Author's Notes: Another slow chapter incoming. While the first established what the kids are like now, this one will actually have them interact with the world. Major character interactions come next chapter.

As mentioned, while there is light at the end of the tunnel, this story will not have a happy beginning. Again, this story is rated T for a reason.

If you are uncomfortable with depictions of mental illness, please, leave the story now.


Even though they've been going to Westley for the last six years now, somehow, the first day feels just as magical as it did in first year. Well, that's what Madison thinks. She's checking her schedules as she makes her way towards the same locker she's been using for the last six years.

Ecology, statistics, AP English, Spanish, advanced music, psychology. Madison's found that she spaces out less if she's constantly being engaged. Oh, she still spaces out, just not as often. She found that trick as a sophomore.

Madison skipped to her locker and put her backpack away. She figured it'd be full in no time today. Someone tapped her on the arm.

"Hey Li'l D!" Madison whipped around, pulling the short man into a tight hug.

"Urk...!" Man, Madison meant well, but dang, could she squeeze the life out of you without meaning to! "It's nice t' see you... but I think you suffocatin' me...!" Taking the hint, Madison let Li'l D go, the latter rubbing his shoulder.

"It's really excitin' to be back! Last year, let's make it a good one! Gasp! Maybe we'll run into our old friends from first year!"

Li'l D can only grin, slightly nervous. He's heard some rumors about them. He just really hopes they're not true. "Yeah... that'd be somethin'. Man... ain't nobody played like them..."


"I've gotta get to class."

Kim rolls her eyes. That's something that she's heard for the last six years. Still, she rolls her eyes with a smirk. "Kam, we just got here. Would it kill you to spend like, a minute in the hall?"

Kam doesn't respond at first. He got the textbooks early, as always. Once he's loaded down with textbooks, he finally turns to face her. "You'd think you'd know me by now," he responds with a sad smiles. Kim doesn't like that look. "Besides... wouldn't want you to look uncool, right?"

His dark clothes don't make him pop out, Kim notes. Most people would, but Kam just disappears. She wonders how much of it is due to his natural invisibility, and how much of it is him doing it for her sake. She looks around a few times. The only other person around is a tall guy who passes by them without a second glance. "... Kam," she says, her tone serious. "You don't have to disappear, y'know?"

Kam closes his locker, his smile still sad. "Wouldn't want to drag you down with me. Look, the AP Physics classroom is on the other end of the school. I don't wanna be late!"

Kim frowns at his retreating form, only managing to wave a goodbye he doesn't see. She figures she might as well get to Spanish already. Maybe the class will keep her from thinking too much about her brother.

But when she gets to Spanish, one of the kids already there looks so familiar. She's tall, with black hair in a bun. There's a guitar case next to her. As she's waiting for class to start, she's writing something Kim recognizes as music.

Between the guitar and the similar looks, Kim can't help but think she knows this girl. She can't help what she says next.

"Tamika?"

The girl writing music looks up at her.


Phil walks by twins en route to class. AP Physics is at the other end of the building. It'd be a terrible first impression if he was late to his first class, right? Right. At least he doesn't have to stop by his locker on the first day. It always jammed when he needed to be somewhere.

He's the first to get there. For once it's nice to be tall; longer legs. He waves hi to the teacher before going to take a seat in the back. For a lack of things to do, Phil begins to rummage through his backpack. Schedule; AP Physics, AP Calculus, French, a free period, advanced music, English. His weird self-made smartphone. His almost-empty wallet. An appointment card for some hair place, dated six months ago that he put off for some reason.

He looks up. Looks like everyone else made it while he was lost in his bag. Great, now he can zone out. The only reason he took this class despite already knowing the material is because it looks good. The bell rings. A kid in dark clothes enters just as the bell rings. He looks familiar, but Phil can't remember why.

The kid apologizes to the teacher and makes his way towards the only other seat, in the back. He sits next to Phil. Now that he's up-close, he suddenly realizes why this boy looks familiar.

Phil just can't remember his name. And now he feels awful.


Tamika got to school early. Might as well avoid the crowds. First class was Spanish. She took a seat and to stave off getting angry this early, began writing some music. Yeah, the cafe crowd likes this kinda music.

As the other students arrive, they give her a wide berth. Tamika can't say she blames them, there ain't no way she would've sat next to herself either. She scared herself sometimes. She wasn't sure what Eddie saw in her when they were first-years, and she's not sure why he even wanted to be friends with her now.

Another student enters. Tamika's too busy writing music to care.

Until she speaks.

"Tamika?"

Tamika looks up. There's a short girl with short hair and what looks like handmade clothes on.

… This girl actually sits next to her. Must be a new girl. But then again, who transfers in senior year? Tamika doesn't want this girl to hate her. So she just keeps writing. Yeah, like that. They eat that up faster than the cafe's specialty cakes.

Kim frowns. But then again, she's heard the rumors about Tamika's temper. She doesn't want to believe it, but...

She takes out a sketchbook. She's noticed everyone's staring at her, and she's sure it's not her designs. The model ends up looking a lot like...

Kim quickly flips the page. Fortunately, it seems like Tamika's too busy writing to have noticed her.


Eddie has a free period first. He hides in the library.

He checks his schedule over a cup of instant coffee. After this, it's English class. He's in honors' English this year after outstanding performance last year. Then political science, chemistry, music, and precalculus.

Music's the only one he's looking forward to today, or this year for that matter.

