Author's note: I know this episode is very fragmented and crappy, but at least it's finally here. My writing quality would hopefully improve as time goes on and I settle back into the practice. Hamilton's hair now resembles how Ian Somerhalder had it when he guest starred (very prettily) on Now and Again.
Acknowledgements: My loyal reader friends - you know who you are - thank you for driving me.
Part 1
Teaser
*fade in*
A stereo sat on the nightstand, playing 'Even When I'm Sleeping' by Leonardo's Bride. Stacked messily beside it were three or four CDs, the topmost one being Sarah McLachlan's 'Solace'. Sunlight was filtering through the windows, one ray managing to catch a corner of the CD case, casting a small rainbow glimmer on the wooden panel floor.
A little shift in perspective, and the crisp blue sheets on a bed fall into view. It was neatly made, and on it sat Jake Pratt and Hamilton Fleming, crossed-legged and facing each other, holding hands. The background swung into focus, revealing the Flemings' guest room.
--'Don't be confused by my apparent lack of ceremony / my mind is clear / I may be low or miles high off in the distance / I want you near�'
Jake was in full boy gear, wearing a pale blue shirt and tan khakis. Her dark hair was slightly damp, and hung floppily down to her eyes - in short, she was not much changed from the end of last semester, still managing to pass herself off convincingly as guy, albeit rather a feminine one.
Hamilton had cut his hair over the break, making it appear darker somehow. Without his messy fringe perpetually dangling in his eyes, the startling blue of his intent gaze was somehow accentuated, more prominent than ever.
He was gazing into Jake's eyes at this present moment, and she looked back, a hint of determination passing across her features.
" Are you sure you're up to this?" He asked in a voice laden with concern.
She tightened her clasp on his fingers and nodded, " We've got to try, or we'll never know."
" Okay," he murmured, leaning in so that his lips brushed against hers, " just tell me when�"
His words were interrupted as she leaned into the kiss, her eyes falling closed and her long lashes brushing against the top of his cheekbone, light as gossamer.
--'I love you / even when I'm sleeping / When I close my eyes / you're everywhere�'
Her lips were soft and yielding. He wrapped a tentative arm around her waist and pulled her closer, expecting that familiar rigidity that came whenever they came too close in contact, but was pleasantly surprised to find its absence instead.
Her lips searched over his tenderly, without a hint of fear or hesitation that he had become used to. He didn�t know what to think - it was such an unfamiliar sensation now. How she was just responding to his every touch, her lips curving gently beneath his. Winding her arms around his neck, she kissed him back, deeper and deeper.
--'And if they take me flying on the magic carpet / see me wave / If our communication fails, I'll reconnect it / I want to rave�'
The intensity of the kiss grew, and she leaned back against the bed, taking him down with her. He ran a hand lightly up her side, and she responded by slipping her other arm around his waist, drawing him closer.
� Jake�� he whispered, breathless.
As he broke the kiss, she sat up suddenly, pressing a hand to her flushed cheeks, � Stop, stop.�
He pulled himself up on his elbows, � Are you okay?�
She turned to look at him, her hand falling away from her cheek. The blush had somewhat receded, but her eyes were still bright.
--�I love you / even when I'm sleeping / When I close my eyes you're everywhere��
� Jake,� he tried to smile encouragingly, � you know you can just tell me when you feel like you can�t handle it.�
� No,� she shook her head, looking dazed, � that�s not it.�
� That�s not it?� He couldn't help but start to get worried, � What�s wrong?�
She cast her eyes downward, and he sat up straighter, concerned. He raised his hand to his forehead, a reflex to brush his fringe out of his eyes, forgetting for a moment that this new short haircut needed no such intervention.
� Jake?� He asked again, � Can�t you handle how fast we�re going? I�m sorry, I�ll go slower��
� No,� she lifted her head, and he saw that she was in fact smiling, � Hamilton��
He raised his eyebrows.
� I was just afraid,� she had a bashful expression that he was unaccustomed to seeing, � if we went much further than that, I wouldn�t be able to stop myself.�
And with that she leaned in again, and kissed him tenderly.
--�No matter where the road is leading us, remember / don't be afraid / We have a continent that sometimes comes between us / that's okay��
He broke away from the kiss, � What? Do you mean��
She nodded, � Yeah, Hamilton, I think��
� You�re cured?� He exclaimed.
She furrowed her brows, � Well, Perkins didn�t really want to use the word �cured�.� and seeing the confused look on his face, her expression softened and she began to laugh, � Yeah, I think I am.�
A wide grin spread over his face, bright with relief. � Come here�� he whispered huskily as he wrapped her in his arms once more and kissed her fervently, the way that he had been waiting for months to do. She kissed him back, equally impatient.
It had been too long.
--�I love you / even when I�m sleeping / When I close my eyes / you're everywhere��
� Ahem.� A loud cough issued from the doorway. And when they managed not to hear, the cough came again, louder this time, � Ahem.�
Hamilton and Jake broke away from the kiss, only to see Kate Fleming leaning against the doorframe, looking distinctly ill at ease, � Uh, boys?� She ventured, � Sorry to um, interrupt��
Jake blushed, glancing sideways at Hamilton, � Sorry.�
� No, I�m sorry, I should have knocked before I came in,� Kate stammered, � I just figured� oh, never mind.�
� Mom.� Hamilton interrupted, still deliriously happy from the Jake�s new discovery.
Kate smiled, running a hand through her blonde curls, � I just wanted to ask, when are you two moving? The dorms are open from today so I just wondered if you wanted to make a head start before the masses start settling in.�
� I think she�s trying to get rid of us.� Hamilton said to Jake in a stage whisper.
� Well, having two teenage boys in the house for all this time was trying.� Kate sighed dramatically, playing along.
� Point taken, point taken,� Jake laughed out loud, untangling herself from Hamilton�s grasp and standing up from the bed. Taking a step toward Kate, she smiled gratefully, � Thank you so much for having me over.�
� It was a pleasure, Jake.� Kate grinned.
--�When I close my eyes / you're everywhere / Oh, don�t be afraid / don�t be afraid��
� Well,� Hamilton stood up behind Jake, touching her on the shoulder, � I guess we should start packing our things.�
� Yeah, we should.� She agreed, turning back to Kate, � Thanks again.�
� No problem, you know you�re welcome in this house any time.� Kate nodded. She paused as she was turning to go, � Jake��
� Yeah?� Jake asked, sticking her hands in her pockets.
� Where on earth did you find that song?� Kate sighed, � It�s wonderful.�
� Oh, this?� Jake waved at the stereo, where �Even When I�m Sleeping� was drawing to a stop, � It�s beautiful, isn�t it?�
� Yeah.� Kate sighed again, and smiled, � It�s so nice to finally find a boy who actually appreciates what they label �chick music���
Hamilton snorted, and Jake hid a smile, � Uh, thanks, I think.�
--�Oh, don�t be afraid / don�t be afraid��
Part 2 - Opening credits and theme song. Cast regulars line-up is the original five, plus Faye, and Finn
Bella�s Gas Station
It was another clear, bright morning, the summer having crept up on everyone unawares. The sun was shining enthusiastically in Will Krudski�s face as he lay on the Banks� couch, sleeping bag drawn up to his chin. He groaned, turned on his side and draped an arm over his face, trying to block out the annoying rays.
