"Hawkins!" A voice shouts.

I lift my head from the desk, and blink a few times to make my vision clear. I'm still in Pre-Calculus. Damn, I almost forgot how long these class periods are. My teacher, and a few other students are staring at me. The heat of embarrassment rushes towards my cheeks momentarily, but then it fades once my annoyance kicks in.

"What?" I demand.

"Do you mind explaining how to solve the equation on the board?" Mrs. Sennett asks.

I would if I understood this crap.

Math has always been my worst subject, because something about having all of these different equations and decimals all put together and all of these different ways to solve them is really confusing. It isn't like other subjects where one method will work each time, because in math, for some reason, each problem has a different way of being solved.

I squint, and I'm still slightly struggling to see what's on the board. Fine print on a white board, and being towards the back of the class. Curse my 20/60 vision. I really need glasses, or contacts, because it's hard for me to see with my nearsightedness. It wasn't until my sixth grade year that I've realized that there was an issue with my sight, and it was during the vision test at school. The nurse just had me do it a second time before letting me go back to class.

"I'm waiting for your answer." Mrs. Sennett says impatiently.

"I don't know. That's why my hand wasn't raised. Like, you see all these kids with their hands raised, yet you call me. I'm struggling with this as it is, dude." I snap.

I'm pissed off as it is, lady, don't push my buttons.

I hear a few students laugh, and my cheeks heat up again. I hate starting a scene in class, but I'm just not in the mood to deal with anyone trying to give me their snippy ass attitude. My day has already started off wrong, I'm not trying to have it get any worse.

"See me after class, Miss Hawkins." She says harshly.

I slouch in my seat, and I cross my arms. Of course she wants to see me, just another thing to add to my already shitty day. Of course it would be me of all the other students in this class who are constantly disrespectful to her, but the one time I slightly get upset, she wants to see me after class.

"Fine bitch." I mumble under my breath.

I begin to daydream, not paying attention to the lesson whatsoever, and my mind just roams wherever the hell it wants. That's what happens a majority of the time in this particular class, but in every other class, I'm pretty focused.

God, how long is this damn class?

Is that kid ever gonna realize that his butt crack is out?

Did that girl really think that was a cute outfit? She's lying to herself if she thinks so.

The bell then rings shortly after that thought, and Ms. Sennett gives me a glance, and I groan before rising from my desk and picking up my bag and approaching her desk.

"Alex, your behavior in class today was unacceptable." She says, looking at the tons of papers on her desk that she has yet to grade.

"How? I didn't know the answer, and I wasn't going to make myself look stupid." I defensively say.

"Well, you could've said your answer and if it was wrong, I would've helped you."

I just nod after she makes her statement, ready to end this conversation so that I can head to lunch because I'm starving. The apple that I ate before leaving my house didn't hold me over for that long.

"You're dismissed."

I quickly walk out of the class, heading towards my locker and placing my heavy textbook inside before slamming it shut. Once I make it up the steps and into the cafeteria, I see both Xiu and Savannah waiting for me at our lunch table. They both smile once they see me approaching them. Once I set down my things, we head to the lunch line, waiting for what seems like forever as the lunch ladies put up multiple trays on the line.

Once we seat down and begin to eat, the three of us are talking non stop. You know, typical teenage chatter about cute boys and complaining about classes and having to work after school.

"There's a new kid in my English class, and his name is Devon. He's so hot." Savannah says excitedly.

Savannah is another close friend I've known for a few years, and that girl definitely knows how to make me laugh with her undeniable humor and tendency to not really stress about things that others think about all the time. Xiu and I met her for a project for our science class, and she was the complete opposite of how she is now. She was quiet and shy, but now she's vivacious and so over the top.

I break out in laughter, and I almost choke on my salad at her comment about the new kid. I reach for my water bottle, taking a few sips, and I feel the cucumber slide down my throat.

"You okay? You look like you're dying." Savannah casually asks, and I nod.

"You nearly made me choke on my salad!" I exclaim, slightly exaggerating.

"It's a salad, it's not like you're deep throating a porn star." Savannah adds, making us laugh again.

Savannah's vulgar sense of humor is one of the things I love the most about her, because regardless of what situation we're all in, she always finds a way to make us all laugh and lift our moods. She's rarely upset, and I wish I was like her in that regard. Well, I used to be like that.

Once our laughter dies down again, we all resume eating and talking like normal.

"I didn't ace my science test." Xiu says, sounding bummed.

"Let me guess, you got an A- instead of an A+?" Savannah teases and lightly nudges Xiu's shoulder.

"Not funny! If I want to be a nurse, or a surgeon, or a lawyer, I need to have straight A's!" Xiu complains.

Xiu has always been an over achiever in school. Ah, yes, the Asian girl with perfect grades who wants to have a very good, well paying job. That stereotype annoys me because people used to tease her for it, which confused me. Why make fun of someone who wants to have a good future?

The stereotype of basically all Asians at our school. It doesn't bother Xiu, though. In fact, it motivates her to be even better.

I've recently been looking at modeling agencies, because I've been interested in it for a while. I'm already 5'9, I just need to lose a bit more weight, and with some runway practice, I'd be ready to model. For some reason, the idea of walking down a runway in the designer clothes, being in magazines, and pretty much being seen as glamorous has always appealed to me.

I know it's more than just putting on pretty clothes and taking pictures or walking down a runway. There's a lot more into that career than most people realize.

