ᴀᴅᴀʟʏɴ

"Justin, what the hell am I going to wear? I don't want you to take Ana and leave me here." I yell into the phone as I search through my closet.

"Well, it's still warm, though considering it's Arizona and always warm around this time. So why don't you wear something that won't cause you to sweat profusely?" He asks as he brings the phone closer to his face so he can squint into what little of my closet he can see. I try to find something that fits his vague description and show him a potential outfit.

"Damn, look at my hot best friend." Justin grins, teasing me as he checks the fit. It feels a little strange not wearing a hoodie but Justin told me if I didn't pick something good, he wouldn't pick me up for school.

"Calm down, I can hear you. There's no need to scream so loud." I wince, lowering the volume on my phone.

"Y'know I don't even know why you ask me for outfit choices, you're not too bad at choosing outfits." 

"I like making sure you approve." I shrug.

"I'll always approve, and whenever you and your sister are done, I'm waiting outside for you, but I won't wait for long, so you better hurry."

"Yeah, we're coming." I shrug him off as I grab my stuff for school and shove them inside, including my small cosmetics bag, phone charger, and airpods.

"Anastasia, hurry up. Justin is waiting outside!" I shout from my room in hopes she hears me. I know she's probably already dressed and waiting to go but I like to pretend she's the reason why we leave late. I don't understand how she could wake up at 5am when school starts at 9. What is she doing with all that time? But she's always been like that, it's just fun to tease her about it. 

"Yup I'm here." She groans and stands in my doorway. She has on a blue sweater vest and a white skirt.

"I like your outfit." I spray some perfume before shoving it into my bag and zipping it up.

"Thanks. You ready to go?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." I sling my arm around her waist as she has her arm around my shoulder and together we walk out and into Justin's car.

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"Justin, give me your schedule. I want to see if we have any classes together." I lean over the compartment box to look at him as we're stopped at a red light.

"In my bag, the small front pocket, it's folded." He continues to watch the light as I rummage through his bag before finally finding the folded piece of paper. I pull mine out as well and quickly skim out disappointingly.

"We only have college algebra, biology, and lunch together." I say, disappointment obvious in my tone.

"Hey, don't worry. We'll be fine, and at least we have 3 periods together. That's better than nothing, right?" He spares a glance at me through the rear-view mirror.

"I see how you didn't ask to see mine," Anastasia adds in a fake offensive tone. "I'll remember that Ads."

"I already know what classes we have together. We chose together, remember?"

"Oh yeah, we did!" She laughs as she had already forgotten. I just shake my head in amusement at her.

"We're here now so everyone get out of my car."

"Damn, so hostile." Ana says as she steps out.

"You bring out the best in me." He answers with a smile. Anastasia flips him the bird in response.

"Alright, so see you in 2nd." Justin waves as he walks off.

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"Have you had a class with the science teacher yet?" I ask as I open my lunchbox.

"Who? Mr. Coff. Yeah I have. He's cool." Anastasia responds while grabbing a cookie from my lunchbox.

"Ana give me back my cookie."

"No, you still have 3 more."

"And you're still a fatass with 4 of your own, give me back my cookie."

"Oops." She shrugs unapologetically as she proceeds to shove my cookie in her mouth.

"I hate you so much." I roll my eyes at her.

"I love you too sister dearest." She smiles cheekily.

I scoff but give her the rest of my cookies as well.

"What about me?" Justin whines even though he has his own cookies.

"Y'all are such fatties, but I'll bring some tomorrow."

*RING* *RING*

"Welp, that's the bell. See you guys later." I say as we all pack our lunch and go our separate ways. As I walk through the halls, I see how the school has gone all out for Fall season. Though technically I helped with most of the decorations courtesy of being student council president.

'If there's one thing West Chapman Highschool knows how to do, it's decorating for holidays and seasons.'

The first thing I notice when I walk into my English class is how loud it is.

"Hey Adalyn! How was your summer break?" Tia, the secretary for student council and the only other sane person in the class asks.

"Amazing, what about you?" I respond setting my stuff down.

"Good but I heard someone new is joining our class and we're getting a new seating arrangement."

"Damn really? That sucks but who's joining?" I lean in curiously.

She leans really close and lowers her voice. For some reason she looks around before saying, "Xander Hawthorne."

"Really? I thought he would be in the non advanced class." I ask shocked.

"Apparently his mom called from France to change his classes and you know how they're rich or something so he's in all advanced classes now." She explains as the teacher walks in.

"Okay everyone get to your seats please. I'd like to start as soon as possible as we have a lot to cover." Mrs. Lei strides in wearing a black long sleeve shirt and green pants topped with light green converse and carrying a full binder and black leather tote bag.

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"God that was difficult. I always feel like she writes way too fast. Did you get all the notes?" Tia says as soon as class is over.

"Yeah, wanna borrow them?" I hand her my book already knowing the answer.

"Thank you so much. Do you want to hang out later so I can buy you something and not feel bad about this." She says swinging her binder bag across her shoulder. Her bohemian braids get tangle with the strap of her bag but she completely ignores it.

