Today, is the day I go back to school. I'm...nervous.

It's like today is the first day back after summer break, but we were well into in the semester, and I've only missed a handful of days. But still...I'm struggling to maintain my confidence.

I got out of my bed to totter over to my dresser to pick out an outfit for the day. After I showered and fixed up my hair, I thought about what I could do next...then, I heard a ringing noise. It was my phone.

I checked the new message:

     Dash: good morning!

I smiled, and replied.

     > morning! whats up?

     Dash: nothing much. just wanted to ask u something

     > what is it?

I waited for his response, interested.

... ... ...

     Dash: did u want to come over afterschool today? meet my fam?

As soon as I read it, my heart started racing. But it didn't take me long to give my answer.

     > sure

... ... ...

     Dash: cool! I'll take you after we get out of science

Well, I guess I'm meeting his family today. Did not think that would be happening this soon...

I slipped my phone into my pocket, and breathed an unsteady sigh. I was honestly a little excited, but the fear was overwhelming it...what if they didn't like me? I don't think Dash would stop being my friend if they didn't, but I hope I wouldn't end up worrying about that.

I sat straighter when I noticed a peculiar scent was filling the air. My curiosity piqued, I left my room and followed it to its source.

Surprisingly, it was coming from the kitchen. Auntie was wrapped up in a fluffy robe, standing in front of the stove with a plate full of...something next to her. I walked further in, and she turned her head at the sound of my footsteps.

"Good morning! You like waffles right?" She picked up the plate, that I now knew held waffles, and stepped away from the waffle maker she was obscuring. But I repeatedly nodded in response to her question, feeling my mouth begin to water.

"Morning..."

She chuckled and told me to have a seat, and I did just that, sliding into a chair at the dinner table as she placed the plate in front of me with a knife and fork already on it, along with a bottle of maple syrup that she grabbed. I wasted no time in pouring a generous amount over my waffles, as Auntie went to the counter and started fiddling with the coffeemaker.

"So, how are you feeling Y/N?" She asked.

"...Ok. I am a little nervous, since I haven't been at school in a while."

"That's understandable. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be fine."

I didn't respond, instead shoving pieces of my breakfast into my mouth. I probably would be...what am I worrying about?

...Oh right. Speaking of worry...

"Auntie? Is it ok if I go over to Dash's house afterschool today? I was going to meet his family."

"Oh, of course it's ok! That sounds like it'll be fun. I'm sure they'll love you." She confidently stated, and truthfully, I felt comforted.

~~~

"Have a good day Y/N!"

I said my farewells to Auntie, and watched as she drove away. I turned towards the school and breathed a hefty sigh, before I stepped off of the sidewalk and across the parking lot outside of the main entrance. When I opened one of the double doors and went inside, the nervousness I felt intensified.

Already, I could feel a lot of attention on me as I went through the halls. Students off to the sides, and the ones passing by me, all gave me stares. I could feel people talking about me in my bones; figures I'd be something to gossip about. After Dash picked me up and brought me to his car out in the back parking lot that day, and with how I've been gone...I bet there's a couple of rumors going around.

All I could do, was do my best to ignore it. By the time I reached my locker, I was in not-so-high spirits, but my mood lifted when I saw Dash at his locker. The two friends with him took notice of me too, and the one whose name was Leo (I think) nudged his shoulder before pointing at me. Dash looked over, and a rush of heat blasted through me. I just gave a small smile, before I went to opening my locker.

"Hey Y/N." I heard Dash greet me as he approached, and I uttered my own greeting in return.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine. Just...a little nervous..."

"I thought so." Dash leaned against the locker right next to mine, concern written on his face. It unexpectedly made me feel warm, and I mustered up a small smile, but a genuine one.

"I'll be alright. It's nothing I can't handle." I faced my locker to close it properly, as Dash spoke up again.

"I believe you. But I think I should say that...rumors have spread around the school. Especially one in particular..." He crossed his arms.

"People think we're dating now. Genuinely."

I tensed up, holding one of my backpack straps in an iron grip. I slowly turned my head to look at Dash, seeing he was giving me a...type of stare. Scrutinizing, with furrowed brows and a frown. It hit me in a way that made my fingers and toes curl, and shivers go down my spine.

Why was he looking at me like that? I could sense him just, combing over my face with his eyes.

"...R-Really?"

"Yeah. It's whatever to me...how about you?"

'Oh, if only it was true. I've wanted to date you for like 3 years now.'

"It...It doesn't bother me."

Now he looked surprised. "It doesn't?"

"N-No." I panicked a little. I can't make it look like I wouldn't mind dating him...I definitely wouldn't, but there's no way Dash would be open to it. He isn't into me.

"It's just a rumor after all. It's not that harmful...is it...?"

Dash was quiet at first, his face having lost the inspecting look it had before. His lower lip slight went into his mouth as he bit it, before he averted his gaze.

"No, I guess not."

...I'm missing something here. What was he thinking?

"First period's gonna start soon. Want me to walk you to your class?"

"...Yeah." I let it go for now. Dash fell in to walk alongside me, waving to his friends that left to go the opposite way. This time around, it felt like every person in the hall was staring at us...ugh. They at least didn't have to be so open with it.

