Prologue

Cleo Darwin is the prettiest, kindest, most popular girl at Elnor high. Then there’s Kyle Rambo, the School’s nerd.

February 13th

Kyle sat in the back of his 1st period class; he already had his work out and had started scribbling down math equations. Most kids were up talking to their friends, but he wasn’t, he didn’t have any friends to talk to, and he liked it that way. The first bell rang, and the other students started getting seated.

“1 more minute till the next bell” Kyle muttered under his breath to himself.

Almost right as the last bell rang, Cleo walked into the classroom.

“Sorry I’m late Ms. May!” She said in her normal friendly and happy tone.

“It’s no problem at all Cleo.” Ms. May responded with a smile, “Just take a seat.”

Cleo was liked by everyone, even the teachers. She was perfect, perfect grades, perfect reputation, perfect personality. Everyone greeted her like she was a celebrity. At this school, she basically was.

“Please sit with me!” A girl yelled, this started a domino effect and most of the class was asking her to sit by them, but she already knew where she was sitting. She made her way to the back of the class and stood next to an empty seat right next to Kyle.

“Can I sit here?” She asked with a large smile.

Kyle looked up and was surprised to see her standing above him, “Uh, y- yeah. G- go ahead!” He said stuttering as he spoke, he had never talked to girls, let alone have a girl talk to him, especially the popular girls.

“Thanks!” Cleo exclaimed as she sat down next to him.

Cleo pulled her papers out of her bag and sat up straight.

Cleo turned towards Kyle and smiled, “I like your glasses,” she said quietly so the teacher wouldn’t hear, “they’re really cute!”

Kyle’s cheeks burned red, and he pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose, he smiled awkwardly, “thanks, I like your hair, it’s pretty?”

“Heh, thanks!” She responded quietly.

Cleo picked up her pencil and started jotting down notes Ms. May had written on the board.

“Alright class,” Ms. May announced when there was about 15 minutes left of class, “if you finished your packet from yesterday and you have all your notes you can have some quiet free time to talk to your neighbor or read or do homework or anything without computers.”

Cleo smiled and put her paper and pencil back into her binder. Kyle followed, putting his paper and pen messily into his bag.

Kyle took a deep breath before speaking, “I’m Kyle, by the way.”

“I know.” Cleo said.

Chapter one

2 years earlier, May 21:

“Are you ready for the biggest summer of our lives!?” Calvin shook Kyle by the shoulders as he yelled this.

“I don’t get why it’s so important!” Kyle said with a laugh.

Calvin stopped shaking him but kept his hands on Kyle’s shoulders, “because dude, we’re gonna be highschoolers next year! So, this is our last summer as middle schoolers!”

“But will it really be that different?” Kyle said slightly unsurely, “It’s gonna be the same kids, we’ll still be friends, I just don’t think it’s as big of a deal as your making it.”

“YOUR IMPOSSIBLE!” Calvin yelled.

He swung an arm around Kyle’s shoulder “Last day of school tomorrow, sleepover tonight?”

“Sure!” Kyle said happily, “Your house good? You have better snacks.”

“But you have dogs!” Calvin protested.

“Your house it is.” Kyle chuckled.

“Ugh- you’re the worst...” Calvin groaned.

“I love you too.” Kyle patted him on the back.

They both walked to Calvin’s house holding hands and chatting along the way about summer plans. They got to the house and immediately dashed up the stairs.

“I bet I can beat you in survive the night at goodwill again!” Calvin said triumphantly, opening the door to his room.

Calvin’s room was a basic middle school boy’s room. Baseball bedspread, sports, and action movie posters all over the walls, action figures on a shelf with comic books. He had a small TV on the wall with his door across from his bed with a gaming console plugged in, and two controllers laying on his brown carpet. But if Calvin was being honest, he hated his room. He didn’t like baseball or action figures or any of that. He would rather have posters of songs or albums, and dolls lined up on his shelf.

They both sat down on the floor and picked up a controller.

“I’m gonna win this time!” Kyle declared.

“HAH! Yeah right!” Calvin said, laughing.

In survive the night at goodwill the players would have to stay the night at goodwill and fight demons and monsters, but every time a monster got killed, the players would have to dual each other for territory of the thrift shop, Calvin won every time.

