Homecoming was a few weeks away and the halls were all decked out in posters and color. It's disgusting, the colors were so bright it gives me a headache. The halls were full at Beverly high. Classes start in ten minutes so it makes sense.  I push my way to try and navigate through these halls and too my locker, not caring to look up at anyone in the eye.
172
173
Ah, there it is. 174. My fingers touch the dial and twist it left, turn it right, and then back to left. As soon as I open my locker a fresh rose fell out. I stare at it, confused. I didn't leave it there, and no one else knew my combination.  Right?
I look around me, not quite sure what I was looking for. Why is there a fresh rose in my locker, and who left it there?

These questions haunt my mind as I grab my things and close my locker. It's probably just some mistake, right? This couldn't have been ment for me. I throw it away on my way to class, not giving it another thought.

As usual I was the first one there, besides the teacher of course. I take my seat and take out my notes, doing the morning assignments that was due.
"Has anyone asked you yet?" My English teacher says, referring to Homecoming. Why does she care? I shake my head in silence. I was that kid who doesn't really speak in class, only speaking to answer a question about the work. "What a shame. You never know though, maybe today someone will ask you to be their date."
I sigh softly. She doesn't know how literally everyone has a date to the dance but me. Even if that wasn't the case, no one would want to be with her. Much less befriend her. No one wants a shy friend who is insecure. No one wants a friend who's unstable. "Yeah" I say softly and bite my lip. "Maybe."

The rest of the day felt like a blurr. It was a usual school day. Wake up, do your morning routine, go to class. That was it. Always the same thing.
The same day where I would get stares, would be laughed at, would be mocked. I always ignored those people. Tried to at least.

There was always one though, one person I couldn't quite ignore. Her Name was Silva Olson, we were friends back in elementary school. But ever since I came out to her, friends was a word of the past. Silvia did everything she could to make my life hell. And while I wouldn't say it to her face, she was making it hell.

We became friends in fourth grade, we were the best of friends. You know, the type to have a play date every weekend.  If a play date didn't happen the world was over. We did everything together. Nothing could separate us. That's what I thought at least.
All that changed sophomore year when I asked if she could call me Rachel and use female pronouns when talking about me. I was having a good day back then, and so was she. My day came to a sudden end when she laughed in my face, and said I was ridiculous for asking such a question. She laughed even harder when I said I was serious. Since then, my best friend became my enemy.

Just like any usual school day, I had work afterwards.  It was three in the afternoon and the end of the bell has rung. I made my way to work, not having time to do anything else. It was a busy day at work with our big sales going on, and I couldn't afford to be late.

As soon as I parked my old hand me down vehicle, a cheep old Kia soul, I make my way inside and clock in. The store was busy with customers and my fellow coworkers were busy doing their job. Folding clothes was mine today, and I was placed in the women's section.  The usual, as always. They rarely had me anywhere else. However, surprisingly enough, they had me working with someone. At least I won't be doing this shift alone.
Work always seems to go by faster when you're doing it with someone. A friend at that.
I approach my coworker who had long red hair pulled up into a neat, However slightly messy bun. It appears she had put her hair up in a rush. It amazes me how she can do that and it still look nice.
She was folding a shelf of shirts and sorting them by size. Her Name is Emily.  She was a beauty alright, almost like she's straight from a magazine cover. Except without all the beauty norms.
She looks up at me and gives a nice friendly smile. "Hey Rachel, how was school?" She asked me.

I shug and join her on the shelf. "It was school" I say. "It was odd this morning though." I say, and explain the whole flower incident.
"Ooh? Looks like someone has a secret admirer" She says with a chuckle
"Oh shut it, you know how our school is. Everyone is taken. Even if there was someone single, they wouldn't want me."

"You never know" She shrugs. It was that kind of shrug someone does to say they don't know something.  But the truth is, they do.
"Guess so" I laugh softly. I stick to my word. No one could really like me like that....right?