~~~

It was time for history...yay. Now, I'm honestly starting to miss the hospital...

I walked into the classroom, and took my usual seat. My classmates gradually filed in, some throwing me glances, but no one approached me. However-

"...Is Y/N really with Dash? Y/N?"
"Duh, she is. She's around him ALL the time."

Behind me, some people were murmuring to themselves. I gripped the sleeve of my shirt.

"There's no way. Y/N's too bland and boring, you'd think she'd get with one of the nerds than a jock."
"Right? It's funny how these things happen."

'Bland and boring? Gee, thanks...' I sighed. As I was quietly lamenting over how terrible today would be, someone else spoke up close to me.

"Hey Y/N." A voice I haven't heard in a long time spoke to me, and I looked to my right to see-

"Cam!" I stared, shocked, as she smiled.

"Helloo. Long time no see."

"You've been absent for a while. Where've you been?"

"At home, sick in bed mostly. It wasn't until I got some special medicine, that I started feeling better." She leaned back in her seat.

"Oh...you've been sick?" That made me frown. Considering what I've recently been through, you'd think I wouldn't be affected by this, but I still felt sympathetic.

"Yeah. It's not a big deal though. I'm better now." She looked at me curiously. "What's been up since I've been gone?"

'Oh. A lot actually. I almost died for one.'

"A...couple of things. I'll fill you in during lunch."

"Alright."

Like it was on cue, our history teacher closed the door and announced class has started. Honestly, I didn't have to tell Cam anything, but I'd rather she hear the reason for my disappearance from school from me, rather than some rumor.