� Morning.� A voice said softly from beside him.
" Morning.� He mumbled back, opening his eyes a crack. Bella Banks was crouching next to the couch, watching him with a smile.
" What's the time?" He asked, rubbing his eyes.
She checked her watch. " Seven. You could sleep some more if you want to."
" Nah, I should get up." He said, worming out of the sleeping bag, " I have to get all my stuff back to Rawley today so I might as well as make an early start."
" Well, in that case," she smiled, playfully ruffling his hair, " how about breakfast?"
He smiled back and kissed her on the cheek. " Love to."
* * *
Rawley Academy
*The intro to the Crash Poets' 'Goodbye' plays, like in season one*
Rawley Academy was as picturesque as ever, wide stretches of manicured lawns stretching away from the lake, dotted by stately grey stone buildings here and there. Bella pulled her truck to a stop just inside the Academy's gates, and Will jumped out, dragging a couple of cardboard cartons with him.
The school had been a secluded place for the last two weeks, which was no longer the case, seeing that a fair few Summer Session students had already turned up and roamed the grounds, many of them accompanied by parents to check out the surroundings. Will smiled at the sight of a group of gape-eyed boys, obviously new entrants and rather intimidated by it all.
Walking around the driver side of the truck, he rested his elbow on the door as Bella reeled down the window, " Thanks for the ride."
" Don't mention it." She tossed her hair back, " Have fun settling in."
" You don't want to come in and see everyone?" He asked, picking up his cartons.
" I don't think Faye and Scout are back yet," she said, starting up the engine, " but we're meeting up with the gang in the diner tonight, remember? We�ll catch up later."
" All right," he gave her a quick kiss goodbye, " See you."
She waved, and backed out of the school gates. Will watched as the truck headed back in the way of town, then turned and started to walk towards the boys' dormitory, looking up at the familiar sight of those dormitories that he had come to know as home.
*Will's voiceover begins*
'Life's not only about new beginnings, but also about how we pick up where we left off. We don't expect a brand new world every time we open our eyes; we try the best we could with the ones we have created. That's how life is, unbroken and dynamic, experiences merging and diverging without any foreseeable end. I have no idea what a new semester might bring into my life, and what I thought was familiar, just might turn out differently by the end of the day.'
He had no sooner made his way into the main hall before Finn walked out of his office. " Krudski!" He exclaimed, " Good to see you."
" You too, Finn." Will walked forward. " I would offer a hug, but my hands are sort of occupied," he laughed, clutching his cartons.
" Well, you'll just have to settle for a manly punch." Finn joked, affectionately patting Will's left shoulder, " How was your break?"
" Not bad." Will shrugged, " Not eventful, but not at all bad."
" Good time to recuperate?" Finn asked.
Will nodded, " Yeah. I had a lot of rest."
" Good to know." Finn nodded in approval. " And I have to say, it's great to see you back."
Will grinned, " It's great to be back, considering I was this close to losing the scholarship last semester."
" You came through in the end." Finn grinned, " I trust you were happy with your exam results?"
" I am." Will affirmed, " I hadn't expected such high grades."
" Well, I did." Finn smiled, " And you do know that I won't be expecting any less from you, even if it is only Summer Session, Mr Krudski."
" Bring it on." Will joked, shifting his weight from one leg to another.
" Well, I better not let you stand here with those boxes for too long," Finn noticed his discomfort, " you got your dorm number in the mail?"
" Yeah, I did." Will had to set down his cartons to rummage around in his backpack, but held up a slip of paper triumphantly soon after, " Room 223."
" You better head upstairs." Finn smiled, " We'll catch up later."
" Great." Will beamed, picking up his boxes again. Beginning to walking away, he suddenly turned back and added, " I just remembered, I have this great idea that I want to run by you later."
" Why don't you come to my office this afternoon?" Finn suggested, " After you get settled in."
" Sure." Will nodded, heading up the stairs. A couple of nervous-looking freshmen, loitering around the stairway, looked at him apprehensively. He offered a friendly smile and moved down the hallway, looking up at the numbers fixed onto the doors.
" 221� 223." He murmured, coming to a stop. Setting a box down in order to free his hands, he opened the corresponding door and poked his head into the room.
It was empty. He brought the boxes in and set them down on the ground, tossing his backpack on the windowside bed. Due to new privacy policies, Rawley wasn't allowed to give out roommate information beforehand anymore, so he wasn't sure if Summer Session would mean new roommates or if he was going to share his room with Scout again. He figured either way wouldn�t be too bad: most of the guys at Rawley were pretty cool and they got on well enough.
He contemplated unpacking but that thought was quickly replaced by the urge to go and see how Jake was doing, wondering if she had managed to score a single room for herself yet again. With that thought in mind, he walked out of his room and straight into Hamilton. " Ooof!" They exclaimed as they collided, Hamilton dropping his box of belongings.
" Sorry, man." Will said, helping to pick up a couple of baseballs that rolled across the floor while Hamilton struggled to pick up the box again.
" Hey Will. This your room?" Hamilton asked, nodding at room 223.
" Yeah, I just got in." Will nodded, putting the balls back into Hamilton's box. " Where are you living this summer?"
" At school." Hamilton started walking again, " I've had enough of the parentals for now - you can get away with so much more here in the dorms."
" That's true." Will laughed.
" I'm just heading over to my room, it's down the hall." Hamilton continued, " Right next to Jake's room, actually."
" Did she manage to get a single?" Will followed Hamilton, striding along briskly.
" Yeah, she did." Hamilton grinned, " But guess what, dad said hers is the only one this semester. So I wonder who I'll be rooming with."
" Me too." Will agreed, just as Hamilton came to a stop in front of a room at the end of the hall. " 234, this is it."
Before they could enter, the door next to Hamilton's room opened a crack and someone peeked out, a pair of hazel eyes darting quickly to and fro to see who was standing in the hall.
" Hey boy," Hamilton grinned to the crack in the door.
It opened wider to reveal Jake. " Hey boy," she replied with a smile, stepping out of the room, " I thought I heard voices." Gesturing at his unsteady grip on the boxes, she asked, " You need help?"
" No, I'm fine." Hamilton panted, adjusting his grip on the carton, " But can you open this door for me?"
" Sure." She reached over and turned the handle. The door swung inwards, and from inside came a sudden, muffled shriek. The three in the doorway jumped in surprise, having assumed that the room was empty.
" What the�" Will began to say, and trailed off as the door swung completely open, revealing Scout Calhoun and Faye Archer, who were sprawled across the windowside bed, evidently in the midst of undressing. As the door opened they quickly sat up, Faye buttoning up her shirt with admirable agility.
