Senior Year

“SHADOWED” And then it hit him. Adrian slowed his steps, the quiet stretch of the road ahead of him suddenly feeling longer than it should. The realization settled in, soft but certain. He had missed the bus. For a moment, he just stood there, adjusting the strap of his bag on his shoulder. Normally, that would’ve annoyed him being stuck with the long walk home, the fading daylight, the silence. But today… it didn’t. A small smile tugged at his lips. It was the beginning of senior year. The year everything was supposed to matter more, feel different. And for Adrian, it already did. He had missed this. The noise of school. The rush of voices in the hallway. The feeling of being back where things were familiar, where moments actually meant something. But more than anything, He had missed his team. That was why as soon as classes ended, he didn’t even think about the bus. Instead, he headed straight for the basketball court. The sound of the ball echoing across the space, the laughter, the easy energy between teammates, it all pulled him right back in like he had never left. “Just one quick session,” he had told himself. But one set turned into another. Then another. Time slipped. The sun dipped lower. And the bus left without him. Now, walking alone down the empty estate road, he let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head. “Great” he muttered to himself. But there was no frustration in it. No regret. If anything, he felt lighter. Because for the first time in a while, he wasn’t thinking about what he lost. He was thinking about everything he had just found again. And somehow, missing the bus didn’t feel like a mistake. It felt like the beginning of his senior year. *** She threw her bag on the bed with a heavy sigh of frustration and began searching through her things. Unlike every other kid who had just resumed school, hers had ended early, too early you would say and not in the way she had hoped. “Mom, I need tampons!” she called out from her bedroom. But Kate was in the living room, gently tending to little Jake, who had just woken up from his short nap and was already crying for attention. She clicked her tongue softly and began searching through her things. “It must be somewhere here,” she muttered to herself, pulling open the last drawer beside her bed. Phewwww, there was one left. *** In the living room, Jake’s cries grew louder as he demanded to be fed, filling the quiet space with urgency. “Hey hun, you wanted something?” her mom called out, still focused on calming the baby. “I’m good,” she replied quickly, though her voice carried a hint of distraction. She made her way over to her favorite little man instead. The moment he saw her, Jake’s face lit up into a bright, toothless smile, as if he had forgotten all about crying. She smiled back, softer now. “How was your first day?” she asked Riley, who had just slouched into the chair, already reaching for the remote to her favorite series. “Bad,” Riley said flatly. A small pause hung between them. “I’ll be heading to the store in a few minutes,” she added. “Want anything?” They turned toward each other at the same time and shared a small, understanding smile. *** Katie came in from the mall a little earlier than usual, balancing a few shopping bags as she walked straight into the kitchen. Without wasting time, she set them down on the counter and began preparing dinner, slipping into her usual rhythm like nothing had changed. The soft sound of chopping and the gentle clatter of pots soon filled the house. “Riley, come set the table,” she called over her shoulder. In the living room, Riley was stretched out comfortably on the couch, completely absorbed in a TV series she had already watched more times than she could count. She barely looked up. In the corner, little Jake was busy building a shaky tower out of blocks, completely absorbed in his tiny world. “Hey, Mom… you got them?” Riley asked absentmindedly, finally rising to her feet. “Yeah, hun,” Katie replied, glancing at her with a knowing look already aware of what she meant. Riley groaned softly but got up, still half-wrapped in the comfort of her show. “Okay, Mom…” As she moved toward the kitchen, Katie glanced at her briefly. Earlier that day, Riley had already explained what had happened and how her period had come unexpectedly and ruined her day. It had been one of those days that left her quiet and frustrated. Katie’s tone softened. “Lighten up, dear. Everyone has bad days sometimes.” Riley hesitated before setting the plates down. Earlier that day had been a mess she didn’t know how to put into words. small Riley let out a sigh, shaking her head. “You don’t get it, Mom. I missed cheer rehearsals on the very first day.” Before Katie could respond, Riley’s phone lit up again. A message from Jenna. Then another notification from Trisha. Riley’s expression shifted. Trisha had been the one who noticed first, the one who quietly pulled her aside after spotting the stain and handing her a jacket from her locker without making a scene. Jenna had followed them both to the bathroom, staying until she felt steady again. Now they were checking in. Riley typed back quickly, a tired emoji slipping in at the end of her reply. Another message came through almost instantly: We’re meeting up with the basketball team tomorrow. Her fingers didn’t hesitate. