?Shannon stormed into the washroom. Behind her came Lisa and Jane.

  ?“Seriously, I'm gonna kill Macy and those freaks she collects! Last year she was annoying. But at least Kim was normal!”

  ?“I know, right!” Jane agreed. “It's like they think they can just say and do whatever they want!”

  ?“You mean like us?” Lisa put in. “I mean, if Sam was here...”

  ?Shannon sighed. “Yeah, if!” Shannon shrugged. “I mean, Macy was always a bitch, but wow, since she and Kim have become friends, it's gotten hyper weird.”

  ?“What is Kim, like twenty or something? Why is she even hanging out with clueless Grade 10s?”

  ?The banter continued like that for about ten minutes, only stopped by all their phones going off at once.

  ?“Sam is back!” Shannon sighed with relief, checking the text. “Eww, why does she want to meet us there?”

  ?“I mean, we're going, right? It's Sam,” Jane said. Lisa nodded, though reluctantly.

  ?“Whatever gets me out of school.”

  ?The girls left the washroom and darted for the doors. The weather was cold, but nothing you couldn't manage with a sweater. Though the cold wouldn't have stopped them anyway. Single-minded, they moved with purpose until they came upon the graveyard.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  ?In the distance, by the oldest part of the cemetery, stood Sam.

  ?As they reached her, they attempted to begin normal teenage banter. But Sam put up her hand.

  ?“Not now!” she said. “We have much to discuss.”

  ?She sounded weird. More grown-up than she used to. But it didn't matter. They couldn't help but listen.

  ?Eventually, Shannon found herself back in class looking at the clock. It was her second period.

  ?The gap in time confused her. She tried to think back on what happened after she met with Sam but couldn't clear her head enough to recall it. We must have taken something, she thought, rubbing her temples.

  ?But underneath the confusion, there was a directive. A pull.

  ?It was lunch time. Classroom 104.

  ?Why it had to be her, she didn't know. Why Sam couldn't just come to school and do this herself, she didn't know. She just knew she had to be there.

  ?She walked into the room.

  ?“Seriously? You're coming to D&D club, Ms. Tanner?” Mr. Johnson said, looking up from his notes. “I'm sorry, but you and your friends don't seem like the type.”

  ?“Well, I'm here. And I'm allowed to be!” she said back.

  ?There were about ten kids in total in the room. They looked at her. They were all such losers. She looked at Adam. Tall, but in that lanky, not sexy, way. His hair matted black. His shirt had some kind of monster on it. Much like when they were kids. But he just gotten taller. She had grown up.

  ?She pushed against the order in her head. She didn't want to be here. But the resistance didn't take.

  ?A smile crawled onto her face—not her smile, but something mimicking one.

  ?“Yeah, so can I play?” Something in her asked.

  ?The teacher looked hopelessly at the group. “Alright guys, I need someone to make her feel welcome.”