The Motto

Kylan looked at himself in the mirror. “You’re gorgeous” he told himself. He lifted up his shirt to expose his six pack. “You are one sexy mother fucker” Kat walked into his room.

“Uh, conceded much?” Kylan rolled his eyes.

“Why are you in here?”

Kat lied on Kylan’s bed. “Kaya always curls my hair on the first day. It’s been a tradition since I started school”

“Fine, go get the iron” Kat squealed and left the room. He smiled into the mirror. “I’m one nice brother” he had to be, she needed him right now.

He spiked his hair up. “I am one sexy mother fucker. Junior year here we come!” but then he thought about it.

He was taking the bus today, the first time in forever. It was important because Kaya drove them to school every morning.

Now Kylan was depressed. Kylan threw himself on his bed and screamed into his pillow.

“I got the iron!” Kat said as she ran in. “Come on lazy bones!”

“Give me a sec”

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know. I’m just realizing how different it’s going to be without Kaya here…I know she would be heading to Northeastern anyways, but she said she wanted to drive us to school” Kat sat down next to him. “I don’t think I can go back there” he said.

“Come on, I hate it there as much as you do. But It’s my first year of high school!”

“I keep telling myself Kaya would want us to move on…but believing it is something entirely different”

“Come on, curl my hair”

Kylan rolled his eyes. “It’s going to be a long year”

…

Emmileigh Loft, the class of 2015 nerd was reading as always when Kylan got to the bus stop.

“Emmi Loft!” Kylan exclaimed. they immediately hugged. “What are you reading now?”

“A book on how to be more confident”

“Why would you read that, just be confident”

“Easier said then done, Ky”

“I think you’re fine the way you are”

“I know that, I just want to meet new people and…I wanted to ask out Adam Marvelli”

“Oooh” Kylan said. “Going for something at the top of the food chain are we?”

“I know he’s at the top and I’m at the bottom, but guys love confidence right?”

“I do” Emmi smiled.

“So how was your summer?”

“A bit depressing”

“Yeah, how’s Kat?”

“She made me curl her hair this morning and judge her make up and her outfit, and she’s still not even here for the bus” Emmi giggled.

“Hold on there, when I lost my sister is was the hardest thing I went through, adjusting is key”

“I’m glad I have you. I need someone who gets it” they smiled at each other. “So did your sister have a boyfriend that ran away?”

“Well she was 10 when she died so no” Emmi giggled. “Still no word from Steve?”

“No he came back, according to Jayden he grabbed his diploma and ran off again”

“Give him time”

“They’re relationship was pretty…secretive. When I was told she was killed at a party I was kind of surprised. I mean he’s the type to go out and get drunk but she isn’t”

Emmi shrugged. “But I’m adjusting” Kylan said. “I know she’s dead and I’ve accepted it, it’s just moving on without her that’s the problem”

“Truly that’s the hardest part”

A new girl in their town walked down the typical suburban street towards the bus stop, she saw Kylan and Emmi already waiting.

“Hi” Kylan started.

“Um Hi, I’m new to the town so is this where the bus stops?”

“Yeah, I’m Kylan and this is Emmileigh”

“I’m Jamie”

“You sound british, can I ask if your from England?” Emmi asked. Jamie nodded.

“That’s so cool!” Kylan exclaimed. “Why’d you leave England?”

“Divorced parents” she said.

“Ah, I hate dealing with that” Kylan says.

“Me too”

Kat finally strolled down the street. “How do I look?” she did a complete 180 spin.

“Fabulous, Kat” Emmi told her. “And your hair looks fantastic”

“Thanks” Kat smiled at Kylan.

“One time thing” Kylan told her. Cassandra Alderman, most of the time just known as “Cass” came down the street.

“Hey Cass” Kylan started.

“Hey” she muttered.

“How was your summer?” Emmi asked.

“Good” she didn’t look good, she looked ten pounds lighter.