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. “No phones at the table,” Katie said gently, setting down the last plate as they all gathered. Riley sighed but obeyed, setting her phone aside as they all gathered around the table. Jake was lifted into his small chair by Katie, swinging his legs while the smell of dinner wrapped around them like a quiet reset. For a moment, everything felt a little lighter. *** “Adrian, you’re going to be late!” Laura’s voice cut through the house before he even fully opened his eyes. She was already moving around downstairs, doing what she always did keeping the house running while everyone else was barely keeping up. He groaned and sat up slowly, running a hand through his hair. His parents had been away on another business trip for days now, leaving the house unusually loud in its own way and strangely empty at the same time. And then there was Damian. His older brother. Back in school, people used to call him the king of high school, effortless, untouchable. Now he was back from college for the holidays, spending most of his time either gaming in his room or going out at night like he didn’t have a care in the world. Which meant Adrian was mostly on his own. He dragged himself out of bed and got ready in a hurry, half-listening to the ticking clock in his head. His car had broken down a week ago, and since then everything had been inconvenient chaos. He’d called his dad about it more than once, but all he got was updates that it was “at the mechanic.” So now it was either catch rides with Mason and Chad, take the bus, or figure things out on his own when plans fell apart. Like yesterday, when Chad had left early complaining about a stomach ache, Mason had disappeared without a word, and Damian had flat-out refused to pick him up, saying he was “busy.” Busy doing what, Adrian still didn’t know. As he hurried downstairs, the smell of freshly toasted bread filled the air. Laura had already set breakfast out like she always did. He grabbed a slice on his way past and washed it down quickly with a glass of juice she handed him without even asking. Just as he turned toward the door, a familiar honk sounded outside. Chad. Relief flickered across his face. He grabbed his bag and headed out, but before he could leave, Damian’s voice stopped him from behind. “Your car should be ready by Friday.” Then, just like that, he turned and walked back to his room, as if he hadn’t just dropped that information casually. Adrian paused for a second. Typical Damian. They used to be close really close. But something had changed after college. Or maybe it had started before that and Adrian just hadn’t noticed. Either way, his brother now felt like someone he used to know, not someone he could rely on. He sighed and stepped outside, shutting the door behind him. That meant a whole week without his car. He slid into the passenger seat of Chad’s car and let the door shut a little harder than necessary. “Hey, Ad,” Mason called from the back, grinning like always. Chad turned up the music before he could even respond, one of their usual songs blasting through the speakers. And just like that, the mood shifted. They drove off, voices rising with the music, singing like none of the morning stress had ever happened at all. *** Adrian moved through the hallway with Mason and Chad on either side of him, their conversation blending into the usual morning noise of lockers slamming and shoes scuffing against polished floors. Around them, whispers followed like a shadow. Girls called out his name in soft, playful tones some waving, some pretending not to look but looking anyway. Adrian didn’t react. Not out of arrogance, but because it all felt the same every day, familiar, expected, and a little tiring. To most people, he wasn’t just Adrian Reid. He was Damian Reid’s brother. And in their minds, that automatically meant something. Damian had been a legend in the school charismatic, effortlessly talented, the kind of student everyone remembered long after he graduated. So when Adrian arrived, people had already decided who he was supposed to be before he even spoke. It was a question he heard too often. Are you Damian Reid’s brother? And every time, his answer stayed the same. “I’m Adrian.” Simple. Flat. Final. They reached their lockers, and Mason was mid-story when the atmosphere subtly shifted. “Hey boys.” Adrian didn’t need to turn to know who it was. Maddie. Leader of the cheer team, perfectly put together like she’d stepped out of a magazine spread. Confidence walked with her before she even arrived, and attention followed like it belonged there. Rumor had it she and Adrian were dating. It wasn’t true. But Maddie never corrected it. In fact, she encouraged it smiling a little too long, standing a little too close, letting people believe what they wanted. It kept eyes on her, and she liked that. Besides, who wouldn’t want to be linked to the “hottest guy in school.” “Hey, Maddie,” Chad greeted easily, leaning against the lockers. She barely acknowledged him. Her focus was already on Adrian. “So,” she started, voice light, stepping closer to him, “are you coming to practice later or are you still pretending you don’t care about us?” Mason snickered quietly behind Chad. Adrian didn’t even smile. He closed his locker with a sharp click. “I have science,” he said simply, adjusting his bag strap. “See you guys at practice.” Then he walked off without waiting for a response. The hallway seemed to open up in front of him as he moved, voices fading behind him. Maddie watched him go, her smile still in place but slightly tighter now. Chad raised an eyebrow. “Cold.” Mason shrugged. “Not interested.” And that much was obvious. Because no matter what the school said about him, Adrian never played along with the stories they tried to write about his life.