"Oh, that's totally Texas." Jordan says.

"Correct. Texas does have the most wind farms with over 28,000." Gayle says.

"Attention students," The principal says, stepping into the mic. "Homecoming this year is coming up. Tickets will begin being sold tomorrow. This year's theme; A Night in Paris. Oooooh," He tries getting the room to be interested, but really, it's just the popular girls who are going to try for homecoming queen. Just like it is at every school.

"Great, the circle of social poverty continues." Hunter mutters.

"What do you mean by that?" I ask.

"The popular get more popular by becoming royalty, and the unpopular just get reminded how unpopular we are. The circle of social poverty." Hunter explains.

"Oh." I say. "I thought people know your guys' names, though."

"There is a difference between being famous and infamous." Leah says plainly.

"Sorry." I mutter.

"For what? You didn't do anything. Did I do something?" Leah asks.

"No, you didn't." I say.

"So, you going?" Gayle asks.

"I don't know." I say. Would it be too much for me to go to homecoming? Would that cause for a stronger memory of me?

"It's been lame the past few years, so, it's okay." Gayle says.

"Thanks." I nod.

"But hey, if you want to go, you're always welcome to go with us."

"I appreciate the offer." I nod. I finish the rest of my day, head home, and do whatever it is that needs to be done.

"Ugh!" A grunt comes from the other side of the wall.

I quickly run over to Emma's room, and find her with her head shoved in her hands. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just AP Calc, is all. Don't worry."

"Is there something that I could do to-?"

"I'll be fine, but thanks, Canada, just gotta figure out this stupid equation."

Without a further word, I leave the room, and walk into mine, the lump ever growing in the back of my throat. I close the door, press my back up against it, and slide down. I rub in the first tear that comes down my face, but just shove away the others.

Emma wouldn't have to deal with this if it weren't for me. Neither would David, but he doesn't appear to be struggling as much as Emma. Is he struggling, and he just won't say? Do either of them hate me? They full well should. I'm taking away their chances in a professional setting. I'm taking away their chances of getting to interact with people their age. Not that anyone around here is their specific age, but certainly not high schoolers. Does this make them miserable?

Am I condemning them to another horrible fate? I'm causing them more stress. More tests. More paper work. More work. More of everything. They have to do this all for me. For no one else, but me. This serves them no advantages, just disadvantages, and piles upon piles of them.

I push away more and more tears, until I feel vibrations at the ground.

Terror surges through me. I don't want anyone to see me like this.

A knock comes at my door, and I curse every word, in my head, of course.

"Canada, are you alright?" Emma asks. "I thought I heard some sniffling."

I open my mouth, but I don't say anything. I can't sound like I'm crying. So I just stay silent.

"Canada? Canada, are you okay?" I still say nothing. "Canada, open the door, please." When I don't she applies pressure, pushing on it. "Canada, don't make me break this door down, because I will."

Finally, I stand up, and open the door. Emma's eyes instantly turn sympathetic. She steps in and closes the door behind her without a second thought.

"What happened?" She sits down on the bed, and pats her hand down to signal me over. I do, but I sit on the other side of the bed. "Canada."

"I'm sorry." I can hardly hear the words coming out of my mouth.

"Canada, you have nothing to apologize for. What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry you have to go through high school again."

"Canada, it is not big deal, it's fine." Emma rubs my shoulder.

"You're not just saying that to make me feel better?"

"Canada, I'm not. I promise."

"I feel really bad that you can't do the stuff you like because of me."

"I don't mind the high school. It's nice to have it. It's nice that more children have access to education. It's fun to watch, really."

"But don't you want to do other stuff?"

"Me and every other teenager in high school. Sure, I like other interests, but guess what? I can pursue them in less than a year, when we graduate."

"Won't you have to go through more schooling?"

"Eh, I probably would've gone back to school around this time anyways, learn all the cool new tricks of the trade, I guess."

"Yeah. I'm sorry you also have to comfort me."

"What're you going to apologize for, next? Existing on this planet?"

"Sometimes I feel like I should."

"Canada Wayward!" Emma hisses. "You belong on this planet, alright? The council decided that a few months ago. You have the right to live. I will not have you sit here and-and wallow away in self loathing. You are worth it, alright? And don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Do not apologize for your existence."

"Alright."

I'm also sorry that you have to waste more time talking to me, I think in my head, but don't say out loud.

"Thank you, Emma." I look at her, in her pale blue eyes.

"It's no problem, really." Emma grins back. "So, homecoming, you excited?"

"I mean, sure... I guess it's mostly second hand excitement."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I dunno. It's just... I don't think I should go to homecoming."

"And why not?"

"For one, I'm trying to stay invisible."

"Me and David are going."

"Then there's the question of who am I going to go with?"

"Your friends?" Emma raises an eyebrow, as if it were the obvious choice.

"I just don't want them to think that I''m that weird girl who just forces herself on everyone and-"

"Hm..." Emma says, smirking a little bit.

"What? What's so funny?" I ask.

"Nothing." She says, smiling a little bit. "Okay, fine, I just think it's funny that you've been on this planet for over eight-teen and you're still afraid of making friends."

"Am not!"

"Well, it's either this, or that boy's got you flustered."

"No he doesn't!" I say, feeling my face grow warm.

"Or maybe it's both!" Emma bubbles over with giggles.

"Quiet." I playfully shove her arm, making her retreat a bit.

"But hey, we're the closest we've ever gotten you to actually going to an out of school event." Emma pauses, analyzing me up and down, as if this were our first meeting. "I think you should go."

"I'm not going. That isn't my idea of fun."

"Well, how about this." Emma reaches into her pocket, and pulls out a shiny, silver quarter.

"What's that for?" I ask.

