Apple felt like the world was moving twice as fast as normal, those around her were no longer faces, just blurred images of people she saw every day.
In reality, Apple knew that it was all in her head, yes she saw these people every day, but did they once see her? That would be a no, because to these people, who are embracing their friends and crying in the hallway, she never existed.
This would be the last day of classes for all of them, then next week would be graduation, but for Apple, today was the last day she will ever step foot on these grounds again, she had a plan and she had to stick with it.
Apple wanted to leave, she wanted to forge her own path, and as much as she loved her father and wanted to work with him, he was gone now and her future was her own to explore, instead of following the footsteps of those she admired.
What was she going to do? She had absolutely no idea, all she knew ever since she was born was whatever her father was working on, be it ships, electronics, or rockets, her mind was consumed to think that was her future.
That was until her father, Robert Brady passed away.
L.A. wasn't home, and as much as Apple had tried to fit in with the people on campus, joining a sports club, hoping to gain something, it had all been for nothing, the only true relationships she had made are with those of her neighbors, who kept a watchful eye on Apple.
There was just one thing to do before she left, and that was to tell Luka Ellis she loved him, though he may not feel the same, she had to feel like she affected someone's life, even if it were uncomfortable and awkward for him.
Apple was going out with a bang, even if her heart broke again, she was prepared for it, she was madly and truly in love with Luka, the first boy she kissed, and the first boy she gave herself to, completely.
She could still feel his touch as he wrapped his arms around her, or the way his lips hovered ever so lightly over her skin as he kissed her, but most importantly, she will never forget the way he made her feel like she was the most beautiful, interesting and unique person he had ever seen.
Apple couldn't have wished for a better wish than to meet him, and spend time with him and those closest to him, it was like living in someone else's world when she was around him like it was all too good to be true.
She was going to miss him.
After all, as much as she wanted to be around him, know him, see where life goes with him if it goes anywhere at all, she knew she couldn't do it with the person she was now, she wanted to be someone worthy to stand next to him, even if it sounded insane to another, it was how she wanted to better herself.
While everyone chatted and hugged one another in the hallway, outside the classrooms, Apple walked past the happy, sad, crying faces of her peers, keeping her head high as she walked towards the girl's bathroom, before the bell rang for first class.
Just as she opened the door, her phone buzzed in her hand, she looked at who it was as she got into a bathroom stall and closed the door behind her.
It was Luka, and once she read what he wrote, she smiled.
Luka: Trying to find u, help a guy out?
The girl's bathroom door swings wide open and the sound of the girl's loud voices fills the air, stopping Apple from texting Luka back as she notices a voice amongst the girls.
"Oh my god, I'm so excited for tonight!" One girl said.
"Did you see Luka? I'm so glad I wore this dress." Kimberly said, making Apple pale.
"It is his favorite color." Another girl giggled out, causing the girls to laugh.
Apple felt like she was going to be sick, or pass out, she wanted to be anywhere other than here, she had managed to avoid seeing Kimberly since that day when she lied and humiliated her in front of everyone.
"I feel it girls, today Luka Ellis is going to be mine." Kimberly said.
A girl hummed. "You two are made for each other."
"Mrs. Kimberly Ellis..." A girl laughed. "Oh my god, it even suits you!"
Apple's phone buzzed again, causing her to cover the speaker on her phone, blocking the noise, luckily none of the girls in the bathroom noticed.
"Oh!" Kim gasped. "They're here, Mikki just texted me, let's go see the guys."
A girl snorted. "I thought you hated that guy?"
Kimberly giggled and smacked her lips. "He's my stupid neighbor, I only used him to get close to Luka, honestly, he's such a loser."
The girls laugh all together as one of them opens the bathroom door.
The voices were getting quieter as the girls leave the girl's bathroom, making it safe for Apple to finally relax and not feel so wound up from the presence of Kimberly and her friends.
Looking down at her phone, she could see that Luka had tried to text her again, asking where she was, but the more Apple looked at his texts, the more she felt sick at the thought of people knowing about her and Luka.
