The Wild Ones | ✔️

Different

Emily, Naomi, and Candace were sitting on the steps of the library eating their breakfast like a scene straight out of Gossip Girl. Except, rather than eating yogurt, Candace had brought them boxes of pastries from her family's newest bakery. Emily munched on a croissant gratefully. She had skipped breakfast earlier in the morning due to a sudden meeting with the vice principal.

"So I'm not sure whether I should go with Columbia or Yale," sighed Candace.

"Well, you did say that Columbia's Latin American History program is better," suggested Naomi.

"But Yale is my parents' alma mater and I know they want me to carry on their legacy," said Candace as she daintily bit into her cruffin - a croissant muffin combination that her parents had patented.

"But you're you," said Emily. "Why does it matter where your parents want you to go when you already know what you want to do?"

"I know, I just don't want to disappoint them," said Candace.

"Columbia is also a fantastic school," said Naomi. "I'm sure they'll be proud either way. I'm just psyched to leave this city and go to the west coast! USC is where it's at!"

"I'm excited for you," said Candace sweetly. "Emily and I will come and visit!"

"You better," said Naomi good naturedly. "Man, when I'm out of this stuffy old school I'm going to dye my hair lavender, and wear crop tops and study at the beach. Maybe I'll meet a cute surfer. Or I don't know, an aspiring actor who looks like Zac Enron. It will be my best life," said Naomi dreamily.

"How about you Emily? Any thought on what you're going to do next after high school?" Asked Candace.

Emily shrugged as she grabbed a tart. I don't know yet. I'm not sure what I want to study and I don't have a lot saved up for college. I might do two years at the community college before applying for a transfer."

"You didn't apply anywhere in the Fall?" Asked Candace.

"Well, I applied to NYU. But it's really, really expensive and they didn't give me a whole lotta financial aid," said Emily. "Plus I don't really know what I wanna study yet so I think CC might be the best place to start."

"You got this girl," said Naomi as she pulled her in for a hug.

"What the hell," said Naomi, voicing exactly what Emily was thinking. Emily choked a little bit on her breakfast.

"That is Kyle, right?" Mused Candace as she rubbed her eyes.

That was definitely Kyle's car. But the guy coming out of it - Emily wasn't so sure. The old Kyle would come in with his top unbuttoned, necktie loose, blazer replaced with a designer bomber jacket. The new Kyle had his uniform on properly. His blazer was buttoned, his shirt tucked. His tie nestled into his knit vest. The old Kyle used to have silver hoops in his ears, and bands on his fingers. The new Kyle had removed all his jewelry. Perhaps the most startling change was the disappearance of his bright red hair. Instead, it was jet black.

What the hell, indeed.

"Kyle, c'mere," hollered Naomi. She beckoned him closer. Kyle sauntered over to them. Emily tensed a little. They haven't talked much since the moment in the green house. Things were a little bit better between them two. They atleast can look at each other now. But she wasn't sure what direction their relationship was heading.