud tsk sound three seats to the right of me, “But this is your last year of high school, and likely of schooling in Westwood Cove. We’ve seen you grow up and are incredibly proud of how far you’ve all come,” Bullshit. “Now, please make your way to homeroom.”
I don’t know anyone in my new homeroom except for Nico Di Angelo. We sit next to each other on the round tables and I awkwardly start the conversation after attendance.
“Hey.”
“Hi,” Nico replies, fiddling with a black pen.
“How was your summer?”
“Not that good, to be honest. Mostly sitting alone in my house waiting for Reyna to have the energy to leave the house.”
I remember the summer after freshman year where Nico and I would always hang out with Reyna and Jason. Then we broke up and he kind of stuck with Reyna and Jason, while I floated around for a while until I found Piper and Leo.
“What about Hazel?” Nico’s half-sister. The whole reason why he moved here in seventh grade.
“She went to summer camp.”
“Oh.”
We sit in silence for a few minutes.
“Percy’s visiting for a few days. He’s arriving today”
“For you, no doubt.”
Nico shakes his head furiously and covers his face with his sleeve. Him and Percy have had an off-and-on thing since junior year, but things have slowed down since Percy left for college in the summer.
“He has other friends.”
“Who? Rachel?”
“Rachel, and…” he trails off, “and…”
“Exactly. You’re proving my point.”
“Shut up.”
Second period is boring. I don’t have any friends. Luckily, though, my teacher is chill and the time goes by quickly.
I have Leo and Piper in English. We walk to the cafeteria together to get Leo and Piper’s food. I always bring food from home because I got the worst food poisoning of my life from cafeteria lunch meat.
The rest of the day is mundane. We don’t do any work in our classes and I barely have friends in any of them. No one else I know is taking AP statistics, except for Reyna Ramirez-Arellano, even though in class her head is down and she doesn’t talk for the whole class.
When hometime finally comes, I breathe a sigh of relief as I get on the bus. Connor Stoll and Malcolm Pace sit in the row in front of me, but I can’t hear their conversation. Judging by their expressions, I don’t think they’d want me to.
“I’m home,” I say, letting the door close behind me.
“Good afternoon, sweetheart.” Mom pokes her head out of the kitchen entryway. “How was your first day?”
“Not that interesting. We had an assembly.”
“What was that about?”
I feel a bit guilty not talking much to my mother, but, to be honest, I just want to go to my room.
“Just about clubs and behaviour and whatnot. They’re holding a bake sale for a school counsellor.”
“Well about time for that! I’ll have to make something.” Mom smiles as she takes an apple and goes out to the dining room. I seize the opportunity to run up the stairs.
I spend a few hours doing nothing up there. I scroll on my phone and try to sleep, but nothing is working to fight my boredom.
Eventually, I decide to go for a walk.
The breeze is nice this time of evening. I ponder on the events of the day, but nothing really comes up. This happens often, where I can’t think of anything new, so I end up putting the same thought on loop. Damnit, I should’ve brought my phone.
On the boardwalk, down to the pier, it’s quieter than normal. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Percy and Nico, Percy’s arms wound round his neck.
What’s Piper doing right now?
A new thought. That’s good.
I keep walking. Who knows when I’ll stop.
“Hey! Solace! Come over here!”