I pushed the door open with a gentle exhale. It felt like I'd been lost for years and suddenly found the right path.
I was home.
"The bathroom still looks like shit." My mother's voice slapped me in the face. "And you look ridiculous. Again. No one's going to talk to you at school with hair like that. You might as well be wearing a 'keep away from the crazy girl' sign." She dropped her head back on the couch.
My chest caved in from her hurtful attack. The muscles around my heart constricted, as usual, and my shoulders curled in. How did her words hold so much power to hurt me?
"It's not that unusual to have hair color like this," I replied. "I mean, it's bold, sure, but it's not crazy."
I didn't know why I felt it necessary to defend my hair. It was part of who I was, my armor, and it was here to stay.
"It makes you look cheap," she mumbled.
I shrugged. She always said that about everything I did. It was probably what she had heard all her young life. I decided to deflect her negativity and change the subject.
"Any word from the temp agency?" I asked, hopeful that maybe she had a job opportunity lining up.
"Nah, I'm gonna check out the DPW tomorrow. I saw a sign out front when I walked to the convenient store. Says they're hiring."
"Oh, that sounds good." I allowed a glimmer of hope to enter my soul.
"Yeah, well, we'll see. If nothing turns up, we'll just head to the next town." She grabbed the remote and flicked to the local news channel.
I never knew why she watched the local news. The headlines were always tragedies like house fires and shootings, and this time it was about two missing children. I cringed and turned away from it.
A moment later, I gasped for air.
I hadn't realized I'd stopped breathing.
Her casual mention of moving to another town had been like a sucker-punch to the gut, knocking my wind out. I didn't want to move towns again. I liked my new school, and I had made some friends already.
Argh! This was precisely why I should have kept my head down.
But, no. It was too late.
I would fight to stay this time.
I was almost eighteen, and if I had to stay on my own, I would.
I counted the weeks on my fingers until my birthday.
Ten.
I prayed it would be enough time.
I'd spent the rest of the week scouring, not only purple stains in the bathroom but also websites on psychics and paranormal things. Some of it was useful, and some just freaked me out. I was left with more questions than answers.
Friday had crept up on me faster than it ever had, and while rolling out of bed, I was actually disappointed. The coming weekend would be slow and tedious while waiting for Monday's arrival.
Shit. This was the first time I'd ever wished away a Friday and hoped for a Monday, but getting back to the advisory block was my primary focus.
Pulling on my favorite jeans and t-shirt, I prepped myself for the day and checked my reflection. The pink color in my cheeks and bright blue eyes shocked me. I looked good. I grabbed my mascara off the bureau and added some to the tips of my lashes, then flew out the door.
Rushing to school, I thought through all the assignments I’d neglected the night before. I’d have to use every free moment this morning to catch up, and surprised myself for having been so distracted. I bolted into AP Lit just as the bell rang and fell into my seat, breathless.
Dom turned and sent me a grin. I smiled back quickly, but just as the split-second exchange occurred, Laney shot a glare my way. Instantly, she bent into her friend's ear and whispered while keeping one eye pegged on me.
What was her deal? She didn't even know me, and she'd already targeted me.
I focused on Mr. Benson as he finished taking attendance, then got lost in his immediate drone about Great Expectations.
My mind wandered through the numerous things I wanted to research further, including mind-reading and clairvoyance, and I wished for time to pass faster. Before I knew it, the bell snapped me back to reality, and I shot out of my seat by instinct.
As I lifted my backpack and swung it over my shoulder, it hit off something solid and bounced back at me. I turned in surprise and stared into Dom's handsome face. His dark hair and ultra-thick eyebrows framed his deep blue eyes perfectly, and his grin activated a dimple that weakened my knees.
"Whoa, careful with that thing," he joked. "You could hurt somebody."
"Sorry," I gasped. "I didn't see you there."
"Ouch." He reached for his heart like I'd hurt his feelings. "No, really, it's okay."
His dimple taunted me, and I pulled my eyes away, only to land directly on Laney, waiting by the door, staring at us.
"Physics next," I said, taking a step away. The last thing I needed was drama with Laney.
"Yeah, I'm going that way too," he said, following my lead.
I hesitated for a second, fairly certain his next class was in the other direction. He'd gone that way every other day this week.
I hoisted my pack higher on my shoulder and shimmied past Laney. She didn't move an inch to allow me easier passage, but I pushed through either way. As soon as I was past her, though, she blocked Dom's way entirely and stopped him.
"Any big plans for the weekend?" she purred into his neck. "You won't want to miss the bonfire at Sammy's." She spoke loud enough for me to hear.
He pressed her away from his personal space and said, "Don't know yet. I'm sure I'll figure something out." He tried to step past her to catch up to me, but she sidestepped in his way again.
"Text me," she whispered, turning to me to be sure I was watching.
She caught my eyes, and my face reddened. I wasn't sure if it was embarrassment for being caught staring or if it was anger from her derailing my moment with Dom. Either one was humiliating, and I turned and jetted for my physics class.
