Girl Meets Closet

Chapter 2: Girl Meets Hospital

------Jason's POV------

Thank God for alternating schedules, I thought. Due to each student having ten classes, the need was such that every day I would switch classes, calling them Red and Yellow Days, as those were our school colors.

This meant that I was able to avoid the Drama Squad all of yesterday, because I had Math, Guitar, Dance, Graphics, and Sign Language. Yellow days were definitely my favorite, all my electives were today, minus math, which I was pretty good at.

But unfortunately, it wasn't Friday, so I had one final day of school before the weekend, and I sure wasn't looking forward to it.

After shutting my locker, I made my way to History, dreading what was going to happen when I walked in.

I still wasn't sure how I felt about interacting with the Drama Squad, so I hadn't texted Lucas, and had avoided Topanga's and the main hallways of the high school to keep out of sight.

When I got close, I froze, looking from side to side, before smiling as none of the Squad were there yet.

Hopefully they'll have forgotten about me by now, I thought to myself.

Of course, life is a cruel mistress and when I entered the Squad was all seated, talking with each other, and I was the only other one there.

I tried to back out of the class slowly before anyone noticed.

"Hey! Jason!" Lucas called, looking up and smiling.

Oh poop. Here we go again.

"...Hey, guys," I said through my teeth. "...How's it going?"

"Oh things are wonderful, just great. The sun is shining, it's a beautiful day, the birds are singing-"

"Ok, Riles, that's enough outta you," Maya said, putting a hand over her mouth.

I just stared at Riley, a small smile on my face, before making my way past them to sit in my seat.

"So, Jason," Smackle began, "do you really believe in reincarnation?"

"Smackle!" Riley gasped, scolding her. "You can't just ask-"

"No, no, it's fine Riley," I said, shaking my head, and taking a deep breath before speaking. "Truth is Smackle, I'm not sure what I believe. I see evidence for reincarnation, miracles, and divinity. But I also see that the world around me is a dark place, and only seems to be getting darker."

"But what about all the good?" Lucas asked.

"Well, I see that too, like Riley said, the birds are singing, the sun is out, and it's a beautiful day. That's something that shouldn't be ignored."

"Huh," Zay said, tilting his head.

Farkle and Riley copied him in turn.

"And the bad?" Maya asked.

I smiled sadly, "Like I said last class, sometimes marriages don't work out. People get hurt, and if people change people it's not always for the better, physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually."

"How can you say all this and not know what you believe?" Farkle asked me. "I'm a man of science, but I know what I believe in."

I stopped to think for a moment. "Because-"

The bell rang, and Mr. Matthews began class.

I stayed quiet this time, content to listen and watch, but checked my phone every now and again, hoping against hope that the notification wouldn't show up, yet hoping for it at the same time.