If there's such a thing as a "good Monday" today isn't an example. Matthew hadn't been in a good mood all weekend- today is no different. The moment he walks into school's front gate it starts. Nearly everyone stares at him. Some look shocked, some amused, others disgusted. He walks past a group of underclassmen and they mumble things he isn't "supposed" to hear. His basketball teammates apparently don't recognize him anymore, nor do half his teachers. He feels exposed. He feels like a skinny 14-year old boy in gym class.

Shane and Destiny are walking to her locker. Shane is talking to himself; his dad's escapade to Brazil, him wanting drumsticks and a new sketchpad for Christmas, etc, etc. Destiny stares blankly ahead of them. Her thoughts are still cloudy from Friday. Matthew. College. The baby. Matthew. Destiny's decided on at least one thing. She's spent half a year sitting and waiting and she's not going to do it anymore.
I'm gonna be someone she can look up to. No matter what.

Shane nudges her, "Hellooo?...Are you okay?"
"Hmmm? Sorry." Destiny blinks back to present.
"I. Said. I'll. See. You. Later."
"Yeah Later, Shane."
Shane shakes his head and jogs off to class at the bell.

Des grabs her language journal and quickly shuts her locker. Matthew turns the corner. They find themselves facing each other.

Tension. Thick. Stretching.

"Saw your little TV announcement. Thanks for that" he starts.
"I don't know what you're talking about" she responds, folding her arms across her chest.
"You're gonna to play it like that, then?"
Destiny cocks her head sideways. "Did you think I was gonna sit at home and cry over you? HA!"

Snap

"It wasn't even true! I never said any of that! God, people I don't even know are looking at me like I'm this horrible person!"
"How do you think people have been looking at me for the past 6 months?"
She watches his face soften slightly before he speaks again. "Do you really want to do this, give up everything?"
Destiny sighs hard. "Look, it's going to be hard, I know. But our lives...it's not like my life is over."
Matthew frowns into her words. Is she trying to cut him out of her life? That's what it sounds like. "I said I'd be there when you needed me."
"I don't need you if you're only around because you think you have to be. I do have a family."
"And I do still care, and you are still my best friend" Matthew tried, irritation bubbling back into his voice.

There was that term again. 'Best friend'. Cementing "them" into the past. Taking Destiny's feelings for the boy in front of her and crushing them back into her chest. She glares up at him, "You know what? I'm sick of you!
"Excuse me?"
"Yesterday you care about me. Today I'm just your friend. Tomorrow you'll walk out on me, so you can 'meet new people'."
"Stop putting words in my mouth!"
"Stop lying to me!"
"Hey, hey!" Mr. St. Claire appears, widening the space between the two. "Isn't there somewhere you both need to be?"
"Guidance counsellor." Matthew pulls a class schedule from his pocket, and breaks he and Destiny's glare-off to hand it to the principle.
Destiny taps her foot and stares at the row of lockers next to her.

"Miss Evans?"
"I'm late for French."
"Then I suggest you two get a move on, please."
Destiny starts, stops and turns back to Matthew. "Stay away from me" she spits.
"Whatever."

Both kids stomp off in their directions. Principle St. Claire sighs and squeezes the bridge of his nose.

Destiny storms through the bathroom door and hurls her purse at the nearest mirror. Half its contents fly out and scatter the floor. She runs a hand through her hair and slows her breathing. Crouching awkwardly, she reaches under the sink for her phone.

Something pulls and tears. Destiny grips her abdomen and whimpers in pain. She tries to hoist herself up and her hand slips on the tile wall. Her vision has doubled and she's seeing spots. Terrified, she tries again. This time, she makes it up enough to hover over the sink for a few seconds. Another pain sears through her belly. She twists and loses balance, her skull hitting the porcelain basin before she tumbles to the floor.

Blurry lights. Dimming. Black.

Matthew is sitting outside the guidance counsellor's office. He isn't making eye contact with anyone but it doesn't matter. Each bypasser is judging him, burning holes into his skin. He dips his head back and tries to imagine himself somewhere else. Seconds after his eyes close, he hears someone yelling. He recognizes the girl's voice. Dani?

