f o r e v e r | lab rats | *EDITING*

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The moment we arrive at Mission Creek High, things are already out of wack. Our bionic friends clearly have no idea how to contain their excitement as they walk around waving to random students, giggling to themselves. Basically reaching a higher level of weird than Leo ever did.

"I can't believe we're actually at school," Bree tells me. "I am so excited! Oh, my first lunch lady." One of our poor lunch ladies has entered the hallway having no idea what's about to hit her. Bree runs straight up to her and wraps her in a giant hug. It takes a second before Leo manages to pull her off, and she runs back to me. "She smelled like fish sticks."

"Do us a favor and try to act like you've seen the world," Leo says. "I have a reputation to uphold here."

"What, being the target?" I ask just as this guy named Steve walks up to give him a wedgie. He gives a painful grunt, and I wince.

"Good to see you too, Steve!"

As another two girls begin to walk our way, Bree seems to completely lose her mind as she jumps up to talk to them.

"Hi! I'm Bree! I like ponies and girl things."

Naturally, the girls are quickly scared off and leave with haste. She turns back to me, hazel eyes wide with a sort of madness.

"Did you see that? I have besties. I can't wait to stab them in the back!"

I place hands cautiously on her shoulders. "Bree, girls don't actually do that," I slowly explain, making sure she understands what I'm saying before turning to Leo so I can ask a question about our math test. I retrieve my phone from my pocket in order to show him the notes I've taken when my thumb accidentally opens my photos app. I haven't looked at my pictures in forever.

My breath gets caught in my throat when I see a single picture. One of the only pictures I've ever kept, though it's not even digital. It's a Polaroid. The final one that I've ever taken of the only one who ever made my life worth living.

There in the square, white frame, is a younger girl with white blonde hair. She bears my features, the features that once were shared between my two parents. The girl is perched happily on the back of an older boy sporting hair the color of raven feathers, with eyes a darker shade of her own brown, filled with the utmost happiness. A happy, proud man. And oh, how I miss him.

Leo pats my shoulder reassuringly when his own eyes catch sight of the photo as well. "He never left, you know," he mutters to me.

I take a low breath and nod. "Yeah. I know. I just really miss him."

"I miss him too, Vee. But hey, we're gonna see him again one day. I know that."

Before I can reply, we hear a distinct, "Here, let me help you out with that." Leo and I both turn around just as Adam, who's standing beside a girl, takes hold of her locker door and, quite literally I might add, completely removes it from it's metal hinges. I blankly stare at him, too shocked to even react.

"Adam!" Chase chastises, dragging his brother away from the girl. "Would you two quit goofing off? We're supposed to not draw attention to ourselves."

The bell for class rings in that moment, and Mr. Non-Attention-Seeker screams and drops to the floor, clutching his hands over his ears.

"What's up with crazy?" Leo asks.

"He has ultra-sensitive bionic hearing," Bree explains.

"What was that?" Chase questions between breaths, leaning up against my legs.