Kayla's POV

I looked in the mirror and noticed my olive-green eyes. They reflected the thoughts racing in my mind.

An hour earlier, my alarm clock blared, waking me from a restless sleep. I felt the pressure of my senior year, a topic my friends and I talked about all summer. I imagined Lila carefully picking out her outfit while I rushed to find mine.

I wore a fitted cropped top and oversized jeans, finishing the look with my black sneakers. I felt comfortable and confident.

"Kayla!" my mum called from the kitchen, interrupting my thoughts.

"Coming, Ma!" I replied, quickly grabbing my things and heading downstairs.

"What were you doing? You're going to be late!" she said, sounding worried and urgent.

"I know, I'm sorry! I just zoned out for a bit," I admitted, feeling guilty.

"It's fine. Here's your lunch!" she said, handing me my packed lunchbox like it was a baton.

"Thanks, Ma!" I smiled, glad for the familiar routine of our busy mornings.

"Now go!" she urged, giving me a gentle nudge toward the door.

"Love you, Ma!" I called as I stepped outside, feeling the warmth of her love as the door closed behind me.

"Love you too, sweetie!" she replied, her voice echoing as I faced the bright, uncertain day ahead.

As I walked to the garage, I felt excited. There, shining in the morning sun, was my silver Hyundai Tucson- the car Mum surprised me with last summer. Today was my first drive to school, a big moment I felt eager and nervous about.

I tossed my bag into the backseat and sat in the driver's seat, my fingers moving over the steering wheel as I started the engine. When the car rolled out of the garage, a mix of excitement and unease washed over me.

Once I hit the open road, my anxiety kicked in. I gripped the wheel tightly and felt sweat on my palms. With every turn toward school, my heart raced, but I pushed through the tension. Finally, I saw an empty parking space and pulled in, feeling relief wash over me.

I sat in the car for a moment to calm down. I pressed my forehead against the steering wheel, and tears ran down my cheeks.

"Great," my inner voice said, "school hasn't even started, and you're already crying."

And it was true. I knew so much more awaited me behind those daunting doors.

Just as I wiped my tears, a gentle knock on my window surprised me. I looked up and saw my friends, their faces full of concern.

Lila and Luca were twins who shared the same golden-brown eyes. Lila's silky brown hair glowed in the sunlight, while Luca's dark hair looked striking. Lila wore a black cardigan, blue jeans, and black boots, whereas Luca opted for a black t-shirt and jeans.

They waved for me to roll down the window, and I did, feeling the warmth of their presence.

"Hey, what's wrong, Kay?" Lila asked, clearly worried.

"Nothing really, just some anxiety. You know, the usual. How did you know I was still here?"

Luca added, "It's been a while since we heard from you."

"Are you feeling any better?" Lila asked, her eyes still concerned.

"Yeah, a little," I said.

"Then let's head in?" Lila suggested, smiling.

"Yeah," I replied, feeling comforted by their support.

I stepped out of the car, took a deep breath, grabbed my bag, and locked it, ready to face whatever lay ahead with my friends by my side.

The three of us walked through the big brown doors of Everest High, where familiar sights welcomed me like an old friend. The plain white walls reminded me of the past few years-nothing special, just a normal public school. However, our lockers stood out. They weren't like the basic metal ones found in other schools; ours had a special style that matched our school's character.

Even though Everest High received a lot of money each year, it never seemed to improve anything. It felt like watching money disappear without any changes, leaving the same worn-out hallways each year.

"Hey, Kay! Don't forget your schedule!" Luca shouted, handing me a crisp white sheet of paper. His excitement made the ordinary moment feel a bit more fun.

The rush of excitement faded quickly as I looked at the twins' schedule. I realised I only shared two classes with Lila, but I had more classes with Luca, which was good.

As we walked to our first class, we separated from Lila, feeling the excitement in the air.

Biology was our first class, and Mrs. Valerie was known for being warm and funny. We entered the classroom, filled with chatter and laughter, creating an infectious energy.

Luca nudged my elbow, his eyes sparkling with mischief, urging me to hurry. With a dramatic sigh, I finally stepped into the classroom.

