Wednesday.

It's a fucking annoying day of the week.

It's telling you, hey you've already done half of the week but fuck it you've still got another half left.

If it wasn't for football and college I wouldn't be here to celebrate Wednesday's secret meaning.

If it wasn't for football and college I doubt I'd be here at all- Alive.

The awful night of sleep and just general bad mood does me no favours when I walk into the hallway this morning and find Brady acting like his usual idiot self.

"So when I slid down the stairs I went straight into the wall." He howls with laughter, Ethan and Rutherford add to the laughter but Carrie looks like she wants to die of embarrassment and Vixxie and Atlas just look confused.

"What's that?" I ask integrating myself into the group.

"Just something that happened at the party on Friday, you missed out on a good one but I heard you had your hands full if you know what I mean?" Dipping his voice he winks and nudges me in the arm, "Cherri's been bragging about it all week, how she got to fuck the infamous Blaze Beckett."

I roll my eyes. It's like they've won the goddam lottery.

"Was she good?" Ethan murmurs.

"She was alright." A bit sloppy but she got the job done.

"You should've been there Atlas, it was so funny." Vixxie laughs as I listen back into a separate conversation the girls are having. Vixxie starts telling us a story about how she ended up in someone's lake.

"Yeah next time we go out, you're coming and looking after her drunk ass." Carrie giggles feigning slight embarrassment. Atlas laughs absentmindedly.

Such a mystery.

When I was leaving the athletics block on Friday I was getting ready to bust some robbers ass when I saw the dance studio was on and heard movement in there but when I got to the door it was Atlas over at the barre, moving into positions.

She wasn't just messing around, she had the perfection of a professional. The etiquette of someone who lives, breathes and eats dance.

Then she started doing those leap-y things and some jumps she soared through the air, elegance in every step. It was mesmerising to watch.

And then all her confidence just diminished. She fell to the floor with a thud and became kind of hostile.

She's obviously a dancer, so why doesn't she just admit she is? Why does she feel the need to lie, hide it?

"This project will go towards your final grade and must I remind you, you do need to pass this class to graduate!" Coach Niler shouts over the murmurs of the health and wellbeing class.

I hate this fucking class. It's pointless. I don't give a shit about how to deal with stress or how to complete my college applications. I'm only here for the pure fact of I'll be kicked off the team if I cant keep my GPA up and I need to graduate.

I spend most of the class sleeping or throwing things at Brady, and for this project, I'll just copy Rutherfords notes-

"Even better it's a joint project!" Coach Niler smirks knowing the distaste in the mouths of teenagers at the words 'joint project'.

There's nothing I hate more than working with someone else, even working with Brady is fucking hard- he either annoys the life out of me or spends all the time playing video games.

People annoy me, I don't want to spend the good part of a year with someone who I can't stand to be with.

Also, I guarantee this project will be a load of shit. You know- do a presentation on mental health rise in the US. Relaxation techniques. Pressures teenagers face. Effects of social media on the upcoming generation.

Some crap like that. I think their aim with these projects is to make us more 'aware' of these issues but in real life, most of us just copy a paragraph off Wikipedia, enlarge the font and add a random image.

"The project focuses around the question of," He takes a blue whiteboard pen and scribbles on the board, "What makes me happy. I want you and your partner to discuss and report back on what makes you happy, what keeps you grounded and see if you can find any connections between the two things. Senior year is hard and you need to focus on those things to help you through the next couple months."

What a load of shit. This isn't a project this is a happy go lucky piss take! I'm not talking to an anybody about this soppy stuff.

There's another groan that ripples through the class, I stand up grabbing my jacket from the back of my chair and start walking to the door.

"Going somewhere, Beckett?" Coach asks from the desk, the whole class looking at me suspiciously.

"Yeah, away from this bullshit. I've got better things to do with my time." I sigh, leaning back against the closed door.

"He's got a point coach, this is pointless, we've got better things to do... like practice instead of sitting around holding hands talking about our hopes and dreams." Brady stands up mocking the theme of the project earning a laugh from the class.

"Sit down Jenkins, I don't decide the danm curriculum and you walk out that door Beckett, I'll bench you next game," Coach warns with a smug grin.

I hate this prick, Coach Niler is one of the younger teachers in the gym facility but he acts like he runs the damn show even though he doesn't even coach our main games, Coach Simpson is the main man that does that.

He's the man that's been coaching for nearly thirty years and has given me more chances than I could ever ask for, he's a good man.

However his 'right' hand- Niler- there's rumours he's such an ass because his pro career got cut short early in college when he blew his shoulder out. He's envious of us and that we still have our careers ahead of us. Either way, I hate the guy and he hates me.

"You can't do that!" I shout back.

"You want to try me, Beckett, because I will." He rounds the desk narrowing his eyes with a grin still sat on his lips.

I push off the door with rage and sulk back into my seat, Brady shuffles up beside me laying a hand on my shoulder.

"Take a breath and chill, he's not worth getting angry over, Simpson won't bench you, we need to you much. Alright?" I take a breath and nod at him. Bradys good at dealing with my temper, I guess that's why we're best friends.

B and I grew up together in New York, our moms were friends and we were inseparable, he really is like my brother. Brady and his family moved to Atlanta when he was thirteen since his dad's company expanded, we stayed in touch, spoke every day but I was left in New York right as everything started to go downhill.

A few years ago when my mom decided we needed to get out of New York, Brady's mom suggested here in Brookhaven, since my mom's a nurse it was easy for her to move anywhere and she thought it'd be best if I had a friend to start at East Meadow High with.

