𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐠 𝐌𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧 (𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏)

2

Song: Fight Song - Rachel Platten

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Everyone 'd been super nice to me so far -if you exclude certain jerk from this morning. Even with the couple years I'd been away it felt like I never left at all. Some of our classmates I'd already seen them that past months before the course's start, but the others just interacted with such a naturalness I couldn't help but felt included.

I don't know, I guess I expected more than just long stares and whispers. I knew a lot of gossip was going on but at least they were kind enough to not do it right on my face. And, most important, they were sensitive enough not to mention him. Instead, I got a lot of smiles and everyone was kind, welcoming... maybe a little too much, even. I actually thought I would get my wrists sore from all the waving. There's so much people in this place.

The first classes went by without much problem, I met my old friends and got a lot of welcome smiles. My heart warm like hell and I felt just so right. So good to be back. So easy.

But then came lunch time and everything took a sour turn.

We were on the Cafeteria: Jess, Sadie, some other cheerleaders and friends from the Council. We were almost all here and it felt weird because it was almost as if I'd gone back those nearly three years. The people and the place hadn't changed that much. Only him wasn't here and I really couldn't be more glad for it. I knew it was a matter of time 'till we'd meet, but as far as I could delay it I would. Seeing his arrogant face again was probably the only thing on the cons's list of our return.

I missed Troy in the lunch break with us, tho; but he had to prepare the tryouts for the new members of the baseball team, so he was occupied and couldn't make it here. Well, I consoled myself, I got Jess, who count just as much.

Jessica Goosman has been my best friend since we shared a candy on our first day in kinder garden. Not even my years on the other side of the country had changed that and if the long distance couldn't, nothing ever will.

She's one of those rare girls who are truly gorgeous without even trying, been gifted with perfect lips and an easy humor that always makes you feel better. Her dark eyes always seemed ready to smile at you and even though she's shy as hell, she's not afraid of standing her ground for what she believes in.

Sadie Braham on the other hand... Her and Jess were close -in all honesty, who wouldn't love Jessica?- but with me it's always been a bit more complicated.

I'm not absolutely sure you could call us friends. We do have things in common such as the cheer team and movie taste. But we'd barely talked these past years and before I left we were always competing among ourselves.

Sadie's tall, sassy and you never know what she might want from you. On your face; she'd smile at you, but to get what she wants, she won't doubt in stepping over you to get it. One time in ninth grade she tricked me in order to get Tom Bishop's number, and just before I left when everything happened with him, she didn't step in to defend me at all.

So you'll see, more like a frenemy.

Either way, apparently since I came back we'd decided to bury the war axe. I wasn't fully sure about it yet, but we're doing baby steps here. The most frustrating thing is that, no matter what actually happens between us, on everybody's else eyes we're good. And sometimes it can be exhausting.

As the conversations flowed easily on my table, my gaze somehow found Paris' in the distance and I could totally tell that her thoughts aren't as nice as everyone else. Hers seemed more like: "What's the deal with this bitch?".