Best Years of Our Lives

Vivianne drummed her fingers on the smooth surface of the fake wood that made up all cheap public high school desks. The sound was soft enough that it did not bother her classmates, though this was honestly not luck, but instead the byproduct of keeping one’s nails so short that they did not grow past your fingertips. “Kept” being sort of a lie, because it wasn’t really a decision she made for practicality, but the result of having anxiety.

She was a pretty anxious person and she had plenty of reason to be, being both the school’s one and only goth girl and one of the few openly gay girls. To say she got a lot of shit for her lifestyle would be an understatement. It was so bad that it made health class hell on earth for her, especially when they talked about sexuality, and it seemed today was her lucky day. Mr. Cooper had apparently decided to plan the whole 80 min lesson around the LGBTQ community. Now, with only 15 minutes to spare, she was begging the gods of time to make this class end by now. Unfortunately, it seemed no one was hearing her prayers, so nervous tapping would have to suffice…

@ CallMeKael
Alice walked into the main office and looked at the secretary. She was old and every time she coughed Alice was sure she spat ash onto her desk. After asking for the principal the old lady pointed to a chair and told her to sit. Alice did so and nervously hugged her backpack to her body. She had switched schools because of something that had happened at the last school. Something she desperately wanted to forget. Hopefully she could. After a ten minute wait the principal called her in and gave her the normal welcome to our school, we're excited to have you, and blah blah blah. After another five minutes passed and she was excused to go to math class. Alice thanked him and left.

Walking through the halls she could tell people were looking at her strangely. Hopefully it was because she was the new girl and not because she was out of place. God, she was a nervous wreck right now. She walked into math and sat in the second row. The teacher was there and he smiled as he wrote a few things on the board. Alice wanted this day to be over so she could go back home to her bed and curl up in it.

“One dreadful class to another” Vivianne thought to herself, truly wondering why she hadn’t dropped out of high school at this rate with how she hated it so. She shrugged it off and walked to her locker to get her notebook from her locker before heading to math class. She was failing the class horribly to the point that summer school was going to be inevitable, so why not be late? It’s not like her grade could get any worse. Plus, nothing interesting ever happened in that class anyways—it’s math. With that she reluctantly pulled the book from its hiding space within her locker, slammed it shut and made her way to class.

“You’re late once again Miss Hayle” Mr. Anderson said, bitterness infecting his voice. Vivianne was just about to reply with something smart when her eyes landed on a face she thought she’d never see again— Alice Graceson.

@ CallMeKael
Alice could relax a little since she was in a class she was good at. Math had always been her strong point which is why she decided to look into going into engineering. Turning to the page in her book she prepares herself for the days class. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad. Mr. Anderson began teaching when the door opened and in walked someone she had not seen in years. Vivianne Hayle. Grace tried to give her a smile as Mr. Anderson pointed to the one empty desk next to her and told her to copy her notes.

Alice opened her notebook and showed Vivi where they were and allowed her to copy any notes she needed. Things were going to be awkward now weren't they? She thought to herself as she turned back to the lecture.

Vivianne sat in the only open seat she could find, which happened to be right next to Alice Graceson. Alice and she had been best friends up til the fifth grade when she left the school system. Something about her parents’ jobs was all Vivianne could recall, but what she did remember was how easily it seemed she had cut her off. Now she was back for god knows what reason, but she honestly didn’t care. She may be sitting right next to Alice, but that didn’t mean anything. Neither did the smile she faked back at her, since she let it fall from her face only moments after it had formed. Call her bitter, but she wasn’t one to easily forgive abandonment, especially since she had always been an oddball, making Alice her only friend at the time. To be left hanging without even a phone call here and there had been tough on her 10 year old self, so she was perfectly fine with holding a grudge six years later.

So, she made it seem like she copied her notes, but instead doodled on the page for a couple minutes before nodding for Alice to take them back.

@ CallMeKael
Alice sat there and took notes diligently. Although she seemed calm she was freaking out a little. When she had to to move she had to leave Vivi behind and she could tell that she hadn't taken too kindly to that. Now she really wanted to go home and get away from this place. The class ended and before she could leave the teacher called the two of them to his desk. Mr. Anderson looked at the two of them. "Ms. Hayle you're failing this class, Ms. Graceson you killed it today and your teacher from your last school had nothing but praise for you. So you're going to tutor Ms. Hayle and attempt to get her to pass before the year ends. Also Ms. Hayle here is a form for your parents to sign each day you have tutoring, or else I am giving them a phone call. You two are dismissed." he told them as he went back to grading homework. Grace left the classroom, she had a feeling things between them were going to get a lot worse.

"Thank you Mr. Anderson for being the biggest piece of shit on planet earth." Vivianne thought to herself as she listened to her teacher blabber on about forcing her into tutoring with someone she genuinely wanted nothing to do with. He didn't know shit about her or her life, so who was he to make such decisions? Plus, she was certain that even with the world's great tutor that her grades could not be saved. Why couldn't he just realize that and let her have the easy way out? She would honestly much rather go through summer school than deal with both Mr. Anderson AND Alice. She thought about this as she grabbed her bag and followed Alice out of the room, making sure to put enough space between the two of the them to show that they weren't friendly acquaintances, let alone friends.

@ CallMeKael
Alice stopped and looked at Vivi. She wasn't quite sure just how to approach her with this. "I guess the best way would be for us to swap phone numbers and find out when I or you can come over for this to work." Alice said as a nervous smile covered her face. Vivi was making it very clear just how much she detested her right now. Alice's mind wondering why Mr. Anderson had decided to put the two of them together at all.

Vivianne flashed a smile back, though it screamed of anger and distaste. "No that won't be necessary." She said, staring down her old friend. "I'm just going to fail this class regardless, so I'm going to being tutoring of any sort. Mr. Anderson just has too big of an ego to be okay with having a student fail. You might know a thing or two about the teachers here if you didn't hop from place to place. Now excuse me, I really have to be going." And with that Vivianne moved past and walked away from Alice before the other girl could get another word in.

@ CallMeKael
Alice's blood began to boil. She was already nervous from entering this school and now the one girl she knew was acting like a bitch just because they hadn't talked in a few years. "I'm sorry alright! I'm sorry I never called! But you're being such a bitch!" Alice screamed at her as she walked off.

(Posts will be shorter. On mobile)

(WOW APOLOGIES. I JUST REALIZED I FORGOT YOU REPLIED.)

Vivianne laughed loudly as she heard Alice scream that she was being a bitch. Oh how mature of her, making a scene on the very first day she showed up. Plus, did she honestly think that Vivianne gave a fuck about being a bitch? Hell yeah she was a bitch. She wore that label with pride. And honestly "being a bitch" was destined to happen, since people treated her like shit 24/7. When one is endlessly treated terribly, they tend to give it back. So Vivianne did just that and took on an "I don't give a fuck" attitude towards the rest of the world. Bitch faces and death glares were her specialty, and she served them constantly to all those around her. People treated her horribly, but she treated them just as badly, and she was proud of that. So, as she strutted away she yelled back "Hell yeah I'm a bitch!", laughing once more when a teacher tried to reprimand her for using "obscene language".

@ CallMeKael
Alice stood there dumbfounded. How could Vivi have kept a grudge for this long? She had moved and that was that. There was nothing more that she could have done to have helped the situation. God, Vivi was being such a little twat. Alice moved through the rest of her day at almost a painfully slow pace. When school let out she got in her tiny little beetlebug car and then drove home. Her parents weren't home so she kicked her shoes off and then got under the covers of her bed and fell asleep almost as soon as she hit the pillow.