Continuum

III.

Simone parks a great distance from the campus, since we arrive too late to claim the good parking spots. She kisses her teeth in annoyance as she kills the engine and yanks her keys out of the ignition. "We could've gotten our usual spot if you weren't so fixated on having the perfect wash and go. That's exactly why I did the big chop," Simone murmurs while gathering her belongings and securing the things she plans to leave in the car.

"My hair has finally gained some length. I'm not used to having this much hair to work with," I explain, flipping it over my shoulder for dramatic effect. She just gives me a frown as she gets out and slams her car door. I can't help but chuckle at how miffed she is at being late. Personally, I don't care about punctuality. Maybe it's the senioritis.

It's 8:37 exactly, and my first class, health, started seven minutes ago. I don't need to be there bright and early to teach myself with the textbook. I drag my feet across the parking lot toward the main building, moving at half the speed of my short-haired sister, who is power walking to her first period class. She's already late, yet she's determined to get to class as soon as possible. I slightly miss having that second-year motivation.

As I stroll through the lot, I watch fellow late schoolmates either hurry toward the huge two story, pale brick establishment, or take their time like me. It's bittersweet knowing that my days here at Hanover High are coming to an end, and the only people I can attribute to getting me through it are Nolan, Aspen and Kalila.

During my first year here, we all had freshman seminar as our first period class in the auditorium. Nolan and Kalila would moan and groan about how horribly boring the class was, while Aspen would gush in my ear about the cute boys in the room. I'm still surprised that I became friends with any of them; they weren't the model peers that every adult told me I should have. They're quite horrible influences in fact, but that's what makes them fun.

Once I finally reach the glass doors that lead into the building, I sigh, dreading the long day ahead of me. I walk past the front desk with a silent gaze of greeting toward the security lounging behind it. In my three years of going to this school, I've never seen them take their jobs seriously. The school is basically run by us. Seniors like Kalila and Nolan are prime examples of the way students do what we please within these four walls. Those delinquents are always getting into trouble. It's not unusual to see them wandering around the building instead of going to class.

Hopefully, the two of them are sticking to their usual routines and are roaming presently, because I'd like to talk about last night before I get immersed in my studies for the day. The building's dim, fluorescent lights and grey painted walls make me feel like a prisoner. As I proceed through the locker covered halls, my head begins to ache slightly. I make a mental note to take some pain medicine during lunch. I reach the senior locker corridor, stopping in front of my black locker covered in peeling stickers. My fingers quickly spin the combination and swing the door open.

After tossing in what I don't need and taking out what I do, I slam the locker door shut to see Kalila standing before me. I jump, startled, my heart pounding against my ribs. "Shit, Kalila! Don't sneak up on me like that."

She chuckles halfheartedly. "You've got to pay attention more, Sabes. You'll get caught slipping if you don't." Kalila is always so laid back. It's a characteristic of hers that I wish I could take on sometimes. She nibbles on the thick red straw she's indulging in her bubble tea with. Her face is calm, but her brown eyes are sharp as she watches someone from down the hall.

"Have you seen Nolan yet today? He's probably late like us, and I want to talk to him about last night." I stand straight with my weight evenly distributed on both feet so that I appear serious, and not lackadaisical like her. Kalila's dark, slim eyes snap sharply from whoever she was looking at straight into mine. Her makeup is colorful instead of her usual natural look. It vastly compliments her dark brown skin tone.