They played for 2 hours. School ends at 3:10, but they typically leave at 3:25, they walk to Calvin’s house in 15 minutes, so they started the game at 3:40. In the 2 hours they were playing Calvins mom got home and started dinner.

His mom, Rose, walked upstairs to his room and knocked on the door, “Hey buddy, dinner’s ready, I made chicken nuggets since Kyle’s over.”

“Thanks mom! We’ll be out in a second!” Calvin yelled from the other side of the door.

Kyle and Calvin paused their game, headed downstairs,and grabbed a plate full of chicken nuggets and some chips to share.

“Thanks Rose.” Kyle said with a smile.

Rose smiled, “No problem boys.”

They went back to the room and put on a movie in the so bad it’s funny category. The movie was pretty trashy; it was about a unicorn that killed people. They both laughed together and ate their dinner sitting on the floor of Calvin’s room. Calvin laid his head on Kyle’s shoulder and Kyle wrapped an arm around him. It seemed like nothing could ruin their ‘friendship’ they had been best friends since 5th grade and loved each other. But what everyone on the outside didn’t know, they loved each other in a different way, not as friends.

“Try to head to bed soon boys! It’s still a school night!” Rose yelled from downstairs at around 8:20.

Calvin and Kyle brought their plate down and said goodnight to rose and Calvin’s sister, Samantha, or Sammy, who got home 10 minutes prior. They headed back up and Calvin got into his bed, Kyle laid on the floor.

“Kyle, no. The floor is so uncomfortable, you’re not doing that” Calvin said leaning over his bed looking down at Kyle.

Kyle looked up confused, “Huh?”

Calvin rolled his eyes, “Kyle, I have a queen bed and we’re both pretty skinny, sleep up here. Plus, we’re literally dating, we’ve had this conversation way too many times.”

Kyle’s face grew a slight, unnoticeable blush, he sat up and crawled into the bed next to Calvin.

“Umm, Calvin?”

“Yeah?”

Kyle rolled over so he was facing Calvin, “We’ve never- goodnight.”

Calvin looked at Kyle for a moment before sighing, “We’ve never what?”

“Well, kissed...”

“Kyle!” Calvin chuckled.

Calvin scooted over and intertwined his fingers with Kyle’s.

“What are you doing?” Kyle questioned.

“Taking a hint.”

Calvin leaned forward and kissed him. Kyle froze, not knowing what to do. Calvin chuckled into the kiss and put his arm around Kyle’s back. Eventually Kyle smiled, he was happy, he was in love, he was kissing the boy he loved.

They pulled away and stared at each other for a moment before both laughing.

“I love you.” Kyle said grinning.

Calvin paused and looked at him for a moment before smiling softly, “I- love you too.”

Calvin grabbed Kyle’s waist and pulled him closer to him. Kyle smiled and buried his head into Calvin’s chest.

“Was that... your first kiss?” Kyle asked.

“Well- uh, no...”

“Oh, ok. Well, it was mine.”

“Really?”

“Yeah... I’m glad it was with you.”

“I- I wish mine was with you.” Calvin buried his face into Kyle’s shoulder, “I love you, I really do.”

“I love you too, Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

Kyle kept his and Calvin’s hands intertwined. He let go and ran his fingers up Calvin’s arm but stopped right below his shoulder on his upper arm. He gently ran his finger over the small divots in Calvin’s arm.

“Calvin...” Kyle’s voice was shaky as he spoke, “Why?”

“Just ignore them.” Cavin spoke sternly pushing Kyle’s hand away.

“I can’t, my boyfriend is hurting himself.”

“I’ve stopped, they just haven’t healed.”

“Tell me if you think you’re gonna do it again. Okay?”

“...Okay.”

They slept in each other’s arms, Calvin loved Kyle, and Kyle loved Calvin. But Calvin didn’t want the last day of school to happen, because he made a decision, and he wasn’t backing out.

Chapter two

They woke up still in each other’s arms. Kyle sat up and kissed Calvin on the cheek.

“Morning mi amor.” Kyle said.

Calvin sat up and kissed Kyle’s forehead, “Don’t start with the pet names.”

“Apologies, De-”

“Bro.”

