Sam & Deena: Is it too much to ask?

Chapter 2 - Walkman

She can't seem to remember how her legs skidded across the pavement of the parking lot, across the hallways where teens of all shapes and sizes were scattered and into her first period classroom, but she thanks the heavens she was able to do so.

She manages to make it to her desk, piling her bag and books on top and seating herself, leaning a bit backwards as her feet stretch.

She's so tired but she can't tell if it's physically or mentally.

She recaps this morning, all the steps leading up to a specific moment and she can't wrap her head around it all. Retracting her steps about a million times still leads her to meeting the blonde but she refuses to acknowledge that ever happened. Deena runs her hand through her hair with one hand, the other reaching, unzipping and taking out her Walkman all in one swift motion. She stares at it for a split second, the memory of how she received the gift flashes in her mind but she shakes it off, just like she did this entire morning.

But no matter how hard she tried it was all useless.

The muffled voice coming from the front of the class triggers the start of class. Mr. Barker had been Deenas home room teacher since she was a freshmen. He knew of Deena and her troublesome ways but never sought out to make it a bigger deal than it had to be as long as she got work done and didn't distract the class, both of which Deena had no problems with.

He wore the same suit and tie on the first day of school every year, that much she noted because he always made sure to point it out.

"And yes for those you of wondering, this is in fact a cat wearing a suit on my tie"

Nobody ever bothered to wonder that, let alone cared enough to ask, honestly speaking nobody even paid attention to it, but nonetheless Mr. Barker had a tradition and who is Deena to break such a insignificance to her daily life?

Mr. Barker carried on with whatever lectured he planned for the first day, he never bothered to be one of those teachers that spent a week or so having the class introduce themselves and him as well, he knew his students and he knew the school these students attended, they weren't the ice breaker type.

She clicks on the play button of the Walkman and the Pixies' debut album plays from the top. She fixates her eyes around the room, thinking how this is her last year to ever do this again, to be able to sit in peace for an hour and just let her thoughts run wild, her own personal jungle will soon vanish within the days that pass on by. Within a blink of an eye, she'll be walking across that run down, creaky old stage into a life consisting of 9-5's and a pack of beer.

The life destined for the Johnson family.

The glare from the morning sun fills the room, bringing an aura that Deena had grown used to for the past 3 years. Her eyes fixate on the yellow scenery outside.

Like a movie playing before her, she sees the past years unfold before her.

The unwatered grass that runs all over campus, that she pictures her friends all gathered on during lunch, tossing whatever they could get their hands on at each other. The spot under the large oak tree that never grew leaves because nobody ever bothered to water since the school had a budget and their water bill was not included. She remembers when she had accidentally made a tradition where someone in the group had to water the tree every time they sat under it, Deena even swore one semester she saw a hint of green sprout from above. Laughter and happy memories play like a record in Deenas mind. The time when Kate stumbled over to her and Simon, throwing her binder down aggressively, blowing off visible steam from whatever annoyed her prior to this moment. Simon making jokes about how he enjoys aggressive women hinting at the sexual meaning behind it, earning a eye roll and shove from Deena. Kate going on rants about whatever club she had gotten herself into, Deena and Simon having no choice but to listen.