Here We Go Again

The next day school started. I had managed to turn my cries into sobs last night and crawled back into bed to get a few more hours of sleep before school. Before we started our classes, we had a short assembly. I ignored the quiet murmurs and stares that everyone did when I entered the auditorium. Of course Will and I had seats next to each other still, but I didn't acknowledge him as I sat in my seat. I could tell he wanted to tell me something or just talk to me in general, but he didn't say a word to me. Even if he did, I would have ignored him anyway.

Headmaster Kingston spoke a bit about how there were a few changes to the school. For one, instead of having a long assembly once a week, we were going to have three short assemblies every week. Then he continued to say that the other changes were small and weren't as significant as the assemblies so he wouldn't mention them at the moment.

When Headmaster Kingston stepped down from the podium, each teacher went up and introduced themselves and said what subject they taught and for what years. This was mostly for the new students' benefits.

After the assembly ended, everyone started to make their way to their first class. I glanced at my schedule real quick and noted that my first class was math. I once again ignored everyone that talked behind my back as I made my way to my locker. On my way there, I ran into Chris.

"Hey," I said as I opened my locker. Chris leaned onto the locker next to mine.

"Hey," he replied. "What's your first class?"

"Math," I replied as I grabbed my math book. "What about you?"

"Drama," he said. "Let me see your time-table." I handed him my schedule and he scanned it quickly. "Damn, we only have two classes together."

"What? Seriously? Lame," I replied as he handed me back my schedule. "What classes?"

"Human Biology and Business Studies."

"At least we have those two together then," I said as I shut my locker. Right before I was going to ask him what his schedule was like, the warning bell rang. "I'll see you around," I said as we both parted ways and walked to our separate classes.

When I entered my first class, I inwardly groaned. Will was in this class with me. I looked to the board and realized we had assigned seating once again. And of course, it was in alphabetical order. I sighed as I took my seat next to Will. He gave me a small smile, but I ignored him and took out a notebook.

"Nicole," Will said suddenly. I glanced at him quickly before I turned back to my notebook.

"What?" I asked back in a dull voice.

"You're mad at me," he stated as the teacher walked into the room.

"Of course I am," I replied quietly so no one would hear me except for him.

"I understand that."

"Really now? Then why do you continue to talk to me?"

"Because," he started, but it looked like he didn't know what to say. He didn't even get a chance to finish his sentence before the teacher started the class.



First period ended pretty uneventfully. Will still tried to talk to me, but I ignored him. I was still mad at him. And I kept hearing whispers from everyone about us. I didn't know what exactly they were talking about, but I was positive it was about our breakup.

Second period, English Lit, was better because I didn't have Will in this class with me. In fact, I didn't any of my friends in that class at all. Not even Hayley or Marissa. There was Jason, but I didn't consider him as my friend.

So when class started, I took a look around the room. Some people were familiar, some I had spoken to before. They were all just acquaintances of mine that I had made during my time here. When we did roll call, I noticed a familiar name. Travis, Annabella's roommate, was in this class with me. I figured he was someone I could talk to, so I planned to sit next to him tomorrow since this class didn't have assigned seating.

When third period rolled around, Human Biology, I was glad to see Chris. Unfortunately, this class had an alphabetical seating chart, and while Will didn't have this class with us, I didn't even get to sit next to Chris. Luckily though, the teacher let us pick our lab partners for the year, so Chris and I partnered up.

For fourth period, I had Business Studies with Chris, so we walked to class together after I made a quick pit stop to my locker. That class went by without much happening.

My fifth period was study hall, so I spent that time in the library. I noted that Travis also had this study hall with me, so I decided to sit next to him. I said hi to him, but he didn't really talk much. I noticed he was reading a book, so I didn't bug him any longer and let him read. We sat next to each other though in a comfortable silence.

Lunch was next and only then did something happen. I stopped by my locker after fifth period ended and grabbed my book for sixth period so I wouldn't need to get it later. Chris had stopped by my locker as well so we could go to lunch. I asked him where Hayley was and he told me that she went to see a teacher to talk to them, so she might join us for lunch later. I nodded at him as we headed towards the cafeteria.

