New Kid on the Block *h.s [completed]

Chapter 110

First day of senior year- September 2017

I step foot into school again for the first time in two months. It feels like nostalgia and deja vu all at once; bittersweet memories. This summer was one of the best, the most memorable with the people I love most and I'll never forget it.

Maddie and Ashton travelled to Pennsylvania to reunite with Carter, Harry, and myself. My childhood best friends met my newest friends; Jack, Amber, and of course, Carter had to introduce them to Jennifer.

We spent Ashton's 17th birthday in downtown Philadelphia as per his request. It was on that sunny, midsummer afternoon that I noticed how truly alike Ashton and Jack are. Both physically and personality wise, it struck me that maybe that's why I always felt a warmth towards Jack. That maybe it was because, in some way, it felt like I already knew him.

The 4 of us California-natives all tried a Philly cheese steak for the first time from a street vendor- Ashton devoured it and loved every single bite, just like Harry told him he would. We busied ourselves for the rest of the afternoon in coffee shops and cafes, taking posed and candid pictures in back alleys, in front of vintage diners, in parks, and doing whatever we felt like doing in that moment. It was like spring break in California, only this time it was summer in Pennsylvania.

During the two weeks that Maddie and Ashton stayed with us, Carter and I moved downstairs to the basement with them. It became 1 huge sleepover ever night, and for those evenings, it was like the move and my dad's job transfer never happened.

Now, however, is the first day of my senior year. It marks the start of an entirely new era of my life. I've come in through the same side door that I always left through last year.

As I walk, I see a tall, skinny-legged, dark haired boy emerge from the gymnasium doors. Harry falls in beside me, matching his foot falls for my own.

"Morning, sunshine." He greets me with a charismatic smile, his one dimple making a deep indent in his cheek.

"Do you want to be called an 'asshole' on the first day of school this year, too?" I respond cheekily, arching my eyebrows as I reference our second meeting on the first day of our junior year.

"Ouch." Harry holds a hand to his heart, pretending to wince. "Damn Pipe, senior year changed you."

"I want summer." I complain, crossing my arms over my body in a childish huff.

"And I want to be 18, but we can't always have everything we want, now can we?" He counters, mocking my annoyed, gruff tone.

I stop walking, tilting my head to stare up at him. I slowly narrow my eyes at him, pulling my cheek in between my teeth and tensing my lower jaw.

"You know you still look 16, right?" I say, fighting against my twitching lips.

"I do not!" Harry protests, loudly. His eyes widen instantly, showing a circle of white around the green.

"You do so." I reply quietly, beginning to walk forward again, without even looking to see if he's following me- which I know he is.

I'm not as nervous today as I was last year, and I feel even calmer now that I've seen Harry. As we walk, now side by side again, Jack and Amber appear from the cafeteria doors. We greet each other with smiles, and together we all walk past the head office, towards the classrooms.

A few feet away from the office and the main entry/exit doors, we pass the trophy case that I accidentally walked into one the first day of school last year- coincidentally enough, the date falls exactly 12 months to the day.