I don't know what Savannah wants to do after high school, and I don't think she knows either. She claims that her senioritis has temporarily stopped her from applying to colleges. It has temporarily stopped her from doing a lot of the important things that we're supposed to do during our last year of high school.

"Alex, you want to go to the mall after school today? I finally got my paycheck, so I can go shopping now!" Savannah asks excitedly, and I shake my head.

"Can't," I say with a mouth full of avocado. "I have cheer practice after school today."

"Damn it. Xiu, you want to go?" Savannah asks, giving puppy dog eyes to Xiu.

"I have homework to do, sorry 'bout it." She says, and Savannah groans.

"So? Fuck homework, c'mon it's senior year! I don't think homework is mandatory anymore." Savannah enthusiastically implores.

"It is for me! I want to get into a good college, and just because it's senior year, doesn't mean it's time to fuck up my good reputation, Vannah." Xiu argues back, and I nod in agreement.

"I hate it when my dad calls me Vannah, please don't start calling me that, too." She says and playfully covers her ears, just in case of Xiu calls her that again.

"Whatever." Xiu bites back and guffaws at Savannah pouting up her lip.

Xiu pulls out her compact mirror, and fixes her red lipstick and runs her fingers through her ice blonde hair. I remember when she wanted to try something different, and she went out on a whim and dyed it. Her parents disapproved because they're so traditional and they thought she was beautiful the way she was, and they thought she was trying to adapt European features.

I'd probably look like a whore with blonde hair according to my mother. My father would've let me, because he would want his children to do what made them happy.

But I'm just miserable now.

"I have to go, I promised that I'd help someone who has crutches." Xiu announces.

"Aww, look at you, helping other people! You should be in a beauty pageant." Savannah exclaims.

"My name is Xiu Lee, and I volunteer at my school by helping the injured." I mimic her voice and that pageant wave, making Xiu giggle.

"Bye." Xiu replies.

She takes her large tote bag, and carefully puts her textbook in it before carrying it in the crook of her elbow. She says goodbye to Savannah and I, and I watch her mile long legs disappear into the hallway.

"So, what time is the game tonight?" Savannah asks curiously, putting her chin into her palm.

"The game starts at 7:00, and it ends at either 9:00 or 9:30." I inform her.

"The team better win this time, the school we're going up against sucks balls!" Savannah states, and I start laughing.

"Very true, if our team doesn't win, I'll be disappointed." I laugh.

The day seems to zoom on by after lunch, and now it's the end of the day and I'm in the gym with the whole cheer team, practicing our routine before the game tonight. We're all in a giant circle, all talking as we wait for the music to start so we can practice our routine.

"5, 6, 7, 8!" The coach shouts.

Once the music starts, we break off, starting to dance to the music. A couple of the other cheerleaders are performing some flips and other stunts while the rest of us dance. Myself and a couple of other cheerleaders gather around, and they lift me up in the air, and I do a flip before landing in their arms. Once I stand back up on their feet, my body slightly teeters as if I'm going to fall, but I quickly save myself. I do another flip, but this time, when I fall, the way they caught me, causes me to crash onto the ground.

Damn it!

I felt something snap, and then my whole leg went numb. My vision blacks at the edges, and tears form in my eyes as I clutch onto my knee. The music then stops, and my coach looks frantic.

"Ow!" I cry out in pain. "Holy shit, help!"

Everyone rushes over to me, and they're all freaking out because they don't know what's wrong with my leg. They're all wide eyed as they look down at me, and I'm trying to stop myself from losing it. My entire leg hurts unless there's a slight movement, then there's pain all throughout my entire leg.

"What happened?" The coach frantically asks.

"We tried to catch her, but when we did, I guess our hands weren't supportive enough and she fell!" A girl shouts, and for some reason my pain is causing me to not recognize who's voice that is.

Tears stream down my cheeks, and they burn my eyes. I see Chelsea, a pretty dark skinned girl who's on the team kneels down in front of me. She tries to move my leg, and a strangled yell escapes my throat. More tears fall from my eyes, and everyone looks stressed because they're unsure of what to do next.

"Shit!" I say through gritted teeth, and I wince as I try to move my leg back in the position that it was.

"Fuck, I'm sorry!" Chelsea says and moves her hair out of her face.

This is definitely one of the most painful things I've ever experienced besides period cramps and being hit with something that my mother would throw at me. There's no pain that could compare to this.

The coach comes over, and she takes a look at me, and she grinds her teeth together. She begins to shake her head, and I grow even more nervous as she covers her mouth with one hand.

"This isn't good." Is all that she says.

"What is it? What's wrong?!" I shout, and some of the girls shush me, trying to keep my calm.

"This looks pretty bad, her knee might be dislocated. Her knee is very obviously deformed, and I know she'll have to be taken to the hospital." The coach says.

No, no, no! This cannot be happening to me.

"The hospital?!" I shriek.

"An injury like this can't go untreated!" Coach exclaims.

"I can't go to the hospital! What about the game? Who's going to cover me at the game?" I ask, and I feel a cold sweat producing on my forehead.

"I don't even know if you'll be able to stand with your knee like this! We can't have you there at the game unless you just want to sit and watch!" The coach says.

Chelsea runs over to her bag, and pulls out her phone.

"Good! Call 9-1-1, she needs an ambulance. Until then, don't move her." The coach instructs.

My vision is blurry with tears, and my heart beat pulsates speedily before everything goes dark.