*November*

U.S. History teacher Lisa Moore begins another discussion with students to follow different structures while the other students are alongside Xavier, Travis, Maggie, Jesse, and Dominique. All five students and the others pay full attention to the class while they still begin the high school journey; she teaches them to read Booker T. Washington's book and go through the chapter just before the half-question.

Dominique and Travis sat next to each other on the desk while listening to the lesson. She looked at him and grabbed another pencil to give him after he broke the first one.

Travis: *nods*

Dominique: *looks at him*

Travis: *continues writing on the paper*

Xavier feels bored while trying to concentrate on the assignment because he's feeling tough inside out. He goes on his phone for a second without Lisa noticing. He was texting Kholi to check up on him before continuing to work.

Later, five minutes before the bell rang, the students were in their free time, and Jesse told his friends to announce that the Homecoming Dance was tonight and whether they were coming or not. Maggie ignored him because Jesse was feeling popular in high school.

Travis: Don't pay him mind.

Maggie: I'm not going.

Travis: You don't have to go; it's up to you. In that case, I won't be joining either.

Maggie: Thanks for the advice for the past month. You are a good friend.

Travis: Sometimes, I get lost before you find the right spot. Hanging out in the cafeteria, we talked like a sibling duo.

Maggie: *giggles softly*

Travis: Look at you. You were standing in your way of catching up on homework while busy a lot.

Maggie: I was.

Travis: *sitting down on the desk*

Maggie: *looks at him*

Travis: I'm not rushing you; I'm already making fun of you just a little bit cause I see you are smiling, and you were about to laugh.

Maggie: Ah. I don't blame you for this. Somehow, it keeps me satisfied.

Travis: To be confirmed, my life will get worse from the experience because I didn't have many friends back in elementary school.

Maggie: That's weird unless you came to the high school to confront me.

Travis: I would never let you down while you are running to your first semester.

Maggie: I need to do so so that I can do better. But damn.

Travis: *hearing*

Dominique: I'm down for it. *looks at Jesse*

Jesse: You betcha, don't forget to vote for the homecoming king and queen.

Dominique: Yeah, without a doubt. Whenever people get to know each other, they will get to know each other well until each one of them gets the crown.

Jesse: Do you have a deal? *shows him the paper with the pencil*

Dominique: Slow down, slow down. I don't know anybody yet.

Jesse: I met them in the quarterback when I used to play football, getting close to the championship.

Dominique: *hearing and looks at him*

Lisa: So, Xavier? You haven't been paying attention to your work so far. I see you getting distracted on your phone; it's nothing about your family issues or social media.

Xavier: My bad, young lady.

Lisa: If you keep cutting class next time, I must put you in detention.

Xavier: You can't skip me like that. How do I put up with the detention? Detention is for getting involved just before.

Lisa: Different ways, whether you missed the class days without being a day off school.

Xavier: *hearing bell ring*

*Science*

Kholi and Alan are in the science class together, and the students have a book to read once the teacher takes turns with each student. Kholi is currently reading the paragraph.

Alan: *paddled his shoulder and quietly* Nice going. Faggot.

Kholi: *looks at him*

Alan: *still listening to the teacher*

Math teacher Cashmere Warren gives them a slightly harder lesson instead of the easiest; some students will separate and help each other get to know the correct numbers against divided with the calculator.

Veronica, Selena, Deion, and Brooke are in the same class as math; Brooke is the only one who struggles right after she stops for a minute. She tried not to get interrupted by students murmuring; she couldn't take it for a while.

Brooke: *stops writing and tries not to get frustrated while quietly* Fuck.

Cashmere: *teaching with students*

Brooke: *rewriting the paper and looks at everyone*

Selena: *answering the math question to Cashmere*

Deion: Your sister is brilliant on this, huh? *looks at Veronica*

Veronica: Not even close.

Deion: My dad wants me to pay the electric bill after Thanksgiving.

