The summer break keepsake

The polaroid (34)

Stella's POV

The school building looked exactly the same. Same chipped brick along the bottom corner of the east wall. Same lopsided flag out front. But everything felt different, like I was stepping into someone else's life, borrowing a version of myself from a year ago and hoping I still fit into it.

The hall buzzed ahead with voices and footsteps, and I felt my heartbeat double as we crossed the parking lot. It was the second week of the new semester but my first day back in 8 months since having summer, and It was like walking into a play halfway through the second act, everyone already knew their lines, their marks, their rhythm.

"Hey," Kelly said, bringing me out of my thoughts as he brushed his fingers against mine. "You good?"he continues as I nodded perhaps too quickly. "Yeah. Just...it's weird."

His hand found mine completely then, squeezing it gently "You've got this. Seriously. You've been killing it with the online learning, getting up early, staying up late, taking notes with Summer asleep on your chest. You've done more than most of us even try to do." He tells me as I smile, but my throat tightened as I looked back up to the school doors

I kept thinking someone was going to look at me and no longer see me for who I was, I wasn't like all the rest, just heading in to complete their senior year, I was different. I'd be changing diapers at 3 a.m whilst everyone else would probably be black out drunk wasted from the liquor they stole from their parents cabinets, I would memorised biology flashcards in between feedings. and my brain always felt like it was running two tracks school and Summer.

"I just hope i haven't fell behind too much" I whispered. "Or have to ask for help every two seconds" I admit as Kelly stops in his tracks and turns me to face him as he now holds both my hands

"Stella, you aced that quiz I did for you last night, you knew more than me, I had to re check my answers and I had the text book in front of me when I was writing them" he says with a slight chuckle as I smile up at him, his hand now coming up to my face as he pushes my hair behind my ear.

"I promise you, everything's going to be fine, you're going to slip right back in, like you were never gone in the first place, and when...no, if, you do need a bit of help, there's no shame in that, you're human after all" he tells me as I keep smiling up at him before leaning forward and pecking his lips. Not too dramatic just enough to say thankyou for his reassurance.

"Wow," a voice rang out from behind us "they haven't even made it inside and already they're back to making out in the parking lot" the voice continues as I turn around and see Gabby and Violet walking upto us.

"Hey, at least we're consistent" Kelly shot back, grinning as I rolled my eyes, but couldn't stop the smile tugging at my lips. The nerves were still there, but so were they, my friends.

The ones that have been by my side through it all, and who I'm sure will continue to support me and help me readjust smoothly back to being a full time student.

"So how'd it feel leaving summer for the first time..." Gabby asks, and I barely had time to open my mouth before Kelly cut in trying to cover her mouth "that subject is a little sensitive at the moment, We're talking full tears, and uncertainty about if it was still too soon..." Kelly says as he places his arm around me.

"But I assured her that summer will be fine with my mom, contrary to a sobbing Stella, Summer was more than happy to realise she was at grandmas and grandads when we dropped her off" he tells them both as he plants a kiss to my temple as we all make our way inside.

"I just... I've never left her before. Not by choice anyway, not even for five minutes. And now it's, like, the whole day." I say cuddling into Kelly as he rubs my arm.