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''I hate school.'' Heather groaned as she walked along the road.

''You hate everything.'' her best friend, Dakota, rolled her eyes.

''I don't hate you.''

Dakota side-eyed her. ''We're going to school, bitch!''

''Dak, why?! Please just skip!''

''No! We've skipped every day this week...we have to go today!''

Heather groaned again. ''How are we best friends?''

''Because you're a dumb bitch and I'm a sensible bitch. We work.''

Heather smiled to herself about that response. Dakota had been Heather's best friend since 3rd grade, and they had stuck together through everything. Heather didn't really know why Dakota had stuck with her...she was a miserable bitch and didn't give a fuck about anything, but she was grateful anyhow.

Heather felt her phone buzz and pulled it out of her pocket. She read the message and stopped walking, forcing Dakota to stop and look at her.

''What is it?''

''It's George.''

She sighed. ''Heather-''

''He's skipping.'' Heather looked up from her phone.

''So what?''

''I'm going with him.''

''So you're both going to leave me in school alone?''

''Skip with us.'' Heather shrugged.

''No.'' Dakota rolled her eyes. She knew once Heather made up her mind, there was no changing it. There was no point in persuading her to come to school. ''I'll meet up with you guys after?''

''Okay. Love you, Dak.''

''Fuck you.'' she replied half-joking, and then they parted ways.

-

Heather walked down the road, away from school, and under the bridge. She knew exactly where George would be - he would be at the top of the car park where they always skipped. Heather and George had met on the first day of high school and had basically been inseparable since. Luckily, Dakota and George liked each other, and they were a trio from there.

If Dakota was Heather's shoulder angel, George was her devil.

And she was his.

They were bad influences for each other, always persuading the other to skip school or steal their parents' alcohol or convincing somebody to buy them cigarettes. None of them really cared about anything, except each other and Dakota, and would spend hours just doing pointless shit instead of facing the world.

Heather walked through the car park until she noticed George. He was sitting with his back against the wall, and he was scrolling through his phone.

''You are my favourite person ever right now!'' Heather yelled, forcing George to look up.

He smiled. ''And you're mine! I thought I'd have to skip on my own!''

She reached him and sat down in front of him. ''Have you got any cigarettes?''

He reached into his backpack and pulled out a carton. He threw them at Heather, who caught them and pulled open the packet.

''I fucking love you.'' she muttered as she lit it. George copied her, and they smoked in silence for a few minutes.

It was moments like this that made Heather love life.

Usually, she didn't really enjoy it. She wasn't bullied at school - she somehow wasn't even important enough for that. No, at school, she flew under the radar, and hardly anybody knew who she was. Her home life was a wreck, and the only family member she had to rely on was her brother, Harry.

''Heather?''

She looked at her friend. ''Yeah?''

''You'd better listen to me or I'll throw you off the side of the parking lot.''

She smiled lightly. ''Sorry, I was just thinking about-''

''Then don't think.'' he interrupted, inhaling his cigarette.

Heather nodded. She loved George for that - he never wanted to hear about the depression that was her life. He knew what happened at home, and he knew how she felt about school, but he didn't care. He liked Heather, and he wanted to make her happy. He didn't want her to reflect on the shit.

''You're so right.'' Heather said, stubbing her cigarette into the ground.

''I'm always right. Now, what do you wanna do?''

-

''Elmer, did you hear about Alahna this morning?'' Matt said loudly.

''No?'' Elmer grinned.

''Fuck you, Matt. I do not want to tell it again!'' Alahna groaned, putting her head in her hands.

''Please tell it, Lan, it's so funny!'' Nick grinned.

''Or I can tell it? I'd probably tell it better.'' Chris said.

''You kept interrupting me every 2 seconds! How am I supposed to tell a fucking story when you do that?'' Alahna protested.

''Just tell it, Alahna!'' Matt grinned.

Alahna looked at her group of friends and sighed. ''Fine. This morning, I was getting-''

Her voice trailed off as Matt looked at his group of friends. His brothers, Nick and Chris, his best friend since they were kids, Elmer, and the newest addition to the group, Alahna. He felt his heart turn over with love.