� Do you ever come up for air?� Will cracked, while Hamilton charged past him, set his box down and demanded, � What are you doing in my room?�
� Nice to see you too.� Scout grinned sheepishly, � Hey guys.�
� Hey!� Jake ran forward to give Faye a welcome hug, � How was the trip?�
� Oh, it was great!� Once Faye had buttoned her shirt back up, she replied enthusiastically, � We had an awesome time. What about you guys?�
Jake shrugged, � Hung around.�
� Sounds exciting.� Scout commented wryly.
� Hey, there�s a lot to be said about small-town summers.� Will said.
Jake glanced at him with amusement, � Yeah, all that sitting around and everything, really takes it out of you.�
Will grinned and shrugged.
� No, seriously,� Hamilton cut in, � What are you doing in my room?�
� It�s your room too?� Scout asked, � I guess we�re roommates.�
Hamilton�s expression relaxed into a smile, � We�re sharing? Cool.�
" If you two are roommates, then I wonder who I'll be rooming with?" Will wondered aloud.
" Yeah, me too." Faye piped up, " Leah's not here for Summer Session anyway so I wonder who I'll share with."
" Maybe you'll be lucky and get a single room." Jake suggested.
Faye wrinkled her nose, " You think? I better go and have a look soon."
" You haven't been to your room yet?" Jake asked.
Faye blushed, " We'd just gotten back."
Jake decided not to zero in on the potential joke-making scenario, and instead asked, " You need any help?"
" Nah, I'm sweet." Faye answered, getting up from the bed. Seeing that Will and Hamilton were already engaging in animated conversation with Scout, she reached over and ruffled his hair, mouthing, " See you later." He nodded with a small wave, and she set off towards the door.
" We're meeting up at the diner later." Jake called after her.
" Okay." Faye called back, stepping out into the hall.
* * *
The Gas Station
Bella had only returned from dropping Will off at Rawley, and was getting out of her truck when Charlie appeared from inside the shop. He was dressed in grubby overalls, and was wearing a dirty rubber glove on one hand. His other hand was bare and he was holding an envelope, which he looked at with concern. " Bella," he began, walking toward the truck.
" Hey dad," she acknowledged him, her gaze dropping to the letter, " What's that?"
" It's uh, for you." he replied slowly. Bella raised an eyebrow and made a move to take the envelope, but Charlie glanced at her quickly and added, " It's from Donna."
Bella's arm froze in midair. " Mom?" She asked hesitantly, " But we haven't spoken since�"
" Last summer, yeah." Charlie frowned. Holding out the envelope, he shrugged, " I know you didn't exactly have the reunion you hoped for, with all the crap we had to go through for the gas station."
Bella bit her lip, remembering the numerous Court visits that she and Charlie had to sit through, in order to finally buy the gas station deed from her mother. She grimaced, " It's weird, after ten years, all we really had to say to each other was pure business."
" Well, now it seems like she wants to say more." Charlie said carefully, nodding at the envelope, which he was still holding. Bella�s fingers were hovering a mere inch away, neither reaching forward, nor drawing away.
She glanced at it, " What do you think she wants?"
He cracked a smile, " Don't make it sound so sinister. She probably just wants to catch up."
" Maybe." She said dubiously. It wasn't as though it was such an unfeasible scenario, but she grew up not expecting much - well, anything at all - from her mother, so it was no wonder that she suspected some sort of ulterior motive behind a letter out of the blue.
She glanced at Charlie again and suddenly felt ashamed of how suspicious she seemed. It was just a letter, after all. He nodded encouragingly, and she took it off his hands.
Part 3
Rawley Girls' Academy
Faye walked down the corridor to the girls' dorms, lugging a couple of bags with her and silently reading the numbers on the doors. She came to a stop in front of her new room, and remembering her own embarrassing predicament only moments earlier, decided to knock first.
A unfamiliar voice called from within, " Come in!" and Faye entered, curious as to who her new roommate was going to be.
A slim brunette was standing next to the window, looking out at the lake. She was wearing a flimsy pink sundress, which brought out her smooth olive complexion. As Faye entered she turned with a smile, " Hey. You must be my roommate."
" Yeah." Faye grinned, setting her bags down and walking over. " Faye Archer." She introduced herself.
" Oh, nice to meet you." The other girl grinned, " I'm Paige Bennett."
* * *
The Gas Station
The morning had slid stealthily into noon. It was another languid summer day, and most local folks took their lunch breaks to mellow out for an hour or two under the shade of various little shops on Main Street. It being summer vacation and all, large groups of teenagers were gathered in the diner, getting away from the midday heat.
Bella leaned against her truck, scanning the contents of her letter. When she got to the bottom of it, she gazed up into the distance thoughtfully, and then reread the letter again. The bright sunlight bounced off the paper and made it glare a harsh white, but she didn�t really notice.
Charlie came out to stand beside her, looking concerned, " What did she want?"
She shrugged lightly, " Nothing much."
He raised his eyebrows and repeated, " Nothing much?"
" She just wants to�" she began, then stopped and shrugged again, " Yeah, it's sort of no big deal. She just wants us to get together again sometime."
" Us?" He asked, " Like, you and me and Grace."
" No," she shook her head, " I meant just me and� her."
He nodded, and after a moment asked, " Do you think you will?"
She stared up at the sky, " I don't know."
* * *
Faye and Paige's room
" So, are you new here?" Faye asked, starting to hang up her clothes in the wardrobe.
" Oh, no." Paige sat down on the edge of her bed and started setting her alarm clock, " I was here last summer. My parents have this weird thing with American schools, they think it's okay for you know, 'light education'," she made quote marks with her fingers and made a face, " but they make me go to a Swiss school for actual semesters."
Faye laughed, " European education isn't all that it's cracked up to be, you know."
" Oh, I know," Paige rolled her eyes, " but try telling that to them. I think I might have a shot at convincing them to let me stay here this year, but it's too early to say."
" Good luck with that." Faye said, walking across to her bed.
" What about you?" Paige asked, " Is this your first summer here?"
" First Summer Session, yeah," Faye nodded, " but I was here for most of junior year."
" Oh, you're a senior." Paige said, " It's weird how they don't care about cross-grade rooming."
" It's actually something they try to do as much as possible," Faye smirked, " Says it helps the school become more unified across the strata."
Paige giggled, " They actually said that?"
� No, I just made it up.� Faye admitted. � Anyway, if you were here last summer, you probably knew a lot of my friends.�
" I probably did." Paige agreed, " Who do you usually hang out with around here?"
The door flew open, and both of them swirled around. " Scout!" They claimed in unison.
It was indeed Scout standing at the door, looking as though he had run the way between the two dormitories. " Faye," he panted, " I forgot to tell you�� Interrupting himself abruptly as he saw the other girl, he blinked, � Paige? What are you doing here?"