The atmosphere felt tense as I sensed curious stares. It was one thing to be in a crowd; it was another to feel the prickly gaze of one person that made me uneasy. I tried to ignore it as we navigated to our seats in the middle.

As we settled in, whispers lingered around us, but we ignored them. I slumped onto the cold desk, resting my head until Mrs. Valerie arrived. Moments later, she walked in, her smile brightening the room.

"Hello, everyone!" she greeted warmly.

"Hello, ma'am!" the class replied, filled with energy.

"So, it's the last semester of senior year! Aren't we all excited?"

Cheers erupted, filling the room with celebration.

"Okay, okay, that's enough excitement for now. Settle down, everyone," she said with a laugh, her eyes sparkling.

Gradually, the room quieted, the chatter fading.

"For those who don't know me yet, I'm Mrs. Valerie, and I'll be your Biology teacher this year!" she announced, and the promise of a new adventure filled the air.

"I hope we can work together to make senior year amazing for all of us."

Just as Mrs. Valerie was about to dive into her lesson, a sudden knock echoed through the classroom. With a nod of her head, she granted permission for the newcomer to enter.

"Mrs. Valerie?" the girl inquired, her voice a mixture of hope and hesitation.

"That's me! Are you in my class?" Mrs. Valerie responded with a welcoming smile.

"Yes, I am! I'm really sorry for being late-I'm a transfer student," the girl explained, her cheeks slightly flushed.

"Not a problem at all, dear! What's your name?"

"Fiona Yamen," she said, her eyes scanning the room.

"Alright, Fiona. Find yourself a seat- there's plenty of room at Everest High for you!"

"Thanks, ma'am!" Fiona beamed as she took a spot not far from where we sat.

Mrs. Valerie wasted no time and launched into her lesson. "So, I've got something special prepared to help you all with the upcoming finals. Want to know what it is?" Her enthusiasm was contagious.

The class buzzed with energy, eager to hear more.

"It's a project!" she announced.

At that, the room filled with groans and exasperated sighs, as if the very word had cast a shadow over the excitement.

"Oh come on, show some enthusiasm!" she teased, laughter bubbling in her voice.

The groans grew louder, however. "Alright, alright, settle down, everyone," she said with a playful scolding tone, and the noise eventually quieted.

"This project will make up a whopping 30% of your final grade! So, it's kind of a big deal. I'm pairing you up, and you must work together on this project, understood?" she explained, the room humming with an undercurrent of anxious murmurs.

"Understood?" she asked again, her voice firm and commanding.

"Yes, ma'am," we mumbled in response.

"Louder!" she insisted, her eyes scanning the faces in front of her.

"Yes, ma'am!" we replied in unison, the collective tone slightly more spirited.

"Good!" she said, satisfaction gleaming in her eyes. "You'll find out who your partner is by our next lesson, alright?"

"Yes, ma'am!" we chorused, but a wave of dread washed over me as the words 'pairs' and 'partner' sank in. What would my fate be this time? I could only hope my future partner wouldn't mind me taking on all the work-just like my past teammates had.

Mrs. Valerie's class wrapped up just in time, and relief washed over us as we made our way to Math class with Lila. We spotted three empty seats at the back and quickly claimed them like they were our little fort.

Here we were, diving into the wonderful world of Math. Ah, yes, the good old numbers and equations. I had to admit that math was my nemesis. No matter how hard I tried or how much I wanted to grasp the concepts, it felt like my brain simply refused to cooperate.

The twins, on the other hand, were Math whizzes. They often took it upon themselves to tutor me, but despite their best efforts, the numbers always danced just out of my reach. So here I sat, drifting in and out of focus while the teacher went on about derivatives, completely lost in the sea of calculations.

I vowed to hit the books later that evening. It was a familiar routine-no matter how many hours I spent studying, I knew I might still walk away scratching my head, but hey, at least I could say I gave it my all!

The first day of senior year was definitely no stroll in the park. It felt like the teachers were testing our limits right from the start, and I was bracing myself for the challenges ahead. I had anticipated this year would be a tough ride, and I had prepared myself all summer long, not just for the academics, but for the mental and physical hurdles that lay in wait.