after the death of her mother, leighton's father sends her to a boarding school halfway across the world to be taught a lesson. she knows no one and no one knows her.
but the cherry on top is who her roommate is.
#2 in ptsdawareness
#2 in anxiety
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"its a cruel summer!"
-cruel summer by taylor swift
⎯⎯⎯
We lock up the dorm and squeal as we walk to the running car.
"Leightonnn!" Eli exclaims.
"Sup, Leighton," Luca smiles and I smile back.
Luca ties our surfboards on the roof and I can only pray he did it right
Bailey takes the driver's seat, her enthusiasm present as she fiddles with the controls.
Eli claims shotgun, already busy with his phone, curating the perfect playlist for our drive.
Luca takes the entire third row and Kai calls him a hog and fatass.
Poor guy, he just wants to sleep.
I slide in, adjusting my backpack and settling into the corner, while Kai sprawls out beside me, his scowl harsher than usual.
Am I really that annoying?
"Readyyy?" Bailey asks, her eyes gleaming as she looks at us through the rearview mirror.
"Absolutely," I say, leaning forward. Kai just grunts, his eyes half-closed as he attempts to find a comfortable position.
"YES!" Eli exclaims and Luca grins.
The car hums to life, and we're off.
I roll down the window, letting the fresh, salty breeze wash over me. Bailey turns up Broken by Lovelytheband, and we all start singing along, our voices blending with the rush of the wind and the rhythmic roar of the waves.
Kai stays silent.
About an hour into the drive, the initial burst of energy begins to fade.
The bushes blur as we drive and one side seems to be speeding while the other is going in slow motion.
Kai shifts, his head drooping lower and lower.
Why won't he just fall asleep? Maybe he's like me and can't get comfortable.
I want pizza.
No.
Hmph.
"You can sleep, you know," I whisper, nudging him lightly.
"Mmm," he mumbles, his head falling back against the seat. Within moments, he's out cold, his breathing deep and even.
I watch him for a second, his usual scowl replaced by a peaceful expression. It's rare to see him so relaxed.