"A bet." Emma says proudly as she walks back over. "If you get heads, then you have to go to the dance."

"And if it's tales?" I ask.

"Then neither of us will go to the dance." Emma places a triumphant look on her face.

"Okay, fine, it's a deal."

"Now, let's shake on it." Emma extends her hand over to mine. I shake it slowly, and we break away. "Okay, in 3... 2... 1..." She tosses the coin up in the air, catches is, and flips it over onto her wrist. She uncovers it, and a defeated look grows on her face.

"Let me guess, it was tales?" I ask.

Then, a whole new look comes on her face. One that resembles a child when they knew they just did something bad and got away with it. Then, she lifts the coin up slowly towards me, now a smile the size of the Cheshire Cat's. "It was heads." I let out a deep sigh. "I'll leave you with your thoughts."

Emma closes the door on her way out. A courtesy that she's always had from day one. I push my hair out of my face. I pull out my phone, and stare at Gayle's contact for a minute. I take pauses in between each button I press.

Click on Gayle's contact.

Pause.

Open the text app.

Pause.

Type out my message.

Double pauses.

I close my eyes, and let out a breath. Without looking, I press the send button.

CANADA: Hey

GAYLE: Heya! How goes it?

CANADA: Good, you?

GAYLE: Pretty darn good if I do say so myself

CANADA: Dope.

Oh, Canada, who the heck says 'Dope' anymore? This isn't the 90's.

CANADA: Hey, can I ask you something?

GAYLE: I think you just did

He tacks on a few laughing while crying emojis. I send back a few eye roll emojis.

GAYLE: But sure, go ahead.

CANADA: Do you think that I could hang out with you guys at homecoming?

CANADA: If the answers no, I get it.

GAYLE: Why would I say no?

CANADA: Idk

GAYLE: Well, I'd love to go to homecoming with you

GAYLE: I mean, for you to join our group

GAYLE: Sorry, that was really off of me

CANAD: It's fine, lol

GAYLE: Anyways, I've gotta go. Gotta make 30 more bracelets! Wish me luck!

CANADA: Good luck! TTYL!

For the rest of the night, I will despise myself for writing the phrase 'TTYL'.

"So, I hear you've got yourself a date to homecoming." A voice I know as David's calls from my doorway. I quickly switch off my phone, and throw it to the side.

"No I don't." I say, crossing my arms, and slowly feel my face grow warm.

"So, who do I need to threaten to beat up?" David asks, walking into the room.

"David!" I scold.

"Sorry, I'll only beat him up if he breaks your heart." David says, throwing his hands up in mock surrender.

"David!"

"Or she, I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?" Suddenly, his face drops.

"No, it's fine. I don't have a date, though."

"Uh huh. Sure." He says this as if he doesn't believe me. Which I'm sure he doesn't. "Then how come you're smiling like the Cheshire cat?"

"I'm just... relieved... that he said yes."

"Ah ha! So you do admit to having a date!"

"No, I'm just going with some friends from ave the planet." I say.

"And one of them just so happens to be Gayle."

"Sure, one of them is."

"Just let me know what you guys want on your wedding registry." David lets his eyes wander about my room.

"David!" I hiss once more. "I- I don't even I'm destined for love."

"Oh come on, everyone deserves love."

"I know... I just..."

"I get it, it doesn't feel like that sometimes. I had the same issue when I was this far into my second life."

"Really?"

"Really." David adds, as if it were some incredibly bold conspiracy theory."Anyways, I'll let you turn down for the night."

"Thanks, David, see you in the morning."

We walked into school again, same as we always did. I stopped at my locker, now dropping off the light jacket I had to dawn this morning. It felt like just yesterday it was summer. I can feel a presence. I look over, and see Gayle, as well as Leah, Hunter, and Jordan.

"There she is!" I hear Jordan whisper.

"Hi, Canada." Gayle says when everyone else is finally standing around me.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Well," Gayle says, pulling out a poster board from behind his back. It has a picture of the earth, except it's in the shape of a heart. A chocolate bar is also taped on there. It reads 'Chocolate is brown, snow is white, will you be our date on homecoming night?' I can't help but silently laugh a little bit. "What do you say?"

"Yeah." I say, my laughing a little bit more audible since I was talking. "I mean, I'm the one that asked you, so I think you knew my answer."

"Well, everyone deserves a dance-posal." Hunter says.

"And, we figured since it was your first year in Clair-"

"-And your first year going to home coming," Jordan cuts off Leah.

"We figured that you deserve something fun!" Gayle says, smiling a little bit. "I hope you don't mind, I mean, I know you don't like attention drawn to you, and I now realize how much attention this is likley giving you-"

"I love it." I say, cutting Gayle off from his rambling. I'm even shocked by my own words. They sounded sort of blurted out, but I meant.

"Aww, doth I see a romance blooming?" Hunter asks, throwing Gayle's arm around my shoulder. I can feel my face heating up, and judging by the way Gayle says 'Dude!' I think his did, too. "Sorry."

"Anyways, what are you going to wear? Got a dress picked out yet?" Leah inquires.

"Not really." I say. "I've never really been good at shopping, especially for formal wear."

"But she's going out with Mom and I, soon!" I hear a voice yell over all of the noise in the hallway. I watch as Emma pushes through the crowds, eventually joining our group.

"Really?" I ask, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Mom just texted me." She informs, holding up her phone. "Can't wait!" She says, smiling a little bit. "Anyways I've got to go. Choir is across the whole school building."

"I should probably do the same. See you guys at lunch,"

"Or in Earth Sciences," Gayle says. It's at this time that I noticed his arm was still around my shoulder. He slowly pulls it off, but I've got to admit, I want it to stay there. We all break away from the big group, except I'm the one that gets to leave with the poster board.