By The Ocean;

Chapter 2

"...Beautiful lady." Lauren smiled inherently when she remembered just what the young woman spoke out of, was she really beautiful? She shook her head off and continued on focusing her mind for the enrollment for the "Senior High School" year, which made her feel uncertain. It was another year of endless possibilities of being the most interesting and at the same time, unlikable stares of the different kinds of people or rather, the normal human beings. She gripped onto her steering wheel tightly, only to realize she was having another panic attack.

"Great." Lauren huffed out angrily, she banged her head on the steering wheel while the traffic was in the way. Breathing in and out heavily, she was suddenly interrupted by the sound of the horns clapping behind her repeatedly. She instantly gassed the pedal hard and made her way out embarrassingly, after getting out of the embarrassment she bit her lip anxiously as she was almost on her destination, the tragic place of where leads to certain deaths and interesting things. The School.

Lauren parked her qualifying beaut somewhere in the corner, where she can handle to be able to survive the anxiousness she was always feeling. Staring into conclusions, she looked to her side and saw a sticky note clinging onto her bag. She furrowed her eyebrows at the sight and grabbed it, it had a smiley face written on it, suspecting it was her mother's wonder. The young lady rolled her eyes playfully and made her way out to the door, lifting her bag and bringing it onto her shoulders. She moved her hair to the side and fixed everything that was needed to be done in her appearance, she turned to look at the hundreds of people out there, and it sure was crowded. Lauren bit her lip harshly and just made her way straight ahead to where the lines were officially launched.

Making her way through countless obstacles or rather, a tragedy community of people. Lauren stood at where the line was last modified, she immediately unlocked her phone and looked everywhere to check if she might know someone from her 'Junior Year' but none was existent. She didn't bother to even look nor stare into people's eyes, she was too anxious and it would be an awkward way to do. She licked her lips as she waited for the enrollment to even process immediately, anxiously waiting she used her earphones to avoid the annoying sounds of people talking from ear to ear. She gently tapped her shoes on the ground repeatedly, as to get her anxiety off her body.

"Lauren?" A familiar voice from behind was heard by Lauren, she instantly removed one of the other sides of her earphones and tilted her head to the back and was surprised to finally see one of her bestest friends.

"Normani!" She shouted happily, not minding what the others would think. She let out an admirable smile and gave her friend the softest hug she could ever give, Normani then reciprocated the hug.

"It's been a long time since we actually seen each other, don't you think?" Normani chuckled out lightly, making Lauren smile widely.

"It is, I was locked up in my room with some dark matters that I've always dealt with. What a summer, isn't it?" Lauren laughed out.

"Oh Lauren, you never told me a thing about your mental state after we separated ways in 'Junior Year'." Normani replied sadly, and Lauren looked down to her shoes.

"I know, I'm sorry, Mani. I was just too complicated to even handle at those times, and it was eating me alive. I didn't want to get in the way of everyone and everything around me. Especially you guys, you all mean the world to me you know?" Lauren let out sadly, making Normani instantly smile sadly and gave her a warm embrace.

"It's okay, Laur. I do understand your side, but you still could've told me too, right?" Normani reciprocated.

"I know, Mani." Lauren smiled sadly.

"Oh, c'mere." Normani teasingly laughed out and rubbed Lauren's head over and over again, making Lauren chuckle a little bit too loud that it caused an attentive breakout.