"Can't. I have work after school today," I smile apologetically, "But definitely some other time!"

"Bet, but why do you think Xander didn't come to class?" She inquires curiously, straightening her glasses to sit better on her face.

"I don't know and I don't care. It's none of my business what Xander Hawthorne does or doesn't do in his life. I'm just glad I haven't run into him." I quip as I watch the throngs of high school bodies move to their lockers and classes. 

Xander is well known in our school as the good badboy. His eyes, often filled with mischief, held a glimmer of kindness. He was the type who'd skip class but stay up all night helping a friend in need. He'd break the rules but never break a promise. Except that one time he broke his promise to me. 

"You are probably the only female at this school who thinks so. The girls may be terrified of him but that doesn't stop them from wanting to run into him or do him for that matter." Tia remarks. "Hey I gotta get to Mr. Giles class or he'll kill me. He's quite grumpy for a math teacher."

"Alright bye!" I hurry to my locker to grab my P.E. bag and change really fast. I pride myself in being the first changed and in the gym even if it's not the same case scenario at home, but today someone beat me. I can't see who it is from where I'm standing at the door of the gym but he looks so much like Xander.

I mean the black hair, 5'11 build, even the way he's standing reminds me of Xander. You'd think after six years of distance I'd forget, but no. I shake the thought out of my mind because no way would Xander Hawthorne be in my P.E. class but as Coach Corey notices me and waves me over, the Xander lookalike turns around and to my disbelief, it really is Xander! His deep espresso eyes shifted and locked onto mine, momentarily widening with a blend of recognition and surprise. 'Holy shit, I didn't know he was gonna look that hot. I mean he wasn't that muscular last year. All the other boys seem puny compared to him. His arms in that long sleeve spandex shirt make me wanna-' Nope. I shake my head to clear my thoughts. I am not going to think about how good Xander looks in his shirt. Even if his muscles fill it out so well that it looks like a second skin.

"Adalyn, right?" Coach Corey says.

"Yup, you got it." I smile nervously.

"Yes! You and your sister are so alike it's a little difficult to tell you apart." She smiles before getting serious once again. "Okay so if you could bring out the dodgeballs and start setting them up, that would be great." She claps excitedly.

"Yeah of course." I move to start getting the equipment but she calls me back.

"This strapping young gentleman is going to help you" She pats him on the back before continuing sternly. "Now I don't want just one person doing it but both of you."

"Yes ma'am." We respond in sync and suddenly this got so much worse. Suddenly P.E. just became my personal hell.

We set up the dodgeballs in silence and as we work more and more people enter the gym and do their own thing.

I sigh in relief when Justin calls me over.

"Is that who I think it is?" Justin whispers conspiratorially.

"Yup." I nod, my eyes locked on his back admiring the way he moves.

"Damn he's hotter now. Look at the way he fills in his shirt and those calves. Mm they could crush me." Justin admires not so quietly.

"Justin!" I chastise, looking around to make sure no one heard him, even though I had been doing the same earlier. But at least I kept my thoughts to myself. "I swear one of these days, you're gonna get in trouble for that shit. Besides what happened to the lovely Serena D'Angeli? Are you cheating on her now?"

Justin grins cheekily. "Of course not but just because I'm straight doesn't mean I can't appreciate other guys' bodies."

"Okay so today we're going to play dodgeball and I swear if someone gets hurt, the person who threw the ball is getting detention. I don't have time to explain to parents why their kids are getting hurt in P.E." Coach Corey shouts from her office at the other end of the gym.

As soon as she's gone, most of the boys and girls fling themselves at balls. The rest look for places to hide or people to hide behind. Justin and I just stand in the back, dodging flying balls and occasionally throwing the ball back.

"God I hate sweating." I point out when we have to run to a different spot to move away from the line of fire.

"You said it sister." Justin agrees wholeheartedly and I laugh. 

My laugh is cut short when I notice that Xander is in the only spot where few balls are heading. I nudge Justin in the side and point at him. Justin follows my line of sight and smirks mischievously. 'I really shouldn't have pointed out Xander's spot.'

"No...no. We're not going there." I warn him. "Justin!" I shout as he runs towards Xander's spot. "Why am I friends with this kid?" I ask myself as I run over to him. '

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I'm relieved when class is over. "Thank goodness we have gym at the end of the day." I sigh exhausted.

"Honestly. Hey I can't keep you company at work today. I have a date." Justin says grabbing his backpack and slinging it across one shoulder.

"With who?" I ask intrigued.

"You remember that transfer student from Italy we had last semester?" Justin asks.

"Yeah um Serena D'Angeli?"

"Yup, I'm taking her on a date." Justin says proudly.

"Well good for you. I'm happy for you." I smile.

"Alright now with that said, I'm leaving to get ready for my date." Justin surprises me and then starts running away toward his car.

"Who's taking me home?" I yell behind him.

"Use the bus or find someone to take you, i don't know. I'm sorry!" He shouts over his shoulder. "I'll make it up to you, okay?"

With that my best friend and driver/chauffeur drove off and I'm stuck walking home since Ana went home with Carmela.