Amber POV

I woke up with a smile on my face. I quickly got up from bed and dressed. For once, I even ran a brush through my short hair and topped my head with my favorite hat. As I brushed my teeth, I had to restrain myself from smiling like an idiot so I could actually brush my teeth. I kept thinking to myself, “Today is going to be the best day ever,” as I finished getting ready for my last day of Junior High School.

I was too excited. I practically skipped out of my room to the kitchen. Against my mother’s protests, I just grabbed a banana and my lunch, and I was on my way.

Next door, Taemin was also leaving his house. He waved at me. “Amber noona!” Taemin and I walked to school with each other almost every day this year. We had gotten pretty close, and he was like the younger brother I never had. Walking to school, and more often than not, walking home with him everyday would probably be the only thing I would miss about Junior High School. Next year, I would have to walk almost twice the distance, alone, in the opposite direction. I waved and tried to remind myself that this would be the only thing I would miss.

“Hey,” I said catching up with him. “Why do you always call me ‘noona’?”

“Oh, I don’t know. A habit, I guess.” I just looked at him and tried to figure out if he was kidding or not, because that was the exact same thing Krystal said to me when I asked her why she called me “unni”. She simply left it as a “Korean thing” and laughed at me when I asked what that was supposed to mean. However, Taemin did not seem to be kidding. He looked totally serious.

“Oh. Okay then.” Sometimes I really did not know what went through that kid’s mind.

“Yup! I can’t wait for today to be over and to finally go back to camp next week! Your parents said you could go, right?”

That got me all excited all over again. It was true. Last week, after our final grades were posted on the online site for our parents to look at them, my parents had rewarded me by allowing me to return to the old summer camp I used to go to. The camp was kind of expensive, so although I begged to return every summer, I haven’t able to go back in years. On the other hand, Taemin had been going to that same camp every year because his cousins also go there. The month they spend there is the only time during the year, besides Christmas, that he visits with them. Taemin often talked about his cousins, but I had never met them. I was actually looking forward to meeting them next week.

“Yes!” I replied excitedly. “I am so pumped! I haven’t been there since like the 4^th grade. You still meeting up with your cousins?”

“Yes. Ah, this summer is going to be so fun.”

We continued our walk to school, which was only a few blocks, talking about camp and how awesome it was going to be. Just as we were reaching our campus, I was about to reply to something Taemin said when somebody called my name. I turned and was almost knocked over by a vivacious Krystal Jung.

“Unni, can you believe it? Today is the last day of school! After today, you’ll be a High Schooler, and Jessica unni will be a university student. Aren’t you excited? Hey, wait. You’re going to the dance tonight, right? Amber, you better go! Taemin, you, too.” She pointed at him. “Ah, it’s getting late. I still need to get books. We’ll hang and talk more ‘bout it later, after school. Ooh, or see you in P.E.! And Taemin, I’ll see you in…. whatever. Oh, Geography!” And just as fast as she came, she was gone.

Now I hadn’t really planned on going to the end-of-the-year dance, and by the look on his face, neither had Taemin. However, when it comes to Krystal and parties, games, and dances, there is no stopping her or arguing with her. I just shrugged at him, as if to say, Why not? Knowing Krystal, she would somehow get both of us to go to the dance anyway.

 I walked through the crowds of kids standing in little circles, signing yearbooks or just hanging around. Taemin and I went our separate ways, and I tried my best to make my way to my locker without drawing too much attention to myself. I felt really awkward being the only one not standing with my own little cluster. In addition to walking alone, the other kids at school just didn’t get me. Although I didn’t feel any different from them, they seemed to consider my boyish appearance bad and unpleasant. Because of this, I just tried to pay no attention to them, and prayed they don’t pay attention to me in their system full of nasty gossip, hurtful comments, and hateful rumors.

I’m not going to lie. The year before, 7^th grade, was probably the most miserable year of my life. After school, I would come home and cry at least twice a week. Last year, I didn’t have very many friends. There were some kids that were nice, that I knew from elementary. They would let me sit with them at lunch, and even stand up for me sometimes. Even though they were nice, we never built real friendships. They were just being humane. I didn’t have real friends until I started walking to school with Taemin and I met Krystal this year.

I maneuvered myself through the throngs of kids, who were all undoubtedly equally excited for the day to be over. Two guys were messing around with each other, with girls off to the side giggling at them. I tried to avoid getting too close to the action, but it was getting closer to the bell ringing, and I did not want to get a detention for being late on the last day of school. That would have .

