Chapter 1
Winter hit again like never before. New kids moved into the houses of the kids who were in the snowball war last year. The new kids were picking up the snow and molding them into snowballs and throwing at one another. I didn’t bother to play with them. I was too old. 14 came faster than I wanted to. High School was coming on next year and I wouldn’t have anyone next year.
Yvonne, Max and Rae are all going to Bridger High School. Quinn, Ben, and Jhon are going to Saltzer High School. I’m going to Pebble. No one from the group is going there. The only person that I know that is going there is Hedi but I don’t talk to her anymore. Hedi and Max’s relationship was the definition of toxic. Ben and I dated at the end of the year last year but then we kinda broke up. Max asked me out and I accepted. I’m still dating him but he doesn’t really act like we’re dating.
Ever since the end of last year I kinda just faded out of popularity. I stopped caring about it. They took me out of the cheer team because I stopped caring. That was a long time ago. I still feel happy. Like my sister just got married and I was the Maid of Honor. I was smiling and happy for that. But then at school I walk around sad all the time. But I’m happy. I don’t know what I’m feeling anymore.
Today was the first day of 8th grade and I wanted to get over my sadness and feel happy again. I rolled out the bed and looked in the mirror. My hair was out in all different directions making it impossible for me to wear my hair down today. I managed to brush it up all into a ponytail. I got dressed and headed downstairs grabbing the toast that I had put into the toaster earlier.
The moment I opened the door Rae and Jhon met me outside. “Are you guys ready to rule the school this year?” Rae said, putting her arms around me and Jhon. “Hell yeah! 8th grade is our year! I just know it!” Jhon said. I smiled at both of them and we went on our way to school.
Once we got to school 6th graders filled the halls trying to find there classes. “Why is there so many sixth graders!” Quinn said coming over to us. “Quinn!” Rae and Jhon said running over to Quinn giving her the biggest hug. We hadn’t seen her all summer. She went on a month long cruise to the bahamas. “Ben is here!” Quinn yelled over the loud noises of the sixth graders. “What!?” We all said. “Yeah! He got held back last year because of how much school he missed when he went missing!” Quinn said. “Who went missing!?” a small 6th grader said looking up at us terrified. “Oh, no one. Were talking about a movie!” Rae said to the little kid.
What if that kid experienced the snowball war. The image of what had happened last year replayed in my mind. I remembered The feeling of making snowballs, building a fort, running away, finding Ben. I remember it all too well. If Ii ever encountered Abigal again, I don’t know what I would do.
“Hey Lia, are you good?” I heard a familiar voice say from behind me. I turned over quickly and saw Max. Something was different. I couldn’t tell what though. His appearance seemed to look the same, he was just different.
“Huh? Oh, yeah I’m fine, just thinking about something.” I said, shaking my head trying to brush it off.
“Okay. I just wanted to make sure.” He said, giving me a side hug.
The bell had rung and I walked to my first period. I grabbed the large headphones from my bag and hung them over my head. Music seemed to be the only thing that could get me out of my feelings. The snowball war just seemed to be the only thing that I have been able to think about. I could only seem to think about the bad things. I couldn’t remember all of the times that I have actually felt good in that time.
I walked into the classroom and stood to the side as the teacher began to sort her students. I listened to the song playing into my ears. I chose the song because it was so real. There was nothing to be sad about but I just felt that way. The song Sad Happy just was exactly how I felt.
“Lia?” I heard the teacher say but I couldn’t hear the song.
“What?” I said a little bit louder that I was expecting.
“Your seat. Hey, no headphones in class!” she snapped
“Sorry.”I said.
With no music then I don’t even know how I’m going to even pass english. I need music to think, write, read. I don’t know what I’ll do. I slumped into my seat with a mood on l=my face. I had to sit next to this one guy who really needs braces and then this girl who was already passed out on the desk. I threw my face into my hands wondering how I would ever make it this year. I watched as the other kids found there seats. But one of the names sounded familiar. Something that startled me when I heard it. Something that I didn’t want to hear.
“Abigal Beatricks?”