She did her business in the bathroom, washed her hands, and left, without sending a text back to Luka, she decided to go to class and text him during lunch, right now she was feeling something, a new kind of pain in her chest as the million thoughts and feelings run through her.
Keeping her head high, she swallowed down the pain, deep down until it made her numb, she ignored the smiling, laughing faces of others all the way until she found a seat in a classroom, she kept to herself, and nobody looked twice at her.
Her phone was on silent yet it was vibrating in her pocket, but she ignored it as the professor walked in, so Apple zoned out, and tried to focus on what was happening at the moment, after all, in her own way, she was looking forward to class, one last time.
"Huh, Apple?"
Apple raised her head to a familiar voice, and when she sees who was sitting next to her, she was surprised to see him here.
"Were you always in this class?" Jake asks as he sets his bag on the back of his chair next to her.
That was exactly what Apple wanted to ask before he beat her to it.
"Yeah, how about you?" She asks.
Jake grins and shakes his head. "Advanced classes aren't really my strong suit, with it being the last day a bunch of us were told to come here, I was supposed to have English with Luka."
The mention of Luka's name made her stomach clench with butterflies.
Looking around warily, Apple notices a few people in the room have looked her way in curiosity, and Apple knew it was because Jake was speaking to her, a nobody.
"I see." She lightly clears her throat. "That's cool."
Jake smiles at Apple until something catches his eye, making him grin. "Finally, what took you so long?"
Luka had walked into the classroom and grunted as the words left Jakes's mouth, but Apple didn't focus on Jake and his boyish grin, but on Luka, and his gaze as he focuses on Apple as he comes towards them, a small knowing smile on his lips.
"Hey." He says to her, taking the seat next to her on the opposite side of Jake. "You just get here?" He asks Apple.
Apple felt like the whole entire room was now staring at her, some whispering amongst themselves, and it was obvious what they were saying, and wondering, and Apple could barely contain her shyness when two of the most popular guys on campus were talking to her so friendly.
Luka nudged her arm and she snapped back from her thoughts, she needed to calm down, and ignore the stares of the other people in the room.
"Y-Yeah." She tightly says with a smile. "You?"
Luka scrunches his eyebrows in confusion, and just as he was about to say something, the professor walks back into the classroom and closes the door, turns the lights off, and turns the projector on.
Luka leans forward until his lips hover over Apple's ear. "Are you ok?" Luka whispers.
The room was dark, and even though the professor was speaking, all Apple could focus on was Luka, and his hand now touching hers under the table in the dark, making her turn her head, forgetting his was next to hers.
Even in the dark, she could see his eyes on her.
"Yeah." She whispered back, blushing as she holds Luka's hand.
Luka squeezes Apple's hand under the desk and nods his head as he leans on the desk, resting against his palm, and to her right, Jake was resting his head on the table with his eyes closed and hoodie up.
For the entire duration of the lesson, Luka kept his large hand intertwined with Apple's hand, occasionally he would caress his thumb over her fingers and gently squeeze her hand, and even though he was doing this, he was copying Jake with his head down and hoodie up, but Apple knew he was still awake.
Apple could hardly pay attention, only focusing on the guy next to her with his hand in hers, even when the lights turned on and the projector turned off, Luka kept his hand in hers, much to her dismissal when she tried to move hers from his.
Luka wanted to touch her, even if people saw, and once the lights were on, they did, because Luka moved their hands from under the desk to rest on the table in front of them, earning shocked stares from those who saw.
Jake, on the other hand, was the only one smiling, and Apple knew she was red, so insanely red in the face that she knew she was obvious to read, and that everyone probably already knew about her and Luka.
"Man I could go for a big fat sandwich, you guys in?" Jake asks with a yawn as he stretches his arms wide.
Luka shrugged. "I could eat." He then nodded to Apple. "You in Brady?"
Apple checked the time and it was only 10, lunch was two hours away, but it was the last day, and she was feeling reckless, and adventurous, and because Luka's hand was wrapped around hers, she felt like nothing could ruin this day or this newfound feeling of self-worth.
"Sure." She smiled at the guys opposite her with flushed cheeks. "I'm in."