Mia bites her thumbnail as she watches her alarm clock change to 7:00 am, the music of her alarm clock now ringing throughout her room. She stayed up all night, again. She looks down at her sweaty palms and exhales. "Today's going to be okay...just let it be okay." She whispers.

"You're fucking stupid if you think that it's to be okay." Her brother's voice mocks her. Mia looks up and sees Bryce leaning against the doorframe. "What do you want from me?" Mia whispers.

He doesn't reply, he just smirks at her. Mia closes her eyes and scoffs. "This is fucking stupid." She murmurs, the brunette gets out of bed and ruffles her hair. She opens her eyes and sees Monty standing in front of her. "I can't..." She closes her eyes again. "You aren't even real." She chuckles.

She walks past Monty and grabs some clothes from her drawer, she throws them on the bed and walks to the bathroom. As she brushes her teeth, she catches sight of a girl behind her. Mia spits in the sink and whips her head around. "What the fuck?" She whispers.

The girl tilts her head, "Do you not remember me?" The girl questions. "I mean...it's been a long time, I get it. But...bow can you forget yourself?" The girl questions with a tired smirk.

Mia looks over the girl, she had long brown hair, she was wearing sweatpants, a sweatshirt, and her face was slightly sunken. "You're...me?" Mia inhales and her gut turns. "You're me. Holy shit" She exhales sharply. "I don't remember looking so..."

"Disgusting? That's what happens when your best friend kills herself and your boyfriend dies." The younger Mia sighs.

Mia shakes her head, "Once again, not real..." She looks away from her and stares at the mirror, continuing to brush her teeth. "You can't ignore me." Younger Mia says in a firm tone.

Mia doesn't reply. "Y'know...that Gwen chick, she's been helping you a lot lately. And you've been eating sweets to get your mind off of drugs and alcohol." Younger Mia was now beside Mia. "But don't forget...sugar can make your teeth fall out." The hallucination growls.

Mia flinches and stops brushing her teeth, as she feels a pain shoot into her gums. She drops her toothbrush in the sink. She looks in the mirror and sees blood leave her mouth. She spits in the sink, her teeth start to fall out. Mia coughs in pain, "No, no, no..." Mia covers her mouth.

She falls to the ground and coughs up blood as more of her teeth fall out. "Mia, Mia--"

"NO, NO, NO!" Mia cries out.

Hands touch her arms, Mia gasps out of shock and she opens her eyes and meets Gwen's. Mia's blue eyes dart around the bathroom. "What's going on? Are you hurt?" Gwen questions.

Mia lets out quick shaky breaths. "I-I-I don't..." She shakes her head and reaches in her mouth. She feels her teeth still in her mouth, she looks at the ground and there's no blood on the ground. "What happened?" Mia quietly asks.

"I came to drive you to school, your mom wasn't here, and then I heard screaming...you sounded like you were in pain, Mia," Gwen whispers. Mia blinks, she looks around for the younger version of herself, but she was gone.

"I was...I was just brushing my teeth." Mia says, clearing her throat.

Gwen exhales, "That's a weird fucking way to do it." She chuckles. Mia slowly nods her head, she touches her jaw, still weirded out about imagining her teeth falling out. "I didn't need you to pick me up, I have my own car," Mia says softly.

"You should be glad, I'm gracing you with my presence anyway." Gwen flips her hair in a flirtatious way and Mia rolls her eyes. "Besides, I'm glad I was here to help you with your...nightmare thing."

Mia forces a small smile and sighs. "Let me get dressed, then I'll be good to go."

Gwen nods her head, as Mia leaves the bathroom. Gwen couldn't help, but feel helpless. Her friend was obviously going through something and she didn't know what.

==========

Today's not going to be okay. I guess nothing will ever be okay for you. Mia's world was going in slow motion. Everyone's watching you, they want to see your reaction. A hand is felt on her back and she flinches and snaps back into reality as she notices she was breathing quickly. "Mia, hey..." Clay whispers to her, trying to calm her down.

Mia looks into his blue eyes and slightly shakes her head. "I can't breathe...I got to...I have to go." Mia says, running away from the blood-red paint that reads, 'Monty was Framed'. She enters the bathroom and takes her jacket and throws her backpack to the ground. "I can't...I can't..." Mia tangles her hands into her hair. She falls to the ground and touches her stomach as tears build up in her eyes.

The bathroom door opens and Clay looks at Mia who was hyperventilating on the ground. "Hey...Mia..." Clay drops his bag on the ground and quickly walks over to her. He crouches in front of her.

"I-I-I'm fine..." Mia whispers. "I'm fine..."

Clay nods his head, "Yeah, of course, you are. I'm just...gonna help you with your breathing okay?" He questions. He holds his hand out towards her. Mia looks down at his hand and hesitantly accepts it. Clay lightly squeezes her hand. Mia closes her eyes, trying to control her breathing. Clay runs his thumb over the back of her hand, Mia feels everything around her calm down as she focuses on Clay comforting her.

Mia deeply inhales and opens her eyes, meeting Clay's Ocean eyes. Clay keeps his hand around hers. Mia looks down at their hands together. "Th-thank you," Mia says softly.

Clay nods his head, "Of course..." He whispers.

