Their next class, Spanish, left them being separated thanks to Ms. Garcia's rules.

"Those who are more fluent in Spanish will get separate work from those of you who don't, with some exceptions."

Silas groaned, but after class, they reunited before lunch.

"I didn't know you were fluid."

"I mean I sorta, but I mostly talked about it at home."

"Well I'll try to practice with you. We're only getting to learn it once in high school. What's the word for beautiful again, guapa?"

"Guapo for guys, and "a" at the end for girls," she snickered. We usually call someone hermosa and hermoso. Plan on calling yourself that?"

"Hmm," staring at her red hair. "What about your hair?"

"Oh, we call that pelirrojo."

"Pelirroja, huh? That fits you, but you need a cooler nickname. We'll work on it. Anyway, it's lunchtime."

To her disappointment, the food was still the generic food she could care less about, watching him get drunk only on apple slices, other fruit, and milk and following him to several people: a young light tan pudgy girl with glasses, a dark skin stout woman both two to three inches shorter than her five-foot-five self, a light brown girl shorter than all of them, and a tall, large jovial guy inviting them to sit with her.

"From left to right, meet Blanca, Mecole, Tilly, and Mane."

"Your friends you barely hang out with cuz you're chasing other people."

"Hey, if all you do is talk to the same people over and over again, how are you ever gonna be able to talk to someone new?"

Mane nodded. "He makes a good point," nudging Tilly.

"Whatever, we don't roll with fake people."

"Hold on, where's Gayle?"

"Over here."

Silas ran over to the girl around Mane's height, about to hug her, but a point to her stomach stopped him.

"I've got a girl to take care of soon. I was just gonna let you all know."

Tilly begged her not to leave while Mane asked if there was anything he could do.

"I'll let you all know. Just be careful, I've got someone more important to protect."

Silas, Mane, and Tilly hug her from the side.

"We'll miss you."

After she headed out, Mane and Tilly went to join her, leaving Silas with Mecole and Blanca to introduce Camila.

"Oh Blanca, you're in my class. Where are your parents from?"

"Venezuela!"

"Oh cool, Mexico." The two began speaking Spanish to each other while Mecole tapped him.

"You seem happier this time. You changing things up this time around?"

"Basically. I'm tired of making high school feel like some boring drag. But I'm not going to be someone's grade meal ticket this year, and that includes you guys."

"Alright I get it, my bad."

Camila saw some resentment in his eyes, and who approached them didn't help manners. Silas turned around, even more annoyed and the two large figures behind them. They faced a five-foot-nine and six foot black and asian guy with dickish smirks on their face.

"Zumel and Keegal. How can you help you, Rush Hour?"

"What's wrong? Missed your baby mamma?"

Zumel's friend targeted their laughter at Silas, gaining more people to diss on him.

He sucked his teeth. "You dated her! Were you the one who knocked her up?"

That got people speculated and turned on him, asking him questions, but Keegal grabbed Silas by the throat, lifting him out of his seat.

"Turns out you pissed off some of my friends."

"You're still," coughing, "role-playing their attack dog?"

" You're calling me stupid?"

The grip grew so strong, Silas had no choice but to claw into Keegal's hands with his nails to let him go.

Should I help him?

She regretted just thinking about it as Keegal punched Silas in the face, smashing his glasses down, kneeling on top of him, and slashing his neck.

"Not so fun, is it, you ugly black cat?"

"What is wrong with you," heavily breathing and clutching his head. The rage on his face left Camila understanding why his snark was so high as he got pummeled back and forth, barely able to block each and every attempt on his face.

"Gayle can't protect you! No one likes you or wants to help you! All you have is your brain!" He came off as a serial killer more than a student. "Let's see if you're all talk after I break it."

Blanca and Mecole ran away to Camila's shock. Her fingers fidgeted.

Am I going to let this happen - again? No, I'm not making the same mistake!

Her eyes and hand slowly clenched the fear, reaching for a milk carton, opening it and chucked it at Keegal, too busy reaching out to react to getting splashed out of the blue.

"What the fuc-who did that," swinging around with rage as the carton fell down to Silas' legs.

"Hey, lap dog!"

Keegal turned too late to block his face from Silas, hurling the remaining into his eyes.

"Argh, my eyes. Silas, you're dead!" He flailed around way too much, reaching for a nearby tray and threw the contents into someone's face.

Their victim retaliated, throwing food that hit Keegal and another person, leading to a chain reaction of a new victim blasted with food and drinks adding to a chaotic back and forth.

She ran over to him. "You alright?"

"Yeah," coughing up.

Keegal wiped off his face, about to rush at them both when Mecole and Bianca returned with a tan teacher rushed in, taking Keegal away while Silas fainted, leading to Camila to call for help.

She never heard from him for the rest of the day.

Camila arrived home, washing out the food from her hair in the shower. Text from her classmates asking where she was and that they needed her made her suck her teeth, closing her eyes and letting the water cleanse her mind.

Getting out to put on her pajamas and reflect on her day, she took a look at the drawings she started, willing to complete them.

"He's probably not gonna show up tomorrow," physically reflecting on a similar experience.

When she came back to school, she nearly dropped her sketchbook out of her hands.