"Okay every person in the front row grab a stapled paper and pass the rest down. Grab a pen and turn to the second page." My middle age english teacher announces to the class.

I sat up in my seat, taking my chin that was resting on the palm of my hand as a girl with shiny red hair turned around passing me a stack of papers. I grabbed one then turning around to pass them back.

I clicked the pen in my hand, my eyes looking over the syllabus the teacher had just given out. "Excuse me." A voice interrupted my thinking. I looked up to see the girl turned in her seat, looking at me.

"Do you mind if I borrow a pen? Mine seem to have run out of ink." The girl spoke, a british accent unexpectedly coming out of her mouth.

"Oh of course, here you go. You can keep it, I have plenty." The girl smiled as she got the pen from my hand.

"I'm Amelia by the way. Amelia Verdin." She took her hand out for me to shake.

I gave her a sweet smile back as I shook her hand. "I'm Eliza. Eliza Dawson. Nice to meet you."

Amelia nodded her head. "You as well."

Awkward silence filled the space between us before I quickly spoke up. "I really love your hair by the way." She blushed as she combed her fingers through her hair. "It's so long and silky. I love it."

"Oh my gosh, you're too kind. I'm in love with your outfit. It's so cute." It was my turn to blush.

"Are you new here? Your accent kinda gives it away . England?" She nodded her head while she turned her body more towards me to be comfortable.

"Yeah, I just moved here a couple weeks ago with my dad. It's a nice town." I agreed with her.

"Well if you want, you can sit with me and my friends during lunch if you'd like. Don't worry we're nice." She chuckled at my comment.

"I'd love that. Thank you. Shall we exchange numbers so I can find you then?" I nodded my head as I wrote my phone number on a sticky note, passing it to her.

She was about to speak, but our teacher then interrupted asking for our attention.

She turned around briefly to share a smile.

—

I looked around in the doorway of the chemistry classroom looking for a seat, when I saw an empty one next to a girl.

I set my backpack on the lab table, looking at her, "Mind if I sit here?" I asked.

She turned her head away from the windows and nodded her head. I took a seat as I looked at the clock. Five minutes till the bell rings.

"You're Eliza right?" The girl spoke next to me, I turned to her. Her messy braids cutely framing her face.

I nodded my head. I looked at her face a little closely, remembering her from past classes. "And you're Blair right? We had each other for spanish 2 last year."

She rolled her eyes as she brought her backpack closer. "Ugh yes, I hated that class so much no offense. You were quiet in that one."

I looked down. "Oh yeah, spanish isn't my strongest suit."

She agreed.

"So how was your summer Dawson? Finally make a move on Vater yet?" I turned to her shocked.

"I'm sorry what." I took a sip from my hydro flask when she grinned at me.

"Or did you move onto Partridge? I gotta say you look cuter with either one, though Partridge seems really into you." I quickly shook my head.

"I did not make a move on Sammy. And- and me and Louis are just really good friends. he's just flirty." She was about to say something before her eyes looked up at something behind me. Whatever it is, her eyes gleamed.

"Hey Bugaboo, look at us having chem together. You gonna help tutor me in this class too?" I turned around at the familiar voice to see Louis's smirking face eye level with mine. His body crouched over my side of the lab table. He winked at me, causing me to roll my eyes.

"Like you were saying?" I turned back around to see Blair's face on her hand as she looked at me and Louis. His arm now wrapped around my shoulders.

I was about to speak before the bell rung.

"Oops gotta go bugaboo." He kissed my forehead. "We're face timing later for homework." He cried out while he made his way to a lab table on the other side of the room.

I rolled my eyes before setting my backpack down on the floor next to me. Blair's chuckles filling my ears.

"Don't even say anything."

—

My eyes scanned the hallway leading towards the theatre room. He told me he'd be out here waiting, I thought to myself. But he was nowhere to be found.

The hallways was clear except for two girls and some people passing by. Squinting at the two girls I recognized their familiar faces.

"Cayla! Willow!" I said out loud, grabbing the two girls attention. The brunette girl flashed a toothy smile at me, the other giving me a sarcastic one.