Kyle laughed and leaned his head into Calvin’s shoulder, “I just love you.”

Calvin wrapped his arms around him and kissed his head again, “I love you too.”

And they kissed, this time was different, Kyle kissed first, and Calvin froze. Kyle stopped and looked at him, and he was crying.

Kyle panicked, “Babe! I’m sorry, I should have asked! I- I- Please don’t cry.”

Calvin leaned forward and hugged Kyle, eventually he stopped crying, he looked up at Kyle with wet eyes, “we should get ready.”

Kyle was still slightly in shock, “y- yeah.”

They both got up and got dressed. Calvin managed to pull his shit together but inside he was panicking. He didn’t want to do this, but he knew he had to, for him and Kyle.

Kyle sat on Calvin’s bed and looked at him with a worried expression, “Are you... okay?”

Calvin looked surprised, “Y- yeah.”

“Are you sure?”

Calvin sat next to him and leaned his head on his shoulder, “Yes.”

“...okay.”

They walked to school together, but Calvin didn’t hold Kyle’s hand this time. When they got to school, they went to their classes and sat down, in Calvin’s first class he doesn’t have any friends, so he just reads. In Kyle’s class he has his friend Ava to talk to.

Kyle sighs as he sits down, “Ava, I think there’s something wrong with my boyfriend, he’s... distant.”

Ava was staring into space, she didn’t respond for a second but then looked at him, “How many Jesuses does it take to out Jesus Jesus doing Jesus?”

“I swear to everything that is holy- I am trying to have a serious conversation with you!”

“Answer the fucking question.”

“Ava there is something seriously wrong with your brain.”

“Okay okay, what homosexual thing were you talking about?”

“For once you’re right, I’m talking about my boyfriend.”
“Who’s your boyfriend?”

“Someone.”

Ava sighed before smacking him up the head, “Bitch.”

Kyle looked at her with the most utterly offended expression, “What the fuck did I do!?”

“I don’t know man, just wanted to smack you.”

“Okay bud.”

During class they continued bickering up until the last minute. But they were friends, they were really close friends.

During lunch Kyle, Calvin, Ava, and Sammy were sitting next to the shed. Sammy was playing on her phone, Calvin was staring at Kyle, and Ava and Kyle were play fighting again. Ava yelling out stupid questions.

“If god was a woman how big would her titties be?” Ava yelled, punching Kyle in the stomach.

“Small!” Kyle yelled, kicking her shin, “She’d be a transvestite!”

Calvin looked down at his chest then back up at Kyle, who was smiling and laughing. Calvin loved the way Kyle laughed. It was soft but loud, warm but cold, like in that moment, nothing could stop him from being happy. Calvin loved seeing him happy. Calvin loved him.

After the whistle was blown for them to go inside, they went inside and went to their classes. Calvin and Kyle had the same class and sat next to each other. During work time Calvin turned to Kyle.

Calvin sighed and looked at him, “Are- are you gay?”

Kyle was obviously confused, he used gay as an umbrella term, he didn’t know his actual sexuality, “Well yeah.”

“No, are you gay?”

“Yeah, what are you getting at?”

“Fuck.”

“What?”

Calvin didn’t respond, he just turned down to his work and started working.

“God you’re a nerd.” Kyle said teasingly.

“So are you.” Calvin said, his tone unreadable.

“Are you okay?”

“No.”

And that was the end of their conversation, Kyle rarely spoke unless spoken to, and Calvin didn’t speak to him for the rest of class.

At the end of the day Calvin and Kyle met outside, Kyle was still confused. After all, his boyfriend was being weird. Calvin was panicking, he knew he would regret what he was about to do, but he didn’t care.

Chapter three

“We should talk.” Calvin said.

And Kyle’s heart dropped, ‘we should talk’ the oldest breakup line.

“Okay...” he responded, trying to stay calm.

Calvin breathed heavily, holding back tears, his voice was shaky as he spoke, “We- we should b- break... break up.”

Kyle’s eyes welled with tears, “Why?”

“I just- I can’t do this anymore!”

“Do what?!”

“Pretend!”

“Pretend what?!”

“I can’t- I can’t say, but I- I.”

