How To Be The Best Third Wheel

Original Edition - Tip 1: Don't Overreact and Upgrade Instead

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First day of school, don't be nervous. I've done this before, pictured it in my head a thousand times last night. I didn't get any sleep, but my outfit is put together. I'm wearing these black ripped jeans, paired with my Blue Jays jersey and comfortable black and white Nike sneakers. My long black hair is gathered up to the side in a fishtail braid. I breathe in once more and exhale, placing my hands on the door press.

I push the heavy school doors and stride confidently in the packed hallway of the third floor. With a schedule in my hand I look around for my friends, but I am greeted only by seniors who are half asleep and freshmen trying to head to their classes twenty minutes early, although they look like frantic stray puppies.

I pull my phone out and open the messenger to our group chat.

Me: Hey Guys where are you?

Kiera: We're here at Jasmine's locker.

Jasmine: Not Carol though, she's probably going to get detention on the first day for being late. Lol.

Me: Hahaha...omg so true.

Carol: Wow guys! I'm literally 2 mins away!

Kiera: Sure.

Carol: It's true! Watch, I'll be there in less than 5 mins.

Jasmine: Okay...

Me: I'm coming over there.

Jasmine: Yup!

I turn left at the next hallway, I know the way to Jasmine's locker as if it were my own. I know the location of all their lockers and their combinations by heart. I see Kiera blabbing on about something excitedly and Jasmine rolling her eyes in boredom. Kiera can just talk about the most dull things sometimes.

Jasmine looks the same. Her short brown hair still in a bob, her bangs clipped away from her face. She's wearing cropped jeans and a plain grey t-shirt.

Kiera, on the other hand looks a bit different. Her strawberry blonde hair is cut to her shoulders and is curled. She's wearing a cute, purple t-shirt dress and converse.

Instantly, I feel that rush of excitement while I run forward to them. I almost squeal, but I know how annoying that is so I hold it in. I haven't seen them for the entire summer! No, we're not those friends, the ones who only hang out at school. We usually spend so much time together during the summer, going to the lake, playing beach volleyball for fun, having movie nights and having the best sleepovers.

Not this summer though, I went to the Philippines for the entire summer. I came back two shades darker and with mosquito bitten legs but it was still one of the best vacations ever. It wasn't like a resort vacation, but a family reunion with relatives that I never even knew existed. If you've ever seen a complete filipino family, you know what I'm talking about. My family lives somewhere near...hmm, well I don't exactly know. All I know that I was in the middle of a forest in a small town with no internet and water that only runs during the early morning and late night. So no, I had no contact with my best friends for almost two whole months. Time to catch up.

"Kiera! Jasmine!" I scream, not caring if the whole hallway thinks me as an idiot.

"Lara!" they yell out to me in unison. I am about to do that movie running scene when I bump into a wall instead, sending me flat on my butt.