Faye glanced at Paige, who was looking at Scout, wide-eyed. � Scout, hey.� She said quietly.
� Um, hi.� Scout stared at her, � Didn�t you go to Switzerland?�
� Yeah,� Paige nodded, � I came back for the summer.�
� Oh.� Scout paused, and glanced at Faye uncomfortably. � Uh, I guess you two have already met.�
� Yeah, we have,� Paige answered, � So you guys know each other�?�
Scout jammed his hands into his pockets, � Yeah�� he said, � Faye�s my, um, girlfriend.�
� Oh!� was Paige�s immediate reaction, and to cover up her evident surprise, she added quietly, � Right��
Faye looked from Scout to Paige, then back to Paige again, the two of them facing each other and distinctly ill at ease. � Wow, this feels awkward,� she broke the silence with a smile. � Did you two used to date or something? It�s okay, I�m not the type who forces boyfriends to not have histories.�
The other two smiled faintly. � Yeah,� Scout said hesitantly, � We went out last summer.�
Faye raised an eyebrow, but before she could say anything, a bout of hysterical squealing erupted in the hallway. All three swivelled in the direction of the door just in time to catch sight of a multitude of girls running past.
*'Lust for Life' begins to play, yeah, the one by Iggy Pop. Just the instrumental intro though*
� What the�� Faye started to say, only to be jostled by both Scout and Paige as they both made for the hallway. � Underwear run!� Scout shouted gleefully, only too eager to escape the weird situation with the two girls. Within moments they were out the door and running along the corridor with the rest of the girls from the dorm. Faye followed, laughing in confusion.
* * *
Hamilton and Scout�s room
Will and Jake were watching Hamilton put his prized Fender guitar on a stand in the far corner of the room when they heard the stampede of feet down the hallway. Jake groaned, � Are they still doing that underwear run thing?�
� Tradition, baby!� Will hollered, already halfway out the door and wrenching his shirt off. Hamilton started to take off after him, then paused in the doorway and looked back at Jake, a little guiltily. � Do you mind?� he asked.
� What? Standing around while you parade those muscles around millions of nubile young things in wet T-shirts?� Jake teased, and watching his face fall, laughed and gave him a nudge, � I�m kidding. Why don�t you catch up with Will? I�ll be down in a second.�
� I don�t have to go if you don�t want me to.� He insisted, looking longingly out the window and noted the first few stragglers had already started jumping into the lake. The rest of the school was running across the lawn, shedding clothes as they went.
� I�ll meet you by the lake later.� Jake shrugged.
� Okay, see you.� Hamilton paused for one more split second to flash a bright smile, then took off like a shot.
Jake looked down at her long-sleeved shirt and tugged on the hem, watching how the material fell across the flat plane of her chest, courtesy of that corset binder that had become something of a second skin.
It wasn�t as though she resented anything that was happening. No, resent was much too powerful a word. It was a simple sort of annoyance, watching all the kids around her do things - trivial little things like stripping half-naked and jumping into the lake - that she couldn�t do. Still, that was a small price to pay for staying at Rawley.
Making her way down the staircase, she noted dispiritedly that it was already deserted, all of the guys undoubtedly congregated around the lake by now. She walked out of the dorms and had to laugh wryly at the sight of an empty lawn full of discarded T-shirts and jeans.
Picking her way over the various items of clothing, she slowly walked toward the lake. A rumble of voices rose from that general area, supplemented by the sound of splashing water and some hysterical screams coming from overexcited freshman girls.
As she walked closer, she saw Faye standing on the bank not far away, watching the proceedings with a smile. It figured, Jake grinned to herself: Faye was the type who�d never get caught dead participating in a teenage ritual like this. She started walking over, only to be startled by a tap on her shoulder.
She turned around and saw that it was Thomas Greenwood, a guy that she and Hamilton got to know reasonably well from being in REACH last year. � Hey,� she grinned at him, � I didn�t know you were coming back for Summer Session.�
He made a face, � Let�s just say my summer plans fell through. Parents had more important things to do, as always.�
� Sorry to hear that,� she sympathised, � I know how it could be sometimes.�
� Yeah,� he shrugged, � It�s okay. Summer at Rawley doesn�t suck as much as the other schools.�
� Yeah?� She smiled, � Cold comfort, I guess.�
� I guess.� He repeated, looking a little distracted. Jake was wondering if she should say something else before he suddenly asked, � Do you know what�s happening with REACH?�
� Um�� she shrugged, � I don�t know. Jesse and Lance were in charge last year but they�ve graduated, so I don�t know who�s going to take up the responsibility now. What do you have in mind?�
� I don�t know.� Thomas shrugged again, � I was just wondering.� Gesturing at the lake, he laughed suddenly, � Don�t you just hate all this?�
Jake paused, then smiled, � Yeah, actually, I really do.�
� You want to get away from here?� Thomas asked, glancing at her, � Go grab a coffee in town or something.�
� Um�� Jake wondered if he wasn�t merely being friendly. � Um, I�m actually sort of waiting for Hamilton.� She placed extra emphasis on Hamilton�s name, hoping to drop a discreet hint.
Thomas furrowed his brows, � Hamilton?�
� Yeah, you know, my�� Jake briefly and digressively thought that she�d never used the term �boyfriend� in a gay context before, � � boyfriend.�
� Oh, I�m sorry.� Thomas looked confused, � It�s just� I thought you guys broke up.�
� What?� Jake exclaimed, � Why?�
He looked at her strangely, � Jake� um, haven�t you heard��
� Heard what?� she asked, and as he saw that she really had no idea what he was talking about, he suddenly flushed, embarrassed, � Oh, I�m sorry, I shouldn�t have said anything, um��
� Thomas, what are you talking about?� Jake asked again, furrowing her brows.
He looked at her, then darted his gaze around as though looking for an escape route, repeating the one word that his vocabulary seemed to have been reduced to, � Um��
She kept her gaze steady, � What�s going on?�
He sighed, � Honestly, Jake, I thought you knew, cos you know, everyone knows by now and I was so sure you guys would have broken up, please don�t be angry with me��
� Wait, Tom.� Jake was impatient, � Just tell me what you�re talking about! What do you mean everyone knows? Who�s everyone?�
He took another step back. � Please don�t be angry with me.�
� Why would I be angry with you? Just tell me what�s going on.� She walked forward and closed the distance between them. He swallowed, and tried to hide his discomfort behind an attempt to lighten the conversation, � I�m serious, Jake, it�s against the rules to shoot the messenger, all right?�
She crossed her arms and waited. He sighed again with resignation, � Haven�t you heard everyone saying Hamilton slept with Josh?�
* * *
Rawley Lake
Will, Scout and Hamilton saw a few burly seniors plough into the lake, and swerved out of their path. They looked on, laughing, as the seniors headed straight toward some freshmen guys and hauled them out of the water, carrying the poor bastards off in their boxers, the latter yelling out with indignation.
