Emotion and Color (Continued)

The First Day Of High School

???’s POV

I look up at my new school. My sweaty, cold and clammy hands cling on tightly to my backpack straps. I felt myself start to shake with worry. I shook my head and walked inside. My first day of high school and I already want to crawl into a hole and die. I still can’t believe I’m back in my hometown, though.
My foster family unknowingly and ironically moved into the same house I grew up in. It felt so surreal to be back there. I slowly walked through the entire house, well except for the basement. I couldn’t bring myself to go down there. Not when all the worst my horrible memories and worst experiences occurred in that room. Maybe I’ll bring myself to go down those stairs one day, but that won’t be anytime soon. My room is Y/N’s old room. It felt good to be in the one part of the house where nothing bad happened. I miss her so much, sometimes the pain feels almost unbearable, even though it’s been six years. I wish I could see her again, that would be the best birthday gift I could ever ask for.
I look around the lobby of the school, trying to find the front office. The people surrounding me are giving me weird looks. Both teachers and teens, I can tell they’re looking at my scar and they aren’t even trying to hide it. I thought I put enough foundation on it today, apparently not. I have some extra in my backpack, I just have to run to the nearest bathroom. I run down the hallway scanning left and right for the all-too familiar door.
I head into the bathroom and rummage through my backpack for the foundation. I buried it deep at the bottom so it wouldn’t fall out and people would get the wrong idea. I have nothing against guys who wear makeup on the daily, hell, RuPaul’s Drag Race is one of my favorite shows. But people like to talk and I don’t how accepting everyone is here. Besides I’m not willing to damage my non-existent reputation, not when I have clean slate to start off of.
I go into a stall and use my phone camera to see what I’m doing. When I finish, I put the foundation away and leave the stall. As I walk out, a guy with a wheelchair rolls in, but stops in his tracks the moment he sees me. He doesn’t stop staring as I go to wash my hands and the fact that he’s being super creepy about it doesn’t help either.

“Can you stop staring at me? It’s super creepy and you’re making me really uncomfortable.” I say to him as he shakes his head out of his state of shock.
“O-Oh sorry! You just like a lot like someone I know!” He stuttered profusely. “My name is Laurence. I haven't seen you around here before, are you a freshman?”

“Um, yeah, I am. But I also just moved over the summer. I actually used to live here when I was a kid, but stuff happened and uh, we had to move.” I was praying to Irene that he didn't ask for more details on my introduction. I hadn't thought up of a believable and non-violent back story yet. Thankfully the dreaded question never came.

“Oh, well I just thought you were someone else I knew, but now that I think about it, it sounds pretty stupid considering she was girl and why would she be hanging out in the boys bathroom? She doesn't even go here anymore either. I’m so stupid…” He face palmed himself as I continued to give him weird looks. What was with this guy? Are all upperclassmen like this or did I just have the misfortune of him being the first person to meet here? I slowly pick up my things and try to inch my way past him. It was pretty difficult considering his wheelchair took up most of the doorway.
“Well, I have to get going to class. I guess I’ll see you around?” I start to walk away from the bathroom, but before I can get far away enough from him, he stops me.

“What’s your name?” I’m not even sure if I want to tell him what my name is, but… what’s the harm in it?

“Max.”

Laurance’s POV

Oh my Irene, it’s him… Y/N’s brother… I can’t believe it! This is awesome! Now I know how to help her! But, I think I just made the worst first impression in history. Irene, I wish I wasn’t so stupid and maybe had the ability to start a decent conversation with someone, but ever since prom, it’s been progressively harder for me to talk to people and I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because none of my friends even wanted to have the slightest bit of contact with me over the summer. To be honest, I don’t blame them.
After everything that’s happened, I can tell they’ve been trying their hardest to avoid me even though they try to hide it. At least they care enough to make me feel like I at least have some friends left, but I know that the friendships we shared together over the years are gone and I doubt I’m getting them back. I shrug it off and dig through my backpack to look for my schedule.

I roll into homeroom. I look around to try and find anyone I don’t know so I can find a place to settle my stuff down. Y/N’s brother, Max, is here. He’s sitting in the back corner of the room by the window, keeping to himself and trying to cover his forehead for reasons that only he and I know. I look to my right and that girl from the hospital is sitting in the middle row on the opposite side of the room. She seemed to be engrossed in her phone. Since the seat next to Max was taken, I sat next to the girl. She glanced at me for a second before going back to her phone. Her eyes widened when I think she remembered me.

“Hey! It’s you! That guy from the hospital! I didn’t know you went here! I thought you went to O’Khasis Prep?”

“No, that’s my sister.”

“The one who freaked out about the dress?”

“Yep.”

“Why was she freaking out about the dress anyways? It wasn’t her dress and I’m pretty sure she didn’t pay for it, either.”

“Well, she did pay for the materials to make it, so technically, she did pay for it.”

“She made that?! I thought the girl’s parents on the other side of me paid for it! No wonder she was so upset about it! Well, anyways, my name is Hailey. I don’t think we formally introduced ourselves to each other when we first met.”

“My name is Laurance. It’s nice to meet you, Hailey. I’ve been wondering, why were you at the hospital, anyways? You seemed perfectly fine to me.” Hailey looked down for a moment and then back up at me biting her bottom lip nervously. She looked like she was debating something before she nodded and seemed to reassure herself.
“Don’t tell anybody this, I don’t want people, especially you, pitying me.” She took a deep breath and composed herself. “When I was seven, I was diagnosed with a type of nerve tissue cancer called, ‘Neuroblastoma’. I beat the cancer around my ninth birthday, but I relapsed in my freshman year and I just beat it again in May. The day you came in was my last screening, which meant I had to stay there for the night so the doctors and nurses could confirm I was cancer free for the second time. Which I am, by the way. So, I guess that should explain why I was there, right?”

“Wow… That’s amazing! I can’t believe you beat cancer twice! Oh, and I’m sorry if asking you about the hospital thing made you uncomfortable. It’s probably something you don’t like talking about. I won’t tell anyone about the cancer thing, I promise.”

“Thanks.” She smiled at me.

“No problem. Also, off-topic question, but are you a senior? I was just wondering.” I said as the our homeroom teacher walked in. He took attendance and gave the freshmen the rundown of the school that he gave every year. In the middle of his lecture, Hailey whispered to me.
“Nope, I’m a junior. Why? Are you a senior?”

“Yeah, but I was just wondering! That’s all!”

“Okay, then… did you get your schedule yet?”

“Yeah, wanna see if we have any classes together?”

“Sure.” She goes to dig through her bag and find her schedule. I do the same. The teacher calls out her name and she raises her hand. He writes something on his clipboard and goes back to taking attendance. It isn’t long before he calls out my name and I raise my hand as well. I feel people staring hatefully into the back of my skull, but I’m too happy to care. I finally have a friend again after being so lonely all summer.
Hailey and I find our schedules and compare them. I notice we have two classes together all year and the same lunch until the end of the third quarter. We look at each other and smile. She pumps her fist a little bit in the air. Just as we put away our schedules, the bell rings, starting the school day.
Hailey and I part our separate ways, since we don’t have first period together. As I make my way to my first class, I can’t help but feel giddy. I finally have a friend again and know how to help Y/N. I couldn’t be any happier.