Brooks Scott

Imani and I decided to study in her dorm tonight. We had an upcoming exam and I realized I needed more help than originally planned. So far we had gone over everything we've learned since the first days of classes. My brain was fried but Imani still seemed to have energy. It was inching ten pm but I wasn't even sleepy, just exhausted from all the information that had entered my brain.

Mani was a hell of a teacher though. I'll give her that.

"You look a little lighter," Mani started, typing away on her laptop. Her words caught my attention and woke me up a bit. Again, I wasn't tired but my body might be falling asleep from exhaustion. Brain exhaustion.

My brows furrow slightly. "What does that mean?" I questioned.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Ever since you've came into HP, you seem to have had this weight on your shoulders but I'm sensing that's gone now. Or at least slowly disappearing..." she pauses. "Would that have anything to do with a blonde ballerina?"

I raise a brow at her words. "Emerson said something to you guys about Amelie I'm assuming." Imani nodded, pursing her lips slightly. A weak chuckle escaped my lips. Well, I've known Amelie since moving to HP but our growing relationship wasn't the cause of the anxiousness that had built throughout the weeks. I don't know what that was actually but ever since yesterday, I did feel lighter. Mani was right.

I felt calmer.
I felt like everything would be okay.

December would come quickly and I'd be back in Oak Hill before I knew it. Yes, leaving everyone here behind would suck but at least I would have my family back. I really miss them these days. I've spoken to Momma and Dad more, and my siblings too. Justus and I scheduled a phone call for later today too.

He was the cousin I was the closest to and we'd never gone this long without speaking to one another. I was two years older than him but we were close since his brother Izaak was closest to our cousin Xavier who was their age as well. Plus, Justus had this maturity about him that made us get along so well. He was a sophomore in high school at the moment and from what he'd been telling me, it was going well.

Justus was playing for the varsity football team this year and it had immensely boosted his popularity. My cousin sometimes takes that shit a little too seriously. Having people like you and shit. He likes being liked and known. It makes his head big but I'll never tell him that. As long as he's happy.

"I don't know honestly," I mumbled, trying to figure out the cause myself.

She leaned a bit forward now, dismissing her laptop. "I also heard you and Emmy are like...friends now." A small smile upturned her lips. "Finally got through her? I told you it would take some time but I knew you could get there. Emmy likes boys like you." She shrugged. "Eventually."

I tilt my head slightly. "What does that mean? Boys like me."

Mani sat back down in her seat. "Nice boys. Well, she befriends nice boys. She doesn't date them." I notice the way she cringes. "But we all figured you guys would give in and be friends one day."

I smiled at the thought of our conversation yesterday. That was the last thing I had expected but I'm glad it happened. No more little bickering between us which was absolutely perfect. She could bicker with Kai. Not me.

Emmy Jenkins two points.
Brooks Scott two points.

We're tied now.

"Really?" I asked.

She nodded, taking a bite out of the granola bar I bought her from the vending machine earlier. "You two are different sides of the same coin, I've noticed. Me, Mina, and Lace were talking about it the other day."

My eyes widened slightly at those words. They talk about mine and Emmy's relationship? Or before yesterday, lack thereof? Huh. Maybe I wasn't the only one who saw the similarities between us. We're different, yes, but we're also the same. I don't know what it is but I see myself in her a bit. Like she's a part of the person I am. Or was.

It's hard to explain and I can't even begin to make sense of it because we don't know each other all too well. There's just this pull I feel to the girl and it intrigues me.

"Yeah, me too," I say honestly, earning a rare grin from Imani. She's a little more bubbly when it's only us two I've noticed. She doesn't act like this when we're with the rest of our friends but I like it. "Maybe now she won't kill me when I accidentally crash her bike one day," I teased.

Imani giggled, shaking her head. "I think she still-"

"I knew I heard the sound of that adorable giggle," a familiar voice cuts off Imani. A blonde head sticks out from behind one of the bookshelves, his smile falling when he notices me. "Oh, Brooks is here too," Callum said dryly, walking over to me and Mani. Her demeanor had changed and she seemed like her regular, reserved self again.

"I am," I said to Cal who was looking at me funny. What was his deal? He took the seat at the end of the table and leaned his big arms on it. While Mani and I were still dressed in our uniforms from earlier, Cal was wearing some blue jeans and a hoodie. He looked between the both of us and I saw his jaw clench and unclench before he smiled at Imani.

"Mani, why aren't you answering your texts?" he asked in his usual goofy voice.

Imani picked up her phone and looked at the screen. "Sorry, I was on do not disturb." She looks at the texts from Callum I'm assuming and her face flushes slightly. "Sorry," she whispered again. A phone ringing catches all our attention and I realize it's mine. I look down and see Justus' name on my screen.

"Oh, I have to go. We're good now, right Mani?" I ask, shoving my laptop and other studying materials into my school bag. She nods in response. "Cool," I said, grabbing my phone. I tapped Cal on the shoulders and he stiffened slightly. "See you later, buddy."

Seriously what was his problem?

I decided to ignore that for now and answer Justus' FaceTime call before it went to voicemail. His face popped up on the screen and he smiled when he saw me. "Look at him! Oh brother you look good. London women have been treating you good?" he asked, grinning. A chuckle left my lips as I shook my head. This kid never fails to make me laugh.

"Actually, I'm trying to focus on myself, thank you very much," I reprimand.

Justus is smiling but shaking his head. "Boy, you need to get your shit together and come back down here. School has been boring as fuck without you. I'm sick of driving to school with Xavi and Zak," he complained.