He gives his bag a check. It's a cheap thing from a local thrift store that's likely falling apart at the seams, but Eddie likes it because it's part of his pathetic attempt at rebellion. Really, if he puts anything beyond his wallet and maybe a light notebook in it, he's sure it'll burst on him.

He and Tamika walked to school together and arrived earlier. He's sure the only reason why she puts up with him is a mixture of pity and a fear of lashing out at anyone else. But Eddie'll take anything. Wow, he's pathetic. He might even be more pathetic than first-year Eddie.

Eddie sighs and grabs a book off the shelf. Brave New World. He's read this book before, but no harm in a re-read.

He wonders if he's more like the World State than normal people.

He dismisses it. That's a ridiculous thought. Eddie's not afraid of feeling negative emotions, and he can function just fine without drugging himself into fake happiness, thanks.

It's not like he even feels real happiness much these days.


Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!

"A'ight, class dismissed."

Sunny watched his first-year class leave. They reminded him of his original class; there was a drummer that preferred to be known by just her nickname, a guitarist named Crystal that took no fools, a flutist named Kenny that was clearly smitten with Crystal, an eccentric bassist named LaMarr, an easygoing fiddler named Jennifer, and a pair of opposite-minded twins, the Kawaye twins.

This is going to be his first time teaching an advanced placement class. The instructor who taught it last retired last year.

Sunny actually had to relax some of the old teacher's criteria, otherwise his class would be just two students. As it stood, however, his class was only going to be seven students.

"Sunny!"

He looks up from his paperwork to hear a familiar voice, and see a familiar face. Short black hair under a skipper's cap, a green short-sleeved jacket with a black tank top underneath, baggy jeans with black and white sneakers poking out, and just all-around short. "Sup, li'l man?"

"Oh, nothin' much. Just got outta borin' old chemistry. Man, I couldn't wait fo' music class!" The door opens again, and Sunny sees a different, yet familiar face; a tall blonde wearing a purple floral-print shirt and blue capris, a violin case in hand. "'Ey, Madison!"

Sunny catches the blush on Li'l D's face as he and Madison give each other a quick hug, shooting him a knowing nod. "Welcome back, Madison. It's an honor to see y'all again."

"Hey Sunny! I've been lookin' forward to this all day!" Sunny smiles, seeing two of his former students back in his classroom again. But that's only the start.

Li'l D and Madison take seats next to each other. There's still a few minutes until the next bell rings. Sunny hears footsteps, seats being taken. He looks up, and sees five more familiar faces.

His heart slightly sinks when he sees them. He can tell they're all going through a lot.

Eddie sits next to Tamika in the back, watching her. He's gotten taller, broader in the shoulder. His clothes look like they came from a thrift store, and his hair hangs loosely over his face. He waves to Sunny briefly, then goes back to whatever Tamika's doing.

Tamika is writing something- sheet music. There's a guitar case behind her. Tamika's hair is in the same style it was all those years ago. She's wearing a blue vest and a black shirt underneath, plus a denim skirt with leggings. It's her eyes that get to Sunny. There's anger below the surface, anger that she's trying to keep buried. It seems like whatever Eddie's doing, it's keeping her from exploding.

Philly Phil's now taller than him and has swapped out his goggles for a pair of scratched-up classes. Despite it being practically still summer, he's wearing a yellow hoodie that looks older than him. Sunny can make out what looks like a blue cardigan and a white button-up shirt underneath. His pants and shoes are beat up and faded, and he's long due for a haircut. When Phil realizes Sunny's looking, he puts on a smile and mouths a "hey."

Kim and Kam take seats on the opposite sides of the room. Kim's multicolored shirt and skirt look like they were made by hand, as do the multitude of bracelets she's wearing. Looks like she's wearing store-bought shoes though. Sunny figures Kam took a seat away from his sister to help her stand out; he has on a black dress shirt with a grey tie and matching pants and shoes. Kim waves to Sunny with a smile. Kam doesn't say anything, like he's used to being ignored.

"Good afternoon students. Now..." Sunny takes out his attendance book. Only seven names. Yep, these are the seven students of his first class. "Kameron Chin?"

"Here. Just Kam is fine." Kam's tone suggests he's used to his inclusion being a formality.

"Alright." Sunny makes a note. "Kimberly-Ann Chin?"

"Right here! Kim's also just fine." Kim's arm goes straight into the air, and she's looking around.

"Cool." Sunny makes another note. "Li'l D?"

"Here!" Li'l D's as enthusiastic to be in music class as ever, it seems.

"Tamika Jones?"

"What up?" Tamika's tone is measured, like she's trying to not shout. She folds up the paper and places it in her guitar case.

"Edward Lawrence?"

"Eddie," he says, looking up after Tamika puts away what she was working on. He sounds bored already.

"Madison Papadopoulos?"

"Here!" As expected, the years didn't diminish Madison's cheer.

"Phillip Phil?"

"... Uh, here? And just Philly or Phil is fine, really." Seems like someone was spacing out.

When Sunny calls the last name, something washes over them. It's like they're seeing a long-long relative.

He'll let them catch up on their first day.


Author's Notes: Hey, sorry if this chapter was a little slow! I actually do have the full exchange planned, but to avoid an overly-long chapter, I've decided to put it in the next one. I'm going to see if between college and real life, I can't get one chapter out every two weeks.

Reviews are my lifeblood. Lemme know if there's anything you liked or if you feel like I screwed up with.

Thanks for reading!

~ Dante M. Galileo