Somewhere Only We Know

I - Max

3:53 p.m., Columbus St. Agnes Academy, Thursday

Today was like any other day, filled with assignments and bullies. Max looked forward to going home after class, where she would do absolutely nothing beneficial for herself and lie in bed. But, hey, today was a little different. Tomorrow, she would go out to buy supplies for the final project of her senior year.

"Alright, class. Who can provide the simplest definition of this function?" the teacher asked, looking around the classroom as he pointed to something he had written on the board. "Oh, come on, class! Functions! Should be familiar!"

She looked at the board, thinking about what she would say if she were called on to speak—not that it mattered. See, Mr Cleves never calls her. Ever since she lost a math competition he'd put her in during her sophomore year, he started ignoring her. She was all right with it. She didn't need any attention from him, as long as he graded her fairly.

For a moment, he glanced her way, but she soon realized he wasn't looking for her. He had called on another student a few rows away from Max.

As she fiddled with the pencil in her hands, she watched cars drive by the school. A red sedan flew past, its paint glinting in the sun, followed by a battered blue pickup that seemed to struggle. A group of students laughed as they passed on the sidewalk.

It had become a habit for her to zone out like this. She would do anything to avoid focusing on what her teacher said during the last period, hoping it would make time go faster. Each passing car pulled her deeper into her daydreams.

It felt like an eternity until the dismissal bell finally rang. Max climbed out of her classroom window and slowly walked toward the wooden bench near the fountain, just outside the classroom where she and her old friends usually hung out to do homework or study. As she was about to take a seat, a group of tall boys approached her. One of them, Jackson Wright, pulled Maxine's bag and threw it onto the concrete ground. Jackson, along with his little friends, Lewis and James, had been bothering her ever since she moved here from England.

Well, not exactly since she moved. Jackson used to be a good friend of hers. But some things change. Something about their fathers being rival businessmen.

"Fuck off, Jackson," Max exclaimed, her voice dripping with irritation as she knelt to gather the scattered books that littered the concrete ground."I can't wait to get out of this fucking hell hole," she whispered under her breath.

"Are you really incapable of walking away from the school grounds without picking on someone?" she continued, glaring up at him with disbelief. Jackson stood over her, a smug grin plastered across his face, clearly enjoying the chaos he was causing, though you could see a sort of forced expression hiding between his actions. 

As Max shuffled the textbooks into a neat pile, her fingers brushed over the worn covers, a reminder of all the late nights she had spent studying or perhaps throwing them around to cure her boredom. "You need to get a life, Jack. Are you gonna continue doing this—" she paused. "Well, who knows if you're gonna get into a decent college anyway." She shot back, her voice steady despite the rush of emotion. The annoyance coursing through her was fueled not only by his relentless teasing but also by the weight of the looming pressure of graduation.

Jackson laughed, his casual demeanor contrasting with her irritation. "Oh, aren't you a concerned citizen?" he said thoughtlessly, but she could see the flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. It was moments like these that made her wonder if he was just a bully hiding behind bravery, searching for a rise out of her for his amusement. 

Taking a deep breath to center herself, Max stood up, books clutched tightly in her arms. She tossed the thought aside, reminding herself that she was so close to graduation and wouldn't have to deal with him much longer. Sure, getting back at him sounded tempting, but why waste her energy? In just a few months, he'd be just a fading memory, and she wouldn't have to let him get under her skin anymore. "Whatever, Jackson. Just do everyone a favor and stop attention seeking," she replied, her tone firm as she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving him standing there.