She sort of blanked out during class. She couldn't understand anything being said. It wasn't in a foreign language, but it all seemed to flow by like water.

Haha! What a good start to the school year. Her last school year.

... It occurred to her that she didn't feel like an adult. That she didn't feel ready to accept the feelings of adulthood.

The bell rang.

She had... English IV next.

She also had no idea where that was because the campus was so big. Like! She had never been in a school building with a second story, much less four of them and an elevator. And there was more than one building like that. It was ridiculous.

... It made her feel small.

Someone tapped her shoulder.

" Are you lost?"

She started a bit, then turned around to see who it was. Another familiar face. River Hell face. Why was that surprising? At this rate she'd see some rando on the street and mistake them for one of her parents or something.

" I... Yeah. Do you know where English IV is, with Mrs. Rivers?"

" You're in luck, that's my next class! Are you new?"

It hit her that something was wrong about the way he was speaking. It felt like it didn't match his face.

" Yeah, my name is Vida. This is the first time I've been in a big school like this, so..."

They had started walking together.

" Well, I've always been in this district, so I'm used to it... Oh, right. I'm Nate. I always forget to introduce myself," he said, smiling.

Nate, Nate, Nate... That didn't sound familiar. Thank God it didn't sound familiar. But then a new uneasiness settled over her because she couldn't remember who exactly he had been and she shut it out because the River Hell wasn't real and it never was so there was no way for her to recognize anyone from it. Fake fake fake.

" Are you okay?"

She jumped again.

" I'm sorry! I was just thinking about something, and got distracted..."

He was standing by a door.

" That's fine. I was just saying that we're here."

.... Nate.