And he left, he ran away wiping his tears off his face. Kyle stood there, still in shock. He tried to run after Calvin, but a hand grabbed his shoulder, it was Ava. She turned him around and held him in a hug.

“I’m so sorry.” She said.

He didn’t respond, she helped him to his house trying to get him to laugh, he gave a few chuckles, but they were dry. When they got to Kyle’s house, his mom was in the living room screaming at his dad about something. They walked through the hall to Kyle’s room. Kyle sat on his bed and Ava sat beside him. He leaned his head on her shoulder.

His voice was shaky, “I- I just don’t know what I did...”

“Would some gum make you feel better?” she said pulling a pretzel stick from her pocket.

“That’s a pretzel.”

She pressed the pretzel to his lips making a shushing sound, he grabbed the pretzel and shoved it in her mouth. She just shrugged and ate the pretzel.

“You are the stupidest person I have ever met. You know that?” He said with a real chuckle.

“I do now.” She responded with a smile.

Kyle looked at his phone and pressed on Calvin’s contact, he called but it immediately went to voicemail. He tried to text him but got the ‘not delivered’ notification. Calvin blocked him. Kyle couldn’t stop it, before he knew what was happening tears were already trailing down his cheeks. Ava patted his back awkwardly not knowing what to do, she didn’t understand relationships or love, that was just the way she was.

Ava went home at around 11:00 and Kyle went to bed, trying not to cry. In the morning Kyle tried calling Calvin again, he didn’t know why, but he still had a small bit of hope that Calvin would unblock him, come back, and say he didn’t mean it, and they would kiss, and be in love again. But that didn’t happen. Kyle was still blocked.

Kyle cried again. His mom walked to his room and saw him, she frowned and sat next to him, “We’ve talked about this, you’re a boy. Stop crying.”

Then she walked away, Kyle wiped away his tears and laid back in his bed. After about 20 minutes his dad went to his room and stood at the door.

His dad had heard what his wife said and saw Kyle’s state, “Don’t listen to her. You’re allowed to cry, I love you. If you wanna talk about what happened I’m always here.”

Kyle sighed and sat up, he patted the spot next to him and his dad sat down, “Well... my- my boyfriend broke up with me.”

His dad’s eyes widened slightly, “Oh, you’re- well um, I’m sorry that happened... and uh, don’t worry I won’t- um, tell your mother.”

Kyle smiled, “Thank you.”

His dad wrapped an arm around him, “So, who was your um, boyfriend ?”

“Calvin.”

“Oh... I’m sorry that he did that, it sucks getting your heart broken.”

“It does.”

“Do you wanna invite Ava to the arcade or something? I’ll pay.”

“Maybe- maybe later.”

“Okay.”

His dad left his room and went to the living room. His dad was a teacher, and his mom was a flight attendant. So, he got to have his dad at home during summer, and his dad got a break from his mom. His mom had already left for work and would be gone most of the day.

After about an hour of laying in his bed trying not to cry, he picked up his phone and texted Ava.

Kyle

Hey wanna go to the arcade? My dad will pay.

Ava

DUH!!! Should I get dropped off or are you gonna pick me up?

Kyle

We’ll pick you up.

Kyle walked out into the living room, “I’m okay now. Can we go pick up Ava?”

His dad smiled and stood up, “Yep! Let’s go.”

His dad grabbed his keys and got into the car. Kyle got in the passenger seat and stared down at his phone, his finger hovered over Calvin’s contact, His dad saw and grabbed his phone and put it in the cup holder.

“No calling your ex.” His dad said.

Kyle rolled his eyes and grabbed his phone back and texted Ava ‘omw.’

When they got to Ava’s house Ava had been waiting outside, when she saw the car, she immediately ran up to it and got in the back seat. They drove to the arcade, Ava and Kyle’s dad chatting along the way, and Kyle staying silent playing a knock off block blast on his phone.

When they got to the arcade Kyle’s dad gave them each 20 dollars, “Let me know if you need any more money.”
“Thanks Richard!” Ava yelled grabbing Kyle by the arm and dragging him to the Pacman machine.

They played Pac-Man on two player, Ava was laughing and having fun, Kyle wasn’t. He couldn’t Laugh anymore. It hurt too much.