As we walked, I noticed word was still buzzing about Will and I. I tried to my hardest to ignore everything they were saying, but when I heard Annabella's name being tossed around a lot more often than my own, I got curious. I tried to listen in to a conversation as Chris and I continued walking.

"So did you hear?" I heard one girl mutter.

"Yeah, that's unbelievable. How could Will do that?" another girl said.

"Yeah, breaking up with Nicole just to get back together with Annabella. How crazy is that? Talk about jumping between girls," the other girl replied. I looked at them in confusion. What in the world were they talking about? I glanced up at Chris as we neared the cafeteria entrance.

"What are they talking about?" I asked him as I turned to him. He sighed out heavily before he grabbed my arm and stopped me from walking. He pulled me off to the side of the hallway so people could pass us.

"There's something you should know," he started hesitantly.

"O-kay," I said slowly. "What is it? What were those girls talking about?"

"Uh, this is hard to tell you..." he trailed off.

"What is it?" I urged him.

"It's about Will."

"What about him?"

"And Annabella."

"W-what about her?" I stuttered, unsure if I wanted to hear this anymore.

"They," he started. "They got back together," he finally said. I stared at him in shock, my mouth slightly agape.

"What?" I just barely managed to get out. "I don't believe you," I said as I shook my head.

"Nicole, it's true."

"But why? Why would he do that?" I asked. "He wouldn't do that. He just wouldn't. He wouldn't do that to me," I said as I continued to shake my head in denial.

"If you don't believe me, just take a look for yourself," he said quietly as he gestured to the cafeteria. I looked to the cafeteria doors before I pushed them open. I was scared as to what I would find and I should have just believed Chris in the first place.

Because when I walked through those cafeteria doors, I saw Will at a table with Annabella and he had his arm over her shoulders. I watched as Will kissed Annabella on the lips lightly before he pulled away from her. And at that moment, I knew it was too good to be true for Will to have loved me. He didn't care about me.

I continued to stare at the two of them in shock and pain before I eventually turned back around and walked back through the cafeteria doors. Chris stood off to the side of the hallway where I had left him and he instantly went to my side when he saw my face.

"H-he," I started as my voice cracked. "How could he do that?" I finally managed to say. Sorrow, anger, and jealously were just some of the many things I felt. And above all, pain. How could he do that to me?

I felt the tears cascade down my cheeks as Chris wrapped his arm over my shoulders. As I looked down at the ground, I felt my chest tighten. I heard - instead of felt - my breathing shorten. I was in so much pain.

"Nicole," he started gently as I continued to cry. I leaned against the wall and started to slump to the ground. Chris protected me from the people coming in and out of the cafeteria and blocked me from their view. My breathing kept hitching as I began to hyperventilate. Everything was getting a bit blurry and it was becoming too hot and suffocating in here.

"Get me out of here. I can't breathe. I can't breathe, Chris! Get me out of here! Get me out!" I said as I gradually got louder. Chris didn't need me to say anything more as he helped me up and guided me outside. That didn't stop me though from continuing to panic. "It's too hot!" I continued to say. "I can't breathe!" As soon as we were outside and away from the school building, I inhaled deeply. I kept taking deep breaths through my mouth, but I still couldn't calm down. It wasn't until Chris grabbed my face and forced me to face him that I tried to calm down again.

"Nicole, calm down," he started. My eyes darted around wildly, not focusing on one thing. "Nicole, look at me," he ordered. I continued to look at everything else but him before he spoke up again. "Focus! Look at me!" he snapped. I finally looked towards him and he had a worried expression on his face. "You gotta breathe, okay? Can you do that for me?" I shook my head at him.

"I-I can't!" I said through a gasp and another cry.

"Yes, you can. Just keep your eyes on me and breathe. In through your nose and out through your mouth." I did what he asked me to do for a few times before I remembered what I saw in the cafeteria.

I let out a cry and crumpled to the ground once more. Chris held onto me and I hugged him tightly. I couldn't control my breathing and I could feel him trying to pull me away to get me to breath properly again, but I couldn't do it. I didn't want to. I continued to cry and hyperventilate before everything became dark. The last thing I remembered before being completely enveloped in darkness was Chris shaking me and in a panicked voice, telling me to breathe. Without a care though, I slipped into the darkness.