Dylan
I was slowly and slowly having a hard time keeping up with assignments at home, and I missed my friends and Caleb and just that sense of normalcy I once had, so I decided to go back to school for just a week to see if I could handle it. Emma was skeptical and said that I should just take the days off for my own sake- the school year was almost over anyway. But I wanted to enjoy the last day of school, this was our first year in public school since we were little kids and from what I've heard, last days of school are always fun.
Maybe these last couple of weeks will be a good distraction for me.
"Hey. You ready? Papa's going to take us in a few minutes early today, you mentioned that some of your teachers emailed you and said they wanted to talk to you before school." Emma said.
"Yeah, I'm good, just let me grab the last of my stuff." I replied, grabbing my backpack and lacing up my Converse. "It's going to be so weird going back to school. I feel like I missed half the school year between the divorce and now...this."
"Yeah. But it's okay, the guidance counselor told me that both of us are exempt from our final exams." Emma said as I heard Papa honk the car horn.
"That's good." I said softly as I got in the backseat.
We started to drive off and I found myself staring outside the window and daydreaming for the better part of the 20 minute drive to school.
"Hey Pickle." Emma said after a bit, gently poking my shoulder.
"Yeah?"
"We're here."
__________
Just like my first day of school after the divorce mess, everyone was staring at me and whispering things to their friends. Normal by now, when the already-new student misses school for the better part of the year, people are bound to talk.
"You got this, Pickle. Just stay strong. If anyone gives you shit, be a teacher or student, just text me and I'll verbally pound them to the pavement. Or in this case, the linoleum floors." Emma said, giving me a side hug before heading off to her first class. I waved goodbye to my sister and headed off to English, taking a deep breath and tightening my grip on the straps of my backpack.
"Hey Dylan!" someone said from behind me. I turned around and it was Caleb, the dude I've had a massive crush on all year.
"Hey." I said. Caleb put his hand on my shoulder and smiled.
"How are you?" Caleb asked, smiling sweetly at me. "I mean, I don't expect it to be all rainbows and unicorns, but-"
"No, no, it's fine. Well, not my life, that's far from fine. Thanks for checking, though, I appreciate it." I said.
"Yeah. Well, I gotta go, call me if you need anything." Caleb said, starting to head the other way.
"I love you." I said softly as Caleb walked away. Caleb's feet came to a screeching halt as he turned around.
"I love you too, Dylan." Caleb said.
___________
The day went by rather smoothly, most of my teachers pulled me aside to ask me what was going on and how I was doing, I caught up on my schoolwork, ate lunch with my sister and my friends, and just had a lot of fun on my first day back. So much that I kind of forgot what was going on back home.
I was standing in the front of the school waiting for Emma to come so we could go on the bus, and then my phone rang.
"Hello?" I said, and then Papa's voice poured through on the other line.
"Dylan...it's your dad. He...he passed earlier."
YOU ARE READING
Tight-Knit Family
FanfictionDylan and Emma Jacques are twins who have spent their entire lives in an orphanage. Everything changed when a couple trying to make their way through life came in looking to adopt a child...or two.