Chapter four

Over the summer Kyle’s state barley improved. Him and Ava kept hanging out, but he wasn’t happy, how could he be? On the other hand, Calvin wasn’t as bad, he had Sammy, and some other friends. He grew his blonde, curly, hair out, it went down to his waist, the curls perfectly falling around his face, he liked that look a lot more.

Calvin- July 2nd

Calvin walked into the living room, “Mom, can we talk?”

“Of course, hun.” Rose said.

“I’ve been thinking, and I just don’t think I feel comfortable, like, as a boy. And with a few of my friends I’ve been going by the name Cleo and She/Her pronouns. And I just wanted to tell you, so if you choose to, you can call me that.”

“Oh Sweetie! I’m so happy you came to me! Cleo.”

Rose hugged her. Rose ordered a box of pizza for dinner, and they (plus Sammy) watched a movie. Sammy had known that Cleo was a girl for a while and smiled when she heard her mom call Cleo, Cleo.

Kyle- July 2nd

Kyle had always spent the fourth of July with Cavin, Sammy, and Ava. Now he just had Ava. They would always go to Calvin’s house, but now they couldn’t Calvin didn’t want to see him.

Kyle and Ava sat in his room, Ava sighed, “I get you love him, BUT MOVE ON. I’m not okay seeing my best friend in this state!”

Kyle’s pushed her off his bed and flopped back on his bed, “We just broke up!”

Ava bobbed her head up from the floor to see Kyle, “JUST BROKE UP!? It was like 3 months ago!”
“I’m still sad about it!”

“That’s it, get your phone, I’m calling him.”

“He blocked me.”

“He didn’t block me, he doesn’t have my number. Send it to me.”

Kyle reluctantly grabbed his phone and sent her Calvin’s number.

Ava put the number into her phone and called it. It rang a few times but eventually someone picked up.

“Hello?” Calvin said, his tone a lot higher than Ava remembered.

“Hey.”

“Who is this?”

“It’s Ava.”

“Oh.”

“Is this Calvin?”

“I don’t use that name anymore.

Chapter five

Ava paused for a moment, “What do you mean?”

Cleo sighed, “I don’t go by Calvin anymore, I go by Cleo.”

Ava’s eyes widened when she realized what she meant, “Oh. Ok.”

“Don’t tell Kyle.”
“I- Ok.”

“Bye now.”

“Wai-”

Cleo hung up and Kyle looked at Ava with hopeful eyes.

Ava sighed, “Sh- he changed his number.”

Kyle’s face immediately dropped, and he frowned, “So you just had a full-on conversation with a stranger?”

Ava looked at him, “Uh- yes?”

“Was that a question?”

“Uhh- nooo?”

Kyle sighed, “Whatever.”

Ava sighed and got back up on the bed and laid next to him. Ava started to say something but then cut off, Kyle stared at the ceiling, and Ava stared at him. They just sat like that in silence for a while.

Kyle- July 4th

Kyle was sitting in his room waiting for Ava to come over. There was a knock at the door, and he jumped up to answer it. Ava stood at the door wearing a full military uniform, Kyle started laughing at her, she smiled, that’s what she was going for after all, making him laugh.

They both went outside and sat in the lawn. They had music playing in Kyle’s headphones and were each wearing a piece. It was Kyle’s playlist consisting of Conan Grey, Girl in red, Mother Mother, and Chappel Roan. They laid on their backs in the lawn staring at the sky waiting for it to get darker so they could start the fireworks.

When night came the neighbors all gathered at Kyle, and his next-door neighbor’s house. The driveways were filled with lawn chairs and foldable tables, the dad in the family that lived next to him, Steve, had his barbeque out. Kyle and Ava stayed laying on the lawn, a kid from the neighborhood, Leenya, came up to them, she was a few years younger than them, going into 6th grade.

Leenya stood above them, “Why aren’t you with the rest of the group?” She asked in her high-pitched voice, her braided pigtails with bows falling off her shoulders close to hitting Ava in the face.

Kyle took his headphone out, “We just wanna hang out over here.”

Leenya looked down at him, “Why?”

Something about Leenya, she could never take an answer that simple, she needed reasoning.

“It’s comfortable over here.” Kyle sighed.

