"I'm sorry," Vincent said, looking away.

Derek finished wrapping a towel around his waist and shut the shower off. He walked across the locker room to his locker.

Vincent couldn't help but glance at Derek's ripped body.

"I just-" Vincent started, "Er, well, I forgot my sneakers in my locker. Uh, from gym."

"It's cool," Derek said, pulling a t-shirt over his head.

Vincent nodded and rushed over to his locker, unlocking it.

"Hey, aren't you- uh..." Derek ran a hand through his caramel hair. 

"Vincent?"

Derek glanced at him. "Yeah, uh, Ollinderf? I've, um, heard somethings about you. Are they true?"

Vincent stopped. "Is what true?"

Derek looked away and sighed. "Are you...?"

Vincent blushed, his hands slightly shaking. "Am I what, Derek?"

Derek didn't question how he knew his name. Everyone knows Derek Johansson. "Are you gay?"

Vincent twirled a piece of his floppy dark brown hair. "Well, yes, it's not really a secret."

"That's nice," Derek murmured.

"Why? You a homophobe?" Vincent studied him.

Derek laughed. He shook his head.

Vincent narrowed his eyes. "Well?"

"No, Vincent, I'm not a fucking homophobe." He slips on his boxers and Vincent looks away blushing. "I was just wondering."

"No one ever just wonders, Derek," Vincent said, stepping forward. Vincent was a complete nerd, however he was very confident and not afraid to show his true colors. 

Him and Derek were now not very far apart. Derek slowly looks at Vincent. He stands up straight and Vincent looks up at him. Suddenly, shouts erupt from the hallways and Derek slips on his sweatpants, grabs his stuff, and slams his locker door, walking off quickly.

Vincent watches him as he leaves. Once he's gone, he shuts his locker and walks out, getting shoved by the jocks hurrying in. 

--

Mallory laughed, tossing her auburn hair out of her face. "Honestly, I would hit that."

Sarah rolled her eyes and Connie joined her. 

"Come on, you guys talk the same way about guys," Mallory said. 

"Um, guy," Connie corrected, giggling.

"Same difference."

Sarah shook her head. "Same here. I only have eyes for Derek." She smiled dreamily. 

Mal grinned. "Well, I have eyes for her."

"Oh, please!" Connie laughed. "You don't even know her name."

Mallory shrugged. "I could ask her."

Connie and Sarah shook their heads, smiling. 

"It's whatever, though. I'll probably never see her again." 

The girls were walking in the mall. They stopped on a bridge and looked down into the play area. 

"Honestly, my childhood," Sarah said.

"Same," Mal and Connie chorused.

"I'm hungry. Anyone else?" Sarah asks.

"Yes!" Mallory screamed.

"You're so loud!" Connie scolds, a smile tugging on her lips. 

"Cheese fries!" Mal bellows deeply.

Sarah snorted. "Come on, ladies."

--

Tears streamed down her face as she sliced the blade slowly across her legs. These were the good tears. They were less painful than the tears they bring. They. Them. Everyone. She felt numb when she cut. 

Bishop heard the front door slam and she gasped. She hurried to hide the blade from her father. She heard him clear his throat from the living room and set down his keys on the coffee table. Bishop quickly wiped her eyes, pulled her sweatpants up to her waist, and walked out of her room. 

"Hi," she said, trying to keep her voice from wavering. 

Her father grunts in response. "What's for dinner?"

"I-I wanted to wait to see what your thoughts were," she stuttered.

He sat in his recliner and flipped on the television. "Food."

Bishop nods. "Of course, yeah, I'll get right on it." She turns and walks into the kitchen, tears gathering in her eyes.

--

Sage laid in the middle of her bedroom floor, blonde hair spread out around her head like a halo, best friends Alyssa and Crescent on each side of her, posing for the phone Sage was holding up.

Sage would end up putting something cliche like besties or love my gurls on the Instagram post she would inevitably post. 

Her room was a blur of pastel pinks, blues, and purples and silver and pearl. She had her own personal bathroom, shower and all. 

"Guess who I've been talking to," Alyssa says suddenly, turning her head to look at Sage.

Sage raises an eyebrow. "Who?"

"Derek Johansson."

"Oh?"

Alyssa blushes and smiles. "Yeah. He's a bit oblivious, but very sweet and funny."

Crescent smiles. "Wait for Sage to tell you who she's been talking to."

Sage sits up and shrugs. The girls are now sitting in a circle, criss-cross applesauce. 

"Owen Briggs. It's nothing serious, really," Sage said, looking at her manicure.

Alyssa slapped her arm playfully. "Not serious? You go, girl." 

Sage studied Alyssa. Alyssa was pretty by all means, in a obliviously-sweet sort of way. She had caramel skin and her hair was a mess of brown ringlets. She had a spray of freckles on her cheeks, which made her golden-green eyes pop. 

"He is pretty cute, isn't he?" Sage awes, twirling a piece of her wavy hair.

"We all know Finns the cutest," Crescent giggles.

"No, the way you two act around each other is the cutest. I can only hope to find that kind of love," Alyssa sighs.

Crescent smiles and flips her straight blonde hair over her shoulder. She's a natural blonde and has violet eyes with a touch of grey. She was definitely a catch, with her unique looks but she isn't the brightest girl around.

Then there's Sage. Sage, with the flirtatious smile. Sage, with the bright blue eyes. Sage, with the curves in all the right places and the endless wardrobe and the the natural, sexy blush that always seemed to paint her cheeks. 

Sage, who throws up after every meal because she doesn't think she's good enough. Sage, who seems so evil, but who really wishes she could be just like them. Sage, who will ruin you if you threaten her reputation.

"OTP," Sage says, only half-paying attention. She's more focused on trying to quiet her growling stomach. 

--

Erin walked down the strip, shopping bags in hand. A group of guys walking by swerved around her.

Because that's what she is. A girl. Female. She was simply given the wrong body. Erin tries to ignore them.

"Hey, Aaron," a girl says, tossing a drink in her face.

Tears spring to Erins eyes. She smiles. "Hey."

The girl rolls her eyes, laughs, and walks off with her friends.

Erin hurries home.