Chimes

1

*Garrett's POV*

~~~ First day of Junior Year, September 21, 2020 ~~~

I blow my puffy fringe away from my face as I shrug the pillows off my exhausted self after a restless three hours of sleep. I didn't want to wake up but I didn't have a choice.

"It really is that time of year, huh?" I think to myself. I slam my alarm clock down and get out of bed. Despite the A.C. being on while I was asleep, I could not stop sweating. I rush to the bathroom to take a shower, trying to forget the the horrific images from the night before.

"What the fuck was I thinking? Letting him in like that, worrying me," I say to myself. As I get dressed, my phone vibrates. I pick it up to read it. It's Delilah.

"yo bitch. i called you like a bajillion times last night where'd you run off to?" Her message reads. I hesitate. What do I say?

"Something happened at home. Had to rush back. Walk you to school?" The three dots moving on the left side of my phone terrified me, for some odd reason.

"sure." She responds. I grab my bag and step out of the house, Delilah is already waiting outside for me as I wave an enthusiastic hello and wish her good morning.

"Tough night?" She asks. I rub my eyes and try to fix my hair, before Delilah steps in and adjusts it herself.

"Let's not talk about it," I reply as she turns around to start walking to school. A blood-red mustang speeds past us, and it slows down as I get a glimmer of Ben.

"Fucking prick." Delilah scoffs at her ex, who doesn't even have a driver's license yet. It feels like almost every little thing he does offended her.

"How can he even drive?" I question.

"He's a van der Vaart, his family plus his friends get away with anything in this town." She states as she cools down from her previous comments.

Benjamin van der Vaart. Athlete, prodigal son, decent grades, a rich kid living at the end of the street with an awesome car. Despite him being shorter than me, he's still considered hot.

"You never told me he had such broad shoulders," I tell Delilah about my fascinating discovery from one of the many parties he had during summer as we both continue to stare at him drive away.

"They got bigger. He looks go- wait, shut up, Garrett, I'm supposed to hate him." She complains. It was easy for delilah to be lost in a sea of old thoughts considering the special times she and Ben shared. When Delilah moved to San Newark from the Bronx, it was our Sophomore year. Something happened in middle school that held her back a year, but she refuses to talk about that. She immediately caught Benjamin, or Ben's, eye, probably because he just broke up with Alexis and he was the only single one in his clique. He was flirty and they got together soon after. It all went downhill after he met her parents. Something about social statuses that really pissed the Pellegrinis off. I guess Ben couldn't handle their Italian fury from New York. She talked about how she never wanted to have sex with him even when he practically begged her, she never gave in though. A couple more fights, plus some apparent cheating, and Delilah and Ben were no more.

"I'm over him," She says as we stand in front of the school's gates. I knew she wasn't, but angry Delilah in the morning is never fun, so I refrain from starting another debate with her in public.

"Good morning, my darlings!" I turn to see Elena Roberto; the last of our three musketeers. I was the first friend Elena made when she got to San Newark, she was nice at first, but her true colours showed. She is a cold, heartless, pure bitch. I love her. We have just been inseparable since.

"Did something happen last night?" Before I was able to answer Elena's question, the revving of a motorcycle is heard behind us. We turn and see Zach McCall, looking more rugged than usual. He sets his Harley and lumbers into the school.

"Alicia talked to me about it. She says it's entirely Zach." Elena says. No one else tried talking to him at that moment, even moving out of the way, allowing him walking space.

"Really? From what I've heard, she's the one mostly at fault." Delilah counters. It must have been really hard on him. And Alicia, too. Zach McCall and Alicia Lopéz were in love. You might not think it, at first glance. But the way they behaved compared to when they were together, the love they have is real. It's undeniable. Zach McCall and Alicia Lopéz are still in love. You could just see it in Zach's eyes. He didn't want to come knowing he'd have to see her again.

"Whatever, who cares whose at fault? They're just going to stay broken up." Delilah barges into my thoughts. "I don't like Zach anyway."

"I loathe him," Elena adds.

I didn't. I wanted him. I've had a small crush on him since Freshman year. We usually don't talk but I've known it since the moment I laid my eyes on him. It was a bit fucked up, considering Alicia and I are friends, but, oh, well. There was Mark, too. Never mind that, yes, I'm gay. But not at school. Not at home either. It's a secret for me.

As we enter the school, I see several expressions through San Newark's hallways. Jillian Beck is usually upbeat, but for some reason today, she looked really miserable. Even her tiny Air Force Ones looked depressed, having to lift her short stature. Maybe, it's because she didn't win the school council president vote held right before summer break. For some odd reason, it was announced during vacation. Kirah Lopéz, Alicia's half-sister won it. As I thought of her, I look to my right to see her skipping through the halls. I noticed her usual high ponytail was higher than normal. She must be looking forward to the year then. Even her outfit looked colourful. It was all white. A sense of despair filled our halls, although it seems we shouldn't be here right now.

Then, principal Chester bursts out of his office. "What the hell is going on? Why isn't anyone in class?" I look at the time. It was halfway through the first period. I knew we were going to be a little late, but damn.

"The bell didn't chime sir." Popular jock Jared Liu answers. Suddenly, a loud voice is heard. Principal Chester rushes to the parade square as many students and staff follow suit.

The bell. It was down. The Newark high bell, which our school was most famous for. So large, so loud, a couple of chimes from it would sound throughout the entire school. Our school saved money from this, not needing a school bell system. The bronze bell weighing around 3200 pounds, dug a deep divot into the school's central field, where the bell tower is, or, was.

Out of the blue, coach Malone approaches principal Chester and whispers something in his ear. He runs back to his office before a PA system announcement is heard.

"Will all juniors report to the school gym now. I repeat, will all Newark high school juniors report to the school gym now."

"Sweet, we get to skip English Lit," Elena says, elated.

A sea of heads began flowing towards the gymnasium, where a taller figure stood out, looking more stressed than everyone else. I begin to suspect something. Mordecai Thibault. Basketball player. Straight A student. A popular junior with friends and money. What could he possibly be hiding? I then notice Zach looking more pissed than usual, being away from who I thought was his besties, Jared and Ben. I also realise some other classmates of mine, Alexis Fernandes seeming very distraught, and Joshua Hermann looking way too tense than normal. With Mordecai, something was fishy.

Or could it be Zach? His guilt due to having to do something with messing with our bell, and not just breaking up with Alicia. I had no idea.

"What could be going inside that head of his?" I wonder out loud.

"Whose head?" Elena asks.

"Shut the fuck up." I reply.