River

Lilly

TW: implications of abuse, swearing, mentions of drugs and drug use

Things I learned today, January 4th:
1. Jade will not be in French today. Yet again.

2. Botanical sexism exists.

3. River's mom wrote a strong-worded email to the school about the... incident in math yesterday. We will not be seeing Mr. Mac for a long time.

4. River has nicknames for all our teachers. Mrs.Egan = Mrs.Bacon (her hair looks like bacon). Mr. Mac = Mr.Macaroni (just 'cause). Mrs.Bush = Mrs.Bus (her hair is school bus colored and she is horizontally tall). Ms.Clay = Ms.Clay (this one's already perfect; she's an art teacher).

5. Morgan and her sister had a fight. Apparently they both have a crush on this dude named Josh. He's a senior. Gross.

6. "Bisexual should be a slur" (Morgan's words. Think she was high. P.S. I'm bisexual).

7. Bonjour isn't the only way to say hi in French.

8. Picasso paintings are what things look like when you're on shrooms (Mrs.Clay's words. I think she has experience).

9. River has PARENTS (Dunno why i was surprised he has parents, probably because there was a rumor he got kicked out).

10. He lives super close to the Beacon River, and practically spent his entire childhood playing there. That's also why he spends so much time there, thus earning him the title The River Boy by a few asshats.

11. His mom is a hospital receptionist, and works in the city, yet she still picks River up from school if need be. She sounds so sweet.

The leaving bell has just rung. We agreed that I would go over to his house after school—er, now. I run to my locker quickly, I need to get my Bio binder. I stuff it in my bag and pull out my phone. I text Leo not to wait for me, and to go straight home, but I might need a ride home later. He leaves me on read, but I think that's an "OK".

I walk out the front school doors. River is leaning against one of the pillars, he's on the phone.

I'm about to approach when a reflective light shines into my eye. I look over to the source—my right—and see Jade sitting on one of the benches, a shiny, rose-gold colored vape enclosed in her hands. River is still on his phone, so I approach Jade instead.

"Hey," Jade says, still looking into the distance.

"Hi. Thought you said you stopped vaping..."

"Yeah, well I lied!" She looks to me now, she seems upset.

"Oh. You okay?"

She looks away again. She inhales more supposedly delicious nicotine air, and blows it out with a sigh. "Jaden dumped me. Too many rumors that we were twins... He's definitely making that up though, I could just tell he stopped liking me. But whatever, it's fine."

"Does Morgan know?" I sit down beside her.

"Not yet. Teagan and Ivy were gonna hang out, so since Ivy is partners with Morgan for that project y'all are doing, Morgan will be with them. But, I think we both know she's not gonna do any work, so I'm going with them. I'll tell her then."

"Gotcha." I wasn't aware they were all hanging out. Not that I can complain though, I have plans with River anyway. I mean, they don't know I have plans—they'd just make fun of me—so they clearly just forgot to invite me, but I don't care! Because I have plans!

"Ivy's sister is driving us, so I gotta go meet them, see ya Lilly-Pad." She stuffs her vape into the front pocket of her backpack, and walks off.