‘Dear friend,’ ‘I am writing to you because she said you would listen and understand and you didn’t try to sleep with that person at the party even if you could have. Please don’t try to figure out who she is because then you might figure out who I am, and I really don’t want you to do that. I just need to know that someone out there understands and doesn't try to sleep with people even if they could have. I need to know these people exist. Like if you met me you wouldn’t think I was the weird kid who spent time in the hospital. And I wouldn’t make you nervous. I hope it’s okay for me to think that. You see, I haven’t talked to anyone outside of my family all summer. But tomorrow is my first day of high school ever. And I need to turn things around. Love always, Vash’

As I enter the high school I try to imagine it being my last day of senior year...which is like 1385 days from now. Just 1385 days. I watch as other students pass through the halls as I make my way to my classes.

I did not like high school. I ate alone at lunch due to my brother eating with the earth club with his friend Legato. It was for seniors only and Knives was lucky enough to skip a grade and didn’t get held back two years like I did. I also saw one of my own friends, Livio, he was in the counselor meeting from the eighth grade. We haven’t talked to each other since so I didn’t bother to say hi.

Later when I was in shop class, there was a senior making fun of shop teacher, Mr. Callahan. He was doing a funny impersonation he went as far as drawing on his beard with a grease pencil, Mr. Callahan didn’t find it funny and chose to call the senior a different version of his name which made him say back “you call me by my name or you can call me nothing!” And Mr. Callahan chose to literally call him nothing!

In October I went to a high school football game like I used to with Knives and Tesla, I got to talk to you, but the funny thing is most of the school has just started to call you nothing which you said wasn’t original and they were trying to hard. I also got to meet my step-sister, Meryl Stryfe, whom I mistook as dating you but was informed about the true relation of you two at a restaurant named Big Boy. You were both seniors and you were super nice to me, I found you to be super pretty.

Later in October I went to the Homecoming dance where I ran into you and Meryl again, you both invited me to an after party at your friend’s place, which I happily agreed to if that meant to spend more time with you and not have to be lonely at home. And Brad and Luida would be happy that I’m finally making some friends and wouldn’t be alone at school anymore. When we got to the party I met your friends and they were all pretty friendly to me. I was left alone with you as Meryl went over to Milly who I found out was her girlfriend. We sat on the couch and I was painfully aware of how close we were to each other. Our knees occasionally knocked against each other as you talked to your friend Razlo. I had gotten high for the first time after unknowingly eating a weed brownie which I thought was just a regular one, but you had made me a milkshake and it was AMAZING. But I did tell you about how my best friend, Wolfwood, had killed himself in middle school.

In December I had become close friends with you and Meryl. You invited me to your Christmas party for the secret santa. I was given a suit and tie which I was told to wear, I thought my secret santa was Elendira but no, it was Meryl. After that part was over you had brought me up to your room to give me my present, it was a typewriter in a briefcase. You asked me if I had ever kissed a boy before as we sat on your bed, I told you the truth which was no, then you asked if I wanted to. “Like..us? Like we kiss?” I flushed slightly looking at you.