The Fear Wave

.02

Altynay sneered as she walked away from Josh, hiding her smirk. That little brat deserved what she had said, because she knew deep down he was just gonna use her. Never again would she go through that.

"Feeling feisty today, are we?" Amaya said.

"When am I never feisty?"

"Good point."

The two walked up to the top of the school to get to their AP Geometry class. Gosh, why couldn't  something interesting happen??

~

Josh walked up to meet Dylan, his best friend. "You will not believe what just happened, man."

"What's up?"

Josh went through the course of his morning, trying to mostly describe the incident with the hot girl in the hoodie. 

"Damn." Dylan said. "Guess she thinks she outta your league."

"Yeah. It's whatever at this point, the schools too big to probably see her again."

Josh walked with Dylan to PE, hoping to have a better start to his day than he had just had. After changing into his gym clothes, he met up with some of the other "homies", including Vanessa and her group. They were the "popular group", so he had heard. He truly only liked Dylan out of everyone, and he wasn't even that decent. He hated being popular, though he had to act the part often. Most rumors say you have to have good looks to get in. Josh strongly disagreed with this topic, though he couldn't share that. He'd be out in a second. Yep, that's how trashy kids are at Risett High. 

"You ever think being in the whole group isn't worth it?" Josh asked while they were running their warm up laps. 

"Well what do you mean, 'whole group?'"

"You know, us, the boys, Vanessa and her friends."

"If that means I can be close to Vanessa, then hell yea." See. Not even decent. 

Why was life in Risett so perfect? He hated it. He did have some family flaws, but of course nobody knew about that. Nobody knew what his dad did. It would just have to stay that way. The only thing was, Josh hated keeping secrets, and having to be that perfect person. The fake one. 

It'd have to do, for now.

~

Altynay, once again, aced her pop quiz. Mom will be proud. Altynay's mom was sick. She wish she could say more to it, but she couldn't. Dr. Narez still can't find a diagnosis, and without a diagnosis, there was nothing they could do, no medication they could give her. So all she was doing was praying for her, every single night. Her mom was a fighter, and Altynay had hope she would get through it. Whatever it was.

After 6 more boring periods, Altynay finally could go home and relax. And when she says relax, she means study and take care of mom. It wasn't easy, but it was life. She had to get over the dullness of it and just keep looking forward. Maybe that would be her New Years Resolution. 

"Hey mom, I'm home, and I have good news!" Altynay said as she walked into her mother's room to find her mom, laying in her usual spot, the bed. 

"Hi baby, what's the good news?"

"Your daughter just aced the AP Geometry pop quiz!!"

"Oh honey, I'm so proud of you. I really am."

"Thanks, mama." She kissed her mother's head. "There's more good news."

"I'm listening."

"Only 3 more days until New Years!" Altynays favorite holiday was New Years. Call her weird, but she just loved celebrating and counting down, and most of all, getting a fresh new start with a new year.

"You and your New Years. How are we celebrating?"

"We're getting some sparkling apple juice, doing a big count down, but doing it in the New York time, because we're gonna be passed out by 9:30."

Her mom laughed. "We roll hard."

Maybe this year something will happen. Maybe life as she knows it won't be so boring. Who knows. It's a new year, after all.

~

Josh sat at his kitchen table, doing homework, trying to figure out his Geometry. He wasn't bad in school at all, he just tried to stay in the same classes as his friends so he wouldn't look like a smart ass. Damn, I really am desperate. He laughed to himself. He began thinking how Christmas was over, and the new year was right around the corner. Yes, Risett High only had one week off, for Christmas. Usually they had two extra days off for the New Year's, but this year it was on a weekend, so the school figured there was no use to those days off.  How stupid, right? It's fine. Last worksheet and he could take a break. His phone buzzed, and he got a text from Dylan- Hey man, you wanna come to this party Zanes throwin? Was told there would be beer lmao.  Josh rolled his eyes at the text, and threw his phone on the couch so he wouldn't get distracted.

~