Salvia High School

Chapter 24: Practice

Sitting on a old worn down wooden chair Kaila was fast asleep with her head hung down on her rustic desk. In front of her was a stack of papers she hadn't even touched and a closed laptop.

Her head shot up the second she heard the vibration of her phone against her desk. The illuminated screen was bright. Squinting her eyes she looked closer seeing a message from Lain. "Be there to pick you up in fifteen." She read.

Kaila jumped out of her seat and raced into the bathroom. She still had her toothbrush hanging out of her mouth as she was throwing on her uniform.

Just in the knick of time, she had finished putting the final items into her backpack when she heard a knock at the front door. Running down with her bag she opened the door welcomed into a warm hug as soon as Lain got the chance.

"Hey Kay." She told the girl as she shut her house door for her. "You ready for another week of school?"

Kaila pulled away with a disgusted look on her face. "No. I'm ready for the weekend again." They shared a laugh as the two of them began making way to Mallix's car parked along the curb.

In the backseat Kaila was seated besides Nina, who was using a handheld mirror to apply her last touch of makeup. The ride to school had low energy as everyone was still tiredly waking up for the beginning of the week. Lain's classical music filling in the empty space.

It wasn't until they arrived at school did Kaila notice everyone's attire. Once again Lain and Nina wore red sweats and plain shirts while Mallix had on his jersey and jeans. She was the only one stuck wearing the typical red checkered skirt and white polo.

As she stepped out of the parked car, there was something else Kaila noticed that was shocking. Not even half of the parking lot was filled. With a car here and there the place looked like it was deserted.

"Where is everyone?" She shut her door.

"We probably should've told you. We have practice in the morning so we have to show up an hour early. Is that alright?" Mallix stepped out and stood besides her.

"Mhm, but what am I suppose to do then?" Kaila looked between the three of them as they grabbed their bags from out of the back of the car.

"Well you can either come with us to swim practice..." Lain offered.

"...or you can come with me to wrestling." Mallix threw his backpack over his shoulder with his sports bag tightly in one of his hands.

Kaila hated being put on the spot. On the one hand she wanted to go with Lain and Nina, but then again she didn't want to leave Mallix behind. Her face showed her struggle to pick a side.

"Why don't you just come with me today and you can go with the girls tomorrow." Mallix suggested holding out his free hand.

Kaila nodded as she blushed. Sure nobody else was around but she couldn't help but feel nervous to hold his hand in public. Especially if someone else saw them and figured something else was going on. When she didn't reach for it, he reached out to her and gripped onto her small hand.

"We'll meet up with you guys later." He said as the girls made their way to one side of the school as he and Kaila walked to another.

"Your on the wrestling team? I didn't even know there was one." Kaila asked looking up at him. As the two of them walked throughout the quiet halls her nerves had settled as their arms swung back and forth.

"Alex, James, and I are all on the team. Alex and Zander should be in the gym already, but I don't even know if James is showing up today. Not after he ghosted Nina last week."