What Might Have Been

By. Tate Icasa

Chapter Six: Second Chances

A/n: a few supporting fanfics here.

Bill Tiffy looked at the doors to H.G. Wells Junior/Senior High.

"Come on, Bill," his fifteen-year-old sister Kim said. "We're going to be late."

Bill smiled to himself and nodded absently. "Let's find the main office and figure out where we're supposed to go."

Kim nodded and started walking. She looked back. "Are you coming?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sorry."

Bill stood at the front of a classroom. Ms. Winston stood behind a desk.

"Class," Ms. Winston said. "This is Mr. Bill Tiffy. He'll be joining our class. Please make him feel Welcome."

"Um, Ms. W, where should I sit? He closed his eyes. Not by Keely, not by Keely-

Sure, I think about you now and then

but it's been a long long time

"Why don't you sit over there, by Miss Teslow. Miss Teslow raise your hand so Bill here knows who you are.

Keely raised her hand. "My name is Keely, but the way," she whispered as he sat.

"Bill," he whispered back.

I've got a good life now

I've moved on

She smiled at him but she wasn't watching. He was absorbed in the math on the board. She rolled her eyes and began to work.

He glanced at her out the corner of his eye. She was a beautiful as he remembered. For a second her blue eyes met with brown eyes.

So when you cross my mind. . . .

He looked away and worked harder at his work than he had before.

"Do you need help?" Keely whispered.

He ignored her. She didn't bother him again.

Soon, it was lunchtime.

He pulled a brown bag out of his locker and met up with Kim. They found a table away from everyone else.

"How'd it go?" Kim asked. He shrugged. "Did you see her?" He nodded. "And?"

"She introduced herself. I introduced myself." Kim looked at him skeptically, "And then I ignored her."

"What'd you ignore her for?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Try me," she said flatly.

"How much did you know? Before?"

"You loved her." He goggled at her. "And she loved you, you know. Everyone seemed to know it but you two." She smiled slightly. "So, spill, why'd you ignore her?"

"If she isn't my friend, she won't miss me when," he swallowed, "when we go home."

Kim nodded knowingly. "You don't want to break your heart, or hers, again."

They ate in silence for a while.

"So, how was your day?" He finally asked.

"Not bad," Kim said. "Debbie attached herself to me. She says I remind her of her best friend Pim." She smiled. He smiled too. It was hard to forget Debbie. "Look out, here comes Little Miss Sunshine." Kim muttered. Bill looked up to see Keely, Seth, and Via walking toward them.

"Hey, Bill." Keely said.

I try not to think about what might have been.

cause that was then

"Hey, Keely, right?"

She nodded. "And these two are Seth and Via."

"Olivia actually, but I like Via." Via said. He nodded.

"We were wondering if you'd like to be friends, you know, since it's your first day and all. . ."

"Yes," Via interrupted, "and we know how hard it is to make friends. Well, I do anyway."

"She's a transfer student." A blond boy said, popping up behind her. "And I love her."

"Oh, please,"Via said. "That twit is Owen. You're a guy, so he won't bother you, but . . ." She looked pointedly at Kim.

"I'm Bill's sister Kim," she cut in, "and I'm not allowed to date until I'm seventeen.

Bill smiled. Floyd and Sara had no such rule. Trust Kim to make something like that up on the spot.

Kim made a point of looking Owen over. "But maybe I can find a way around that rule." She an a hand through her long, red hair and winked.

"Um, I'm just gonna leave now. Yeah." Owen walked away.

"Wow, how'd you do that?" Keely exclaimed.

"Yes, we've been trying for years." Via put in.

Kim pushed Bill almost off the bench and began speaking to the girls. Bill took the hint and slid away, remembering to thank Kim later.

One Week Later

Keely grabbed Bills arm on the way out of Math Class.

"Hey," she said, "I hardly ever get to talk to you. Aren't we friends?"

He hesitated.

"Well, aren't we?"

He pushed past her. "It's best if I don't have friends."

And we have taken different roads

We can't go back again

She stopped him. "Explain that."

"Explain what?" he asked.

"Why it's best if you don't have friends."

He sighed. "My family moves around a lot. Last time I had a friend . . . we moved away . . ."

"Oh," Keely said. "I get it. Still?"

There's no use giving in

and There's no way to know

what might have been

He smiled. "OK, we can be friends."

Keely beamed.

Later, at Bills House

"Bill, will you tell me about the friend you left behind?" Keely asked.

He blinked. "Uh, sure, but you can't tell anyone."

"So it's a secret."

"Yeah," he smiled. "Her name was, was Kelly. She was beautiful. She had long blond hair and blue eyes. She broke some rule to be my friend, and in the end we shared a secret. We stayed best friends for almost tow years, and . . ." his voice broke. "I loved her, and I think she loved me, but I didn't tell her until the day we left."

"That's so sad!"

He nodded. You know what's sadder? The fact that she's sitting in front of me and doesn't know it's me.

"I sorry, Bill."

We can sit and talk about this all night long

and wonder why we didn't last

yes, they might be the best days we'll ever know,

but we'll have to leave them in the past.