First days of school were no longer fun anymore. There wasn’t the extreme excitement to start a fresh year. There weren’t any desks to put supplies in. Meet the teachers were dull. And because there was a school uniform, the excitement of choosing an outfit wasn’t there. 

Garroth had already taken himself and his siblings to school. Zane had left the car just as soon as Garroth put it in park. The twins remained in the backseat, unbuckling themselves. He glances up at them through his mirror before copying their movements. His backpack sat in the middle of their seat, ready for the taking. 

“I think that's a brand new record,” he jokes, taking a step out of the car. Kandi is the one to be out first before Vylad. She's adjusting her skirt when Garroth reaches for his backpack. 

“Next time I'll bring a stopwatch,” she says. 

First day of senior year. Sure, he was almost done with high school, but that didn't change much. He was still captain of the baseball team, and he was well liked by everyone. It felt like an ordinary school day. 

“I don't know where he goes,” Vylad says, walking towards his siblings’ side of the car. “The doors are still locked for another five minutes.” 

“He's embarrassed of us. Always has been.” 

The idea made Garroth sad. He loved his brother, but Zane always pushed him away. Frankly, Zane always pushed everyone away. 

“I'm not letting him ruin my day. Let's start walking.” The dark haired female starts before either boy. The water fountain was in her sight. The large heavy doors further behind it.

  °•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

The first two classes went by slowly. One person can only focus so much on syllabus day. It’s not like Garroth would remember there was a syllabus to begin with later on in the week. The passing bell rang, signaling the beginning of third hour. Garroth was sitting next to Dante at a lab station. Frankly, he wasn’t the best with science. He absolutely dreaded it. Somehow, he couldn’t make the chemistry work. 

After attendance, he knew he was going to space out. He had this teacher last year, so he knew how he worked. There was no need to hear the same speech he most likely copied and pasted to each class’s syllabus. Garroth thought of this teacher to be quite of a loon, so he was content on zoning out the remainder of class. 

“Alexandra.” 

“Here.”

Garroth’s head perks up at the voice. It was soft, foreign. It reminded him of his mother in that aspect, but it also sounded innocent. It was quiet, but it echoed in his head.

“Do you prefer to be called Alexandra or something else?”

He turned his attention to Mr. Diaz, hoping he would give away the owner of the voice. His wish was granted when he noticed a blonde female locking eyes with their teacher. 

“Alex, please.”

Alex. Garroth made a mental note of her name. He wanted to find a way to talk to her. No doubt she was new. There were plenty of new students every year. She just so happened to be one of them. 

  °•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

He found her in his gym class. Mr. Arnold was nowhere in sight, but Garroth was aware he was in his office. The girls typically took longer to get ready anyway, and Mr. Arnold was the athletics director as well. He was most likely doing something regarding that. 

He wasn’t sure he had found the right person at first, but he hoped for the best. She had already changed into their gym uniforms and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. She was leaning against the wall near the girls’ locker room, looking rather unsure of herself. Holding his chin high, he glided his way towards her. 

“Alex, right?”

The blonde female looks towards him, clearly spooked by his sudden appearance. The use of her name wasn’t helping her case. “Yes. I’m sorry. . . who are you?”

He felt slightly foolish at that moment. He had just gone up to her, calling her by her name, and she didn’t know who he was. She didn’t even know of him. He probably looked like a creep. Garroth rubs at the back of his neck, embarrassed. “Right, sorry about that. Garroth. My name is Garroth.”

She nods her head as if to say “nice to meet you.” There’s a timid smile against her lips. The gym was beginning to fill now, but Mr. Arnold was nowhere in sight. 

“We’re in the same science class together. That’s how I know your name. Anyway, you’re new. How are you liking Phoenix Drop High so far?”

“It’s much bigger than my old school. I’ve nearly gotten lost at least twice now. My brother said he’d show me around, but he became preoccupied.” 

She seemed to be easing into the conversation. It made him feel better to know she didn’t think he was a crazy stalker that was following her around. Small talk with her already felt normal. She seemed nice and easy to talk to. He’d already gotten to know a little bit about her before Arnold started walking into the gym. 

He called for a warm up. A rather easy one. They were to make laps around the track. Rather they were walking laps or running, they were laps nonetheless. He wanted to get to know Alex a little more, so he insisted they talk while they walked. Garroth would normally run, but he liked the idea of this change. 

“I was actually supposed to go to O’Khasis Prep, but my father thought it was better I went here instead. All the Zvahls in one school, I suppose. I also can’t drive, so perhaps it’d be harder on him to get me to school and himself to work on time.”

“What about your mother?”

There was a bit of silence from the female’s end. She wasn’t sure how to respond without receiving pity. Regret filled Garroth. He shouldn’t have assumed. 

“It’s fine. I’ve never known what it’s like to have one. I was adopted fairly young, and my dad hasn’t remarried. His wife passed away a few years before my adoption.” 

He stares at her. Garroth truly didn’t know what to say. He felt slightly foolish still, assuming the way he did. He’s only made this mistake once before. 

“Are you aware you’re saying your thoughts out loud?”

  °•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Dinner was one of the few times in a day where all the Ro’meaves were in the same room together. Of course, they were lucky if it remained that way. Garte wasn’t foreign to taking a business call during the meal. 

“There’s a new girl in our grade,” Vylad states, stabbing at a rogue cherry tomato on his plate. It seemed to dash away each time his fork neared it. “She seems nice, we became friends quickly. She says she’s from Meteli. I think you’d like her, mom.”

Garroth looks up from his plate. It was nearly empty. Vylad was talking about the same female he spoke with earlier. 

“I met her over the summer. She’s nice,” Kandi says. “A bit shy though. No wonder you two get along.”

Vylad narrows his eyes at his sister. It was a playful jab, but a jab regardless. If it weren’t for her being his twin, he'd snap back at her. Instead, he wrinkles his nose in her direction. Kandi sticks her tongue out at him in response. 

“Short blonde?”

Kandi looks up at Garroth, surprised by his words. “Everyone’s short compared to you. You're a giant.” 

“6’2”. I don’t consider myself a giant, but thanks for the spoonful of self consciousness, dearest sister.”

Zane rolls his eyes. “It appears she has caught your eye, dearest brother.” Garroth and the twins were surprised that it took him that long to add himself to the conversation. “Poor thing,” he continues. 

 Zianna holds her hand up. The four children look in her direction. “Enough. She sounds lovely. What’s her name?”

The twins look to Garroth. They were well aware of her name, but they wanted reassurance from Garroth himself. 

He swallows the sudden lump in his throat. “Alex. Her name is Alex.”