“This is Jamie” Kylan said. “She’s from England”

“Hi” Cass said

“Hi”

The bus finally came and took them to their destiny’s. I know it’s kind of cliché but they were going to find something bigger than themselves over the next few years.

…

“So what’s fun to do in this town?” Jamie asked.

“Practically nothing” Kylan said honestly. “We have a giant mall within walking distance of the school but there’s no good shops there so don’t even bother” she giggled. “Within the town we have a few ice cream and candy places, a few drug stores and such, but to get anything major you have to drive”

“Sucks, back home we can walk everywhere”

“I wish we could”

Two boys ran down the hall and into Kylan and Jamie. Jamie fell back and knocked Emmi’s things out of her hand.

“Hey!” Kylan exclaimed. “Watch where your running Frankie!”

“Sorry!” Frankie and Kevin, Zack’s little brother, continue running through the halls. “I’m gonna get you back for that!”

Kylan rolled his eyes. “Immaturity is contagious here”

“It’s contagious everywhere” Adam ran down the hall.

“Did you see where Frankie and Kevin went?” he asked.

“Yeah towards the gym” Kylan said. Emmi was picking up her things.

“Sorry about that” Adam helped her. “I wanted to see who could run around the school the fastest”

“No problem” Emmi said awkwardly. Adam handed Emmi her things.

“I’ll catch you around”

“Yeah” he walked away.

“You majorly fucked that up” Kylan told Emmi.

“Thanks”

“You like him?” Jamie asked. Emmi nodded. “He’s cute, I bet he appreciates some confidence”

“I hope so, I’m trying”

“Don’t try, just do” Jamie said.

“I wish that made sense”

“It will later”

…

“I just don’t get why he has the need to make a list” Lauren Perry started. “You should know if you’re at the top of the social food chain or not”

“I guess it’s easier, don’t worry we’ll be at the top”

“But how is he ranking us though, based on looks, personality”

“You’ll win in any category”

“Thank you”

Elle finished applying her eye liner. “Ok, I’ll see you first period” Elle left the bathroom. Elle’s friend, Lex sighed.

“Don’t compliment me or anything”

…

The bell went off, and the new generation hurried to their first period classes. The first day of school, the first opportunity to make a statement.

Cass and Jamie walked to the art room together, a little sisterhood was brewing between them, and it was going to be a lovely friendship.

Frankie was already there, spinning in his seat. Most of the people there were girls, lowerclassmen girls. Unlike the other graduating classes this grade wasn’t into younger girls.

“Hey, you’re the kid who was running down the hall—did you win?” Jamie asked him.

“Uh…no” he said. “But it was darn close”

“How did you lose to Kevin? He’s 30 pounds heavier” Frankie looked at his feet.

“Yeah…let’s not talk about it”

Jamie and Cass took a seat across the table from Frankie. “So you’re Frankie, and the bigger guy earlier is Kevin? The skinny short one?”

“Adam”

“Are you new here?” Frankie asked.

“Yeah, my name is Jamie” Frankie smiled.

“Nice to meet you”

…

Emmi headed to her first period class. She had spent the morning thinking about Adam and ways to ask him out. He didn’t know she existed. She couldn’t just ask him out.

She walked into her first period French class and saw Adam. He was with the other popular kids. Like Lex and Ryan. Ryan Madison was one of the most popular boys in their grade.

“Oh god” she looked at her French class. It was going to be an interesting year.

Lex was flirting with Adam. Now Adam new Lex existed. She was ranked in the top ten of their popularity list. Don’t ask why some loser makes a popularity list. It had just started that year. It was a school wide list and it seems like the juniors own the top ten.

Emmi sat at the only available table in the room, which happened to be behind Ryan and diagonal from Adam and Lex.

She opened her book called ‘Papertowns’ and started reading where she left off. She was so shy. Why couldn’t she just talk to Ryan? They were in band together, they had common interests. She could rise in popularity and make new friends. She was really her biggest enemy.

“Oh Adam you’re so sexy” Lex said. She touched Adam’s chest softly. She was giggling like a little fangirl or something. Emmi rolled her eyes and sighed.