� God, that brings back memories.� Will chortled, watching the seniors wade back to shore, where the freshmen were promptly blindfolded and dumped into waiting cars, which took off in the direction of the centre of town.
� It�s a relief to know they�re not coming for you this time.� Scout commented, following the other two back to shore, where most of the students now stood around, drying themselves off and watching the seniors rounding up some remaining freshmen who attempted to run out of the lake and avoid the embarrassing fate of being dumped in town in their boxers.
Hamilton ran his hand across his hair, still not used to it being so short. � Hey, have you guys seen Jake�� he asked, only to be cut short by a voice calling behind them, � Scout? Scout Calhoun? Hey!�
They turned around to see a girl running in their direction, sending up massive splashes of water as she made her way out of the lake. Scout blinked, � Maria? Is that you?�
The girl was Asian, with a petite build. Her black hair was short and spiky, shot through with electric blue streaks. Unlike most other girls who�d shed at least a proportion of their clothes, she had apparently jumped straight into the lake in her T-shirt and jeans, the dark denim turning almost black from the water. As she got closer they could see that she had an eyebrow ring inset with a blue rhinestone that matched her hair, and a labret piercing. � Calhoun!� She squealed, � It�s so good to see you!�
� Hey!� Scout greeted her with a bear hug, � God, I haven�t seen you since��
� Like, sixth grade.� She laughed, hugging him back. Scout hastily introduced his friends, � Maria Ishizuka, this is Will Krudski, and Hamilton Fleming.�
� Hi,� Maria grinned, asking Hamilton, � Fleming huh? You�re the Dean�s son?�
� Yeah�� Hamilton started to say, � but��
� Don�t worry, he�s not a narc or anything.� Jake finished for him, walking up from behind. Will and Scout laughed. � And this is Jake Pratt.� Scout said, � Jake, meet Maria, she�s an old family friend. Her dad used to the Japanese ambassador.�
� Hi.� Jake smiled at Maria, � Nice to meet you. Um, Hamilton��
� What�s up?� He asked, linking his fingers through hers.
She was bemused, � I just talked to Thomas Greenwood.�
He was surprised, � I thought he was going away for the summer.�
� Plans fell through,� she replied. With a small smirk, she continued, � Anyway, he just so happened to let slip a rumour that�s supposedly going around at the moment.�
� I didn't know you were the gossipy type, Jake.� Will commented mildly.
She glanced at him and grinned, � Wait until you hear it.�
Part 4
The Diner
� He said what?� Faye choked on her milkshake.
The gang was crammed into the booth in the corner of Friendly�s. Faye was half sitting on Scout�s lap, and Will had his arm around Bella. Jake was stirring her ice cream calmly while Hamilton displayed facial colour of a rather interesting crimson, and it looked like he was trying to tear huge chucks of his hair out. � Apparently, everyone knows,� he exclaimed, indignant.
The others couldn't help but laugh over the horrified look on his face. � Where the hell did that come from?� Will chuckled, � So word is, you and Josh had some sordid affair going on behind Jake�s back?�
Hamilton glanced at Jake as if to plead for her help, but she was laughing too much to notice. � Would someone please explain to me what�s going on?� He demanded, glaring in Faye�s direction in particular.
The blonde held up her hands, �I swear, I knew nothing about it.�
Hamilton narrowed his eyes suspiciously, � Are you sure?�
� Hey, why are you giving me the third degree? Am I supposed to be the Josh replacement now that he�s not here?� Faye defended herself with a short laugh. And then she paused, glancing around shiftily, � Though��
� What?� The gang demanded in unison. Hamilton leaned forward and stared at Faye as though his glare might make her talk faster.
� Well, I might know something�� Faye continued, in a singsong voice.
An expectant silence followed, and she laughed, � God, he�s not going to be happy when he hears I�m now telling people en masse.�
� Telling people what?� Jake demanded, � You�re talking about Josh, right?�
Faye rested her elbows on the Formica table and interlaced her fingers beneath her chin, violet eyes glinting mischievously. � Let�s just say� he didn�t get kicked out of Andover without a reason.�
� Your ability at stating the obvious astounds me.� Hamilton growled.
Faye scowled at him, � But hardly anyone knows about it, because they were trying to hush it up.�
� Well, I don�t think he was kicked out of Andover for sleeping with Hamilton.� Jake laughed, unconcerned.
� He didn�t get kicked out of Andover for sleeping with Hamilton, no,� Faye smiled enigmatically, � but he did get kicked out of Andover for sleeping with the Dean�s son.�
Silence followed that announcement, broken only by Hamilton groaning out loud, � Oh, my god.�
� Everyone thinks it�s you.� Scout mumbled, trying to stifle his laughter.
� Thanks for that.� Hamilton glared at him, burying his face in his hands, � Oh my god, he slept with the Dean�s son?�
� Uh huh.� Faye�s shoulders were shaking with mirth. Will and Bella looked down into their drinks, trying not to laugh out loud. Even Jake had trouble keeping a straight face as she tried her best to calm down her boyfriend, who had started banging his head on the table.
� How is Josh, anyway?� Will wondered, � Did you guys catch up before you came back?�
� Actually, we did.� Faye smiled, trying to ignore the disconcerting thumps of Hamilton�s continuous headbanging. � The band�s got a few club gigs lined up in Boston, and it was all going a bit crazy when we went to visit him, they were running soundchecks and everyone kept wandering around, so we didn�t stay long.�
� Sounds like they are having fun, though,� Jake noted. � How are things going with Malcolm?�
� Oh,� Faye grinned, � They sort of became this �official� couple now, which is cute. Josh whispered to me that there was this Marilyn Manson lookalike from this local punk band who keeps trying to hit on him, and Malcolm is not pleased. It�s quite amusing actually, watching them get sucked into this whole band culture thing. Massive bad influences all around.�
Will chuckled, � Sounds like an experience.�
� He�s having fun.� Faye shrugged.
� Maybe too much fun.� Scout said offhandedly, glancing at Bella. She had spent the last half hour mindlessly toying with her hair, having barely said two words through the entire conversation with the gang. He wondered what was wrong, catching the glazed look in her eyes.
Hamilton was starting to feel a bruise forming on his forehead, and figured that he�d made enough of a point to stop hitting his head, so he leaned back in the booth and grimaced, � How was your trip, anyway?�
Faye looked at Scout, who was still staring at Bella. Her grin faded a little, and she shrugged, " Yeah, it was pretty cool."
Scout turned his gaze away from Bella and smiled sideways at Faye, taking her hand under the table. � We just sorta went where the road took us.�
� And flipped coins when we had to make choices about where to go.� Faye smiled back at him, � We thought it was all road trip movie-ish.�
The others laughed. � Right,� said Will, � a journey of self-discovery.�
" Minus the self-discovery part.� Scout grinned, � Mostly we just drove.�
Faye smiled again. The two weeks that they had spent on the road had shaped itself into one perfect memory, flickering images of sun and gentle wind, of light kisses and loud music, the reckless speed of the highway and the leisure of going nowhere in particular. It felt weird coming back to Rawley and all the functionings of daily life, to get tangled up again in affairs and people outside of just themselves.