Leenya stared at him for a second and shrugged before walking away. Ava reached over and touched Kyle’s brown hair, his hair was the opposite of what Calvin’s used to be, it was dark and shoulder length, it was straight and he had bangs, Calvin’s was curly and light, it was pushed out of his face with gel but a few pieces always fell lose, his hair was short and barley fell over his ears.

Ava twirled her finger in Kyle’s hair, “You’re really sweet, I would’ve just ignored Leenya if she started asking me questions.”

After about an hour the neighbors started lighting the big fireworks, the colors in the sky blinding them. Ava turned her head and looked at Kyle, Kyle turned his head and looked at Ava. They stared at each other for a moment, Crush Culture blasting in their headphones. Ava scooted closer and so did Kyle, they both had the same thought at the same time. They both leaned forward and kissed, Ava immediately pulled back and Kyle stared at her.

“I-” Ava stuttered, “I- don’t know why I did that- s- sorry.” She started to get up to leave but Kyle grabbed her arm.

“Hey, it’s fine,” He said, “I kissed back, don’t apologize, but I don’t like you like that.”

“I- I don’t like you like that either, I don’t know why I did it.”

“It’s fine, me neither.”

Ava sat back down and continued watching the fireworks with Kyle. Kyle turned the music up so Girls was blasting their ears.

Chapter six

Kyle- August 8th

Kyle sat on the couch in the living room; his dad sat next to him watching TV. They were waiting for Ava to come over for school shopping. Ava’s home life wasn’t great, her dad was a drunk and her mom was a 'cigarette mom', they were pretty poor and could barely afford food. She had 4 siblings, her situation wasn’t good, Kyle’s dad often provided for her.

Ava knocked on the door wearing a baggy sweater, sweatpants, boots, and a baseball cap with ‘MONTANA’ printed on it. She came inside and Kyle’s dad got up and got his keys. They all got in the car, Richard in the front and Kyle and Ava in the back.

Cleo- august 8th

Rose took Cleo and Sammy to the mall, Rose bought Cleo dresses, skirts, and bows, of course Sammy got a few things, but she didn’t care Cleo was getting more stuff, she was just happy Cleo was being treated like a girl, Rose bought new décor and bedspreads, and redesigned Cleo’s room. She finally got the posters and dolls she wanted. She also got more than that, a plain light pink bedspread, hair dye, and jewelry. She was going to high school as a girl, as herself.

Kyle- august 8th

At the mall Kyle walked around the mall with Ava, his dad gave Kyle his card and sat on a bench.

Kyle looked around and his eyes landed on Rose, Sammy, and some random girl, “Hey Ava,” He said tapping Ava’s shoulder looking at the group, “Is that Rose? Calvin’s mom.”

Ava glanced over and her eyes widened when she saw Cleo, “Uh yeah, I think so...”

Kyle was about to say something, but Ava grabbed him and pulled him into a Spencer’s store.

“What the fuck Ava?” He said quietly.

“We should just look around in here.”

Kyle rolled his eyes, “whatever.”

They looked around in the store and picked out a few things, Ava got a few band shirts and I shirt that said, ‘Bitches love my autism,’ Kyle got a pair of earrings and jean chains.

They went into another store and Kyle got a pack of pens and a water bottle, Ava got a hat.

They shopped for a little longer and bought some more clothes, even bought matching outfits for the first day. After shopping Richard dropped Ava off at home and drove back to the house with Kyle. Kyle expected to go home and have a normal night, but his mom was home. That was bad.

“Hi sweetie,” she said, “I heard you went shopping, can I see what you bought?” Her tone was sweet, like a mother should be, but her voice was an act.

Kyle nervously scratched at his hand, “Uh, sure.” He reluctantly handed her the bags from the mall.

His mom looked into the back with a smile, but her face immediately dropped, “This stuff is so girly.” She said with a snarl, “If you wear this to school people might think you’re a fag.”

Kyle’s face twisted when she said that, he hated that word. He didn’t say anything, he grabbed the bag from her and went up to his room and locked it, his mom followed him up and tried to get in his room. She felt disrespected. She started yelling at him through the door, but he didn’t care. He put his headphones on and turned the volume all the way up, My Alcoholic Friends, blasting in his ears.

