She thought it would just be a typical Monday with the usual schedule to be executed. Everything should've went the way it always been. She could've predicted what was going to happen the next day like a psychic. But guess what? This day was no ordinary day. Because he was back.
She sat in class rushing her narrative for English class. She forgot to do the final draft, so she ended up doing her work in class hoping she would finish before Ms. Montesano collected the papers.
"Class, you all can turn your papers in tomorrow." Ms. Montesano said, which caused Stevie to stop writing with a confused look in her hazel eyes.
"Why are we turning our papers in tomorrow?" Stevie asked raising her hand up.
"Because we have a new student here today, and I know you all didn't finish this assignment. Being the nice teacher I am, I'll give you all a one day extension." Ms. Montesano said with a smirk as everyone put their pencils down with a sigh.
"Sorry I'm late Ms. M. You know... School and everything." the boy who walked in the room, said.
Wearing skinny jeans, a leather jacket, aviators, and a smirk on his face, he strolled in with everyone gasping, especially Stevie.
Stevie's mouth hung open with her eyes widened. She never thought she would see him again. She started to curse the fact that there was an empty seat next to her.
Relax Stevie. There are other empty seats in class. Besides, maybe it's not really him. It could just be a random dude that looks just like him.
"Everyone, meet Zander Robbins," Ms. Montesano said with a genuine smile.
Crap. It's really him.
"Zander, please sit in any empty seat you want, and we shall begin our lesson. Kids, treat Zander like any normal student here at Brewster." she said with a smile as Ms. Montesano went and started a new lesson on a story titled The Little Ladies, but Stevie didn't pay attention to any of that. Like the other teenage girls in the classroom, Stevie's attention was all on Zander. Of course, she wasn't fantasizing about some dream wedding she would have with Zander in Paris, or how she would have a date with him and he would propose to her. She was contemplating on what was going to happen next. Would she yell at him? Would she introduce her bass to his face? Would she cry? Or would she do anything at all?
And all of a sudden, she started crying. Crying. Brewster's bad girl. Crying.
"Are you okay Stevanna?" Ms. Montesano asked once she noticed Stevie's cheeks blanketed in tears.
"It's okay. Allergies." Stevie sniffled as she wiped her eyes with her wrist.
Memories of Zander flooded Stevie's mind, but she preferred to call them nightmares.
All that crying at night? Who was there to comfort her?
Oh, that's right. Not Zander.
And who was there when she got bullied? Pushed down to the ground left to soak up the dirt with her tears?
NOT ZANDER.
You can pretty much tell what's going on with Stevie. She's been holding a grudge towards Zander ever since he left for fame.
She was happy for him, but she didn't even get to talk to him one last time. To see his face without paying to have a hug or without having the paparazzi taking a photo. He didn't even say goodbye.
And guess what the Perf's said?
"He's lucky. He's finally free to get away from the likes of you, you loser. You were holding him back, and now he's finally able to live his dream. Stevie, you're lucky someone as great as him would ever be friends with someone as ugly as you. I can't believe he ever wasted his time on you. Don't hope he'll come back, because who would ever come back for you? Go ahead. Cry. But crying won't make him come back to your side."
That whole speech from Molly surprised Stevie. Maybe it was the heartache, but that day, Stevie broke down and just cried in front of everyone. Her legs became weak as her vision became blurry.
"Pathetic." Molly said as her clique kicked dirt on Stevie's trembling body, and then left without any sympathy evident in their glares.
Ever since that day, Stevie didn't want to do anything. She didn't eat, sleep, watch TV, or talk. Her best friend was on his way to become famous, and she was spending her life crying over it.
After a week, she finally decided to try and forget about Zander. She took all the photos of him, everything they ever had together, and locked them in a chest she kept at the back of her closet. Not that she kept the key anyways. The key was somewhere she didn't know about, so she didn't bother trying to open the chest.
She lost weight, and dressed better. Better enough to be called decent. Maybe even pretty. Well, she didn't feel pretty at all. She felt fake, but strong. Pretty wasn't even real to her. What exactly was pretty? Was there requirements? Did you have to do things to be pretty? Like smile?