The others weren't aware of what significance the simple words of 'just drove' really held for the two of them, but Scout knew, and she knew. She squeezed his hand lightly, and he squeezed back.
" Hey, we better go," announced Jake, checking her watch, " We have to make it back for dinner."
" And my dad's start of term speech," groaned Hamilton, sarcasm dripping from his voice, " yay. Don't want to miss that one."
Jake laughed, getting up and pulling him along, " Come on, let's go." Amidst groans, the others also stood up, filing out of the air-conditioned diner and into the warm air outside.
Scout lagged at the back of the group, and stood a little apart from them as the other Rawley kids started to walk in the direction of the school. Faye looked back and stopped, extending a hand, " Aren't you coming?"
" I just want to talk to Bella first, okay?" he said lightly, " I'll catch up with you."
She drew back uncertainly, " All right." Shrugging, she turned to join the others.
Bella waved halfheartedly before walking in the direction of the gas station. " What's up, Scout?" She asked, as he fell into step beside her.
" You were quiet today." He observed, looking at her out of the corner of his eye.
" Mmm." She murmured, pausing outside the station.
" I�m just wondering if anything's wrong." He said, sticking his hands in his pockets.
She shrugged, " It's nothing major."
" Yeah?" He asked, sitting down beside the gas pumps.
" My�" she stumbled a little over the words, " my mom wrote to me, that's all."
" Oh." He nodded, not sure what to say. " What did she�"
" Nothing much." She said quickly, " Just� she sort of wants us to get together again, sometime. Just to�" she shrugged again, " you know."
He was silent for a moment, " Well, what do you think you're gonna do?"
" I don't know." She bit her lip, sitting down and standing up again. He watched her as she started pacing to and fro in front of the gas station, too agitated to stay still. " I mean," she sighed," it's really� she seems to think she can come in and out of my life whenever she wants to, you know?"
He nodded. She threw her hands up in the air, " I don't hear from her in ten years and suddenly it's like, 'Oh hi Bella, remember me?', and then it's another year without even a word from her, and now�"
" Yeah, it's messy." He sympathised.
She stopped pacing and looked at him, " I just don't know if I can go through that again."
" I know what you mean." He leaned his elbows on his knees, " Take your time with a decision, if you�re not sure."
" I am." She emphasised, sighing heavily, " I just don't know."
* * *
Rawley Academy: Finn's office
Finn looked up from his desk as Will entered the office. Leaning back in his armchair, he grinned, " A brilliant idea you wanted to run by me?"
" I hope so." Will smiled, closing the door behind him and shutting out the noise in the halls, the chatter of students settling in, old and new alike.
" Have a seat." Finn gestured toward the empty seat in front of his desk, " What's up?"
" Well, I was thinking," Will began, sinking into the leather armchair, " for a lot of us, last summer was the greatest summer of our lives."
" Glad you think so." Finn nodded, interlacing his fingers.
" Yet we have no lasting memoir from any of it." Will continued, " A couple of photos here and there, our names engraved on the Regatta cup, that's about it. It's sad to think we probably won't even remember much of it in ten or twenty years."
" That's true." Finn agreed, " Memory, contrary to popular belief, is really a very fickle thing."
" We get yearbooks for the school year, but why doesn't anyone ever do a special edition 'yearbook' for Summer Session?" Will asked, " I was wondering if the idea ever came up before."
" Once or twice." Finn replied, " and to tell you the truth, it didn't go particularly well."
" Really?" Will looked disappointed.
" Everyone was too busy having fun to worry about compiling, editing, in general getting everything done on time." Finn spread his hands, " The yearbook committee gets the whole year to do it; you get only eight weeks. The timing isn't just tight, it's verging on impossible�"
" I know it's hard work," Will interrupted, " but I also think it'll be a really worthwhile cause. I'm prepared to put in the time for it. It's not like Summer Session's a particularly busy time anyway."
" That's true," Finn admitted, " but you yourself won't be enough, Will. This is a team job, and as competent as you are, no one�s up to it alone."
" I'm sure I can find some people who'd be interested in helping out." Will said confidently.
Finn appraised him slowly, then shrugged, " Well, if you are keen on the idea, I see no reason to stop you. Of course, you'll have to work out a budget right from the outset, how much printing is going to cost, how much you're going to charge to break even, that sort of thing. I have publisher contacts filed away somewhere, so if you drop by later, you can have a look and maybe call them up and get quotes."
" Yeah, that'd be great, thanks." Will grinned, standing up, " So I can just� start?"
" Go ahead. You can find all the up-to-date publishing software on our computer systems." Finn waved a hand in the air, " " Just make sure you know what you're getting yourself into, okay?"
" I'll try my best." Will promised.
Part 5
Faye and Paige's room
Faye opened the door, walked in and promptly flopped down on her bed. Scout still hadn't returned, though it was obligatory for students to show up for the first school dinner of every semester. She wondered what was so important that he had to stay behind and talk to Bella about.
Running a hand through her messy hair, she realised with no small annoyance that she was fixating too much on detail. She shook her head resolutely, determined not to play the part of the jealous girlfriend.
But thoughts lingered, unable to be shaken away, trivial the whole thing seemed. That was why she was glad when Paige entered the room a moment later. " Hey!" She said cheerfully, watching the brunette cross to her side of the room and resume unpacking.
" Hey." Paige replied, pulling clothes out of her suitcase. " What are you doing?"
Faye fell back against the bed, " Being bored."
" Sounds fun." Paige said dryly. She didn't speak as she hung a gauzy sundress up in her closet, but then she turned around, " You didn't tell me you are dating Scout Calhoun."
" Didn't get a chance to." Faye sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. " So you two went out, huh?"
" It was a long time ago. And it was only casual-ish. So I hope that's not going to�" Paige looked at her, " you know, be a problem."
" Oh, no, no." Faye hurried to say, " I was just a little surprised."
Paige raised an eyebrow, " Why?"
" He hadn't�" Faye shrugged, " I was just surprised because he hadn't really said much about you and last summer. Actually, I didn't know about you until today."
" Oh." Paige looked confused, " Okay."
" Um," Faye began, then stopped because she didn't know how to continue. Chewing on her lower lip, she tried again, " Didn't he� he had a thing with Bella Banks last summer?"
" Bella Banks? From town?" Paige asked, frowning a little, " Yeah, I wasn't too sure what went on with those two. Um�"
" No, it's okay." Faye said quickly, returning to her dresser, " I was just wondering."
Paige fell quiet for a moment, looking out the window. It was still bright outside, the long summer days stretching out in hopes of prolonging the inevitable descent of night.
