The morning sun glowed warm over the sidewalks as Jake and his older sister Jayla walked side by side to school. It was the last day of the year—Jayla’s final day as a middle schooler before she moved on to the big leagues of high school, and she was definitely acting like it.

Jake had a backpack with a single pencil and maybe a snack. Jayla, on the other hand, looked like she was packed for a weekend getaway.

She had her iPad in a glittery pink case tucked under one arm, her MacBook in her tote bag, a fully-charged portable charger peeking out of her hoodie pocket, and her iPhone in her hand with a chunky Hello Kitty keychain swinging from the pop socket. She wore her favorite crop jacket, wide-leg jeans, and white sneakers so clean they could’ve been new. Her lip gloss was shining and her edges were laid.

“I swear, Jayla, you brought the whole Apple store,” Jake said, shaking his head as he adjusted his almost-empty backpack. “You know it’s just half a day, right?”

Jayla grinned, not even trying to deny it. “And I’m going out extra. It’s my last day here. I gotta remind everyone what they’re gonna miss when I’m ruling high school next year.”

“You act like you’re never gonna come back.”

“I won’t, except to flex on 8th graders like you,” she teased, poking his shoulder with her glossy acrylic nail.

Jake rolled his eyes, but he smirked. “Okay but do you really need the iPad and the MacBook?”

“Yes. I have like, memory videos to make. And if anyone wants to airdrop photos, I’m ready.”

“You sound like you’re going to war, not homeroom.”

Jayla dramatically flipped her hair and sighed. “It is a war, Jake. A war of ✨aesthetics✨.”

They kept walking, Jayla waving to people left and right like a celebrity, and Jake just trailing along, mumbling, “She’s so dramatic” under his breath.

As they reached the school gates, she slowed down for a second.

“You know, I’m actually kinda gonna miss walking with you.”

Jake blinked. “Wait, was that… genuine?”

She smirked. “A little. But don’t get used to it. Next year I’ll be too cool for sidewalk strolls.”

Jake snorted. “You’ll still be late every day like always.”

“Probably. But I’ll be late in ✨high school✨.”

And with that, Jayla strutted through the doors like it was her red carpet moment, while Jake just shook his head and followed after her, already thinking about how weird it would be not having his big sister one grade ahead—she’d be a whole building away. But one thing was for sure: wherever Jayla went, she’d go out all out… Hello Kitty keychain and all.