If she did have to smile, she wasn't pretty at all. She never smiled at all. Not all those years. Not once.
"Stevie," Zander said tapping her arm.
"Stevie-"
RING!
"Lunchtime!" Andy Bartlett yelled with joy as he ran out the door, running over Molly Garfunkel, but he didn't care. If he got his carrot sticks, then everything was right with the world.
Stevie got up quietly as she took her books with her and made her way towards the music room.
Yes. She spent her lunches alone. Ever since Zander left, she lost trust. She wanted no friends at all. All she wanted to do was finish high school, work, and then die. Simple as cake.
She put her books down on the coffee table and made her way to the piano. She knew how to play every instrument, but she loved the piano the most. Maybe it was the way her fingers danced on the keys, or how lovely the piano sounded whenever she hit a chord?
She played a few songs for a few minutes, and then she heard the doorknob rattle. Her piano playing stopped instantly as the door opened and Zander Robbins came inside.
Oh great. He's here.
He made his way inside, and then he noticed Stevie Baskara.
"Stevie-"
"Forget it. I'm out of here." she said as she made her way towards the door. But she did ponder over the fact that he still remembered her name after all those years.
"Stevie. Listen to me." he said urgently as he blocked the door.
"Why should I listen to you? Fine. Tell me all about your adventure to fame. How great your life was. How much better it was without me!" she yelled, surprising them both. She never thought he had the courage to yell it out loud. She never spoke in class, so how was it so easy for her to just shout out her feelings like that?
"But I came back-"
"After all those years?"
"For... For..."
"For what!?" she spat.
"For you."
That sentence surprised Stevie. Why would he come back for him? She was holding him back from his dream. Why? Why!?
"Why? So you can rub it in my face that you wasted your life being friends with me?" she said tears clouding her vision.
"Don't cry Stevie-"
"Why don't you just go back to where you came from? To Hollywood and stay there? Why can't you go back to where you came from?" she sobbed as she made her way to the green couch. He just sat beside her and watched her cry.
"I don't want to go back." he said calmly patting her back gently.
"Why?"
"Because I'm free."
"What do you mean? You had fame! You sang and everyone loved you! The girls loved you and the guys wanted to be you-"
"Don't you see? I was forced to date actresses I didn't even like just for publicity! And privacy? I got none of that with the paparazzi. And that stupid contract kept me acting like a puppet! Now that all my years are up, I can finally be with you again-"
"You never called. No letters, texts, nothing."
"But-"
"You didn't even say goodbye Zander."
"Do you think I didn't want to say goodbye? Of course I wanted to say goodbye! I wanted to take you with me! But I had no choice."
"No choice?"
"I didn't want your life to be ruined by the paparazzi. Do you know what they do to people like you?"
"Sure. They take a bunch of photos and put them in the magazine." she scoffed sourly.
"You don't get it. Once they get you, you're done. Everybody starts criticizing you and then they start hating you. Next thing you know, rumors are being spread about you. Ever wondered why Rustin Heiber is hated?"
"So I get rumors spread about me. Unless... Those rumors were going to be about you."
"Stevie, stop thinking like that-"
"You were ashamed of me! You didn't want to be seen with the loser girl!"
"You're thinking wrong. No. Stevie, I would never be ashamed of you-"
"Then you should've said goodbye!"
"That was all in the past! I was practically dragged to the airport! Do you know how much I yelled to see my best friend before leaving? They never gave me the chance Steves."
"Don't call me that."
"But I'm your best friend, and you know it. I missed you Steves, and I'm sorry. I wanted to say goodbye. I thought I could apologize to you."
That shut Stevie up. She just cried more as she shoved her face into his chest. His strong arms wrapped around her as he quietly told her everything was okay.
"I know I missed a lot of stuff while I was gone, but I don't want it to be awkward. Please. Let's just start over."
"Zander-"
"I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but-
RING!
"I... I have to... You know. Class." she said as she hurriedly grabbed her books and raced out the door.
A/N: So... Yeah. Emotional. So an unexpected friend of mine came back to my school after a few years of no contact. So this story was born.
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