Without looking back, I barreled down the hall into the science classroom and thumped down next to Poorva. My sigh could be heard for miles.
"Okay, what'd I miss?" she gushed.
I smiled, loving her intrigue of gossip and all-things-dramatic.
"Laney again," I hissed.
"Figures." She rolled her eyes. "What's she up to now?"
I paused for a second, careful about my next words so it wouldn't sound like I was hot for Dom or anything. But no matter how I rephrased the last moments in my head, it made me sound like I was hot for Dom.
Shit. Maybe I was.
"She interferes with everything I try to do. You know. She's targeted me, and harassing me is like sport to her." I pulled my notebook out and splatted it on my desk.
"Dom, right?"
"Hmm?" I avoided eye contact.
"Dom. She thinks she owns him," she stated. "She can see he's interested in you, and she can't stand it." She chuckled.
Interested in me? I paused on the idea and batted the butterflies down in my stomach.
"You know, you guys are in the academy together, of course he's going to be intrigued with you," she added.
Oh. Right. We were in the secret academy together, so obviously he'd want to know more about me. Made sense. I had to stop letting my imagination run away with itself.
"Yeah, well, Laney's obnoxious and needs to get over herself," I huffed.
"Too true. You're not the first she's tried to make untouchable." She shook her head.
"What does that mean?"
"You know," she said. "She says shit to get people to think someone's cringy and then if someone else is seen talking to them, they'll be outcasted as well. It's a huge power move by the queen bee. Keeps all her little worker bees in check."
Sounded childish, but unfortunately it also sounded very effective.
"I don't give a shit." I opened my notebook. "Let her. It wouldn't be the first time," I murmured.
It was so unfair, though. I didn't even have a chance for people to get to know me before Laney’s plans to end me were put into motion.
Once I was untouchable, no one would be able to approach me, or apparently their social status would be compromised. It sickened me. We were about to launch into the world as adults, and still, they all played these immature games.
What was worse, though, was the fact that the games bothered me so much.
Surviving physics, and then APUSH, brought me to the point in the day that every high-schooler dreaded. Lunch.
Walking into the cafeteria was the most horrifying part of the day. A sea of faces and endless chatter filled the void-of-despair, and I searched for a place to sit, while at the same time, trying to look confident and not lost. It sucked shit.
I walked past the round tables and moved by the long, narrow ones, cursing the fact that I'd allowed Shane to bound away after APUSH. I supposed it would be awkward to sit with juniors anyway.
Then my attention snapped over my shoulder.
"Hey, Douglas." Her voice scratched my ears like the squeak of cutting Styrofoam.
My eyes narrowed, and I glared at Laney. Her minions around her stared back at me, protecting their queen bee.
"Isn't this funny," she said, holding her phone out at me. A random picture lit up on her screen and looked like an old yogi guru man in traditional Indian clothes. By instinct, I squinted to see the pic better and fake-smirked while continuing my search for a seat. "It looks like Poorva. Right?" She laughed.
As soon as I heard Poorva's name, I glared back at her and grimaced in disgust.
What the fuck? What an idiot.
And what did she have against Poorva?
Oh, right. Poorva was gorgeous, and Laney knew we were becoming friends. That made Poorva a target as well, I figured.
Great.
There goes my first friend.
I kept walking until I reached the exit and sat outside the caf in the lobby.
Alone.
Welcome to high school hell, I thought and nibbled on my dry peanut butter sandwich while staring at my phone.
"Room for two?" A voice broke me out of my isolation prison.
I looked up and stared into Shane's friendly face.
He sat next to me on the bench, flipping his hair from his eyes, and pulled out his bag lunch. "The caf sucks for new kids," he said, unwrapping his turkey sandwich—clearly made by a loving mother, tomatoes and mayo to boot. "Sucks for everyone, actually, so don't feel bad. They're all faking it in there anyway. Some better than others. But no one's actually comfortable."
I huffed. "Yeah, you're probably right."
"Oh, I know I'm right. Trust me." He smirked.
I nodded, assuming he was referring to his gift. He probably had more information than I'd realized. Maybe even about me too.
"Don't let them get to you," he added. "Just see them as an extra hurdle to get past each day, in order to be able to practice in the academy."
I took a big bite of my sandwich. "You're right. That's helpful. Thanks," I mumbled through my full mouth.
He chuckled and took a big bite of his sandwich too.
"Did you hear they found those missing kids?" He glanced through the lobby to be sure no one was listening.
"Wait, those two boys?" I asked, remembering the local news story in the back of my mind.
"Yeah. It's weird, right?" He shook his head. "This town has some bizarre secrets it’s hiding. Like, it's not the first time kids have gone missing in those woods. And they have no memory of what happened when they're found. Freakyyyyy."
"Are you serious? That's creepy." I stopped chewing and stared at him.
"I know. Makes you rethink a camping trip, right?" he said.
I grinned. He lightened my mood, and I liked the way he sat next to me with such comfort, knees splayed out in his athletic pants, and his worn vintage T hanging loose at the waist.
