Chapter Text
The sun shone brightly in my eyes; It was a beautiful day. A shockingly beautiful day for October, I cannot remember it being this pleasant sense it was summer. Wait- why am I standing in front of a high school? As the glare cleared from my eyes, the landscape in front of me came into focus. A large building with a plaque over the front entrance saying Sunnydale High School. The building was shockingly beautiful, an intriguing Italian Renaissance style touting columns, terracotta shingles, and an imposing size. I thought I had come to terms with my class envy but seeing tastefully constructed well funded schools still makes me somewhat angry. How come these teenagers get ample funding for extracurriculars and heat in the winter while I was stuck with asbestos and lead in the water? It still seems insane that property taxes, in a housing system that is still segregated, determine what children deserve a good education.
But, why am I in front of Sunnydale High School? I tried to think of how I ended up here but I kept drawing a blank.
“Mila?”
I looked to my right and saw my brother Alexi, he looked normal. He was in one of the three decent outfits he wore when he would opt to put some effort into his appearance. Loose black curls un-styled, Levi jeans, a thick sweater, and pale skin glistening in the sunlight like a vampire. Come to think of it, that sweater is probably way too much in this abnormally warm weather.
“Mila, where the hell are we?” Alexi asked, harder this time. His facial expression was intense, a deep confusion I haven't seen in a long time
“We’re-” I started to say but drew a blank once again. For the life of me I could not remember how we ended up in front of some random high school I have never heard of.
“I- I don't know, have you ever heard of a Sunnydale Highschool?” Before he could respond the sound of a loud analog bell shook from the building.
A few students trickled out laughing and looking like ideal candidates for a college brochure. One of them, a boy wearing JNCO jeans and sporting some very damaged frosted tips, looked at Alexi, smiled and started walking over.
“Hey!” he shouted walking over. Once he reached us he pointed at my brother and said “how’s it going man?”.
I know for a fact my brother did not know who this child is, before he responded we shared a glance.
“Alright?” he said questioningly “do I know you?”
“Nah nah” frosted tips responded, shaking his head and swatting his arms. “I was just curious to see if you were the new drummer for the jazz band, we don't get that many new faces here so I thought I would ask”
We were both taken aback, why did this random teenager automatically assume we went to this high school. Moreover, how could he possibly know that my brother is a drummer. One who, when in high school, did actually play in the jazz band.
“No, I'm not in high school” Alexi responded. Before Frosted Tips could respond, the bell loudly rang again.
“You’re talking crazy, come on, we’re gonna be late for class”. Frosted Tips stated plainly. Out of nowhere his posse stepped up behind him looking impatient.
“Zach stop gabbing I cannot have another tardy in English” some other boy said to Frosted Tips/Zach.
With that, Zach wrapped his arm around Alexi’s shoulders and started leading him to the front of the school. “Welcome to Sunnydale Alexi, you are going to have a great time”.
“Alexi?” I stated somewhat harshly as he started walking away with some unknown teenagers. I kept up with the group who was speed walking for some reason, but could not get to my brother due to a wall of highschoolers blocking me in a semi circle. The group and my hostage brother went into the school through the front doors.
The door clicked behind them, I went to pull it open but all it did was bounce against the lock. Fuck. What the hell is happening? Who were those kids and why did my brother go with them? Where am I?
I decided to walk around the school and see if I could find another way in. I ended up in a quad, again, shockingly beautiful. There was a blue mosaic fountain, a grand staircase, and patio covered by arches held up by columns. It's so far from anything I have ever experienced it hard to imagine that real kids actually go to school here.
My gawking continued until I was interrupted by a shrewd voice.
“Why are you not in class?” I turned around to see a balding little man in a suit looking at me disapprovingly.
“Oh I'm sorry” I responded, I guess I was still young enough to be mistaken as going to this school. “I don't go here, I'm just on campus, for some reason.”
“Oh sure, and the bank robber just happened to be at the bank. And the murder just happened to be at the scene of the crime”
“I'm sorry?” I responded taken aback “I didn't intend to cause any trouble but I truly do not go to this school. I'm in college”.
“Do you think that is the first time I have heard that?” the little man fumed.
“Uh, probably? I returned, I was still reeling from being abandoned by my own blood and now was stuck being condescended by a middle aged man on a power trip. My answer did not seem to please him.
“You are coming with me. Right now” he hissed, grabbing me by the arm.
“Hey!” I shouted, ripping myself away from his grasp “do not touch me”. For a moment we looked at each other in silence before he broke the silence.
“If you don't come with me I can have you expelled from this school”
“And if you touch me again I will sue you, this school, and your school district for all they are worth”. This caused the man to pause, for a moment he lifted his hand but quickly put it back down before starting again.
“If you do not follow me back into the school and immediately go to class there will be serious repercussions”
Well, I was trying to get into the school anyway.
“Ok, I am sorry for the trouble” I drawled. The man started scurrying towards the door and I dutifully followed.
Once inside, it looked like a typical school. Walls of lockers and hand made posters advertising events and ideas laid behind this repugnant man that clearly never read the class of ‘93s “choose kindness” banner.
“Here me now,” the man said through gritted teeth “you are going to go to class, and I am never going to see you wandering around campus when class is in. Comprende?
Ugh god, by that point all I wanted to do was get away from this odd man and this odd odd conversation where I am being treated like a child.
“Uh, sí”. He rolls his eyes and then nods his head which I take as my cue to walk in the opposite direction.
Of course, I don't have any classes. All I can do is wander and make sure I don't accidentally loop back around to that man. Or go by a main office. After an unknowable amount of time in this random ass high school, feeling a surreal dread, I see a small sign saying “Library”. Maybe I can set up camp there while I try to figure out how to get out of this nightmare.