6.

I knew I had to get out of the toilets, I waited till I felt it was safe and right when I walked back and my mother was waiting for me with the dean I took a deep breath and walked their way.

''My apologies, the school is enormous'' I said as soon as I was close enough right when the dean wanted me to get into his office Pierce called my name from behind. Of course, he found me, I bet he ran through the school like an idiot, searching for me.

''Ah, mister Williams, I see you know miss Mercier?'' The dean asked surprised.

''I do sir, she and I used to be good friends in my old school, she was always a straight-A student, never made any trouble, may I ask if she is she in trouble now sir?'' Pierce asked.

''She is not, mister Williams, but thank you for your addition, I think there is no need to stall this any further, welcome to Murrah high miss Mercier'' the dean said and shook my hand.

I shook his hand and thanked him politely while my mother had some further questions, Pierce smirked at me.

''Welcome'' he said and I rolled my eyes.

''Oh come on, how are you? Work with me here, I mean, we promised to stay friends, didn't we?'' He said.

''I'm good, I said'' unsure what his intentions were now I was back in his life. I wasn't sure of anything around him, since the girl right here, the girl I was now was not the girl he remembered. The easygoing girl, liked by everyone, the girl who was his girlfriend.

Now I was a girl who went to juvie and killed a guy, that changed me. He acted as if nothing ever happened, or maybe, that was how he tried to fool himself like I tried to fool myself by telling myself I was over him.

''We promised that indeed, so why didn't you act like a friend when I needed someone?''

I asked him.

''Why didn't you even want to write to me when I had no one when I needed a friend?''

''So that phone call wasn't some prank?'' He asked me. he looked like I just landed a bombshell on him, realizing he made a huge mistake that night when he said he didn't want contact with me. 

''No, if I would talk they would hang up the phone'' I said. ''But I heard everything that night'' I said.

''In that case, I do owe you some apologies, isn't it? So hereby, I'm genuinely sorry, you indeed deserved better.'' He seemed genuine, grown as if whatever I did had changed him too.

''It's fine, it was a weird situation, new start?''

''New start'' he said. His eyes twinkled, and his crooked smile told me he felt like the same boy I left behind, three years ago now. He looked every bit as attractive and felt every bit like the boy I remembered, although his jawline has become nicer, clearly carved out, he had grown too, but everything about him felt safe, familiar to me.

''Listen, lunch break is almost over'' Pierce said, ''feel like we could hang again?'' He wanted to know.

''Sure, give me your phone, I'll type in my number'' I said. He handed me his phone and I typed in my number quickly. He typed my name above it and when I gave back his phone he made sure to grab my hand and look me in the eyes, his eyes reflected every forbidden dream I ever had of meeting him again.

''Honestly, just use my number whenever'' I said and right then a bell rang and he had to leave, I saw him shifting from the boy with the sparkles in his eyes to someone who looked ten years older just by the look in his eyes when he realized I wasn't his girlfriend anymore, I was colder, more distant.

I was a completely new person and he just realized he was too, a boy who had a new girlfriend who would not be amused finding out his ex was in their school.

As we went home my mother wanted to know who Pierce was. Of course, I didn't say who he was, what he had been to me and she gave up eventually. As soon as I was home I walked up the stairs, went to my room and locked the door. Only there, all alone where no one could hear me I felt like crying, like analyzing the entire situation.

My mother had started drinking to celebrate as soon as the front door closed behind her. After ten minutes she called for me to join and by then I had erased all traces of how I had cried. She never approved of emotions, ''it's a weakness, crying is to be done at night when no one could witness your weakness'' she always said.

A few hours later both my mother and I were affected by the drinks we had so far. Of course, my mother wouldn't let go of who the boy was, and so she had to open her mouth again. 

''Honey, just tell me who the boy was today, he obviously had a thing for you. And tell me no one, I know you have feelings for him too you're not ready to speak out loud.'' 

I sighed, rolled my eyes then shamefully admitted. ''He used to be my boyfriend mom, years ago before I went to juvie, he has moved on and so have I'' I said and took a big sip of the whiskey so my throat was burning, taking my attention away from what I just said. 

''Honey we all make mistakes'' my mother said, more compassion in her voice than I was used to from her. ''He seemed like a nice guy, make sure if you can't get him back, to get with someone like him who's willing to speak good of you even if things ended and he doesn't get any gain from it'' she said.

Right then my phone rang. Pierce called.

''What do you want?'' I asked. Hostile as ever.

''Am I welcome to celebrate?'' He wanted to know. ''I figured you have something to celebrate after we ran into each other I figured you're probably sipping whiskey with your mom now, so what do you say?''