Ryan picked up on Emmi’s behavior. It wasn’t obvious but she could tell. “If you want something, you can have it” Ryan told her. She looked up from her book.

“What?”

“I said, if you want something, you’re a smart and beautiful gril…you can have it” Emmi didn’t know what to think about it. Ryan smirked. “Trust me”

…

Matt and Rory walked down the hall way holding hands. So far senior year was being very kind for them. Matt was the vice president with a beautiful girlfriend of almost four months.

“I still don’t feel like a senior” Rory said. “Is it supposed to click right away?”

“I don’t think so. I’ve always imagined feeling like a senior but at the same time now that I’m here I don’t feel like one…oh well” he said. “I’m vice president now. My first order as Vee-pee is to skip class and make out with my pretty girlfriend”

“If only I was the rebel type” she said.

“RORY!” someone screamed. A tall brunette boy ran down the hall. It was Maxy, Rory’s little brother. “Oh god, I’m so lost” Rory looked at his schedule.

“You’re on the wrong side of the building” she said. Matt laughed.

“Oh Freshman” Elle walked down the hall and saw Maxy she smirked at him. He smirked back.

The next generation

…

That night there was a party in the cemetery. Cemetery parties were notorious for being extremely wild and illegal. Someone always brought drugs and alcohol. The police were always called.

That night Kylan dragged his friends to the party. They were not into the party scene at all. It’s junior year, fuck it.

He brought Emmi, Jamie and Cass to the party. They didn’t know anyone there but they gave it a shot.

“I think Ryan knows I like Adam” Emmi said. “He said something weird to me during French….is it that obvious?”

“Uhhh” Jamie started. “Yeah, and I’ve only known you for less than 24 hours” Kylan giggled.

“It kind of us” Kylan said. “Maybe not to Adam but to everyone else—just ask him out already?” Emmi rolled her eyes, something she was good at.

“One does not just ask out the hottest guy in the Junior class”

“Excuse me?” Kylan asked. “I’m the hottest guy in the junior class”

“In your dreams”

Frankie noticed when Kylan, Jamie, Cass and Emmi arrived. He took a liking in Jamie during art that morning. She was very creative. He got up and went over to them.

“Hey guys”

“Hey Frank master—on a weird level, no homo” Kylan started. “Who do you think is the hottest guy of the junior class”

“Adam of course” Kylan rolled his eyes.

“See!”

Jamie took a picture with her polaroid camera. “I like this town” she said. “It’s interesting” she took the picture out and watched it develop. It showed Emmi smiling and pointing in Kylan’s face while Kylan rolled his eyes. The perfect picture.

Frankie was wowed by her. “Are you a photographer?”

“Yeah, it’s a side hobby of mine”

“Cool” Frankie gushed. He looked like a lost puppy at this point.

Emmi looked over at Adam who seemed like he was having a blast with his friends. She took a deep breath in and out. She gathered all the courage she had to walk over to him.

"Hey" Ryan was with Adam.

"Hey Em" Ryan said. "Take a seat" Emmi sat inbetween them. "How was your first day?"

"Good...how was yours?"

"Really good. I'm glad we have band last period instead of first. It's alot more fun"

"Yeah" Emmi looked to Adam who stayed quiet during their conversation. Ryan slightly nudged Emmi. She had the chance.

"Oh Emmi, did i ever apologize for Kevin and Frankie's behavior this morning?" Adam asked.

"Oh yeah...you were having a race, right? Who won?"

"Kevin"

"Really?"

"It's embarassing let's not talk about it" Adam chuckled. Emmi smiled. She stayed silent for a moment. Ryan nudged her again.

"Adam, i like you alot" she finally said. Adam didn't respond.

Cass looked over them and smiled. A few nights earlier she made plans to kill herself. She was done pretending like she had a purpose in their world. Now she felt like maybe this year wouldn’t be that bad after all. She could stick around for a little longer.