Until We're Gone

When I woke up in the morning, I didn’t know where I was for a few moments. I knew the bed I was in wasn’t mine, nor were the walls the same color of my room. Once I fully woke and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, it dawned on me that I was at Jackson High. I knew that not living at home and going to school was going to take some getting used to. I was so used to my mom yelling at me for breakfast and eating with them; talking to dad about the news and hearing mom talk about her day’s plans. I already missed my parents and my home. I just wasn’t used to being away from them.

I sighed, throwing the covers off of me and then right back on. I hadn’t realized just how cold it had gotten. Suddenly regretting the fact that I had slept without a shirt, I wrapped the blanket around my body and padded to the bathroom on bare feet, regretting the fact that I also hadn’t worn socks to bed. I was happy to realize that I was the only one in the room.

Quickly I went about showering and doing my normal morning routine, wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and the black blazer with the Jackson High emblem embroidered the breast pocket, and grabbing my schedule. The first class I had to attend was History of the World which I didn’t mind in the slightest. I had always enjoyed history and wanted to be a History teacher when I was younger. It was still a slight want, but not exactly what I wanted as a career.

I slipped on my shoes and headed to class, prepared for the long day ahead of me, but ready to make a few friends. I knew it was a school for the talent-inclined, so I figured that all I needed to do was walk up to people and introduce myself. Everyone in the school was different, so I knew I had to fit in well.

Anxious about making friends, I practically ran the rest of the way to class, bounding in and freezing. The class had already started. I hadn’t even thought about setting an alarm for the morning. The sinking feeling I felt when a few of the other students starting giggling at me was profound. I wanted to throw up and die at the same time.

However, I composed myself and looked to the professor, “I’m very sorry I’m late, sir. It won’t happen again.”

He looked slightly taken aback at how polite I was. The man nodded and motioned to a seat and began talking about war. I hadn’t caught which war as right when I sat down, I received a tap on my shoulder. Looking back, I noticed a girl with dirty blonde hair and a bright smile.

I was just about to smile back when I heard what she had to say.

“So, are you going to be the new teacher’s pet then? Every year we have one. It’s really fucking annoying. I guess some people just have a huge need to be unpopular, though,” she smirked before looking back up at the professor.

I turned around slowly, heart beginning to pump in my chest. It was only morning and my first day was not going how I planned it. Still, I took out a notebook and began furiously writing down the notes Mr. Burroughs was writing, hoping he wouldn’t erase them before I was done.



It turned out that fully focusing on my schoolwork and being on time to every class was what really got me through the day. I realized quickly that I didn’t need friends. All I wanted was to pass my classes and get the hell out. History in the morning had shown me just how cruel any kid could be.

Walking back to my room, I decided to just skip dinner. Food wasn’t really on my mind, plus I had been given homework that I just wanted to get done and over with. I had a strong urge to shut myself out with music, but wasn’t exactly feeling any of the artists on my iPod. However, I didn’t exactly want anyone talking to me at that moment in time, so I deemed at least putting in my ear buds necessary.

I opened the door and found that the room was all mine for the moment. Whooping in my head silently, I smiled and flopped onto my bed, dropping my notebooks and textbooks beside me. Sighing, I pulled out my ear buds and put them in my ears. I didn’t want one of the others to come in and think they could automatically start talking to me, especially if I was doing homework.

Homework was a very big thing for me. I hated being disturbed. My parents knew that most of all. Countless times they had come into my room as I was doing a rather difficult calculation. I would always end up rather snappy with them for the rest of the night, only to apologize in the morning. After this occurring six or seven times, they finally got the hint: When my door was closed, it was best not to come in.

However, at Jackson High it seemed there was no such thing as privacy. This bothered me to no end, but I knew I had to make due.

Looking around I realized that I had left my pencil in my last class. I didn’t bother going back to get it, as I didn’t feel like getting up, plus the added fact that it was just a pencil. Looking across the room, I saw one sitting on one of my other roommate’s desk. I sighed and then used my telekinesis to pick it up and get it over to me.

The pencil landed smoothly in my hand. Smiling, I opened my history textbook and began doing the assigned work.



I wasn’t exactly sure how long I had been working before my male roommate walked into the room. I looked up and smiled briefly at him before getting back to my work. I wasn’t sure if he said anything to me or not, as I blocked any and all noise out.

Though, I really hoped he hadn’t said anything as he should’ve saw the headphones in my ears. At times many people didn’t seem to care and talked anyway, but this kid seemed different. I could see the two of us potentially becoming friends- after I was done with my homework, that is.

I continued working quietly, soon moving onto my English assignment. English wasn’t exactly my favorite class, but I could deal with it. It was biology that really got to me. However in school I had always managed to maintain decent grades, even in biology class.

After about an hour, my female roommate came in. I looked up and was about to smile at her when she just scoffed and walked right back out. My eyebrows came together. I just didn’t know what in the hell her problem was. Did she not like males? Was she one of those major feminists that were always on Tumblr and hated men even though feminism was all about equality?

I decided not to worry about it too much. It was water off my back if she decided to hate me without reason. Instead I got back to work, writing way into the hours of the night before finishing.

Once I looked at my clock and saw the time I yawned, taking out my ear buds and placing them on the bedside table. I then set an alarm and placed everything on the floor. I didn’t see anyone in the room, which made me think they were probably at dinner. It wasn’t really that late- only about 8:30 pm, but I was dead tired from the first day at a new school.

Standing up, I changed into my pajamas quickly and burrowed under the covers, closing my eyes and falling into a deep sleep.