I Am Still Painting Flowers for You

"Dad, do you happen to know where Dulaney High School is?" Makena Rae looked at her dad through her shades as he made a sharp right without any warning.
"Sweetie, I went to that high school, of course I know where it is!" And on cue, Makena Rae spotted her new high school in her old town. She saw cars parked around the whole thing. Her dad dropped her off at the foot of the stairs and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Parent-teacher conference is next week. I should call Abigail to inform her." Makena Rae nodded and looked away as she thought about how her mother ditched her for some hot shot in Virginia, leaving her father to fend for them both.
"Yeah okay. Bye dad." She got out the car quickly and walked up the stairs to the main office. A student helper welcomed Makena Rae as she came in.
"Welcome to Dulaney High School, how can I assist?" She showed her pearly white teeth and smiled at Makena Rae.
"I'm new here and I was told I needed to find someone named Lisa Ruocco to help me find my way through the school."
"I'm Lisa Ruocco!" She beamed, "Let me just check you off and we'll be on our way!" She grabbed a clipboard and a map of the school before coming out from behind the counter.
"You're obviously not Jacob Walker, so you must be.. Makena Rae Addams?" Makena Rae nodded and Lisa smiled.
"Well follow me Makena Rae!" Lisa practically bounced out of the main office, Makena Rae tagging along.
"So where you from Makena Rae?" Lisa asked as she flipped through the clipboard and handed Makena Rae the map of the school.
"I'm from England."
"You have such a cute accent. My boyfriend is from England but he doesn't have that cute accent which sucks." Lisa pouted and pointed out a finger in the direction of the cafeteria.
"That's the cafeteria, but you probably would have guessed since it clearly says 'cafeteria' all over it." Makena Rae laughed. They walked a little further before they stopped in the middle of an intersection.
"Science hall," Lisa said as she pointed toward her right, "Foreign Languages" she said as she pointed to her left. They walked until they reached a staircase that led directly towards the upper half of the school.
"This is the Math hallway and English is just around the corner." She said as she pointed to the map and highlighted it with different colors.
"Lemme see your schedule." Makena Rae handed Lisa the schedule and she examined it carefully.
"Oh you only have even days just like me! We also have the same classes together and that's including lunch. Okay, since you don't actually need any 'real' classes, I'll take you to what you need on your schedule. First up is Music!" Lisa grabbed a hold of Makena Rae's wrist and dragged her quickly down the steps and around the corner to a small hallway that was decorated in music notes and posters of operas that Makena Rae had never heard of.
"I forgot to mention, today is an odd day, which means you need to fill your schedule up with something that's extracurricular. For example, I work in the office, my best friend works as an English assistant and my best guy friends work at a ice-cream store alongside my boyfriend. You could try the art department because I glanced at your records and you my dear, have amazingly wicked talent." She winked at Makena Rae who just blushed and murmured a thank you.
"Music room, down that little hall is the Art room and you already know where the cafeteria is and your last class is French 3 with yours truly." She smiled and walked back to the main office. A girl with a fairly nice complexion came through the front doors and hurdled herself at Lisa who hobbled over but regain her balance once again.
"Kara!" Lisa playfully squealed as Kara jumped onto her back. Kara glanced up as she finally noticed Makena Rae awkwardly standing there.
"Who is this adorable little creature? Your outfit is by far the cutest thing I have ever seen!" Kara squealed from her position on Lisa's back.
"Kara, this is Makena Rae, Makena Rae, this is my best friend Kara." Kara extended a well manicured hand out to Makena who took it and shook it gracefully.
"You new here sweetheart?" Makena nodded and Lisa shrugged Kara off her shoulders.
"She's in all the same classes as you and I."
"Cool! Oh crap, Rian is calling. I'll see you over at Alex's house right after school?" Lisa nodded and gave Kara a hug. Kara hugged Makena Rae and disappeared out the front door as quickly as she came.
"My best friend is a handful." Makena Rae laughed.
"By the way, Kara is right. Your outfit takes grunge to a whole new level. I love it. You know what? You should come over today to meet the rest of the gang!"
"I really shouldn't, I mean, we barely know each other..."
"What better way to know each other than tonight!?" Makena Rae reluctantly nodded and texted her father she'd be late tonight.
"I'll go get my stuff and we can stop by the mall and go get something to eat for the guys who are always hungry after work." Makena Rae waited outside the office for Lisa to return. They walked to Lisa's small Honda and went to the mall Makena used to spend her middle school days at. They walked to the cafeteria and ordered some Chinese food for the gang. Once all was said and done with, they went back to Lisa's car and rove in the direction of Lutherville Timonium. Makena Rae had a weird feeling like she knew this place before but couldn't quite place her finger on it. Lisa pulled up to the driveway that was already full with three cars.
"Guess Rian, Zack and Alex are already here. Kara should be here soon. Mind helping me carry in some bags?"
"Yeah, no problem." Makena got two plastic bags with food in them and carried them to the front porch where the door was already wide open. Makena shrugged off her blazer before she entered the house, draping it around her shoulder and picking up the bags again.
"In here!" Makena Rae heard Lisa's voice call out from the kitchen. Makena Rae walked quickly and placed the food on the island that was centered in the middle of the kitchen.
"Babe, is that you?" A voice was heard from the bottom of the basement steps. Makena Rae assumed it was Lisa's boyfriend and as she heard a few giggles and smacking of the lips behind her, she tried to pretend she was really interested in what they bought.
"Alex, this is my new frie-"
"Makena Rae Addams?" Alex said. Makena Rae turned on her heel and remembered that all too innocent face that she became best friends with before she moved to Virginia.
"Alexander Gaskarth?"