Feels like a Dream...

'~-._TWELVE-ENDING-BEGINNINGS_.-~'

AVERY'S POV

The first week of school always had a strange energy—half excitement, half dread. The sun filtered through the big windows of the cafeteria, where we always sat, casting long rectangles of light across the shiny tile floor. I'd been waiting for this moment: the chance to see where we all stood after a summer of slow rebuilding.

Kali sat across from me, laughing at something Kasey said, her multicolored eyes sparkling with ease I hadn't seen in months. She'd finally let her guard down, and now she was one of us—fully. It had taken time to rebuild the trust she'd fractured, but we'd done it, piece by piece. It wasn't perfect, but it was real, and that mattered more.

Alice was next to Kali, her posture more tentative. She still avoided eye contact sometimes, but she'd shown up, and that was something. Over the summer, she'd apologized—really apologized—for everything. It wasn't just words; she'd been working to prove she meant it. I wasn't ready to call things completely fixed, but we were on our way.

The group felt different now, though. Smaller. My gaze drifted to the empty seat Eve would have filled. She'd moved in late May, and even though we'd promised to keep in touch, it wasn't the same without her. Eve was the quiet balance in our group, the observer who saw things the rest of us missed. Her absence left a hole we were all still learning to navigate.

"Earth to Avery," Daily said, nudging me with her elbow. She was grinning, her usual energy in full force. "We're talking about the new seating chart in science. Guess who got stuck with Owen?"

"Not you," I guessed, playing along.

"Nope," Daily said with mock horror. "Kasey!"

Kasey groaned. "He wouldn't stop talking about his 'epic summer' the whole class. I get it—you went to Florida and saw an alligator. Congrats, Owen."

We all laughed, and for a moment, it felt like nothing had changed. But then two unfamiliar figures walked into the cafeteria, and the atmosphere shifted.

Ash and Kat. They'd always been around, but they'd never been part of us. Ash was tall and lanky, with long dirty blonde hair that caught the light like spun gold. She adjusted her glasses, scanning the room with a quiet confidence that made me curious. Kat followed close behind, her curly, dirty brown-blonde hair bouncing as she walked. She was taller than Kasey but carried herself with an easy warmth that made her instantly likable.

Kasey lit up when she saw them. "Ash! Kat! Over here!" she called, waving them over.

Ash hesitated for a second before heading our way, Kat right behind her. When they reached the table, Kasey scooted over to make room. "Guys, this is Ash and Kat," she said. "Ash is in my science class, and Kat and I were lab partners last year."

"Hey," Ash said, her voice soft but steady. She gave a small wave, her glasses sliding down her nose a bit. She pushed them back up with a practiced motion.

"Hi!" Kat said brightly, her energy matching Daily's. "Kasey's told me all about you guys."

"Hopefully good things," I said with a small smile, studying them both. There was something about Ash's quiet demeanor and Kat's bubbly nature that felt... right. Like they fit, even though they'd only just joined us.

"All good, don't worry," Kat said, grinning. She glanced at Kasey. "Although she did warn me about Owen. Thanks for that."

Kasey snorted. "You're welcome. Consider it my good deed of the day."

As the conversation picked up again, I leaned back in my chair, letting the chatter wash over me. It felt strange, this mix of old and new. We'd lost Eve, but we'd gained Ash and Kat. We were still working things out with Alice, but she was here, and that meant something. Kali had found her place, and Daily, Kasey, and I were closer than ever.

The group wasn't what it used to be, but maybe that was okay. People changed, and friendships evolved. What mattered was that we were here, together, starting a new chapter.

As Ash and Kat settled in with us, I couldn't help but notice how easily they slipped into our group. It was like they'd been here all along, despite being newcomers. Ash had a certain quiet confidence, and Kat's bubbly energy was contagious. It didn't take long before Kasey and Kat were deep in conversation, laughing about something from their science class, while Ash and I exchanged a few words here and there, mostly about the upcoming semester.

"So, you're in my English class this year," Ash said, adjusting her glasses and giving me a small smile.

"Yeah," I nodded. "I think we'll be reading To Kill a Mockingbird again. I think I've read it three times, but it's still good."

Ash's smile widened a bit. "I always enjoy that book. The themes are pretty intense, but they hit home."

"True," I agreed, glancing around the table. I caught Alice's eye for a second. She was sitting quietly, more reserved than usual. There was a lingering tension between her and the rest of the group, but she was here, trying. That was enough for now.

I wasn't sure how the next few weeks would play out. Last year had been a mess, and though we'd made progress, I couldn't shake the feeling that some of us were still recovering from what happened. Kali, Alice, and even I had been through a lot. But there was something different about this year, about this new dynamic.

Kat caught my attention, leaning in and grinning. "I've already got the best seat in history for first period. I swear I could sleep through it and still ace it."

"Lucky," Kasey laughed. "I wish I could say the same about my math class."

"I don't know how you do it, Kase," Kat said, raising an eyebrow. "You actually like math."

Kasey shrugged. "I like it more than people think. Numbers are... predictable."

"Fair," Ash chimed in, always the quiet one, but somehow, when she spoke, people listened. "I'm good with numbers too. Just don't ask me to explain them."

We all laughed again, the noise rising around us. I couldn't help but smile. It was hard to believe how much had changed over the past year. But now, with Ash and Kat joining the group and things calming down between Kali and Alice, I felt like we were turning a new page.

Then I remembered Eve. It felt like a piece of me was missing whenever I thought of her. I'd kept up with her through texts, but it wasn't the same. She was thousands of miles away now, living in a new place, and though we still talked, I couldn't help but feel like her absence left a hole in our group.

"Hey, what's up?" Kasey's voice broke through my thoughts. She was looking at me with a raised eyebrow. "You good?"

"Yeah," I said, shaking off the thoughts. "Just... missing Eve, I guess."

"I get it," Kasey said softly. "I miss her too. She was always so... centered. But we've got Ash and Kat now. It's just different, but I think it's gonna work."

"Yeah," I agreed, nodding slowly. "It's just... a lot of change in one year."

"We'll be fine," Kali spoke up from across the table, her voice steady. She looked at Alice, then back at me. "We're all still figuring things out, but we'll be fine."

I smiled at her, appreciating her newfound certainty. It wasn't perfect yet, but it was getting there.

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. We all stood up, gathering our things and heading toward our next classes. I glanced at the clock, watching the seconds tick by as we made our way toward the exit. It was the beginning of something new. New friendships, new challenges, and a new year.

I didn't know what would happen next, but I did know this: no matter what, we were in this together.