I decide to make a wide arc around them, and I don’t really know what happened. Maybe it’s because avoiding people is kind of nerve-racking, or maybe I thought I was safe at my distance, but right as I was passing one of the guys shoved his buddy right into me. I don’t think he meant to push his friend right into me, but he did, and I hit the wall. And my cap fell off. And the girls watching from before were now laughing.

I held onto the wall for a few seconds, fighting vertigo, and making sure I didn’t just splay out on the hallway floor. Since our school was an outdoor campus, this meant on the cold concrete. I quickly recovered, and bent down to pick up my hat. I stood up noticed that the two guys were just standing there, having a silent argument like, “You ran into it. Apologize.” “Hell no! You pushed me this is your fault.” “No way!”

Even though it was both their faults, I just gave them a curt “Sorry,” which made them freeze up. They probably would have started making the situation way more awkward if I didn’t just walk away. So I did. I passed the girls that were laughing earlier, and I could tell they were trying their hardest not to laugh. I think I did hear one let the creepiest little chuckle slip before I was out of hearing distance.

I went to my locker, and for the last time, I turned the dial to open it. A little bit everyday last week during finals, I had been taking home the things I kept inside. All that was left inside were my text books, a folder, a few pens and pencils, a notebook full of random doodles and sketches, and a picture of Taemin, Krystal, and me at the fair. I guessed I had a little less than ten minutes prior to the bell ringing, so I quickly shoved as many text books as I could, as well as the notebook, into my backpack.

I ended up having to carry my history book with my paper lunch sack, but I didn’t mind because the bell was going to ring soon, and history was my first class. I stuffed the pens and pencils into the back pocket of my jeans, and with care, I removed the picture and took a look at it.

Krystal and I were taking a silly selca at the fair, and Taemin, who didn’t know we were taking pictures, had been caught in the back eating cotton candy. I had to laugh. Taemin’s expression was priceless; very oblivious to what was going on, and very derpy. In contrast, Krystal was showing a totally hilarious “ice princess” stare. When I asked later, she said that the funniest face she could think up was her sisters. She said it with such a serious face, that it took me a couple of days to figure out that she was joking… mostly.

But then there was me, just looking something like a cross between a crying dino and a llama on drugs. The picture was great. I had copies of it everywhere, so I can treasure it always and everywhere.

With all kidding aside, I did really like that picture. It reminded me of what great friends I had, who weren’t fake, and who didn’t really care what I thought about them. We could be ourselves around each other. Our weird and eccentric selves.

I put the photo safely in the folder, and shoved that into my backpack. I zipped it closed again and shut the locker. I headed to history class, and on the way, I pulled the banana that was meant to be my breakfast out from my lunch sack. Trying my best not to get banana on my history book, which I was returning today, I peeled it and took a bite. With all the early morning excitement, I didn’t realize how hungry I was.

I arrived at the history classroom, and holding my history book, lunch, and banana with one arm and hand, I tried the door. It was locked, and it seemed like no one was inside. Mr. Hudson, the history teacher, was known for not opening the classroom until the very last bell rang.

Perfect, I thought. Then I should have just enough time to finish my banana. So far my morning was turning out pretty well.

“Oh, lookie. A monkey.”

I turned a little, mid-bite, to see who had joined me before the bell had even rung. As soon as I saw whose face it was, holding amused expression, I groaned inwardly.  Aaaand there goes my good morning.

A/N: Hello! I hope you like this first chapter! Um... I'm still trying to get back into swing(?) with/of... yeah. WRITING. Haven't done a lot of it lately. So please excuse the (likely) large amounts of commas and run-on sentences. XD

Um, also THANKS SO MUCH to everyone who already subscribed... I didn't expect anybody would for just a forward&description. ^^ But anyway, just letting you know in advance, updates won't be very fast. Or consistent. Though I promise that at least every update will have content and at least 1000 words.

Also, This was only a little less than half of my "original master plan" for "chapter one". Yeah. And this was pretty long (for not writing in awhile). So before, when I said about 5-6ish chapters? Yeah. I lied. I have no idea how long this will go for. And POV's will switch between chapters between Key and Amber. Warning: it'll mostly be Amber, and again it won't be like consistent switching (so not like an organized pattern with the pov's).

And finally, ....I forgot. Warning: this happens way too often. P.S. It's like 1:30 AM... But anyway, whatever it was. Sorry about the long Author's Note, I'll try not to do super long ones like this |||OTL. OH YEAH! (OMG, I actually remembered before I hit save for once). I know that they may seem (they being TaeKryBer) a little... I don't know. Like Amber's 'bout to enter Middle School rather than High School. Like, do they seem/act too young/immature? Whether it is now or not, i do promise age/maturity will be obvious soon. I think. (was this even what I was going to say?)

Okay good night. |||||OTL Thanks again, new subscribers.