Not Set In Stone

Starting Anew

A few days had gone by quickly since you got out of Jacob (J.C) Colins' gang, he was arrested and the other members were quickly rounded up not too long afterwards. It took these few days for things to settle as you had to take the time to get over the fact of how things changed so quickly overnight, your whole life changing in just a day. It was a lot to take in but, with Lizzie's help, you managed to cope.

Lizzie - you owed her a lot. Not only did she help you get away from Jacob, but she has been letting you stay with her seeing you weren't on good terms (to put it lightly) with your mother. You hadn't spoken to her since she kicked you out of the house but Lizzie kept assuring you that you'd make amends with her soon enough. It's strange; at first you found the very sound of Lizzie's voice annoying due to her incessant involvement with you but now you've grown accustomed to it, seeing it as a comfort.

She never gave up on you, like she was a guardian angel in a way and hearing her voice was like hearing an angel sing - as cheesy as that sounds. You owed her a lot but she would keep saying she was just glad to show that you were a decent person.

However, just because Lizzie saw that side of you didn't mean others would, you still had multiple situations to take care of with one coming upon you when your school got in touch to ask you to come in regarding your pending expulsion. You were nervous when you got the call but, for some reason, Lizzie saying it would be fine was assuaging. She made it sound so unequivocal, her optimism being comforting.

She was there when you went to meet with the principal, something you were glad about. As you were sat across from the principal you felt nervous, just walking through the gates to the school grounds felt unsettling, as if you were on death row or something. To think you often hated walking through those gates but now you were at risk of being expelled you regretted all your mistakes, it's a testament of how much you had changed really.

"Honestly, Y/n, thinking and talking over this decision, there are many more reasons to expel you than to keep you here" the school principal eventually broke your train of thought. You looked to him as he listed all the factors weighing against you with them all being reasonable: there was your lack of effort, your constant misbehaviour, constant confrontations with other students, the fact you brought the police to the gates on a regular basis. By all accounts the school had every justifiable reason to expel you and you were honestly prepared to just accept the fact, but then stepped in Lizzie.

"But he's different now!" She spoke up, turning attention to her as she told the principal that now you weren't a part of a gang anymore, that you had shown yourself capable of being a good and compassionate person. "If you just give him one more chance" she said before you cut in to say it was fine.

"I've not exactly been a very good student before, I've made a lot of mistakes and I get that I don't deserve another chance, but if I can just get that chance I promise I'll do better, I'm done being a bad guy" you spoke sincerely with Lizzie backing you up again, assuring that you're better now. This left the principle in silence for a moment, thinking over the options at hand and honestly it would be easier to just expel you but..."if you promise to be a better student, avoiding conflict and actually contributing to your work, you can have one more chance" he said and you were immediately to your feet, saying you wouldn't waste it.

The principal nodded at this before saying you could leave for the day and come back the next, you and Lizzie exiting the office with you letting out a sigh of relief.

"Oh fuck, my heart could stop right now" you breathed with Lizzie asking if you knew what that meant, you shaking your head as you looked to her.

"This is all a second chance at life, now you got to live each day like it's your last" she smiled and you nodded, agreeing with what she said, you had to make use of this chance. "I owe you, Lizzie, for having my back there and for however long it's been, thanks for sticking with me for so long, really, you're my best friend considering your the first real one I had" you said and she smiled before replying how'd she'd always be there for you when you need before saying you should both head home.