Samantha stopped on her tracks when a group of girls, headed by her arch-enemy Eula, blocked her way. Eula is her rival to almost anything in school. In their senior year, she's her rival for candidacy to be a valedictorian. She raised an eyebrow. "Is there anything you want, Eula?"

"You're not going to get that scholarship in UCLA, Samantha."

Although that's the thing that she feared to happen since she only had a single parent who sends her to school, she won't let Eula see her personal struggle to get that scholarship. The university offered one scholarship grant to the person who will be awarded as valedictorian in their graduating class. She was challenged by that and tried to do every possible thing to get it. That way, she will be able to help her mother in some way because if she didn't get the scholarship, she may not go to college after all. "And what are you going to do then, huh?"

"I have the best project in Physics and I was chosen to do the debate next week in the school program." Eula said, with a triumphant smile.

Samantha shakes her head. "That doesn't mean that you'll win over me, Eula. Don't get all your hopes up. I'm still the best mathematician here." She walked off after that. She knew she is threatened by Eula but she won't let that girl get the upper hand. She needs the scholarship and she needs to finish until college. That way, she will be able to help her mother and sisters to get a better life.

She went out of the school building towards the ground where she found Kevin and Brian under a shaded tree. It is lunchtime and these two probably got through eating. Kevin is reading a World History book while Brian is taking a nap as he lies comfortably on the grass. When Kevin saw her, he gestured her to be silent and pointed to Brian.

"He's on night shift." He whispered. Samantha sits beside him. "Are you alright?" She bit her lower lip. She started telling her friend about her dilemma in going to college and how her rivalry with Eula becomes tougher. Kevin sets down his book and leaned against the tree behind them. The cool wind blew softly and it felt peaceful as they sat in silence when Samantha is done with her story. "You can do it, Sam." Kevin tells her.

"I hope so. I want it so bad. I need it so bad." Samantha sighed in frustration. They looked up when Leighanne came and sits beside Samantha. She takes a glance on the sleeping Brian before looking to them.

"What is Jade doing there?" Leighanne asked them when she looked out towards the open field where their young friend is jogging around the track.

"She's upset," Brian told them. He's already awake and sat up. "She's been running around for a long time now." He shakes his head.

"Nick told us that her parents are getting a divorce." Kevin added.

"Oh..." Leighanne bit her lower lip as she watched Jade stopped jogging and bent down, her hands on her knees. Slowly, she slid herself down the rubber track and they saw her crying. Instantly, the group stood up to go towards her.



~~~



Nick crumpled the paper in hand and sighed in frustration. He placed another sheet in the typewriter and began typing another article to be featured in the school paper. He felt so inspired having newfound friends in the form of the senior students such as Kevin, Brian, Samantha and Leighanne. He doesn't have many friends probably because of his sexual preference. Was it his fault if he's gay?

He continued to type. He's going to write something about friendship and love that started in high school. He's inspired to write it when he saw the way Brian glanced at Leighanne the other day. Those two were silently in love and the sight is beautiful. He wished that someday, there will be a chance for them.

As he went on with his article, he felt a pain in his arm. He stopped and touched his arm. Biting his lower lip, he leaned against his chair. Thinking about his father, Robert Carter couldn't accept that his son is gay. He is a businessman who had hopes that his only child will succeed him one day with his business. When he found out about Nick's different attitude, that's when the beatings started. Nick tried to overcome the pain for he knew that his father is only clouded with fear that someday, his son won't be worthy to be his heir. Nick would prove him wrong.

"Still hurting?"

Nick didn't say anything when he heard his friend. Jade went inside the office, where the school paper club is. She held his arm tight and Nick winced at the pain. "I don't understand why you're letting your father do this."

"It's alright. Someday, my father would understand me."

"Nick..."

Nick gave her a glare and rolled his eyes. He shakes his head and returned into typing his next article but frustratingly though, his mind is blocked. "How about you? How's the divorce going?"

Jade sits beside her best friend. "My brothers agreed on living with our uncle next month. I don't want things to happen but I don't have any choice. I think I'll stay with my uncle, too. Anyway, Uncle Greg offered his house to us since he doesn't have any family. He wanted all of us there instead of us choosing which between our mom and dad to stay." For rare situations like this, she cried. Nick is the only one who can see the vulnerability in her. Everyone thought of her as a strong person, incapable of breaking down and feeling hopeless. He pulled his friend and hugged her. "It felt like my life is incomplete now that my parents broke up. It really affects me. You know, I can't even stand arriving home to a quiet house. My parents already moved out and lived on separate houses."

"At least, they're still alive." He said. He remembered his mother who died two years ago. His mother is the only person who can understand the things he want and supported him in every step of the way.

Jade didn't say anything. Her only response is to gather herself closer to her best friend's body. She went to see Nick to find comfort in his arms. She knew that he's the only one she can run to, in times like this. Her brothers are staying in the university and they couldn't be with her now. With Nick, she can feel somehow relieved that even though her family fell apart, she still had him.