Matthew glances at Mrs. Probey's closed door before standing and walking down the hallway. A group of onlookers stand by the front desk. Matthew scans. Through the entrance doors is an ambulance. Dani is there after all. Another office aide is trying to pull her inside. She's hysterical and trying to get an EMI's attention. Matthew walks towards the doors.
"Young man-", a voice from behind him. He walks out and down the front steps.

This is where everything seems to slow down. Dani's hair floats mid-air as she jerks free, her office aid lanyard bouncing from her neck like a bungee cord. Behind her, two men slowly lift a stretcher into the van. Destiny's eyes are closed. The men are trudging, dawdling. They might as well be carrying a casket. Matthew can't move. The ambulance doors drift shut. The van rolls on, further and further. Dani's voice is echoing from somewhere miles away. Something intense is starting to pump through him. Quicker and quicker, it cements his feet to the concrete and pries his eyelids further up.

"Oh! I totally forgot." Dani is sitting at the foot of Destiny's hospital bed and now rummaging through her book back. "Look what I snuck in." She sings and waves a white paper in the air. Destiny catches a whiff of pumpkin spice and cringes.

"What? C'mon, it's your favorite."
"Ugh no, I can't even think about food right now."
"Wow, you really must be sick."
"I am only trying to watch my figure." Destiny snaps, with as much seriousness as she can manage. They look at each other for a moment then spill over laughing. Destiny chuckles carefully.
"I'm glad you're okay though." Dani admits. "You scared the crap out of me."
Dani squeezes her friend's knee, and goes into a 5 minute speech about Destiny taking better care of herself. "What if it wasn't just ripped ligaments and a concussion? Seriously, Des." Dani apologizes again for not being able to sneak out of school earlier in the morning. Destiny rolls her eyes at this and smiles. The girls talk on. They bring up light and random subjects in their lives, perfectly dodging the obvious and difficult ones.

After a while, "Dani you should go. Do homework or something."
With a sarcastic laugh, "Yeah like I'm dying to go home and finish my bio lab. Besides, I don't want to leave you by yourself."
Destiny adjusts her covers and crosses her legs, "My parents are in the cafeteria. Shaun's around here somewhere. I'll be fine, really. Go take care of your mom."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
"Sure?"
"Girl, go."
Dani stares at Destiny looking for something off. Unsatisfied, she agrees anyway "Okay. Call me tomorrow."
"Definitely" ..."Dani, you're still here."
"Everything's going to be okay."
"Um, thanks?"
The latina girl strolls back to her friend's bed and plops into an adjacent seat. "With the whole Matthew thing, I mean."
Destiny teeth clench and her lips tighten.
"I know you don't want to talk about it. And I know he's being a 1st Class idiot/jerk. I'm just saying. It's like the craziness going down with my uncle Tomas. Everyone says he killed Victor but...I feel like it isn't over. Like there's more to it you know? Anyways, I think everything will be fine in the end."
Destiny relaxes, "I hope so."
With this, Dani hugs Destiny and makes to leave. "Tomorrow" she points behind her, facing the door.
"Tomorrow." Destiny grins.

A few rooms down Dani sees Matthew by the elevators. He's pacing and pulling at his lip. Feeling protective, she quickens toward him with a purpose. He looks down at her a bit surprised. Every word she planned to say before dies when she looks into his eyes. He looks hurt. He looks scared.

Sighing, Dani glances over to Destiny's room. "She's down that way."
"Yeah, I know."
"The Evans will probably be back soon."
Matthew looks down, and scratches the back of his neck.
Finished, Dani walks around to the elevator and pushes the down button. Matthew follows her. Dani gets in, and looks up at the boy again. "Matthew. Just, don't make this worse."

The doors close. Matthew walks until he's at Destiny's doorway. Des has her head back and her eyes shut. She looks like she's in pain.

He steps in and closes the door behind him.
Her eyes fly open.