Veronica: Why would he do that to you?

Deion: I don't know, that's his idea.

Veronica: Just skip it, skip the whole bill thing.

Deion: I can't do that.

Veronica: Damn it. Forget it; forget the dance tonight.

Deion: I heard about it tonight. I'm the only one who has got to go.

Veronica: Good luck to you.

Deion: How figured.

Until school ends, Zoe and Liliana finish the assignment when their grades are done, coming out of the classroom after school begins.

Zoe: Are you going home?

Liliana: No, I'm staying after school. I have a choir practice.

Zoe: Be careful, call me later. *leaves*

Liliana: *waves at her while entering the choir class*

Liliana continued to sing practice for the choir as she worked harder cause she began to sing in the chorus back in second grade; she and the rest of the students gathered to sing with the rhythm and flow to see if their pitch was good or bad.

*Later that night - Homecoming Dance*

Deion: *returns to school, heading to the gym, and sees a lot of people dancing during the music played*

Jesse: Look who's showing up.

Deion: What's good, man?

Jesse: Remember me from Literature class together?

Deion: Yeah, I know. You were getting too hyped for that one.

Jesse: Please don't assume that it's my fault.

Deion: I ain't never saying it was your fault. You've got to chill since you're a freshman. High school is going to get ugly, I'll tell you that.

Jesse: *nods* OK. We look good at each other.

Deion: We do. Look at me, because I'm fly. *spinning around*

*Deion and Jesse*

Jesse: Alright, alright.

Deion: *sees Sidney arriving* Look at her. I didn't know she was coming in.

Sidney: *arrives and walks around*

Jesse: She is looking good; I didn't expect it. I thought she was severe the most.

Deion: She really is. But sometimes, it's upside down.

Jesse: Look at Ms. Moore. She's here, too.

Deion: *sees her* Ain't that some shit?

Jesse: I'm not joking, man. She has hips.

Deion: *hearing*

Jesse: Let me get you some drink before I'll talk to someone.

Deion: Take your time.

Jesse: *walking past to Sidney*

Sidney: *doing the same and looks at him*

Jesse: *doesn't look at her and grabs two drinks*

Moore: *dancing with the few students and laughing at each other*

The next night, on Thanksgiving, while the rest of the kids were enjoying the food with their family except for Xavier, he got chased by the cops while riding the bike faster whenever he could find a place to hide; he was chased after four minutes and couldn't make it home for Thanksgiving.

Xavier: *keeps riding until he sees another police car right in front of it and gets hit and falls to the ground*

Cop 1: Don't move!

Cop 2: Hands behind your back. *handcuffs on Xavier*

Xavier: *being angry*

Two days later, after Thanksgiving, Kholi walks into the hallway and sees Xavier and his parents arguing about whether he can stand his business and keep walking to the class until some girl walks over to him.

Girl: Hey, did you finish the term paper?

Kholi: Not yet. *keeps walking*

Boys: *dragged him into the bathroom*

Girl: Get him in there.

Kholi: Let go! Hey! Let go!

Girl: *blocking through the door while looking around*

After school, Kholi's parents checked on him after he got involved in a fight in the bathroom earlier.

Kholi's mom: Let me see your face.

Kholi: Mom, I'm OK. I fight them back.

Kholi's mom: Oh my god, I'm about to contact the principal tomorrow.

Kholi: I'm OK.

Kholi's mom: Look at you. You've got a little messy.

Kholi: *hearing*

After Xavier kicked himself out of the house after verbally arguing with his parents, walking around the town to look for his bike for what he had left since he got arrested.

While searching for his bike, he walks past the stores and sees the gang around the corner. He tries to ignore it whenever he searches for a bike while the gang walks over to him.

Gang 1: Are you looking for a bike?

Xavier: For sure.

Gang 2: I saw the cops pull you away.

Xavier: Man, fuck that.

Gang 2: Come on, we put your bike somewhere.

Xavier: *follows them*