I went up to them immediately greeting them in a hug. "Gosh Liz you look good!" The brunette girl said to me.

"Thanks Ayla, I missed you two." I said turning to the other girl leaning agains a locker, a lit cigarette in her mouth. "You too Brookie."

She rolled her eyes at me, "At least you finally stopped calling me Willow. But not Brookie please."

I chuckled at her, the cigarette filling my nose making me grimace. Ayla quickly catched on and sprayed a bottle of febreeze.

"Have you guys seen Taylor? He said he'd be waiting for me out here to go to lunch." The two shook their heads.

"Soooo have you resolved things with Sully yet?" Brooke asked.

I looked away and leaned on the locker next to her, Ayla standing in front of us taking quick glances at the hallway around us. Presumably on a lookout for a teacher since Brooke's smoking.

"I don't need to resolve things if there's nothing to resolve." The girls looked at each other and chuckled. Brooke turning her head to face me.

"You sure you don't want to take a hit? You clearly need one." I politely denied.

"Liz...seriously you and Sully boy haven't been the same since him and devil mouth got together." Ayla whispering the nickname.

I quickly slapped her shoulder, "Don't be mean Ayla, she's...an okay person. We just don't get along. And for Sammy, yeah we haven't been as close, but I don't want to cause problems between him and Adams."

Brooke rolled her eyes while Ayla sprayed another splash of febreeze. It smelled like a Starbucks cafe during the fall.

"How about you guys? Have you talked to Sammy?" The two scoffed.

"Once every like two weeks, Adams is a devil I'm telling you. She hates our guts, don't know why, we haven't even had a full conversation yet." Ayla said.

"She's probably jealous." Brooke said, puffing smoke out from her mouth. "I mean she has no reason to be, I like women."

"And I'm bi, though I prefer women over boys so." Ayla shrugged.

I nodded my head at them. The three of us were close as we grew up going to the same elementary and middle school, but Sammy brought us all together. Sucks he's the one who left the group first.

I took a glance at the notification on my phone. "I gotta go, Taylor said he's in the theatre room. I'll see you guys later." I gave a peck on Ayla's cheeks and nodded my head at Brooke, she was never one for physical touch.

"See you later babe!"

—

I walked into the dimly lit theatre room, the light coming from the stage but my phone was grabbing my attention. Shooting a text to Amelia to let her know, I'll be at the lunch table in a few minutes, I looked up at the noise of someone playing a beautiful sound.

I took a seat in the back row of the theatre, watching a blonde girl play a song on her violin. Her arms moving in a way so beautiful as her eyes were closed like she was visualizing the song in her head.

I watched the girl in silence admiring the way she played her violin until my phone went off, a text from Amelia.

The blonde girl suddenly stopped at my ringtone, shocked to hear that she had an audience.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." I said out loud to the girl, walking towards the stage she stood on. She didn't respond back. "That was a really nice song, you're really good." I commented.

She nodded her head. "Thank you." She walked towards her backpack and put the violin back into her case.

"I'm Eliza by the way, I'm a junior." I said when I got in a closer hearing range from her.

She looked up at me as she put her backpack on, "I'm Niyah, you can call me Nia. I'm a junior too."

I nodded my head, my fingers fumbling in front of me. "I like your name...so how long have you been playing the violin?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Since I was a kid, I'm auditioning for the orchestra."

I smiled at her, "That's so cool, I hope you get in."

She was about to speak, but Taylor came running down the stage steps towards me. "Sorry Liza! Oh- you met Nia, she's awesome isn't she?" I nodded my head at him. He was sweating around his forehead, his curls a little damp.

"Well we should get going, bye Nia! See you tomorrow!" Taylor said dragging us out of the theatre. I shot a quick wave to the girl before closing the door.

"Hurry up Liza! I'm hungry!"

༄ yuhhh sorry for the long wait for this chapter !!! i hope it makes sense LOLOL

anyways hope you're having a great day ! don't forget to stay safe, eat and drink water !

- jules