* * *
The Gas Station
" Arrghh." Scout tugged on his hair, " It's just weird, you know? I've only had two girlfriends at Rawley and it's just my luck, isn't it? Out of everyone there, they end up sharing a room."
" It's not that bad." Bella hugged her knees to her chest, fingers absently tracing patterns on the gas pump beside her.
" It was so weird when I ran in and the two of them were standing there, side by side." Scout sighed. " How am I supposed to cope with this all summer?"
" So, your current girlfriend is rooming with your ex-girlfriend," Bella said slowly, " and you go off to talk to your other ex-girlfriend about the weirdness of it all?"
He looked up, " God, I hadn't even thought of that."
She grinned teasingly, and he blushed, " I swear, my life's completely screwed up."
" Just a little." She smiled, " Hey, don't you have a dinner to go to?"
" Yeah, but it's not for another�" he glanced at his watch, and jumped up in surprise, " Oh my god, is that the time? Faye's going to kill me!" He ran off in the direction of the school and called over his shoulder, " Thanks, Bella, you know for listening and all that."
" No problem." She watched him sprint off and laughed out loud, " Uh, Scout, do you want a ride?"
He stopped in his tracks and shuffled back, looking sheepish, " Thanks."
" Come on." She walked around the gas station to where the truck was parked. He followed her, and as she leaned over to unlock his door, he said in a low voice, " You know, I think you should seriously consider calling your mom."
" I don't know�" she was hesitant.
" I'm just saying," he climbed into the truck, " there's only so much to life, you know? If you just sit there and wait, not picking up the pieces that are already there, maybe nothing else is going to come along and fill that gap."
She started the engine and turned to look at him thoughtfully, but did not reply as she pulled the truck out onto the street and headed towards Rawley Academy.
* * *
Jake's room
" It's not that big a deal." Jake said mildly, watching Hamilton pace up and down the room, hands stuck deep into his pockets.
" It's easy for you to say," he grumbled, " no one's accusing you of sleeping with Josh."
" It's just a harmless rumour," she grinned, " very amusing, but just a rumour. You have to admit, the mix-up was pretty funny."
" I just think everyone's looking at me differently!" he exclaimed, " It's like everyone knows and they're all talking behind my back! I'm going completely paranoid."
" Well, if it helps at all," she hid another smile, " I'm sure you're not paranoid. People are talking about it behind your back."
" Thanks, Jake." He stopped pacing and glared at her, " Can I have just a little support here?"
" What do you expect me to do?" She asked nonchalantly, walking over to him. He scowled, but his expression softened when she put her arms around his waist.
" It's just�" she kissed him lightly, " �a rumour."
" It's not enough I have to pretend I'm gay to this entire town." He grumbled, " and now I have to suffer the indignity of being one of Josh's conquests?"
She laughed and kissed him again, " It'll blow over in a day or two. Stop worrying about it."
" Make me," he murmured, leaning in so that she could kiss him again.
* * *
Faye and Paige's room
"It was always just a bit weird, that's all." Paige sighed, flicking through her CD rack. " That whole Bella thing� god, I don't want to get into that."
" I know what you mean." Faye sighed along with her, sitting on the edge of Paige�s bed. " I know I shouldn't be doubting him, there's no reason to�"
" But you just can't help it." Paige finished emphatically. " Look, Faye, I have no idea what sort of relationship you two have, all right? So I'm not going to stick my foot in my mouth and say something totally wrong for the situation."
" No, you're not doing that." Faye said quickly, " It's actually really nice to talk to someone else about this. I mean, my other girlfriends are nice, but they don't know what it�s like."
" Do they ever?" Paige sympathised with a laugh, " Scout Calhoun is� a challenge, all right." She stopped, and glanced at Faye, " Don�t get me wrong, he's a great guy, but he just doesn't�"
" Get it." Faye finished for her, laughing, " Believe me, I know."
A knock on the door interrupted their giggling, and Faye got up to answer it. Scout stood in the doorway, still looking wary over the rooming situation. " Hey," he said quietly, " can I talk to you for a sec?"
" Sure," she cast a glance over the shoulder before stepping out of the room, " When did you get back? I waited for you at dinner but you didn't show."
" Yeah, I'm sorry about that." He apologised, and waited until she'd closed the door before smiling shyly, " I haven't seen you much since we got back. I miss you, that's all."
" Scout, it's been like two hours since I saw you, if that." She laughed as they walked down the halls.
" I know." He shrugged, " it's just strange, coming back here after our trip. I just got used to having you around all the time."
" Yeah, me too." He expression softened. " What were you talking to Bella about?"
" Oh, stuff." He shrugged the question off, the two of them walking out into the night air. The sun cast a shimmering golden glow over everything, momentarily concealing the creeping dusk. " Nothing important."
" Okay." She nodded uncertainly.
" It's been a fun trip." He changed the subject, leaning in so that his lips brushed against her cheek.
" It was." She affirmed, " What do you say we do it again after Summer Session?"
He grinned, " I like that plan."
" I wonder if Ryder had gotten back yet." She mused, looking towards the Boys' dorms.
" I haven't seen him." Scout shrugged, smoothing her hair away from her face, " Hey."
She turned back to look at him, " Yeah?"
He smiled and laced her fingers with his own, " Let's go for a drive."
* * *
Rawley Academy
Will was up half the night, making posters for the recruiting of summer book staff. The early morning sun had barely risen but he was already up, busying himself with tacking the posters up all over the school.
The halls were still deserted by the time he'd finished. Yawning, he tacked the last of the posters up on the common room noticeboard and sat down on the couch, stretching his arms up over his head.
Things were always like that with him. Whenever he got a good idea he found it hard to pause, even for a moment, until he got it done. The summer book was something that he had planned fervently for a while now, and he really hoped that more people felt the same enthusiasm as he did.
" Will?" Finn's voice issued from the hallway, and he looked up mid-yawn to see the teacher standing in the doorway, a towel around his neck and evidently fresh from the shower. " Will, what are you doing up so early?"
" Advertising for staff." Will said with a smile.
Finn frowned at him, " Will, I don't want to dash your enthusiasm or anything, but don't burn yourself out, okay? We don't want what happened last semester to happen again."
" No, it won't be like that," Will promised quickly, " I have a better grip on things this time, I swear."
Finn scrutinised him doubtfully, " Well, just take care of yourself."
" I will." Will said, and yawned again, " honestly."
Finn still didn't look convinced. Stepping inside the common room, he crossed his arms over the chest, " There's a lot of difference between living for a day and living for a lifetime, Mr Krudski, I hope you understand that."
" What do you mean?" Will looked up at him.
" I mean," Finn said, " seizing the day is a wonderful idea, but don't go overboard. There's always tomorrow, for you to pick up what you left off today."
Will smiled, and nodded, " Okay."
