"Hey Kai is back!" Justin said.

"Legend himself. Where were you yesterday?" Ian asked.

All the kids in their grade heard about Kai shooting Ethan. Some thought it was a rumour but, only Ellie and Amy were there to actually see it. And Ethan wouldn't be in school any time soon.

"I skipped class. Went to get lunch."

"You didn't go during lunch? Idiot."

"No bitch, I went during lunch and I stayed after."

"Did you go with Devin?"

"No. I saw him though."

"He got into a fight. With some sophomore."

"Did you guys do anything yesterday?"

"I don't remember what we did."

Amy rolled her eyes. Her classmates were dense.

"Hi." She turned to Kai.

"Hi," he smiled.

Ellie walked in at that moment.

Amy turned back around.

"Hey Kai." she said.

"Hey."

"Ellie did you hear? Devin's suspended for a few days."

"-I don't need to hear that again. He's just dumb as fuck."

"Again, why are you dating him?" Amy thought.

Ellie looked at Amy but said nothing.

"Hey Ellie, are you going to Daniel's party this weekend?"

"Yeah I want to. But my parents are worried someone's gonna come and.. you know, shoot or something."

"What?" Kai laughed. "Nah it's literally at his house. That's not gonna happen-"

"I know, but, my mom is like crazy."

"Well, I'll see you there?"

"Yeah probably."

Amy tried to ignore them and forget about it. She didn't care about her fantasy friendship anymore. She might have had a big imagination and a creative mind but, things were different in the real world. She thought she would meet her people someday. Or at least in university if anything.

"Only one more year and I'm out.." she closed her eyes.

On Wednesday in class, Amy's pencil lead broke and she couldn't find her sharpener.

"Amy!" Ellie whispered. Amy turned around. She was holding a pencil.

"..Thanks.." She took Ellie's pencil and continued writing.

That night, she saw on Instagram that Ellie finally followed her back.

"Wow. I was going to unfollow her. What is the universe trying to tell me?"

She wasn't going to continue her delusional behaviour. Amy turned off her phone.

"Hey Kai you made it!" Daniel greeted him on his front porch.

"Hi.. um, happy birthday," He said, walking into his house.

He looked around and saw familiar faces. He noticed Ellie right away.

"Ellie's here!" Daniel said, barely sober.

"Daniel I think you should stop drinking," Ellie laughed.

"Nah it's my birthday. I'm getting hungover." He left them to talk to the others.

"So," Kai said next to Ellie.

"So.."

"Things aren't awkward between us right?" there was a moment of silence.

"...I'm sorry."

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry I ran away. You guys could have got killed."

"What? no, I mean, we had it under control. Amy- Amy basically protected me."

"I should thank you guys but.. I think I haven't fully processed what even happened."

"Me too."

More silence.

"Is Amy coming tonight?"

"Here? No I don't think she would.. I've never seen her talk to Daniel before."

"Oh. I kind of messed up things with her. You weren't here last week but, all I wanted to do was forget about everything.." she looked down.

"..I saw Amy more than usual at school. And I snapped at her on Friday because of how uncomfortable it made me. But it's not even her fault."

"Oh no.." Kai thought. "What did you.. say to her?"

"I yelled at her and said something like 'Why are you always around me!' and I stormed off. I know I'm a bitch sometimes."

"That's awkward." He picked up a drink.

"I know, and I said sorry on Monday."

"Okay so, it's chill." He ate chips. She looked at him, puzzled.

Boys are weird. They don't overthink the way girls do.

"How was your week off anyway?"

"It was like a mental health week. I did nothing though."

She smiled. He was silly, the way guys usually are. She couldn't believe that he took a bullet for Amy.

"-Are you and Amy like, you know," They made eye contact.

"Like together?" She asked.

"Oh, no, we're friends." He nodded.

She raised her eyebrows. "Okay.. It's crazy you shot Ethan."

"-I don't even remember what the fuck I did that day. I was impulsive."

"Impulsive?"

"Yeah. You don't know what that means?"

"No I," she laughed. "I just never heard you say that."

"I think you're around dumb jocks all the time maybe that's why," he said, finishing his beer.

"You're a jock too,"

"I'm not on any of the official teams, so, I'm not. And I'm... not dumb."

"Nicole isn't a dumb jock."

"Your boyfriend."

She rolled her eyes. "Devin's not my boyfriend."

He looked at her.

"We broke up," she said.

Intense staring.

Kai wasn't sure if it was because he drank or if he was a bit hormonal than usual at this party, but, he looked at Ellie's lips and she leaned in.

They kissed for a bit.

Meanwhile, Amy was binge watching Riverdale at home. She received a notification on her phone.

Kate_Avery requested to follow you.

She narrowed her eyes.

Kate doesn't hate her anymore? What was happening?

The past two weeks have felt unreal. It was as if she was living a new life.

She went on social media to see videos from Daniel's party. If she was popular they would invite her. Actually, if she was popular, she could have showed up without an invitation. But she wasn't even cool enough to be there. She sighed.

Cool kids always got themselves into dumb situations. like Devin. And they would not be offered academic scholarships like Amy.

She refused to sulk.