Senior Year

Welcome Back

The first day of his senior year, Davey met his friends outside the school building. Just a few months before, he had helped lead a protest in that exact spot. He looked around, feeling the memories come flooding back. Then, he felt a pair of hands on his shoulder. 

"Mornin' Dave!" A voice said excitedly in his ear, and Davey jumped five feet in the air. He turned around to find one of his best friends, Albert, standing there. The two had become close the year before when Davey helped Albert through a few things. 

"Morning, Albert." Davey smiled, giving the redhead a high five. The two had seen each other the weekend before at Jack's end-of-summer party, but seeing someone on the first day of school was always different. 

Davey Jacobs was far from a morning person. He had a cup of coffee in his hand and his eyes were still trying to close every five seconds. Albert seemed to be exactly the opposite. He was up and jumping around, but that could still be the excitement from the first day of school. 

"What's your schedule look like this year?" Albert asked. 

"You saw it on Saturday." Davey pointed out. 

"Yeah, but I forget." Albert shrugged. 

"I'll show you later." Davey nodded, patting the other boy's back. "Where's everyone else?" 

"I forgot this is your first first day of school here. Well, as you know, Race is almost late every day. Medda makes Jack and Crutchie take first day photos every year, then she'll drop them off and make us all get a group photo. Mush drives Kid Blink because Blink can't drive. Romeo, Elmer, and Jojo are on their way, they take a taxi."

"I know how everyone gets to school, Al. I asked where they are." Davey interrupted. 

"They're in New York, if that helps." Albert answered. Davey rolled his eyes. 

Slowly, Davey's friends began to arrive at school. Jack and Crutchie were the last ones to arrive. 

"Dave!" Jack grinned. He ran over to his boyfriend and pulled him down for a kiss. "I missed you." He mumbled against Davey's lips when they pulled apart. 

"I saw you two days ago." Davey laughed a little. 

"Still." Jack shrugged. When the two first started dating, Davey had been shy about displaying affection. But now, after being together for many months, he had slowly gotten used to it. 

"Boys! Let me get a photo of the two of you." Medda said, walking over with her phone. 

"Hey Miss. Medda." Davey smiled, walking over and giving Medda a hug. 

"Hey Davey. How have you been, sweetheart?" She asked, pushing him and Jack together and raising her camera. 

"Not bad." Davey nodded. 

"Good to hear." Medda smiled. "Now get together for a picture." Jack and Davey each put an arm around each other, and Medda began to take the picture. Then, she sighed and put the camera down. "Race, stop trying to be in every photo. You've already made your way into Romeo and Elmer, Crutchie and Jojo, Romeo, Elmer and Jojo, Specs and Mike, Mike and Ike and almost every other one." 

"But Miss Medda!" Race tried to protest. 

"No buts." Medda shook her head. "You'll get in the group photo and I have to take a photo of you and Albert. Now go." Race walked away, grumbling. "Now, let's get this nice photo of you two." 

Jack and Davey put their arms around each other again and smiled as Medda took the photo. 

"Group photo time, boys!" Medda yelled. "Katherine, you too!" 

"Katherine?" Davey asked excitedly. He turned around and faced the redheaded girl he had befriended last year. 

"Surprise." Katherine smiled. 

"You graduated, why are you back?" Davey questioned. 

"Wow, guess you're happy to see me." Katherine rolled her eyes. 

"No, I am, I just, I thought you said you never wanted to come back here again." Davey pointed out. 

"I don't, but I wasn't going to miss you guys' first day!" She grinned. "Plus, I can come here whenever I want." 

"How college, Kath?" Jack asked. Despite their breakup, the two were still close friends. 

"Good. A lot of fun. Sarah and I go out to this bookstore every weekend and pick a book for each other to read." She explained. 

"Oh, yeah, she told me about that." Davey nodded. "The 'Just Girls Book Club'. Sounds like fun." 

"Well too bad, you can't join." Katherine shrugged, taking a sip from her Starbucks cup. 

"Bold of you to assume I don't take every book you pick for Sarah and read them." Davey crossed his arms. 

"Okay, someone's been spending a little too much time with Race and Albert." Jack patted Davey's back. 

"I really have been." Davey nodded. "Albert was over like twice a week all summer." 

"That's more than I was over!" Jack protested. 

"No. You were over every other day. And when you weren't over, Katherine was. Granted, that wa for Sarah, but we spent time together, right, Kath?" Davey asked. 

"Yep." Katherine nodded. 

"Sounds like someone had a busy summer." Romeo commented, joining the group with Elmer. 

"We went through this at the party! We went through everything at the party." Davey insisted. 

"Bold of you to assume we don't all share one brain cell." Race said, leaning on Jack's shoulder. Albert, who was leaning on Race, nodded in agreement. 

"And you have it at all times." Albert added. 

"They're right." Katherine nodded. 

"I know they are." Davey sighed in defeat. 

"Katherine had it before you got here, and you split it last year. Now you have the whole brain cell. Be wise with your power." Albert advised.

"I'm kind of scared of how much power you have now." Elmer pretended to hide behind Romeo. 

"Don't worry, I'll protect you babe." Romeo grabbed Elmer's hand. Then, the five minute bell rang as a signal for everyone to go inside. 

"See you after school, Kath." Davey waved goodbye as the crowd pushed the group of boys indoors. 

"Stay safe! Race, no peanut butter! Elmer, you'll be okay! Jojo, yes, the weather is nice." Katherine called after them as they went inside. She said a silent prayer for them and the staff, knowing the upcoming year would be insane.