"Right partners!" Niler picks up a sheet of paper.

"I want Atlas!" Brady squabbles behind me.

"No! We want Atlas!" Carrie and Vixxie argue back.

"You can't! It's groups of two!" Brady sticks his tongue out like a child.

"Well, maybe I want to work with you, Carrie!" Ethan joins in the arguments.

"Really?" She smiles.

"That means I can have Atlas!" Vixxie mocks Brady by sticking her tongue out at him.

"All of you need to chill. I'm not Queen Elizabeth." Atlas finally mumbles, her face growing rather red. She does that a lot, it makes me chuckle at how embarrassed and shy she gets... it's sweet, refreshing even.

"I am choosing partners!" Niler waves the sheet of paper in his hands, mainly sneering at Connor and his minions in front of us who've already moved into pairs.

Knowing my luck I'll get paired with one of the pricks.

"Richmond and Scrowtski."

Vixxies chair scapes against the floor as she stands up, fists balled on the desk, "I wish to switch partners coach! I don't work with assholes." She snarls, Connor turns with an angry face, a collection of 'oo's and laughter from the rest of the class has me smiling.

Girl's got balls. She's like the female version of Brady.

"Sit down Vixxie, no changes in partners!" Coach sighs as Vixxie flops down in defeat, resting her head on her hand.

"Jenkins and Morgan." Brady sighs until he sees the pretty blonde walking over to his desk.

"Simmonds and Jameson." Carrie blushes as she moves closer to Ethan, I don't know why those two haven't just fucked already, the tension is so obvious but it's been going on for years.

"Max and... oh wait there's an odd number, you'll have to form a three with Vixxie and Connor." I can see the relief in Vixxies face as Rutherford moves next to the pair who are sat edging away from each other.

Coach goes through the rest of the list until there's only a few of us left, I feel like he's saving the worst for last.

"Beckett and Grove."

Oh. I guess not the worst. Once coach has called the final couple he gets us to move into our pairs and start planning our projects. A low murmur of awkward and friendly introductions fill the room.

I can feel the chair beside me move and Atlas swivels behind the desk, her eyes flit over to me cautiously.

"So... uh maybe... it would be best to... uh start... straight away. Decide what we want to do first. Maybe we could... uh meet in the library after school." She says quietly, fiddling with a pink fluffy pen.

"Sure Blondie." I sulk getting out of my seat and walking out of the class as the bell goes. Atlas may be cool but I'm still not doing this fucking project, I couldn't give a shit about any of it.

I'm on my way to the library after school, which I could really do without, I just want to go home. I'm aching from practice and pissed still from Niler being a dick, my phone's also been going off all day.

Every time it rings I know it's him or one of them. I block the numbers and ignore the texts but they find a way to contact me.

I'm so close to throwing my phone at a fucking wall.

'Come back to NY my boy. I'm sorry.' The new text reads, he's not, I fume clenching my jaw as I shove my phone back into my jacket pocket.

I can't fucking escape it, no matter how far I go or any lengths I take he's still there, what I've done is still there.

I enter the silent room with a frown from the librarian who's eyes follow me until I find Atlas leaning over a desk, scribbling down in a pad with the same fluffy pink pen from earlier. A front section of her hair is being held back by a butterfly clip which looks good with the cream sweater and checked blue skirt she's chosen for today's attire- Totally the girl next door look.

She looks up and back down when she notices me coming towards her, she moves a few of her books aside and watches the table as I pull out a chair and slump down into it.

"Hi." She says playing with the rings that clad her pink nail polished fingers.

"Hey," I mumble resting my head on my arms, I'm exhausted- it's been a long day.

"So uh... I was thinking we could maybe outline the project start with the question obviously and... you know work off it." She pulls out a mind map shes premade with the question 'What makes you happy?' In the middle.

"Look blondie, you can do that alright but I'm not interested in doing the project." I sigh, rubbing my forehead. Am I being selfish, yeah but she's probably going to better without me working on it anyway, "I'm not saying do it for me just leave my bit out completely."

"But we'll fail. It's a joint project."

"You won't fail. I will." I shrug.

"You need it to graduate Blaze?" She looks at me through worried eyes, "We can go through it slowly."

"I'm not doing it Atlas, I've got to go." Irritation fires through me, I'm not irritated at her but she doesn't get the message- I'm not doing it.

"Just tell me one thing that makes you happy... I can jot it down and we can start from there."

"Nothing. Jot that down for fucks sake." I snap, watching her flinch backwards into the chair. I don't want to talk about this shit! It's a stupid project and a stupid class. Her eyes move quickly from me and back down to the page.

I can see her hands shaking, the sight makes my head hurt- taking me back to New York.

"I CAN DO WHAT I LIKE MOM! I'm old enough." I scream at my mom as she clutches a baby Gemma close to her chest.

"Please don't go, Blaze, your dad and friends... they're not.. good people honey." I can see the tears in her eyes but I don't care. She's just trying to hold me back.

"Oh shut up, stop trying to fill my head with shit! You're just jealous that dad actually wants to see me, you drove him away!" I shout throwing a plate from the counter on the floor. She jumps, tears leaking down her face.

"I'm not, I just want what's best for you." She sobs.

"And I just want to go out with my dad," I replied walking out of the door into the night, leaving my mom behind crying.

"I have to go." I dash away from the table and Atlas feeling the creeping weight of the memories.

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