Matt had the perfect life. His three brothers and parents were his support system, he had a great friend group, he was popular at school, he played lacrosse and he was attractive. Matt was the type of person you looked at in school and wished you could be. His friend group was the type you wished you could be apart of and hear all the inside jokes.

The table erupted with laughter, pulling Matt from his daydream. He looked at his friends, grinning.

''It's funnier every time you hear it.'' Nick said, hitting the table.

''Fuck you guys!'' Alahna put her middle fingers up at the boys with a smile.

''What time do you guys finish today?'' Matt asked.

''3.'' Elmer, Alahna and Nick replied in unison. They all looked at each other in amusement and began laughing again.

''What time do you finish?'' Elmer asked.

''Me and Chris finish at 5. We've got lacrosse practice.''

''Oh, thanks for telling me! How the fuck am I supposed to get home?'' Nick asked.

''You can come over mine?'' Alahna asked.

''Thanks, Lan.''

The bell rang, and the whole room erupted into commotion as people began walking to their class.

''I've got science.'' Matt said loudly over the noise.

''See you later, bro!'' Chris answered, and then followed his friends up the stairs.

Matt walked into his class and sat at his desk. The seats around him began to fill up, except the one in front of him. He looked around the classroom - everybody was here. He was usually great at remembering people and their names, but he could not remember who sat there.

He was sure somebody did. He was used to sitting with his head on a slant so he could see the board.

Matt thought about it for a few more seconds, and then shrugged.

He didn't care that much.

Whoever sat there couldn't be that important.

-

Liked by HeatherSmokes22, DakotaSilk17 and 34 others

GeorgeDiesDaily4 Doin' what we do best🚬🖕

☑️HeatherSmokes22

DakotaSilk17: I hate both of you
HeatherSmokes22: @ DakotaSilk17 love u
GeorgeDiesDaily4: @ DakotaSilk17 Wish you were here😇

HeatherSmokes22: My saviour
GeorgeDiesDaily4: @ HeatherSmokes22 me or the cigarettes bitch?
HeatherSmokes22: @ GeorgeDiesDaily4 Both❤️

-

Heather and George were both stood in silence, looking out at the view. Their hang-out spot being the roof of a 20-story parking lot meant the view was usually pretty, offering a slice of peace for both of them.

''I doubt anybody even noticed we weren't there today.'' George said.

''What?'' Heather didn't even look at him, she just gripped her cigarette between 2 fingers.

''I doubt anybody noticed we weren't in school.'' he repeated.

She looked at her friend. He looked beaten down, like the fact nobody noticed his absence was weighing him down. George was never like that - he refused to talk about anything that remotely used feelings and would steer the conversation into happier conversation.

''You okay?'' she asked.

He didn't answer for a few seconds, threw his cigarette off the building and then looked at Heather. ''Why wouldn't I be?''

She copied him, throwing her cigarette, and then smiled lightly. ''Fuck everyone from school. We hate them, and they hate us.''

George smiled. ''Yeah. Thanks, Heath.''

''No worries.''

He looked at his phone and then back at her. ''Well, I'm going home. School is officially over.''

She felt a sense of dread in her stomach, but she nodded. ''Okay.''

''You going to be okay at home?''

She wasn't sure, but she nodded again anyway. ''Sure.''

-

''Lacrosse finishing early is definitely one of the better things in life.'' Matt grinned.

''It's 4:30, Matt. It finished half hour early.'' Chris rolled his eyes but smiled.

''Maybe have a positive attitude?''

''Maybe fuck yourself?''

Matt laughed. ''Are you coming home?''

''No. I'm going to hang out with some of the guys....aren't you coming?''

''No. I'll see you later.''

''See you.'' Chris said, and then left Matt standing at the van alone. He climbed in and began driving home. Even though the day had been pretty normal weather, it seemed to be raining pretty heavily now.

Matt hated driving in the rain.

He liked the rain. He liked driving.

But he didn't like it combined.

It could cause an anxiety flare-up and, without Chris or Nick to calm him down, it wouldn't end very well. Matt was soon completely lost in thought and was hardly concentrating on the roads.

Until he nearly hit her.

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