Shooting star

First Last Day

The first day of school always brought a mix of excitement and nerves, but Beau Kennedy felt mostly excitement as she walked through the front doors of Ridgewood High. The halls buzzed with chatter and laughter as students reconnected after summer break. Beau's friendly personality made her a magnet for greetings and high-fives from classmates as she made her way to her locker.

"Beau! Over here!" called out her best friend, Eden, waving from a cluster of their friends/teammates.

"Hey, Eden!" Beau responded, weaving through the crowd. "How was your summer?"

"Pretty good. Went to the beach a lot. How about you? Heard you killed it at basketball camp."

"Yeah, it was awesome," Beau said, her eyes scanning the hallway. "Got some great training in. Talked to some D1 coaches as well. Ready to crush it again this season." 

As they talked, Beau couldn't help but glance around, hoping to catch a glimpse of Adeline Sinclair. She hadn't seen her since that evening after soccer practice, and she was curious if their brief interaction had meant as much to Adeline as it had to her.

"Looking for someone?" Eden teased, noticing Beau's distracted gaze.

"Just...scoping out the scene," Beau replied with a smirk, trying to play it cool. "You know, first day of senior year and all."

"Uh-huh, sure," Eden said, giving her a knowing look. "Well, if you're looking for Adeline Sinclair, I heard she's got Chemistry first period."

Beau shot her friend a surprised look. "How do you even know that?"

"Rumors travel fast, my friend," Eden said with a wink. "Besides, I know you have a thing for her."

Before Beau could respond, the bell rang, signaling the start of first period. "Guess I'll find out soon enough," she said, grabbing her books. "Catch you later, Eden."

Beau headed to her first class, English, but her thoughts kept drifting to Adeline. She wondered if they'd have any classes together this year. As she walked into the classroom, she quickly scanned the seats and, to her disappointment, didn't see Adeline. Shaking it off, she took a seat near the front, determined to start the year strong.

The day went by in a blur of introductions, syllabi, and catching up with friends. It wasn't until lunch that Beau's heart skipped a beat. She spotted Adeline sitting with a group of friends at a table near the windows, sunlight highlighting her brown hair. Adeline's posture was closed off, her expression guarded as she listened to the conversation around her without fully engaging.

Taking a deep breath, Beau walked over, tray in hand. "Hey, mind if I join you guys?" she asked, her voice casual but her heart racing.

Adeline looked up, her eyes briefly meeting Beau's before flicking away. "Sure, Kennedy," she said, her tone neutral. "Have a seat."

Beau slid into an empty spot, smiling at the familiar faces around the table. "How's everyone's first day going?"

"Pretty good," said Jordan, the captain of the football team. "Just getting back into the groove. How about you?"

"Same here," Beau replied, stealing another glance at Adeline. "Looking forward to basketball season starting up."

"Yeah, soccer's already kicking my butt," Adeline added, though her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "But it's good to be back."

There was a brief, comfortable silence as they ate. Beau couldn't help but feel a surge of warmth at being included in this group, especially with Adeline there. She decided to take a chance.

"Hey, Adeline," Beau said, turning to her. "You mentioned something about scrimmaging last time we talked. How about we make it happen? Basketball versus soccer, like we said."

Adeline's eyes narrowed slightly, her interest piqued but her guard still up. "You serious? I'd love that."

"Absolutely. We could set it up after school sometime. Make it a friendly competition."

Adeline nodded slowly. "Sure. Let's talk to our teams and figure it out."

Beau's heart soared. Not only had she managed to get Adeline's attention again, but they were also planning something that could bring them closer together. The rest of lunch passed in a blur of conversation and laughter, and by the time the bell rang for the next class, Beau felt more hopeful than ever.

As she walked to her next class, she couldn't help but think about how the day had turned out. The excitement of a new school year, the potential of a new friendship—or maybe something more—with Adeline, and the anticipation of the upcoming basketball season all combined to make her feel like this year was going to be something special.