"If I hit you with this bat do you think you'd fly?" Shanice asked while swinging a wide red plastic bat a little away from our circle.

"What?" Aliya asked, a Pepsi in her hand.

Yuka sat next to her on her phone texting. A big smile was on her face.

Does she have a gf or is she watching an Enjajaja video???

"Do you think if I hit you with this bat you'd fly and become a star?" Shanice repeated.

"No. A plastic bat can't do that." The shorter girl argued and took a sip of her soda.

"Wouldn't hurt to try."

Shanice then walked over to Aliya and very slowly hit her with the bat.

Aliya looked up at the taller girl and sighed "See. It wouldn't hurt a fly."

"I'm not trying though."

"I know. Still it wouldn't."

Aliya touched the plastic bat with her left hand.

"These things are like straws compared to the metal ones." She said.

Aliya shivered "Those metal ones could kill people. A good hit to your head and your done."

"Yeah...I didn't know you were so scared of bats, Aliya. I wouldn't have teased you if I knew." Shanice apologized, her goofy smile slowly turning into a frown.

"It's just metal bats ok. No need to get all sad. Like I said these plastic bats are like toothpicks."

I sat on my backpack and watched them go on. I wasn't too concerned with joining in.

After leaving the library, I went to my dorm and played BTD. After about thirty minutes I got pretty bored and texted Yuka. It turned out her, Aliya, and Shanice were hanging out by the tree. I continued with my lie and said getting some fresh air might help my headache.

I'm surprised Yuka hasn't caught on yet. She seems the most receptive of the bunch.

After continuing their bat talk for a while Shanice and Aliya moved on to talking about the iPhone 8 leaks. Me and Yuka joined in on the convo since it seemed like we all read the Forbes article and we all had iPhones. The conversation was just starting to die down when Yuka got a notification and checked her phone. She cursed loudly.

"What happened, Yuka?" I asked.

"I have a big assignment for Hansen that's due in an hour!" She exclaimed while typing on her phone.

"Really? You're supposed to bring a teacher something after school?" I questioned.

"Nope. Online. Mrs. Hansen is tech savvy for some reason and requires us to turn in all our homework online." Aliya explained for the sporty girl.

She looked annoyed thinking about the concept.

"I wonder if she knows how to build a PC? How to run Scratch?" Shanice murmured loudly.

"Scratch?" I asked.

I've only been asking questions this convo...

Shanice looked at me across our makeshift circle "It's just some pc software I overheard my sister talk about. Apparently, you can make games with it."

"That sounds so cool. Imagine making those movie-like Playstation games on a little laptop." Aliya said, moving her shoulders close while saying 'little'.

Playstation?!? Marianne talked to me about that! But, I only remember the name. I don't know what it is. I can't add anything...

"I'm surprised you know what a Playstation is, Aliya." The second tallest of the group said.

"Yeah. I actually subbed to that gaming Youtube channel you sent me." The hoodie-wearing girl admitted proudly.

"Nice! I love Ability Drain. Did you sub to the other one I sent?"

"Nope. But, I watched her Last Of Us playthrough."

"Good playthrough. She's actually in my third period."

"A Youtuber actually goes to school here?" I asked, surprised.

Shanice nodded "She's pretty down-to-earth."

"That's surprising. I'd think she'd be loud. I thought that was how those gamer Youtubers get views." I said remembering those obnoxious Youtubers Marianne would have on when I'd visit.

Shanice looked up and put a hand under her chin as if thinking of a way to explain.

"Guys-"

"Those are the big Youtubers who only play horror games or play with other loud Youtuber friends you're thinking of. Pink Titania plays chill games...mostly." Shanice explained.

"Yeah. I don't know much about the whole gaming Youtuber community but I could totally see us hanging out with Titania and the other girls I'm subbed to." Aliya added while leaning forward a little.

Shanice looked at Aliya who was sitting to her right. "Not all gaming Youtubers go to our school though."

"I know that."

"Just making sure."

"Do you think we could meet this Pink Tittynia?" I asked.

I know what I said. It was a genuine slip up...Ok it wasn't. Sorry, but it was right there.

Shanice ignored my "genuine" slip up and apologized "Sorry, I can't. She wants to stay anonymous. It was just luck that I found out."

"That sucks but, I understand." I said while feeling my face frown.

I understood a little too much. What if she was popular enough to know me too? What if after she saw me she revealed to the school who I was? That would be horrible.

"Do you thi-" Aliya was starting to say until she was interrupted.

"Guys! My paper! I'm glad you guys are bonding but I still have this assignment due." Yuka exclaimed with her eyebrows furrowed.

