𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 | 𝐃𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐚 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧¹

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙾𝚗𝚎

"It's just fun." Kate says, knowing she wouldn't actually say anything to hurt Bunny.

"It's sick." Deena retorts.

      "What? The dude was wearing a Halloween skull mask! How is that not fun?" Simon asks.

       "People died. Heather died. The dude was probably just some sad sack who hated his life, just like the rest of us, except he decided, "Hey, why don't I get out of here for good?" And, "Hey, why don't I take Heather and a couple other mall rats with me?" Deena rants, regretting it after seeing Bunny's face but continues to talk as she believed she was right.

       "There's no angry dead witch who made him go postal. The only thing that made him go crazy is this town!" She finishes, throwing her jacket on the ground.

       "Are you okay?" Kate asks, Simon exchanging a look with her.

      "Yeah, I'm fine." She says.

      "Seems like... maybe you got a little witch in you." Simon jokes, Bunny letting out a laugh making him smile at her before he turns around into the stall.

      "Dude, why are you even in here? This is the girls bathroom." Deena questions, turning around to face the mirror, Kate also looking into one.

       "Candy store." He says, pulling out a box from the vent.

       "You know we don't believe this witch shit, right? It's just, like, fucked-up Santa Claus or something," Kate says.

        "Ho, ho, ho!" Simon says, Bunny and him laughing.

       "What's this?" Bunny asks as Deena walks over to her with a box in hand.

       "I need you to give this to Sam tonight." Deena says.

"Yeah, uh-uh. No way." Kate says, pulling Bunny away from the box.

"Come on, Kate! Please Bunny!"

"No way, Deena. She is not getting mixed up in your ex drama. Do it yourself," Kate says.

"I'm not going to the game. I quit band." Deena says, throwing the box onto one of the sinks.

"Since when?" Bunny asks.

"Since who gives a shit!" Deena exclaims.

"Was the band the only extracurricular you had left?" Kate asks, earning only silence, "Well you still have your band uniform, right? You just wear that shut one last time. I've got something that'll give you balls to the face Sam."

Bunny picks the box up from the ground and opens it showing Deena.

"What? You're dealing again? I thought you stopped after this dingus's brother OD'd." Deena asks confused.

"Timothy?" Simon asks.

"Wh... Uh... Timmy wasn't a real OD. He didn't actually die. They brought him back," Kate says, smiling at Simon as she took the box from Bunny's hands.

"Ja-jing!" Bunny and Simon say, making hand motions.

"You're all morons." Deena says to the three.

"Excuse me? Which one of us is Valedictorian, again?" Kate asks.

"Ohh, don't forget... president of ever club this shithole has to offer," Bunny says, waving her hands.

"I'm getting out of here. Off to claim my place among the stars, bitch." Kate says as they walk out of the bathroom.

"Woo! The witch lives! Long live Sarah Fier!" Some boy yells, dragging a fake body throughout the hallway.

Three of the four laugh, Deena looking at them like they're idiots. Kate and Simon walk off to first hour, Deena and Bunny heading the other way.

"I'm sorry about what I said. I know he wasn't like that, I was just... upset about Sam," Deena tells Bunny, offering her a small smile.

      "It's fine. I get it, I guess," Bunny says, looking down to the ground.

      Deena looks at her, noticing she was still upset, "want to come over to my house tonight? We can do something?"

       Bunny looks up at Deena and smiles, "I'd like that!"

       "Cool!" Deena says, wrapping her arm around Bunny's shoulders.

Bunny places her hand over Deenas, smiling at her once more before looking ahead into the sea of students.

         Deena didn't know why, but for the first time in a long time, Bunny Cadell brought butterflies to her stomach... just like she did when they were in ninth grade.