1 The Same Cycle (Zeph's pov)

Waking up at 4am in the morning because of a nightmare has always been common for me. It doesn't happen every single day but often enough. I actually still can't get used to them. They're confusing and unnerving and I hate it. Everyday is the same. Waking up every morning to get ready and go to school, only to end up cutting class because I'm incompetent and can't handle being in small classrooms. Spending the day walking around the neighborhood and then when the day ends I head back to an empty home and be alone again. I'd really like to make friends and be social like others in all honesty. But I just can't. I can't.

"Zeph I'm going to be working late again, so you can make yourself some food or eat the leftovers when you get home. Make sure you do your homework and be a good boy okay?" Mom explained as she opened my curtains, making me shield myself from the light with my blanket. 

"Alright." I replied. She pulled the covers off of me and pinched me to get me up and out of bed, and then left the room. I slowly got up and closed my curtains again. I don't like my room being bright. I'd rather it be dark, where it gives the room a sleepy and calming atmosphere. 

After sluggishly getting dressed and ready, I head downstairs and towards the kitchen. Mom was quickly making breakfast for us both to take on the go. "Make sure you take your medicine sweetheart." She says as she hands me my pills. I tossed them in the trash when she wasn't looking. "Almost ready?" She asks. She looks less ready than I am, but I nod anyways. 

After handing me a plastic container of eggs and toast, we both head outside and get in the car. I drive her to work first, and then myself to school. On the way there she continued to talk about her job and how working as a nurse was difficult work and stressful. I quietly listened until we got to our destination. "Thanks baby, have a good day at school okay?" "Okay." I watched her go inside the hospital before leaving. I have to, otherwise she'll get hurt if I look away or leave early.

I leave to school shortly after making sure she got in safely. I ended up making it there late, as per usual. Upon entering my first class, language arts, my teacher sighs and marks me late without saying a word to me. I made sure I didn't look any students in the eye and made my way to the back of the classroom. I don't want to look up at anyone, not even if they aren't looking at me. Them simply being within my visual vicinity makes me feel horrible. No one talks to me really, well, besides the teachers of course. Anytime they try to talk to me about skipping class or not doing any work whatsoever, I just avoid looking in their direction and avoid saying anything to them. They've tried countless times to get into contact with my mom and talk about the issue but my mom's always too busy to answer her phone or emails. Not even if I call or text her myself. She works late basically everyday so even when they send someone to visit our house to try and speak with her, she's never home. It's very convenient actually. I just keep the whole house dark so it's always as if no one's home at all. 

I went to school and already consciously decided in my head that it would be a bad day. I have a negative mentality, but it's just how I've always been. I only made it to 3rd period before I decided to leave. On my way though, a girl ran straight into me. How could she not see I was walking? I was even on the right side of the hallway. Why doesn't anyone understand that just as it is with cars on the street, it should be the same walking anywhere. No matter what direction someone is walking in, they should always stick to the right side of the walkway. 

"Oh my bad! I'm running late so I wanted to hurry to class and started running but I should've paid more attention.. Are you okay though?" She held out her hand to help me up, but I stood up on my own and avoided looking at her. I simply nodded and started walking away but she chased after me. "Hey wait! What's your name? I'm Evangeline! President of the Student Council and the Photography Club! What about you?" What's with this girl?? Why is she taking such an interest in me? She's so nosy and annoying..  

"Hey are you gonna say anything?? OH WAIT! You must be mute huh??" Wh- Just how dumb is this girl?? Me, being mute?? Has she ever heard of leaving people alone when they don't wanna be bothered?? I'll just go with this whole mute thing. I nodded at the dense girl and tried to walk away again, but this time she grabbed my arm and pulled me back. I ripped my arm away from her and glared at her. "Is there any way I can uh.." Oh, she's finally noticing I'm annoyed with her huh? 

"Is there any way I can show you to your classes? You're walking towards the student parking lot.." She asked, confused. What.. IS SHE THAT DENSE?? I clearly don't wanna talk to her! I turned to her finally and told her "Can you just stop bothering me?? Just go to class, you said you were late weren't you??" She stepped back with a shocked expression, and then smiled at me. "So you CAN talk! Where are you headed anyways?" Why.. She totally just ignored what I said to her.. I give up. I simply walked away from her and left the school gates. The guards asked where I was headed and so I made an excuse, saying I left something in my car. 

I drove out of there with a headache already. I don't want to be at this school any longer. I tend to skip school a lot and go on drives to calm myself. I don't ever have a particular destination. But at least I don't have to be around that annoying girl any longer.. Although I do feel kind of bad for being rude to her.. She's probably one of those lonely attention seeking girls who can't deal with rejection. Well anyways, I probably won't be seeing her anymore with how big and crowded the school is.