Last week's events were finally forgotten by the masses, but the thought of going to school still had me spending more and more time lying in bed each morning. Unfortunately, I didn't get those few moments to weigh the pros and cons of moving in with my father today. Mom was running late for work, yet had time to scold me for still being in bed. She's usually long gone to the restaurant she works at before my alarm even goes off, so when she barged into my room I thought I'd drifted off back to sleep and was dreaming.

Now, I watch her as she scurries around the kitchen looking for – well I didn't know what she was looking for, but she seemed desperate to find it as she mumbled to herself while checking the cabinets and drawers. It felt like it's been forever since I'd been in the same room with mom. Since the divorce she's been spending more time at work. It's weird having a professional cook for mom yet always having microwave meals for dinner.

"Mom?"

"Yeah?" She mumbled, now searching the fridge.

I swirl my cereal around in the bowl, debating whether or not I wanted to go down this road.

Mom and I were never really that close and it only got worse after the divorce. I admit tat I did blame her at first because she tends to come off as cold and detached, but that was before I found out about dads new girlfriend Keisha. The news bothered me so much and I figured it was probably affecting mom the same way. He found a replacement for mom so quickly, I thought we finally had something to talk about. 

It was a loss cause trying to talk to her though, because she was more cold and detached than ever. Still, I tried to get through to her in hopes that one day she'll actually talk to me about something other than the grocery list.

"That Denzel movie is still playing at the theater," I spoke, eyes focused on the Honey Nut Cheerios that floated in the milk. "Maybe we can go see it this weekend?"

"Yes!" Mom exclaimed.

My eyes shoot up at her, my lips slowly turning up into a smile. A smile that soon faded as she emerged from the fridge jingling her car keys.

"You say something, Mia?" She asked absentmindedly as she picked up her purse from the counter.

My eyes fell back down to the bowl of soggy cereal, my appetite completely gone. "No." I sighed, collecting my dishes and dropping them into the sink.

+++

"Good Morning Mia." Cassie greeted me when she opened the door, letting me inside. "Calvin will be down soon."

"Ok." I smiled, looking around the house.

This was the first time I'd been inside their home. It was strange seeing how bare it was. No pictures or decorations of any kind. The house didn't even look lived in. Cassie has always seemed like the type of person who'd have a million family photos around the house. Still, the house felt warm and welcoming compared to the cold and empty feeling I got at my house.

"Did you have breakfast already?" Cassie called out from the kitchen. "We got some left over if you want it."

"No thanks, I already ate." I lied, remembering the two bites of cereal I took before losing my appetite.

A few moments later Calvin came down the steps pulling his favorite hoodie over his arms. I waited as he said his goodbyes to his mom, something my mom never bothered to do.

"You're lucky." I say to Calvin as we make our way to school.

"Why?" He prompted.

"Your mom actually likes you."

"You think yours doesn't?"

"I know she doesn't." I sighed, kicking a small rock out of my path. "The only time she acknowledges my existence is when she needs me for something."

All of the times I've tried and failed to reach out to my mother flooded my thoughts. She was shutting me out and I didn't know why. Her coldness towards me made me feel sick to my stomach. Going to school and facing the fact that my friends were also giving me the cold shoulder would only make me feel worse.

Changing routes, I headed in the direction of the park. I needed to clear my head and write. Writing always helped melt away these feelings.

"Where are you going?" Calvin questioned, keeping pace beside me.

"Nowhere." I answered dryly. When I realize that he was still following me I added, "You don't have to come with me."

Still, hoodie boy walked with me all the way to the park. We sat down at my favorite bench. It was partially hidden behind a large tree. It was out of sight, but I could see the whole park from there.

I would spend hours sitting here and writing or people watching. All of my personal issues seemed to disband as I watched kids on their bikes or the older guys playing basketball on the courts. The park was pretty deserted now though, with only two older women win jogging suits power walking on the paved pathway.

"What happened with your mom?" Calvin queries.

"I thought we had no talking agreement?" I sighed, fishing my journal out of my backpack.

"You look like you need to vent. So talk." He insisted, turning his body to face me and resting his elbow on the back of the bench.

"What do you think this is for?" I hold up my journal before opening it and flipping to a blank page. "You should go to school."

I expected to get up and leave, but he didn't. 

"That's not the same as talking to a person." He insisted. "I heard a story about a guy who kept his feelings to himself," I look up t him, waiting to hear about the fate of this guy. "He went crazy and attacked his girlfriend and kid with a knife."

"That's depressing." I grimaced. "I'm not going to go all Norman Bates on anyone."

Still, he wouldn't budge. His brown eyes insisted that I tell him what was plaguing my mind and found myself doing exactly that. I told him about the divorce, my mom and finally gave him an explanation about my friends. Calvin listened to me rant for the longest time and as my life story came to end I felt lighter in a sense. I haven't had someone to vent to other than my journal in months, I forgot how satisfying it felt to get all of those pinned up emotions out.

"Ok, now it's your turn." I chimed, a small laugh escaping my lips as he protested with a shake of his head. "You know all this stuff about me, so it's only fair that you share some information, too."

His brow knitted together, "Like what?"

I think for a moment. What did I want to know about Calvin Benton?  "I don't know." I admitted. "Where'd you move from? Do you play any sports? What's the story with your dad?"

He stuffed his hands into his pockets as he looked out over the small pond. "If I answer you have to go to class with me."

