#SquadGoals

"What even is a dunkoff?"

I walk into the next class. No one I really know is there, so I sit down next to a stranger. The stranger couldn't care less about me, as she talks to the person sitting on the other side of her.

"Aislinn talked to me about who she liked!" one says.

"Oh, obviously. She told me two weeks ago!"

"What? That dunkoff!"

"That what, Shea?" Both the girls laugh together, but they're cut short by the bell. A new teacher, with blonde hair and petite figure, walks in.

"Settle down, class," she says boldly. Everyone quiets down, but I hear the faint giggles of the two girls next to me.

"Yes, Sierra, that includes you," the teacher says, slightly annoyed.

"Oh! Oh, sorry Mrs. Clinton," she says. Her voice is soft yet bubbly and excited. I look to her and see her smiling, her long black hair in two braids, and her bright blue eyes shining brightly. It seems she exudes brightness and happiness, which is surprising, considering she hangs out with Aislinn.

The class ends after seemingly 10 consecutive hours of talking of properties of powers. Sierra turns to me after the noise of the class builds.

"Hi! Sorry I didn't see you during class..." she pauses, smiling as someone calls her name, then directing her attention back to me, "...rude of me."

I smile: "Oh, that's fine! Nice to meet you, though!"

She smiles back at me, shoving Shea, causing her to emit a muffled scream and turn to me.

"Oh, hi! Nice to meet you! I'm Shaylee, but call me Shea because personally i think that sounds much cooler." She holds her hand out to me. She looks like Aislinn, with red hair and freckles. I take her hand.

"Cool, nice to meet you, Shea! Um, I'm Avery, I'm kinda new here.." I look at Shea again, furrowing my brows. Shea releases me hand and pushes her curly locks behind her ear.

"Oh, and yes, I do infact look like my twin sister, Aislinn."

"Ohhh," I say.

"Yeah," She replies. "We're actually from Canada, but we moved here because-"

Sierra cuts her off: "Because, well, it's too long of a story to tell and we need to get to our next class. Nice meeting you, Avery!" They both wave, smiling as they leave. I smile too.

They don't seem like the people to hang out with Aislinn, nonetheless be siblings. I guess you can't judge someone until you meet them.

*****

The rest of the day goes by quickly, sharing little conversations with Iko, Alayah, and sometimes Sierra. Something about her, Sierra, and her piercing eyes, and bouncy and bubbly body movements, and her funny comments, make me extremely happy. Maybe her happiness rubs off on me? It's such a weird feeling, but I can imagine us being best friends in another dimension, even though we had just met hours previous.

But, beating all of the conversations, and all of the people I talked to (sorry, Iko. Listen, your skateboarding is cool, but did you really need those crutches?) was Rilee. No. Not the pink-haired, bombastic personality, crazy laugh Riley, but the coffee brown eyed, wide smiled, fun and happy spirited Riley. Everytime I see him I feel unprepared, unworthy. But every time he says, 'Avery!' it all goes away, like dust in the wind. (which is a song he likes, actually) He is always in my mind, and it's embarrassing to even think that, because I know that I wouldn't be in his. I think Alayah could tell I was in a funk, because during lunch, she playfully punches me on the shoulder.

"Hey, girl, what's up? You look like you're in some kind of funk. You okay?"

I nod. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Alayah raises her brows. "Listen, even I know when people says-" she puts her fingers up in 'quotations' "-'I'm fine,' I know they always lying." I smile.

"Yeah, you're right. It's just..."

"What?" her face changes, as if there was a lightbulb above her head. "Oh, I know it. I know it. I know it. You're in. LOVE!"

"Shhhhh!" I hiss, "I'm not in love! I'm sixteen! Calm down!"

She lets out a laugh. "Oh, I knew it! The way you look at him, the way your face gets all red!"

I bury my face in my hands.

"Please, Alayah, don't tell him. Please." I beg her.

She waves a hand at me. "Please, Avery, Iko doesn't have a clue."

I lift my head up, staring at Alayah.

"Iko?! What?" I blurt out.

Alayah gives me a confused look. "That's who we're talking about, right?"

I shake my head like mad. "No, Alayah! We're talking about Rilee!"

"What about me?"

Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.