Part 6
The Docks
It was just like last summer, Jake mused to herself as she leaned back against the wooden handrest by the boatshed. Her old navy cap pulled low over her brows, she watched the languid scene in front of her, savouring the familiarity. Will and Scout were talking to each other out by the water; Hamilton, Chris and the others were huddled in a pack and laughing about what they did over the break, waiting for Finn to get here and start crew practice. She smiled slowly. It was nearly incomprehensible to her, that she had managed to stay at Rawley for a whole year now, masquerading as a boy. Not to mention the other things that she had found as a result� Hamilton, for one. The one that mattered.
She lifted the rim of her cap slightly as she saw him disentangling himself from the group and sauntering over, squinting at her against the bright sunlight. " What are you thinking?" He asked softly.
" How good it is that I'm still here." She answered truthfully, with a smile.
He watched her for a moment before breaking into a grin, " I'm glad you're here."
" All right guys," came the exclamation, and everyone turned to see Finn walking over from the direction of the school. " Let's get started." He grinned, rolling up his sleeves.
Everyone waited expectantly as he strode purposefully up to the edge of the water� and stopped.
" Not walking into the lake this time, Finn?" Scout asked, disappointed.
Finn turned around and looked around the faces of the crew team. " That's a trick I reserve for the freshmen," he grinned. " You guys aren't kids anymore, and I don't think I need to use shock tactics in order to hammer home that it's time to throw convention out the window."
The guys laughed quietly, and Finn shrugged, " But that still applies, you know. We're going to have ourselves another great summer, guys."
Will glanced at Scout, who bore a lopsided grin. Hamilton's hand found Jake's, giving it a squeeze.
" Why don't you get the boat?" Finn suggested, turning towards the lake, shielding his eyes against the sun.
* * *
Rawley Lake
As they had done countless times before, they rowed out to the middle of the lake before setting the oars down, settling back to recline comfortably in the sun. It seemed to be the focal theme of the summer, just them, the lake, and the expectant peace of children waiting for life to come find them, and not the other way around.
Finn turned his powerboat off and sat down, facing the team. " Welcome back to Summer Session," he said, " I'm glad to see last year's lineup here again. The Regatta's coming up again, as you all know, and that's going to be our focus this summer - giving St. Joseph's another whipping."
The guys chuckled, and Finn continued, " but apart from that, you also know the drill with literature classes."
" Are they still co-ed?" Asked Ryan immediately, voicing the main concern of the team.
Finn rolled his eyes skyward, " Yes, Mr Parker, they will be."
A few guys high-fived each other upon hearing the news, and Jake shook her head with a smile. Hamilton caught her eye and raised an eyebrow, as if to discreetly boast about the fact that he had his girlfriend on the team regardless. She fought the urge to laugh.
" To get back to what I was saying," Finn continued, " this should all be standard procedure to you. All that talk about history and having your entire lives ahead of you? You must be getting tired of it now, so I'm going to say something different today."
Will propped himself up on his elbows, wondering what his mentor had in mind.
" Life isn't just a chain of events that progresses in a straight line, knowing exactly where it's heading and how it's getting there." Finn bagan, looking out across the water, " It diverges and loops and comes back on itself in so many ways. New beginnings aren't all there is to life, in fact it accounts for very little in the world we live in. Rather, we should try and operate what we've got, what we have worked for and earned in the past."
He paused, and rubbed his hands over his eyes. " Life is never going to be static, guys. It twists, it turns, and it will take you to new and foreign places - both physically and metaphorically. But more often, it will bring you back to places you have already seen before."
Scout chewed on his lower lip thoughtfully, trying to process the information. He could see that Hamilton's brows were furrowed, and that Jake had lain back, pulling her cap over her eyes again.
" But it doesn't matter. Because no matter how well you think you might know a situation, it would end up surprising you." Finn ran a hand through his hair, " You can have all the same people, the same surroundings, coming back together in the same environment, but it would still become different as time goes on. It's the subtle differences that make new outcomes, in the end."
*Coldplay's 'Brothers & Sisters' begins to play*
Will contemplated the truth of what was being said. Was it true? Could they never go back to what they had last summer, despite all that had remained the same? He glanced at Scout, wondering what his best friend thought about this. The dark-haired boy was nodding slightly, looking nostalgic and hopeful at the same time.
" Another summer's here." Finn concluded, looking at each of them in turn, " So maybe it's time to rethink, regroup, and reassemble your lives."
--'Brothers and sisters unite / It's the time of your lives, it's the time of your lives / Breakdown breakdowns / Got to spread love around, got to spread it all around�'
* * *
Faye and Paige's room
Paige watched as Faye emptied the last of her cartons, and pulled out a framed picture from the bottom of her backpack. She gazed at the blue glass frame and smiled, placing it on her nightstand.
It was a recent picture of her and Scout, leaning against her car. His arm circled her waist, and she leaned her head on his shoulder. The sun was shining from a low angle, catching the side of their smiling faces. They looked like they were being illuminated from within.
--'Brothers and sisters feel fine / It's the time of your lives, it's the time of your lives / There�s no sound, No sound / Like this feeling you found, like this feeling you found�'
* * *
The Gas Station
Bella stood by the counter, staring at the telephone. Her hand moved towards it, then drew back. A moment later, again it moved forward, and she watched it inching toward the receiver as though the hand had a will of its own. Slowly, she drew the fingers in to make a fist, the skin of her knuckles gently grazing the shop counter, which was slippery and cool to the touch. She sighed, and looked down.
When she looked up again, a new determination had settled into her eyes. Picking up the phone, she began to dial.
It was picked up after two rings. " Hello?" Came a distant voice over the line.
Bella took a deep breath, and said softly, " Mom? It's me, Bella."
--�Just stay down, cos sometimes you feel, so stay around / Sometimes you feel� / And it's me they're looking for / And it's me I will never survive / But we�ll be around so long�'
* * *
Rawley Academy
Will walked away from the administration desk, holding his new ID card. He passed the long queue of students yet to get theirs, staring down at the piece of printed plastic in his hand. It was so startlingly similar to last year's, the only difference being that he, the face in the photo, looked just that little bit older.
Maybe that was just it, the joy and pain of the past seasons, the lessons learned and the truths uncovered, they all simply distil into that slightly more pensive expression held in the photograph's placid eyes.
*Will's voiceover begins*
' Reassembly. In a way, it's better than any new beginning I would have hoped for. It's everything that I know and love, transformed and brought back to me in ways that I would never expect. Things will be different now, because they always are. The years teach what the days will never know, yet every single day will begin, fade, and reassemble into another tomorrow.'
He looked up only to realise that his feet had carried him upstairs, and he now stood in front of the room that he and Scout shared last year. The door was open a crack and a guy inside got up to stick his head out the door. " Did you want something?" he asked, confused.
Will smiled and shook his head, " just habit."
"All right, whatever." The other guy shrugged and ducked back into the room.
Smiling, Will turned around, and headed back down the corridor.
--'Brothers and sisters unite / It's the time of your lives, it's the time of your lives / Breakdown, breakdowns / Got to spread love around, got to spread it all around�'
End
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