Checking the time on my phone I see that first period is almost over and we'd make in time to get to second period before the final bell. Second period was art, my favorite class. The only class Calvin and I had together.

"Deal."

We both got up from the bench and started heading back to school.

"We lived in Nevada before." Calvin spoke after a few silent moments. "And I play a little basketball."

I would have never pegged him as the athletic type. Honestly, I only asked that question because the courts were in view. "Are you going to try out for the team?"

"Nah." He sighed. "We most likely won't be around when try outs start."

"Why not?" I asked curiously, looking up at him.

"My mom has made it a personal goal to live in as many different states as possible."

"Are you serious?"

It was difficult trying to decipher his expressions when they all looked the same; bored. 

"No," He replied with a small laugh. "But that's what it seems like some times."

We enter school grounds, easily blending in with the crowd of students making their way to their next class. Calvin and I went straight to Mr. Webb's art class and he filled me in on the other six states he lived in. Six different homes in the span of four years, it amazed me how he was okay with uprooting his life so often. I chose to stay with my mother instead if my father just to avoid doing that. If I had known that I'd still feel like the new kid in school I would have left Ohio to go to Illinois with him.

"Wait," I stop him before he goes over to his assigned desk. "You never answered my other question, about your dad."

He shrugs, turning on his heels to get to his seat. "That was on purpose." He tells me over his shoulder.

+++

When lunch came around I began my usual routine of getting my lunch and out getting out of the cafeteria as fast as possible. It was hard to be in the same room as Faye, Jasmine and Ellen. I always felt like they were watching me and laughing. Because of that I found myself watching them, looking for proof that they were in fact making fun of me. Realizing how paranoid I was becoming I decided to start eating lunch in Mrs. Gordon's French class while she watched her daytime soap operas and graded papers.

After grabbing my lunch I made a beeline to the doors. It took everything in me not to glance over at my old group of friends as I passed by them. I wanted them to forgive me, but I was out of ideas on how to win them back. Maybe they'll never accepted me back. The thought made my stomach drop.

"Mia."

I look up to find Calvin sitting alone at a table across from them. He waved me over and breaking my streak I looked over at Faye. Did I really want to sit that closely to them? Could maintain my sanity when they burst into laughter? Faye and I locked eyes for only a moment before she turned her attention back to Derek.

Calvin called out to me again and I tore my eyes away from the three girls I wished would accept me be back. Walking over to the round table, I sit down. My back turned to my old friends.

"Do you know what you're using for Mr. Webb's project?"

The question confused me. Not what the question was about, but why he was asking it. Aside from walking to and from school together our interactions were minimal. Today was the first time that we even really talked. His sudden interest in me had me puzzled, but I choose not to question him about this just yet.

Looking down at my tray of spaghetti, I shrugged. "Maybe I'll use pasta."

Mr. Webb assigned a class project where we have to make something that reflected what we did over the summer. The catch was that we couldn't use traditional art supplies. Though it'd be messy and probably smell bad after a while the red pasta sauce would be the perfect color for the Netflix logo I was planning to create.

"What about you?" I asked, shoving my food away from me. My nerves successfully ruining my appetite once again.

Calvin took a bite of his sandwich and chewed as he thought about this.

"Shoelaces." He says after a while.

"Shoelaces?" A male voice full of confusion asked before I had the chance. "Why are we talking about shoelace?"

Vincent Munro grabbed a chair, flipped it around and straddled it as he waited for an explanation. I wondered how he could have even heard us over the music blasting from his over sized headphones. Calvin filled Vincent in on Mr. Webb's art assignment and explained his idea for the shoelaces. I only half listened to their conversation, because I was too concerned with the light thumping against the back of my head. The giggles were a giveaway on who was behind it.

I wanted to turn around and say something to them, but at the same time I felt I deserved it for what I did. It wasn't until they all got up to leave that I ran my fingers through my hair, picking out bits of french fries and pepperoni. When the bell rang I couldn't wait to get to my next class where I'd have the distraction of school work.

"How'd you get food in your hair?" Calvin asked as he pulled something else from my hair. When I didn't respond he came to the conclusion himself. "Was it your friends?"

The sarcastic way he said 'friends' rubbed me the wrong way.

"Shut up." I snapped before ducking into the girls washroom where he couldn't follow me.

I checked my hair in the mirror to make sure there was absolutely no more food hiding in my dark mane. Staring myself in mirror, I looked like a stranger. It was like my faults were written in bold font all over my face, letting the whole world know how much of a crappy person I was. Just as I was about to leave Faye emerged from one of the stalls.

"Wait," I stopped, turning to look at her. She washed her hands in silence and tied her brown hair up in a messy bun before finally turning to me. "We need to talk."

Not knowing what I should say I simply nodded in acknowledgment.

"What Jasmine and Ellen have been doing to you is mean and I wanted you to know that I have nothing to do with that. It's all them." Her lips spread into a thin line as she sighed. "I miss having you in our group Mia, but I don't think I'm ready to forgive you yet."

With that she left out of the restroom. It was weird how happy I was since she just told me she hasn't forgiven me yet, but I felt like I was making progress. Faye hasn't said a single word to me since the incident so her speaking to me was a sign that she was on her way to accepting me. The small interaction had me feeling like maybe I can get a little part of my old life back again.

+++

Hello! This chapter took so long to write! I spent a month outlining this story and already I'm struggling to stick to it, ugh. Anyways, thank you so much for reading this chapter!

Please leave a comment and a vote. <3