Nine
"Welcome Back, Senior Class"
Everybody wants to be seen
Everybody's eyes are all agleam
--from "Holiday Man" by The Flys
*********
"Welcome back, senior class. I know that this is an exciting year for you all, but I just want to remind you not to let your dreams for the future make you forget that you must first to get through the present. With your help we can make this one of the best years ever at Neptune High…"
Principal Clemmons could make an ADD kid comatose. We endured the ra-ra speech until we could get to the real point of the first day of school: Checking everyone else out. One wardrobe misstep, and your fate was sealed. Oh, who am I kidding, all eyes were peeled and waiting for a glimpse of Logan. There's nothing like a juicy, murderous scandal to start the year off right.
Duncan was not too much farther down on the radar. His parents were arrested, and Logan is his best friend. I would have felt sorry for the guys if I weren't suddenly under so much scrutiny myself.
"Hey, Veronica." Luckily it was Duncan and not some overzealous freshman.
"Oh, hey, Duncan," I replied, somewhat awkwardly. It was awkward because I hadn't seen him since that morning I sent him to the hospital to see Logan.
"How was your summer?" he asked. Seems we were both aware of how awkward this was.
"Well, it definitely wasn't the best summer ever. You were there for the beginning. It only got worse." This was good. This was chummy. Then I spotted Logan watching me…us…instead of the vapid airhead trying to make time with him. He looked away when he realized that I noticed him.
"Veronica?" Duncan prompted.
I jerked my head around, trying to keep the look of, I don't know, guilt, I guess, off of my face. "What were you saying? Sorry, my head's just not here today. I can't believe school's already starting again."
Duncan smiled that sweet smile of his. "I know what you mean."
We kept up the small talk for a few more minutes. When I turned to go to my first class, Logan was gone. Complicated life, here I come.