Back to You

Rough Realizations

My pulse was racing, my mood was wildly improving with each passing second, and my excitement was beyond belief.

It was finally time to rekindle and ignite what I had lost with my best friend. Show him what we can be and how we could share a timeless love together if done right. With the hopes of seeing him, Jasmine, and even Devin again, I was already hyping myself up.

The only thing that was stopping me at this point, was just the drive to Westwood High. The rest would be history. Simple and easy.

But maybe I did go a little overboard in my personal wardrobe department. I completely forgot how much berets, beaded belts, and butterfly clips I owned.

Yet with a anticipated smile plastered on my face to top the whole outfit off and a cheery attitude like I hadn't had in a few days, it was definitely complimenting the style of choice. A forest green long sleeve flare and feathered wrist top, a denim and bedazzled mini skirt, and a pair of basic and dingy yet very stylish charm studded designed sneakers. Even my hair was pushed back into two adorable spiked space buns tied together with ribbons.

What could I say? I was embracing the times.

Feeling confident about this entire plan, I couldn't stop myself from doing even a victory dance to music I knew wasn't actually playing outside my head as I left the house—unapologetic in my actions for once.

Peering around to see the quiet and cute suburban neighborhood we had lived in since I could remember, it was simply perfect. The fresh and warm air of the city hit me like a sweet memory. The palms trees blew a gentle breeze while the sun shined bright.

"Make good choices!" I heard my Dad call out. He didn't have to worry. I intended to.

Hopping into my 2001 mint-colored Volkswagen beetle, it was just as I remembered it to be as well.

The interior was decorated with shades of my favorite color, yellow from the seat cushions to the wheel cover—mixed with every art pin I ever received as gifts or earned, a fuzzy dice around the rearview mirror, and various backstage gallery passes I had gone to in my youth hanging down.

My backpack and textbooks were back in their rightful place in the passenger seat next to me. I hit the FM/AM radio dashboard that looked incredibly prehistoric compared to listening to any podcasts or music streamed albums on the go.

Flipping on some old tunes that were iconic classic singles that were currently popular, I smiled wide. "Oh yeah...I'm definitely back." I pulled off.

Ryder McKenna, here I come.

🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬

Approaching the school's student parking lot, all the other kids and teachers had appeared more up to the times and impressive than I did by a long shot—just casually hanging out.

Honestly, I was amazed seeing everything with a different mindset now than all these years ago.

The old cliques were certainly all still here though.

The skater dudes, jocks, band enthusiasts, theater geniuses, a few members of the cheerleading squad practicing out on the quad, the most talented and sweetest art fanatics I could recall myself associating with most of my time, film prodigies, and so many more.

Still, there was no sign of Ryder or even Jasmine anywhere.

About to park into an available space nearby as I peered over the time, I had a lot less of it to sit and dwell over things before I actually did become late. But I was stopped for longer than I should've. Another car in front.