"I'm trying, I'm trying. Not gonna lie though." I looked around to see if there was anyone around me but the halls were pretty dead this time at night. "It's cool as fuck here. I feel like I'm living in Harry Potter with the way the school looks," I tell him.

His green eyes widen. "Let me fucking see." I switch the camera and show him the ancient-looking halls throughout HP. Everything here looks like it was built in the 1800s. The brick walls hold rust probably from the Cold War, and the lockers are rusted too but somehow work perfectly. The wooden floors will occasionally creek. You can only hear it when you're walking alone though. "Wait, is there like witchcraft and shit?"

I laugh again. "Maybe who knows."

"You haven't been getting beat up, right? The students there must be fucking lunatics," he said, looking genuinely concerned.

"Nah, man. This school isn't what the pamphlet says. Everyone's pretty alright. I've made some decent friends too. Don't worry about me, I'm not suffering."

"But you would tell me if you are, right?"

"Always, man."

Justus nodded. "Good. I'll go show those fuckers what Americans are made of if they mess with my cuz." I laugh at his statement. Justus might only be fifteen years old but he's probably stronger than I am. He's also 5'10 and growing. Because of football, he's also extremely fit for his age. The guy has no problem getting the ladies that's for sure. He liked to brag about it but I also saw it with my own eyes at school. Being talented at football also played a part in being eye candy for high school girls.

"Alright, catch me up, kid. How's school? How's Oak Hill? How's the fam? Your momma and pops, Zak, Zya, and Hayden? How's my momma? Has she been over at your place lately? I haven't talked to her as much as I'd like," I rambled but I knew it was okay because Jay liked to talk a lot too.

Finally, I make it back to my dorm which is empty. Thank God. Plopping down on my bed, I listen to Justus speak.

"Schools alright would be better with you. Oak Hill is Oak Hill. The fam is all well. Zak's being a little bitch again lately, don't know why. Zya is Zya and Hayden is Hayden. Your mom's is cool I think. She came over the week after you left and looked a bit distressed honestly but that's fair since she had just shipped your ass off to London. My moms took care of it don't worry. She left smiling. My dad also said he missed you the other day. Me too, man, but you already know that."

My heart clenches slightly at the mention of Momma. Well, I'm glad she suffered a bit cause God knows I did but still, she's my Momma. I don't like it when she's upset. "What's wrong with Zak?" I questioned.

Jay blew a raspberry, scratching his bare chest. "Fuck if I know. He always gets like this at the start of school, you know, he has a girlfriend now. Yeah, guess who? Nessa Ridley. My coaches fucking daughter!"

My eyes widen before a smirk makes its way to my lips. "How does little Sienne feel about that?" I teased.

Justus chuckled, shaking his head. "Man, Izaak does not care about her feelings. She's thirteen. My boy is getting pussy now. He's not thinking about a childhood crush, trust me."

"Wait, Zak's having sex? Are you?" I sighed. "Jay, I told you about this. You're too-"

"Oh my God, Brooks. Fucking spare me the big brother conversation, alright? Don't act like you weren't out here doing the same thing at our age. We're being safe about it. We both know the consequences."

I sighed. "I just want you to be better than me, you know that."

"Zak and I are okay. I'm still mad he's fucking my coach's daughter though." He makes a disgusted face.

"Why? You wanted her first?" I questioned.

He shook his head. "Hell no. You know Zak and I's type is different."

I smiled at his statement. "His is moody, thirteen-year-old redheads and yours is dark-haired Latinas," I teased.

Justus' green eyes basically bulge out of his head and I laugh. "Don't fucking say that. He's fifteen, you're making him sound like a pervert, man! Also, no that is not my type," he grumbled that last statement.

"You're still not friends with her again?" I questioned.

He shook his head. "I told you we weren't friends again and aren't going to be. We're two different people now, man. She's alright, I guess. I haven't talked to her since last year," Justus explained.

He had been best friends with this girl, Nathalie since they were in diapers. Justus never liked her in that way even though we questioned whether she might like him. That was until last year, their freshman year when they grew apart. I thought it was just a short break and they'd make their way back to each other but I guess not. I'd met her a couple of times and she was sweet.

She would be over at the Williamson's house a lot too. My aunt and uncle loved her so it was weird when all of a sudden she and my cousin stopped talking. Jay didn't seem too fazed by it which was weird considering their long history of friendship.

We talked a little bit longer about school and life. I told him about the friends I had made here and about my roommate too. Ash and I used to get along more at the beginning but his attitude had slightly shifted recently. Plus, he's gone a lot and I don't see him most nights. Maybe he spends his night with Emmy. She told me her roommate Cora is missing most nights.

I hang up the phone when I realize it's getting a bit late and I still have class tomorrow. Not only class but a meeting with my shrink. I've still not said much to her. It was weird talking to an unknown adult about my feelings. That's not my thing. I'll talk to myself in my head, thank you very much.

My mind reverts to Emerson who I hadn't seen since our conversation yesterday. It dawns on me then that maybe that's why I've been so fucking stiff since I got here. She hadn't been fond of me since the day I arrived at Oak Hill and I found myself walking on constant eggshells around her. Now that we were somewhat friends, the eggshells were gone.

Mending our relationship was the solution to my problem.
Weirdly, I felt okay now. Like everything was going to be fine and all I needed to do now was keep living life like I used to: day by day.

Looks like Emerson Jenkins just became the solution to all my problems.