He texted Calvin, he knew he wouldn’t respond, or even see it for that matter, but he still did it.

Kyle

Hey

I know you wont see this

Just wanted to tell you this

My moms being horrible again

Said I seemed like a fag

Fucking hate that woman

Your moms awesome

I miss you

Idk what I did but im sorry

I just need an answer honestly

Anyway

Bye

He turned off his phone and went to bed, 3 more weeks until school.

‘That won’t be fun,’ he thought to himself, ‘At least I’ll have Ava.’

Chapter seven

Kyle- August 30th

First day of school, Kyle was sitting by the bus stop, eventually the bus pulls up and Kyle gets on. He’s surprised to see so many faces he didn’t recognize, he had thought most of the kids from his middle school would be going to Elnor high, but almost all of the kids on the bus were kids he had never seen before. He walked to the back of the bus looking for Ava. They both wore their matching outfits, baggy black and red cargo pants, a skull with sunglasses t-shirt, chains on their pants, and BFF necklaces. It seemed cheesy, matching outfits with your friend on the first day of school, but they were happy.

Kyle found Ava and sat next to her, he looked around the bus for anyone he knew, that’s when he saw someone. The girl from the mall, the one that had been with Sammy and Rose. She was staring at him, when she saw him look at her she looked away. Kyle thought it was weird but just ignored it, a few more times he caught her looking at him.

They walked into the school and compared schedules. They had 5 classes together which was pretty nice. They said goodbye and went to their first periods. Kyle’s class was free seating so he sat in the back, then a girl walked in, the girl he keeps seeing, that keeps looking at him. She looks at him for a moment before sitting in front of him. The teacher came to the front of the class and introduced herself as Ms. May.

The teacher made the students introduce themselves, it got to the girl.

“I’m Cleo.” She said in a voice to high and forced to be natural.

Kyle introduced himself, Cleo smiled but a few kids snickered, looking at his outfit and hair. The teacher introduced the unit, calculus. They didn’t do anything in class, the teacher talked for most of the period.

After the class Cleo walked up to Kyle but then walked away. Kyle walked to his next class and found Ava. He sat down in his assigned seats which was one seat away from Ava.

“Hey Ava,” He said, “you know that girl from the mall that was with Sammy?”

“Yeah..” Ava said.

“She’s in my first period, she keeps staring at me, it’s weird.”

Ava looked at him nervously for a second before forcing a laugh, “Of course she was staring at you. Have you seen your outfit?”

“WE ARE WEARING THE SAME OUTFIT!”

The kid that sat between them finally got to class stopping their conversation. The teacher made them play bingo to introduce themselves.

“What class is this again?” Kyle asked.

“electromagnetism.” Ava said.

After their class together they went to their next class, then the next, then lunch, the the next. Every bit of the day seemed to blur together, he couldn’t remember any of what had happened, except for one part, Cleo. Why would such a pretty girl, be interested in him? Even if she was staring at him because he looked weird, or she was judging him, why him? There where so many kids at the school. Why would she pay attention... to him?

Kyle got home and it was the same as every day, his mom screaming, his dad trying not to cry. He would try to help his dad but last time he did that it didn’t go so well. There are so many words to describe his mom, but 1 word sums it up, horrible. She was a disgusting woman, white supremacist, sexist, homophobic, racist. Just a horrible woman.

Kyle went up to his room and put on his headphones, he did the same thing every day. He was just waiting for his mom to have a red eye flight and leave him and Richard alone for once. He was just waiting for the day the plane crashed.

Kyle didn’t like death, he hated the thought of losing someone he loved, or even just knew for that matter. But his mom, he wanted her dead.

Cleo- August 30th

On Cleo’s first day of high school, she was excited, she might meet new friends, new teachers, it was exciting to her. When she got on the bus in the morning, she sat in an empty row. She pulled out her phone and started scrolling through it, when she looked up, she saw him. Kyle. The man she loved, that she missed, that she wanted to have again.

She planned to just ignore his existence for a while, until she stopped liking him, but that was hard with him in her first period class.

She sat in front of him so she wouldn’t have to look at him. The teacher introduced herself as Ms. May, and had all the students introduce themselves.

“I’m Kyle.” He said when it got to his turn.

Cleo loved his voice, she always had.