The beginning of the school year is always the hardest. I’ve always dreaded performing the welcoming back speech. It’s supposed to set the tone for the school year but at the same time it’s supposed to be encouraging. How am I supposed to encourage others when I can’t even encourage myself?

“So to those new to Silverleaf, I hope you enjoy your year and to those returning, try not to give your teachers any more headaches than they already have. Once again, my name is Delancy and I am your student council president, if you have any questions send them over to my VP,” Delancy said with a wink. “Thank you very much, oh! Join the volleyball team or lacrosse. Thank you.”

Delancy finished her welcome back speech with the help of one of her teachers who assisted her in leaving the stage. She high fived the other members of the council who enjoyed her speech and gave her vice president a big hug featuring puppy eyes as an apology.

“Are you done now?” Carson, her vice president asked. He had her hand on Delancy’s head and tried to push her away but the O’Hara’s grip strength was no joke.

“You’re just like Elena.” Delancy pouted before releasing the hug.

“Who’s Elena?”

“This character Rei’s been creating.”

“Let’s go set up for the club carousel now,” Brie, the secretary, said as she ushered the president and the vice president to the courtyard.

“I take it back, that’s Elena. Alright, alright I’m going.”

In the courtyard, the club executives were setting up their booths for the club carousel. There were booths that ranged from cooking club to volleyball team. All the execs were excited but not as much as the incoming flow of students who were excited to make new friends or learn new skills.

*

Down a few streets at Dr. Sierra Conrad Secondary School, Asher evaded the defenders and made a three pointer. He high fived his teammates and sent a few winks to the girls in the crowd.

“Creep,” a teammate teased.

“I won us the game didn’t I? You guys did well. Are you interested in trying out for the team?”

“Yeah!”

“Just head down there to pick up the permission form. Tryouts will be announced sometime next week but if you play as well as you did today, you shouldn’t worry. My name is Asher but you can call me Ace.”

“It’s not going to catch on so stop trying. Here are your permission forms, just sign them and drop it off in the folder outside of the gym,” the team captain said.

Asher gave his friend a playful glare before returning his attention to the cheerleaders. With a sad face, he ran over to his friends and jokingly complained about the captain hurting him. His sad face turned into a huge smile when the cheerleading squad threw their pom-poms at the captain.

*

The time I hate the most is when school ends. Not because of homework or work but because I’m lonely. At school I have my friends, but when I’m at home, it’s nothing more than a dark, cold, empty apartment unit.

The bright smile that Asher had disappeared the moment he opened the door to his home. As usual it was as if no one lived there, in fact, most of the time, he wondered if anyone else did live there. His parents always came home when he was asleep and left before he woke up. The only way he knew of their existence was by their fights or with the money they left on the counter for him to buy something to eat.

He threw his bag down by the kitchen table and poured himself a glass of water. He pulled out his homework and worked on it, keeping his ears opened for when his friends would return and make his apartment feel like a home.

Upstairs on the fifth floor, Diego had just returned home from school. His father was still at work and his mother was overworking herself at home as usual. He headed to his room to leave his bag there but stopped in front of the door opposite to his. He slowly opened the door, expecting his brother to run from the other side to shut it but that didn’t happen.

Instead, the door opened to show a pile of boxes stacked all the way up to the ceiling. Remembering it was no longer his brother’s room; Diego sadly closed the door and headed into his room. He threw his bag on his chair and sunk to the floor. He put his headphones on and leaned back against the door, allowing the music to drown out the world.

That was how the first month of the senior year went. Nothing out of the ordinary, we were all reunited but in our own families, we were still alone. Time went on but perhaps that was just the calm before the storm.