ONE TIME THING ✸ Scott Reed

1

Today was Rachel Dempsey's first day of Senior year, she had Sheri and her brother Zach along with his friends, she had been feeling pretty good about this year.

She walked into the school and went to her locker.

Zach approached her, "Holy shit," he mumbled under his breath

"what?" Rae turned around to see Alex and Jessica.

"i'll take that." Zach grabs Alex's backpack off his back. "I can carry my own books"

"Well clearly you cant so let me help--don't be a dick,"  smiling, "and welcome back,"

"Thank you."

Rae turned on her heels, resting a hand on her shoulder, "and how are you?"

Jessica's eyes widened, "Rae! God, I've missed you."

"I'd miss me too."

"I meant to ask you guys about my note." Alex spoke,

Jessica and Rae each furrowed their eyebrows in confusion. "What note?" They all stopped at Jessica's locker.

"Yeah, what note?"

"My suicide note," He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket.

"Jesus, Alex!" Rae exclaimed,

"Put that away." Zach covers his hand, making sure no one was looking. Jessica takes her jacket off as she turns to look at Zach,

"It's not radioactive," Alex assured them.

"no I know, its just.. we aren't allowed to talk about suicide," Zach states,

 "Or you, Or Hannah," Rae added on, nodding.

"Says who?" Asks Jessica,

"the school."

"They made a rule after the day, you..." sighing, Jessica and Alex turn their full attention to Zach. "After that day.."

"If you talk about it, You get suspended." Rae blurted out, finishing for Zach. He gave her a look. 

"That's so fucked up,"

"Yeah," she agreed.

"Oh shit," Jessica groaned. "Let's go, who do you have first period? Mr. Wood?" Zach tries to get Alex to move, "Yeah, I can't turn that fast."

"what are you running from, Zach?" Jessica looks at him with confusion, obviously not intimidated by Montgomery, Scott, and Bryce walking their way, 

"nothing,"

Rae turned around, along with them. Right as Rae turned around an annoying voice called after them,

"Hey! Jess and Alex, Welcome back you guys." Bryce hollered, Rae groaned, Jessica and alex rolling their eyes, They turn around out of dread, hoping they could've gotten away,

 "What's up, Alex? Rae. Jess." Montgomery greeted,

"Seriously? 'Welcome back'?" Alex scoffed at them.

Montgomery and Scott continue their conversation.  "Alex, stop,"

"I'll see you guys after third." Jessica huffed, "I'm gonna take the long way, it's gonna be a good day." Jessica smiles, 

Rae found herself looking at the boy she hadn't noticed before, his sunkissed skin with his dirty blonde hair and a smile that could make any girl swoon. "I told you not to do that, man."

♡

"Welcome everyone, I am Mrs. Michaels and I am the Algebra one teacher here at Liberty."

"I'm going to assign you all partners, those partners will be yours for the rest of the semester, next semester you can choose your partners but as for now, Montgomery and Bryce, Leigh and Kate, Ryan and Thomas, Emma and Rose, Scott and Rachel, and lastly, Sheri and Haven."

Montgomery and Bryce fist-bumped eachother, Haven and Sheri smiled at eachother, going to sit down as Rae glanced over at Scott to see Montgomery patting his shoulder as the trio stared at her, Montgomery and Bryce smirk as Montgomery whispers something in Scott's ear, Rae rolled her eyes and went to sit down. She threw her backpack on the ground next to her desk and relaxed back into her chair.

"Hey, uh, I'm Scott." He reached his hand out,

"That's nice." She smiled sarcastically, the smile on his face faded as she looked back up and said, "I'm Rae." shaking his hand.

"That's nice." he teased, a grin on his face. Rae smiled lightly, once more, relaxing back into her seat once more as she listened to the woman she found annoying speak.

♡

"--Mrs. Martino was like 'stop talking Zachary!' and I wasn't even talking! And now she says if I 'do it again', I'll get detention." Zach ranted, putting air quotes around 'do it again'

"Yeah man, I don't know." Alex shrugs. 

Jessica turned to Rae, "I've seen how you keep looking over at the baseball team's table, which one do you have your eye on?" 

 Rae rolled her eyes playfully. "None of them."

She raised her eyes brows in amusement. "Come on, just tell me."

"As I said," she broke out into a grin, "No one."