...I'm starting to miss being a nobody, that people ignored. But I suppose being friends and hanging around with one of the most popular guys in school has forever changed my reputation, for better or worse.

~~~

"So, what is it? Have I missed anything big?"

Cam asked me, as we left the classroom. I crossed my arms and clenched the fabric of my sleeves tightly, wondering how I should start with this. Just coming out and saying it seemed like the best option.

"...Kind of..." I said, keeping my voice low. The hallway was noisy with the other students surrounding us, but I didn't want to say this too loudly.

"I went to the hospital last week."

"The hospital? Why?" Cam however rose her voice in surprise, staring at me wide-eyed.

"...I got stabbed."

"YOU GOT STABBED?!" She screamed, and some of the people near us turned to look. I blanched.

"Shush! Yes, I did...!"

"Wow...by who? And are you ok now?" Cam's face turned sheepish and she quieted down, but it didn't soothe the burning embarrassment I had now.

"Yeah. Here, I'll explain more once we sit down."

We reached the cafeteria, and the conversation was temporarily halted as we grabbed our trays. Heading into the main room, we both grabbed milk cartons and sat down at an empty table.

"Ok, now that we're situated, spill the beans." Cam didn't start eating, she instead stared pointedly at me with enthusiasm.

"...So. First off, I got stabbed by some mugger. He was trying to steal a woman's purse." I looked everywhere else but at Cam, trying to recall the mostly-true story.

"I was taking a walk and saw them. I distracted him so the woman could get away, but he stabbed me in my gut, before running away. I had to limp home."

"You didn't call for help? Did you have your phone?" Cam's head tilted.

"I didn't. I didn't try to stop somebody on the road either...I just wanted to go home. I thought I could take care of the wound myself."

"...Since you went to the hospital, I'm guessing you couldn't?"

"Yes". I grimaced, both out of shame, and from the memory of how my condition worsened. "The wound got infected, and I ended up getting sepsis."

"Yikes." Cam grimaced too. "Did your parents not find out about it?"

"No...they've been gone for a while now, on 'business' trips. It was just me at home."

"Gosh. You went through all that on your own?"

"Mhm..." I used my spork to play with my food, not feeling the urge to eat at the moment. The mental image of my pus-filled, bleeding stab wound was killing my appetite.

"So who took you to the hospital then? Did you call an ambulance? Don't tell me you walked there."

"..." She was going to get a kick out of this, I just know it.

"Dash took me there."

Cam blinked...then a grin stretched across her face.

"Dash? Seriously?!"

'I knew it.' I sighed, feeling my face growing warm.

"...I collapsed outside the school, and he found me. Put me in his car and drove me up there. I think I fainted during the drive, since I only remember waking up in my hospital bed next."

".......Oh." Her face fell.

"I wasn't doing good. The infection, plus how weak my body was before it all happened, sort of...put me in a bad way. A real bad way. My nurse told me I was lucky to still be alive."

"Golly...I sure did miss a lot. Sorry, Y/N..."

"Don't apologize. It's not your fault." I shook my head. "I'm sorry you got sick. All this time, I thought you were out of town with family or something."

"Heh, if only. That probably would've been more fun." She snorted.

"So, do you like...have a scar or something? From the knife."

"I will. The gash is stitched up right now, but I'm getting them removed next week." I reached down involuntarily to the wound in my abdomen, lightly pressing it. If it wasn't for the itchy sensations that popped up every now and then, I tended to forget it was even there.

We both started eating then, some of the previous tension gone. However, Cam suddenly let out a disgruntled noise, and I looked up from my tray. She was looking off to something to my right, with a displeased expression.

"What?"

"A certain girl is being a pest, which...isn't unusual for her."

Puzzled, I tried to search for what she was referring to. I found it in a second.

Over at Dash's table, which wasn't that far away from ours, I saw Dash sitting with his friends as usual. However, there was a new face there. A face that made my expression slowly drop to resemble Cam's.

"...Why is Iris over there?" I rhetorically asked. What was bothering me about it, bothering me a lot, was that she was sitting so close to Dash, smiling an ugly grin and talking.

And Dash looked uncomfortable. So uncomfortable. In fact, all of the guys over there looked uncomfortable.

"I don't know." Cam answered me. "But it's obvious none of them want her there."

Why didn't they tell her to get lost then? The more I watched, seeing Iris sit that close to Dash and smile at him...the more I felt warm. And it wasn't the pleasant, emotional warmth I've been starting to experience more. I was getting heated, in a bad way.

...Mad. I was getting mad. Anger was an emotion I don't think I felt often, but in this moment, I didn't care. I didn't want her next to Dash. I wanted her to go away, and leave him alone.

I continued to stare, breathing growing more labored and harsh, digging my nails into my palms. Dash's eyes were looking everywhere but at Iris, so it was inevitable that they'd eventually find their way to me. He blinked, as another emotion fell across his features...

Guilt? Why?

I didn't keep up our little staring contest for long. Eyeing him like this probably wasn't a good idea. But, I did soon take an involuntary peek over there, in time to see Iris standing up, finished whatever she was telling the guys. She started walking away...but her head turned.

She sharply made eye contact with me, as if she knew I was staring. And then, she had the audacity to smirk. An infuriating, condescending smirk. She broke away as she sat down at another table with her friends, and I was left feeling even angrier.

It made me remember what she said to me in the restroom that day I ate that cursed can of rotten veggies.

Cam went back to eating, but I didn't. I started to...plot. I noticed something small and orange next to Iris, something she just appeared to open...was that a can? A soda can?

'I've never worked with it, but soda has water in it last time I checked. This should still work.'

I eyed the can intensely, and slowly moved a hand under the table, so Cam wouldn't notice. I formed a fist, sticking my index finger and middle finger out. I made a harsh, upward thrusting motion with them as I turned my hand around. On my command, the orange soda gushed out of the can like water shooting from a fire hose, and doused Iris.

I made sure a lot of it shot upwards and splashed onto her head too. Naturally, she let out a scream, startling her friends at the table. Some people sitting nearby at their own tables stopped what they were doing and gaped at her as well, as she quickly stood from her chair with her hands up.

I couldn't fight the amused smile that spread my lips, nor my snickers. Cam fortunately heard the commotion too and turned around in confusion, letting me hide my smile with a hand.

"What the...? What happened?"

"...I don't know." I feigned ignorance, casually going back to eating my lunch. I kept an eye on Iris though, who was babbling something to her friends. She ran off out of the cafeteria then, some of her goons following her, and I mockingly thought:

'Have fun cleaning your permed-out hair.'

"Oook then." Cam just turned back around. "Not sure what that was about, but Iris seemed upset, so...I'm not bothered."

"Heh." I snorted out a laugh, and Cam cracked a smile and started laughing too.

Minutes later, the bell rang, which meant it was time to go back to class. The cafeteria started clearing out as Cam and I stood to throw away our trays and grab our backpacks. Instead of immediately starting the trek to my next class however, I stopped.

Dash approached me, looking like he got caught with his hand in a cookie jar for some reason. I heard Cam clear her throat.

"Well, I'll be going now. See you later Y/N, Dash." She waved her fingers and skipped off, leaving him and I alone.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, and he froze.

"...You aren't...mad at me?"

"Mad? Why would I be?"

He saw my confusion was genuine, and sighed in relief. "I just thought...with Iris-"

"Oh. No, I'm not mad at you or anything...I just...I don't like Iris."

"Not a lot of people outside of her clique do." Dash chuckled. "I can walk you to your class, if you want?"

"Sure." My anger completely gone now, I managed to smile. We stepped out of the cafeteria, as Dash asked another question.

"Are you still up for coming over today?"

"Mhmm." I hummed, and his freckled face brightened. The sight of it made my smile widen.

'He's still as cute as ever.'