"Right! Didn't even notice how off track we got." Aliya admitted.

"You don't have a laptop right?" Shanice asked, pointing her hand toward Yuka.

The sporty girl shook her head "I don't have one."

"We'll have to go to the computer lab then."

I was a little curious since I've only seen the computer lab on the map, I've never actually been there before.

"Alright. Let's get moving." Aliya said while getting up.

We made our way to the computer lab all the way on the third floor.

Once we got there, I surveyed our surroundings. It was a small room with white walls and grey dull looking carpet. There were dark blue tables against the walls to our left and right. Each table had seven of those old brick looking computers on it with chairs in front of each of them. A desk was across from us and the doorway with a mean-looking old lady sitting behind it. She watched us from behind her book as we made our way to some of the computers to our left. Yuka sat at the corner computer. I sat by her and Aliya and Shanice sat in the computers to my right. Yuka got to work on her assignment and Aliya and Shanice started talking about Youtubers again. I went on my phone and decided to text Marianne since I didn't want to disturb Yuka.

Ten minutes into texting I noticed Yuka drooping her head a bit.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I don't know what to do. How to even start."

I doubt I could help, but I guess I could try.

I turned the screen of my phone off. "What subject is it on?"

"English. I'm not great in most subjects but I'm especially bad when it comes to English." Yuka explained.

"That works for you. English happens to be my best subject."

Look, I know what I said in Chapter 1 but when you're barely passing, a C+ is a good grade.

The sporty girl looked at me with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

"Great! Then you can help me then." She exclaimed and then turned her screen towards me.

"The book we're focusing on is the Haunting of Hill House. We're supposed to write about why it's considered one of the best literary ghost stories. I already have one source but I need two more and I still need to figure out how to start the essay. I didn't even read all of what we were supposed to read either..." She said getting sadder as she continued on.

We sort of joke about Yuka being bad at academic stuff but I never realized she was this helpless. I feel a little bad for joking about it now.

I cleared my throat. "Show me the assignment requirements real quick."

This assignment...I feel like I've heard it somewhere before.

"Alright." She said and turned her attention back to the computer.

We're going to do exactly what the requirements say and pull from the first and longest sources we find. Basically, the bare minimum! It's how I get all my work done without dying of boredom. What? You thought because I'm a writer I'd be smart? A real intellect? Well news flash if you couldn't already tell. I'm not! But, it doesn't matter since I can tell a story and make it interesting and funny. I think that's the most important part of being a writer honestly.

About a minute passed and she pulled up an aesthetically pleasing Google Doc that i was surprised a teacher (a teacher here too!) made.

"Here." She said as she turned her head to face me.

I did a quick scan and realized something. We were also doing this assignment in Bailey's.

No wonder it sounded familiar.

I took off my black Calvin Klein backpack and shuffled through it. I got out my overstuffed black folder and looked through the papers and packets.

Here it is.

I took out a piece of lined paper with my full one-page essay on it. I put it in Yuka's direction.

"Here. Copy it and make sure to change up some words here and there. Especially when it comes to the introduction and conclusion paragraphs. I doubt the teachers talk that much so they won't even know." I explained with little emotion to my voice.

God, is Emma rubbing off on me? Also, why does what I just said sound so familiar?

"What the hell! Thank you, Jocelyn. You're actually saving me with this." Yuka exclaimed, looking like she might cry.

"No problem." I said, coolly.

My curiosity won the better of me and I asked. "Why are you so emotional over this assignment anyway? It's the second week of school. If you missed this assignment it probably won't matter in the long run."

She took some time to respond but when she did her face was a bit red "Well I already told you that I'm not good at academic stuff. Someone's helping me out this year and I want to show her that I can do this. That I'm trying. Cause I am! I am trying this year..."

I see. So, that's how it is.

I smirked and patted the Adidas loving lesbian on the back.

"You got this. Impress that girl you met when you accidentally stumbled into the academic text section of the library."

Yuka laughed heartily. "That's! Pssh- come on! I need to get to work."

"Ok. Ok. I'll let you work." I said and leaned back in my seat.

I looked up at the white ceiling. The content mood I was in quickly turned sour as I remembered something from last year.

We were in her room. My mind couldn't remember much but I remembered her huge purple Queen bed that looked like it could've been for an actual queen with its fancy satin canopy. The blurry girl sat beside me on her bed, a paper in her hand.

She spoke in that honeyed voice. "Here. Copy it and make sure to change up some words here and there. Especially when it comes to the introduction and conclusion paragraphs. I doubt the teachers talk that much so they won't even know."