Mia leans her head against the bathroom wall and exhales. Mia could've sworn that she was going to kiss him. But she pulls her hand out of his. Clay stands up, he grabs her bag and jacket, he walks back over to her and sets her stuff down in front of her. Mia presses her lips together and gives him a small smile. "Thank you..." Mia whispers, slightly embarrassed.

Clay keeps his eyes on Mia, her eyes weren't as bright as they used to be. It's like they became a grayish-blue now. Mia slowly grabs her things, Clay helps her onto her feet. She turns to Clay, she examines his image and looks at him. "Are you...okay?" Mia asks.

Clay's jaw goes slack. Mia slides her leather jacket on and places one strap of her bag on her shoulder. "You just seem...different..." Mia shrugs.

"I'm...I'm good." He nods his head.

Mia gives him a curt nod. "You're good...with Ani." She says, with a hint of jealousy in her voice.

"Yeah, I am. Just like how you're good with...Brett." Clay says, with the same jealous tone. Mia smirks, "Sure, Clay." She chuckles and walks away.

==========

Mia stares in her locker, "Mia." A voice says.

She looks over at the unfamiliar man. "I'm sorry, do I know you?" She asks.

"Uh--no, you don't... Winston Williams." He holds his hand out towards the girl. Mia accepts his hand and shakes it. "I knew your brother once."

Mia raises her brows, "Really?" Mia questions. "Well, then I'm sorry about that." She gives him a nod.

Winston shrugs, "I'm not. He paid me a lot of money to not say anything about Monty beating the shit out of me." He says.

Mia laughs quietly, "Holy Crap! You're the guy he told me about." Mia covers her mouth. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be laughing at tha--"

"No, no...it's fine. I get it." Winston chuckles.

Mia rolls her lips into her mouth, "So...why are you here at Liberty, out of all the schools." Mia says.

"I got expelled from Hillcrest," Winston explains.

Mia smirks, "So you're a bad boy?"

Winston laughs, "I guess so." He looks down at his shoes.

Mia smirks, "Well, I guess I'll see you around, bad boy." She laughs and walks away from him.

"Dammit..." Mia whispers, she crosses her arms and looks away from the couple that sits in the seat across from her. Clay looks at Mia, he sends her a tight-lipped smile. Mia nods towards him and turns away. "We have to tell everyone about Winston, at least." Clay whispers to Ani.

"We don't. All that will accomplish is mass panic." Ani states.

"We can huddle with everyone during the tour, slip away at some point," Clay says to the girl. Ani sighs. "It's the perfect time."

"Perfect timing for what?" Tony questions, sitting next to Mia. The brunette groans and scoots over. "Of course I'm fine with you sitting next to me." Mia mumbles.

Tony looks over at her. "Sorry, Mia." He apologizes.

"No, you're not." Mia looks out the window.

Clay and Mia look at each other. "What?" Tony questions.

"Nothing." Ani answers.

Mia chuckles quietly, "How does it feel to have something kept from you that obviously is so important?" Mia rolls her head and looks at Tony.

"It's not important." Ani states.

"Riiight. Because you and Clay always keep secrets that don't have to do with the rest of us?" Mia shrugs with raised brows, leaving them speechless.

"Good morning, seniors." Principal Bolan walks onto the bus. Mia rolls her eyes, "Great..." Mia mumbles.

"Shit. Bolan." Clay whispers.

"What the fuck is he doing here?" Tony questions.

"To supervise us." Mia answers simply.

They all look at her she looks at them. "Our senior class doesn't have the best track record." Mia says.

"Now, I know that many of you tend to overlook Sanderson because it's so close to home, but the reality is it;s one of the foremost small, private universities in the country, with, fun fact, an award-winning literature department..." Bolan explains. A smile crawls onto Mia's face. "I know where this is going..." She says, so only Clay, Ani, and Tony could hear. And Clay sadly knew where this was going as well.

"...headed by the father of our very own Clay Jensen." Bolan finishes. Clay closes his eyes in embarrassment. Mia chuckles softly as scattered applause is heard on the bus.

Clay feels something hit his leg, he looks down and sees a can of paint against his shoe. His eyes widen and he picks it up. "What the fuck?" Ani whispers.

Mia and Tony look over at Clay, Mia's eyes widen. "Duuude..." She exhales. "Did any of you--"

"Fucking get rid of it," Tony whispers.

"What, out the window?" Clay questions.

"Duh!" Mia comments. Clay looks at the window, he panics and stuffs it in his bag. "Why the fuck would you--"

"Room for one more?" Bolan questions.

The four kids snap their heads up at the principal. He sits in the sit in front of Mia and Tony. "Yeah, I used to sit in the back of the bus when I was a kid. It was easier to get away with stuff." Bolan states. "It was a bit of trouble." He chuckles.

"Did you smoke crack?" Mia inquires, causing Clay, Ani, and Tony's eyes to wide.

"Uh--no Miss Walker, I didn't smoke crack." He chuckles.

Mia shrugs, she wasn't really interested in the conversation anymore. But Bolan kept talking.

A/N: I'm sorry! I know you've all have been wondering what happened to the chapter. I just unpublished it so I could add more!❤️❤️❤️