Cadet

Eleven

Years passed faster than I can count. Birthdays, Christmases, and school graduations blur in my memory. I remember skating to the school for the first time without my brother as he had graduated the previous spring thanks to his accelerated plan to graduate at 17. Going back to school felt no different as it had my freshman year, except for now I would have Holly walking at my side again.

The two of us had been on and off the past four years as Holly drifted between me and her cheerleader friends. I didn't mind much; I was just happy to feel wanted every once in a while. It wasn't like anyone else tried to reach out to me, especially after Holly spread that rumor about me in eighth grade.

I'm still trying to figure out if my head is on straight.

I'm skating down the empty streets of Comrado, adjusting the cap on my head. I typically shop thrift and adjust the clothing to fit my own needs and, well, the school dress code. Believe me, I'd be cutting my tank tops with smaller sleeves and my pants with higher holes if I could. This year, I was just trying to not get into as much trouble, especially without Aki to defend me the way he always did.

I take my skateboard under my arm as I jog up to the school, entering the hell hole in a slight jog. I'm rather early, so there's only a few people there. Even so, I manage to run into some blonde chick in a blue top, though I hardly care to look at her face. "Sorry!" I say over my shoulder as I take the stairs to the second floor two at a time. The goal of my morning is to get to my locker, put away my skateboard and hat - they're forbidden in school for a reason I know not - and then meet Holly downstairs so that she can greet Echo as always. 

Not much has changed since sixth grade, if I'm being completely honest.

I have to kick the locker open because the lock always gets jammed and then I set my skateboard gently against the metal, still cringing as it clangs lightly, the sound reverberating in my mind. I hang my cap on one of the small hooks and then close the compartment, adjusting the straps of my old backpack. I couldn't bring myself to ask Rain or Momo for new things, what with college expenses for Aki, so most of my belongings were thrifted or overused. Even my skateboard.

My phone vibrates in my pocket with a text and I take it out, leaning against the lockers.

Holly: Hey! I just got here! Where are you? <3

Me: i'll meet u up front :)

I return the phone to my pocket, jogging down the stairs. I pass by who I think is the chick from earlier standing and talking with Echo. Holly is not going to be happy about that. Echo and I make eye contact for a split second, but I walk on by without any other gesture. Echo was Holly's property and I couldn't interact with him or else I would be chewing gravel, as my mum would've said.

"Cade!" Holly grins, walking towards me. From the outside eye, the two of us would've appeared as total opposites. I am dressed in basically all black and my brown hair is hurriedly tossed in a braid while Holly has frills and curls and even makeup. I have to admit that I am curious to know what time she woke up this morning.

Holly wraps me in a light hug, obviously hesitant as always around me. "I'm so glad you got here before me. It would be so embarrassing to have to walk to my locker all alone!"

"Yeah, I'm sure it would be," I mutter, smiling softly and nodding my head,

"Well come on, then!" Holly grins. "Let's go say hi to Echo!" She grabs my hand before I can say otherwise and pulls me towards Echo and the blonde chick. It's only when we're a few steps away that Holly lets go of my hand to run and hug Echo from behind as if they've been dating for years.

"Oh, yeah, I-" Echo cuts off, jolting in surprise. "Oh. Hey, Holly."

"Echo! I haven't seen you all summer!" Holly giggles, turning Echo to face her. "I've missed you and - oh? Who's this?" Her smiling demeanor turns sour as she spots the blonde woman from before. If I'm honest, I'm staring at her, too. She's odd, but not too odd for Comrado. The ends of her hair are dyed a bluish color, almost the same as her vibrant eyes.

The chick steps forward, extending her hand. "Hi, I'm Brizzy." 

I watch Holly glance at the girl's hand and then sneer before pulling Echo away to talk to him somewhere else. This left just me and the gorgeous - I mean absolutely average - new girl.

"What's your name?"

I hear her ask, but I don't register that it's for me; why would it be? Seconds later my brain catches up with logic and I look up at her, startled. "I'm, uh, I'm Cade." I glance after Holly, but can't exactly figure out where she went.

"Is she your friend or his?" Brizzy asks with a small laugh.

"Uh, Holly would be my friend." I scratch the back of my neck, looking down at my rugged sneakers and comparing them to the white wedge heels Brizzy was wearing. Without those, she would be about my height, give or take a few inches. Well, I suppose she'd be a few inches taller than me, looking back at her now. "She's nicer than this, usually. Promsie."

"It's alright; she must've really missed her boyfriend."

"Oh, no." I can't help a laugh bubbling out of my throat, but I stifle it quickly. Holly says my laugh sounds like a dying cat. "They aren't dating, but Holly has sort of...claimed him."

Brizzy nods softly, then clears her throat. "Since she took him away, would you mind showing me to my locker? I have no clue where it is."

"Uh, yeah, I guess I can do that...What's the locker number?"

Brizzy uncrumples the small paper slip in her hand, squinting at the words before she says, "One hundred eighteen."

"Okay." I nod, beginning to walk. Brizzy follows, and suddenly my brain has stopped working and I cannot think of what to say. I'm usually awkward, but never this incredibly stuck. 

"Uh, here it is," I say lamely, slowing to a stop in front of locker one eighteen. "This is it."

"Oh, thank you!" Suddenly, Brizzy leans down and air-kisses both of my cheeks. I feel my face go red as she pulls back and beams down at me. God, this woman was absolutely beautiful and for a second I wished there was a third kiss right in the center.

What the hell, Cade? What the absolute hell?

"Sorry, it's something I did back home," Brizzy quickly explains.

"Oh, um, it's alright." I look down at the floor again. "I'm gonna try and find Holly. If you need any more help, the office is down the hall and to the left."

I hurry away before she can say anything else. I'm embarrassed, confused, and I hope I never have to see her again. Knowing Comrado, though, I get a feeling I'm not going to be able to avoid her for very long.