^ Play music later ^

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Identity

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Dawn's POV.

Nothing was the same anymore. Not with Serena, anyways. It's been a week. I pass her notes every once and awhile and once she reads them she just gives them back to me. No conversations like we used to the first few weeks. She's not trying to make eye contact with Ash anymore. She's just kind of in her own little bubble. She's not singing in the cafeteria, which is super off with her, because the whole school has been singing her favorite songs to make her feel better, but she doesn't even care. Most of all, she doesn't care about grades. She's like the smartest person ever, but she's lost motivation period. She's not volunteering in class either. I guess that goes in with grades.

But this amazing girl filled of bright energy and happiness has totally been ruined - she's just... dead. She's not herself anymore.

Why?

Serena's POV.

Cafeteria. I'm done being depressed and pushing everyone away. I'm just going to straight up sing it because that's what everyone does in here.

I walked straight up to the middle cafeteria table. Everyone looked at me with shock.

"Everyone start singing Fake Smile's intro," I yelled.

^ Play song now ^

"After laughter comes tears."

I faced Ash and the gang. They looked pretty sad once they heard that I was going to sing Fake Smile.

"After laughter comes tears."

Everyone shut up and it was just me singing.

"Another night, another party, sayin' hi to everybody.
I'm sorry, it's time to leave, I gotta leave now,
Got somewhere I gotta be now, I'm starving.
Can somebody walk me to my car?
If I go alone, I'm not gon' make it very far...
I'm happy for the love and all of the above.
If I'm being honest, I done been through way too much."

Everyone looked shocked at how the lyrics corresponded to me perfectly.

"I can't fake another smile.
I can't fake like I'm alright."

I'll tell the gang that Dad died after this.

"Ooh, ah. Ooh, ah.

"And I won't say I'm feeling fine,
After what I been through, I can't lie."

Those lyrics were 100% true though.

"Ooh, ah. Ooh, ah.

"Fuck a fake smile, smile...
Fuck a fake smile, fake smile."

I saw Ash smiling at me, telling me to keep on going and that he was happy that I was coming out.

"I read the things they write about me,
Hear what they're sayin' on the TV, it's crazy.
It's gettin' hard for them to shock me,
But every now and then, it's shocking, don't blame me.

I know it's the life that I chose,
But baby, I'm grateful, I want you to know.
I'm happy for the love and all of the above!
If I'm being honest, I done been through way too much."

People brought out their flashlights on their phones and started waving them around.

"I can't fake another smile,
I can't fake like I'm alright."

It was so hard not to cry.

"Ooh, ah. Ooh, ah.

And I won't say I'm feeling fine,
After what I been through, I can't lie."

I'll not cry for everyone else's fun.

"Ooh, ah. Ooh, ah.

"Fuck a fake smile, smile,
Fuck a fake smile, fake smile."

"Sing along!" I yelled.

"If I'm hurt, I ain't gon' lie about it,
Arms crossed with the attitude, lips pouted.
If I'm mad, I ain't gon' lie about it,
Neck roll with the attitude, yeah."

I climbed down the table and started walking around the cafeteria.

"If I'm hurt, I ain't gon' lie about it
Arms crossed with the attitude, lips pouted."

I played around with my hair as I walked.

"If I'm mad, I ain't gon' lie about it,
Neck roll with the attitude, yeah."

I stopped moving to make sure my vocals would come through.

"And I can't fake another smile. (And I can't fake...)
And I can't fake like I'm alright. (No smile...)
Ooh, ah. Ooh, ah. (Ooh.)

"And I won't say I'm feeling fine... (I'm feeling fine.)
After what I been through, I can't lie."

I thought of Dad. He'd be proud of me.

"Ooh, ah. Ooh, ah.

"Fuck a fake smile, smile!
Fuck a fake smile, fake smile! (Yeah.)"

I dashed back to my friend group's table.

"I'm sorry for everything I've done, but this doesn't mean I'm any better," I started. "My-"

Tears bundled up in my eyes again. I'm going to say it.

"My dad passed away when I came to school late," I cried.

Tears fell out of my eyes again, and I didn't look at anybody. Ash hugged me because he was on my side of the table. Gary and Dawn looked at me with sympathy.

"I- I'm sorry," I said between breaths. "Life has been so stressful recently and I-"

"Don't worry about it, Serena," Ash replied, letting me focus on my breathing. "We understand, we knew it was something like that."

"Thank you."

"I-" Ash stopped himself. "I hope you feel better soon."

"We all do," Dawn agreed. "We just want you to feel better again."

"Right." Gary smiled.

I wish I could smile too.

"I'm going to go to fourth period," I announced.

I got up from the table, and started walking to class.