Chapter 1: Back Again
I wake up to a hot fall day. School begins today, Senior year has finally arrived. I get dressed in a daze, throwing on the first thing my hand reaches for. This is my first year back to the cul-de-sac after leaving in 9th grade. My mom had to be sent to a special hospital after finding out she had leukemia. I watched her die before my very eyes. Finally, last month she had passed. At least she is no longer in pain. My dad decided to move back, and lucky enough our old house was on the market. I would look out the window and see few kids playing outside like I used to. Strangely enough I haven't seen anyone from back in the day. I wonder if they still live here. I finish getting ready and go to school on my motorcycle.
I get to school early and go to the attendance office. I pick up my schedule and lucky enough I have study hall first period. On my way to the library I keep my head down, and I feel someone run into me, wrapping me in their embrace.
"Oh Kev! I can't believe its you." Nazz squeals, choking on her words a little. She steps back and smiles a sweet smile. She looks different. Her hair is longer, reaching down to her waist and she had reached the final stages of womanhood. The bell rings, "Sorry Kev, I have to get to class but look for me at lunch and we can catch up." She skips off and I stand there, frozen in place. It feels odd seeing her again. I enter the library and sit in the back. I lay my head down and suddenly fall asleep.
My mind floods with images of my mother in her final stage of life. I am jerked awake by the bell and I can feel warm tears run down my face. I stand quickly and gather my things and practically sprint to the bathroom. I splash water on my face.
'Get it together Kevin. Don't break down in school'
I dry my face and wander to my next class. Advanced physics. I walk in just as the bell rings. I take a seat in the back of class and pull out my notebook.
"Good morning class, I do hope we had a fine summer. Now today we will be doing a mandatory team building exercise." The class groans. "Today you will be picking numbers out of a hat. After doing so you will find the person with the matching number." The teacher walks down each row of seats and finally arrives to me. I get the number 10. As the class chats away trying to find their partners I sit and doze off.
"Excuse me? Would you happen to have the number ten as well?" I look up. A tall, slim pale skinned guy stands in front of me. I instantly realize who it is. How could I not with the black beanie with two white stripes and that tooth gap. I smirk. "Hey double dweeb" He looks shocked, and squints a little. "Kevin?" I smile and nod. He looks surprised to see me here. He opens his mouth to say something but before he can the teacher interrupts. "Okay, now that we have found our partners I would like you to get used to them because these will be your partners for the rest of the school year. Once again, the class groans.
The next two classes go by quickly. At lunch I find a table in the corner to sit at. I rest my head on my arms, but before I can doze off I feel the embrace of Nazz once again.
"Hey Kev." I sit up and she sits across from me with Eddy.
"Hey shovel chin" Eddy laughs. He sure had changed, gotten taller and leaner, but still shorter than me.
"Nazz, what is the dork doing here?" She blushes and giggles. "Kev, Eddy and i are a couple." My eyes widen and i am at a loss for words.
"Eddy is on the football team now and he isn't that bad of a guy anymore. He doesn't do those scams that he used to anymore."
I look down at my tray of food and start to pick at it. "He is still a dork" I mutter under my breath. "So who all still lives in the cul-de-sac?" I ask rolling and mushing my peas.
"Well let me think." Nazz puckers her lips and taps her chin. "Everyone except for Rolf, he moved out to the country because his parents expanded the farm. Its not too far though, we still visit him on occasion." I decide to go visit Rolf this weekend.
The rest of lunch goes by quickly because Eddy's football friends arrive. I realize Ed and Double D are not there. I quickly scan the cafeteria and find them on the other side with Johnny, Jimmy and Sarah. Since when did they all get friendly with one another?
The rest of the day goes by quickly and at the end of the day I head home.
My dad is not home, probably at work still. I stare out the window as one by one every one arrives home. Jimmy and Sarah in a Volkswagen bug. Eddy and Nazz in a jeep. Ed and Johnny walking home. I don't see double D though. Finally at 8:00pm he arrives in a sports car. I feel so lost and disconnected from them all. Like they are all just strangers to me now.