I sighed as I walked down the completely boring hallways of the high school. School had started little over a week ago and I still found myself not used to the routine. Students lined the halls, immersing themselves with others in conversation, or making a quick stop at their locker.

I sauntered over to mine, and quickly opened it. I grabbed the books to my Calculus and Psychology class before closing my locker. I jumped back a little, my breath completely leaving me. Cayde was leaning against the locker next to me.

“You scared me,” I said breathlessly.

He laughed. “Sorry.” A wide grin spread it’s way across his face. “Heading off to Calc?”

I nodded. “What about you?”

“Espanol cinco,” he said, accenting his words.

“Fun, fun,” I said sarcastically.

“You know it,” he said with a chuckle in his voice.

I was taken aback when I first found out Cayde and April moved to my school. April said it had something to do with their parents getting frustrated at their old high school, and she somehow managed to get transferred here. What really took me back was that I found out April and Cayde are brother and sister. Not just that, but twins.

Apart, you would never notice. But seeing those two standing next to each other, I could see the resemblance. They both share green eyes and blonde hair, although Cayde’s eyes are closer to a shade of emerald green and his hair is a much more tired, dirty blonde color.

“Well, I’ll see you later, Austin.” Cayde shot me a sly smile, winked, and walked away from me. I smiled softly and continued walking toward the Calculus room. Considering the interesting night at the party during the summer, where I almost lost my virginity to him after only knowing him for one night, I instantly thought it would be hard to get over the awkwardness between us. But Cayde made it effortless. It was as if that night never existed. And now, we’re on our way to being friends. Something I could live with, considering the only friend I ever had…

I took my seat in the almost full class room. Mrs. Lauret was standing in front of the dry erase board, scribbling words and numbers in some foreign math language. Well, not completely foreign. Pre-Calculus had prepared me for it, but honestly, I didn’t retain much from last year. That was actually of my own choosing. I pretty much decided to erase all of last year from my memory. I gulped. My thoughts were starting to cross over the border line of unsafe memories.

“If you could please turn to page ten,” Mrs. Lauret trilled, pulling out the teacher’s text book from behind a podium. “Your homework will be numbers one through thirty. Due tomorrow at the beginning of class.” And with that, the bell rang and every one was heading for the door.

April was waiting for me, as usual, outside by the door. “Ready for Psych?” she asked.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I moaned.

She laughed and took her place by my side as we headed to Psychology on the opposite side of the building. “So, what’s new?” April smiled up at me.

I shrugged. “Same old, same old. You?”

“Oh, barely surviving school. God, it just started and I feel like I’ve been in here for months!” She complained. I nodded in agreement. “But you wouldn’t believe who was talking to me earlier.”

“And who would that be?” I asked, trying to sound as interested as I could. I found it easy to absorb myself in April’s gossip in order to get my mind off of my own issues. Well, issue, really. I scolded myself for my thinking leading down that dangerous road.

“Scott Walker!” she squealed. I pictured the newly appointed ‘man on campus’, Scott Walker. He’s the typical tall, extremely muscular, popular blonde jock. “He came up to me because he got switched into my Pre-Calculus class, and he wanted to say hello.”

I smiled at her bright expression. April is so easily pleased. “That’s great.”

“Better than great,” she disagreed. “Amazing! He’s hot!”

I laughed. As much as I hate to admit it, April has some sort of way of making problems vanish. She just puts off that carefree vibe, which is something I could definitely use.

“Okay, so I was talking to my manager and I guess we’re a little shorthanded at the Starbucks. I may have put in a word or two about you and he really wants you to join us.” The sudden outburst and confession caught me off guard.

“Wh-what? You mean, I got a job?” I gawked.

She nodded. “Well, you’ll be a trainee. As in, you’ll just learn the ropes and such, and he’ll decide from there, but I know you’ll do fine.”

For one split second, I felt happy. Pure happiness. “I’d love that! Thank you so much!” I wanted to jump up and down like a little girl and clap my hands.

“Haha, no problem.” She smiled but then her mood seemed to deplete. “Well, here we are.”

I groaned as we made our way into the Psychology class room.

This is perfect. Just what I need. A way to stay away from the confines of my room. A way to earn some money. A way to clear my head, if only for a few hours. Every time I think about that menacing day, I can’t help but shudder. It’s like my heart was slowly ripped out of my chest and torn, piece by piece, until nothing but shreds remain. And I’m left with nothing but a pile of scraps. He may not want me, but that doesn’t mean my feelings will ever change. They won’t. Ever. What else is there, when I’ve lost the truest of true loves? Nothing, at all.