~~~

The final bell ringing made me want to slump over. Finally...class is over. Today felt like it lasted way longer than any other school day, but I bet that's because I needed to get used to being stuck in this building for 8 hours all weekdays again.

Dash meet with me by the door after saying bye to his friends, and after both of us shared at smile, we left down the hallways. For the dozenth time people stared at us, but I think I was used to it now, since it wasn't bothering me anymore. Plus, I was far more concerned about something else.

After all of this time, after hearing only a couple things about them across the months Dash and I have been talking to each other, I finally meet his family today. The nerves were strong right now.

"So, before we get there, I wanna tell you a few things about them." Dash said as we got outside, and I followed him to his car.

"What things?"

"Just some...warnings I guess. Mainly about my brother and sister." I giggled at his grimace. He opened the driver seat's door and unlocked the passenger's side so I could get in.

"They're nice and all, but they like playing around. Especially my brother, Jack-Jack. He's 9, so...you know." Dash threw his backpack into the backseat, and I mimicked him. We both put our seatbelts on.

"Violet I don't think will be that bad...you might get along with her actually. You seem like the type she'd like as a friend."

"Really?" I voiced with a flash of shyness as Dash started up the car.

"Yeah. You might get along with Jack-Jack too, honestly. It's tough not to." Dash put the car into reverse, and started backing up.

"But, I think they're all going to try and ask you questions. The basic types, like what your favorite subject in school is and what your hobbies are, just to learn more about you. I'm pretty sure my mom and dad are going to."

I gulped. That was just a tad nerve-wracking, but I could at least think up answers to those questions now.

"...Thanks for the heads up."

"Heh, no prob. But you'll be fine Y/N, my family's cool."

Soon, we were leaving the school grounds and going into the city. Dash