His thin build worked for him, like a soccer player, and made the lean muscles in his arms more defined. I took a quick second to notice his attractive face and wondered why more girls weren't hanging around him. His longish light brown hair added a playful element to his casual look and completed it perfectly. The narrow-minded junior girls had no idea what they were missing.
"I hate the woods anyway, so I'll stay safe right here in civilization, thank you very much," I joked.
"What? You don't like hiking?" His light blue eyes burst wide in astonishment. "Hiking's the best."
I thought for a moment about my past hiking experiences—poison ivy, biting flies, garter snake attack when trying to pee discretely. Ummm, no. I'm good.
"Not much," I said. "It's not for me."
"Hmm. Well, maybe you just haven't been on the right hike. You know." He bumped his knee into mine and took another bite of his sandwich.
"Yeah," I shrugged, biting mine too. "Maybe."
Chapter 6
How could a mere half-hour hold so much power?
It felt like I'd been waiting centuries for the next X-block to roll around, and it was finally here. I'd done enough research over the weekend on extrasensory perception and clairvoyance to last a lifetime, and had the bonus of learning about all the sub-categories as well. Like things out of a witchcraft movie, I never considered these abilities could actually be real.
But now, I was a true believer.
There was something bigger around us that most people didn't perceive.
I'd felt it all my life. And now, I was ready to unleash it.
And I was more than ready now for Ms. Kelly's big reveal about our first project.
The walk to school had been a blur, and once I was in the halls of Lakefield High, I searched for Poorva. We usually bumped into each other in the hangout area in front of the library doors. There was no sign of her this morning, so I sulked off to first period.
"Ignoring my follow request?" Dom's voice broke me out of my sullen mood.
"What? No," I stuttered, shooting him a puzzled look.
I grabbed my phone on instinct and looked at it.
He raised his eyebrows in judgment.
"My wifi sucks," I said. "And honestly, I don't check my social media apps very often. My notifications are off." I swiped around on my apps and accepted his request with a guilty grin.
"Hey, Douglas," Laney chimed in. "Got your first follower?"
I ignored her and moved to my seat.
Two seconds later, my phone buzzed. I glanced at it through narrow eyes, then smirked. Dom had sent me a message.
It was a pic of his desk with the words 'xblock today' typed across the screen.
So, I wasn’t alone in my eager anticipation. It was funny that he was just as excited as I was, and I counted the minutes like they were an eternity.
As soon as the bell rang, I bolted to physics. I could tell Dom was lingering by his desk, waiting for a chance to talk again, but with Laney there messing things up, I kept my head down and left. I didn't want to let her win so easily, but I also didn't want to deal with her petty comments and constant jabbing.
I'd have my chance to see Dom later in X-block.
Without her.
A guilty twang hit my stomach as I wished the advisory period was more than thirty minutes.
Barreling into physics, I locked my eyes on Poorva, and darted over to her. Dropping into my seat with a huff, I waited for her to look at me, but she didn't move.
"Hey, what's up?" I said.
She glanced over and shrugged.
It wasn’t her usual greeting, full of intrigue to hear the latest gossip from AP Lit.
Something was wrong.
She'd never acted cold like this before, and it was clear she was unhappy.
"Okayyy...," I pressed. "What's going on? Did I do something?"
She dropped her shoulders and exhaled. "Ever hear of betrayal?" she snapped.
"What?" I choked.
"You think it's funny that I look like an old Indian man?"
I pulled back in confusion. "What the hell are you talking about?"
She grabbed her phone and flashed a photo at me. It looke
d familiar, but I wasn't sure why.
"Laney posted it on her story,” she said. “And all her minions commented that you thought it was funny. That's humiliating, Brynn." She pulled her phone back.
I froze in confusion. I’d fallen victim to the classic set-up.
"Shit, Poorva. You have to know that's not true. I had no idea what that picture was when she flashed it at me in the caf. I swear." I stared at her, waiting for a response. "You have to know she's only trying to mess things up between us."
I sensed she believed me, but she was still crushed. The embarrassment was too much for her, knowing the entire school followed Laney.
My heart sank.
I had been so excited for X-block, but now, with Poorva mad at me, I couldn't think of anything else.
"Whatever," she murmured.
Fuck. Having Laney mess things up with Dom and me was one thing, but going after Poorva was quite another.
Poorva's insecurity about her looks oozed from her now, and I couldn't believe it. She had no idea how beautiful she was. Her dark complexion, deep brown eyes, and long, silky black hair made her look like an exotic queen. Of course, in this school, if you didn't look like Laney, then you were made to feel like a fail. Somehow, the Barbie look was still a thing.
The period dragged on like being trapped in limbo. I needed to patch things up with Poorva but, there was no chance during the tedious lecture on acceleration.
As soon as the bell rang, I hopped up and grabbed onto her arm. Locking elbows, I pulled her out of the room, leaving her no other options.
Once we were on our way toward the guidance suite, I set her free from my lock, and she kept pace with me.
"So, you know I'd never do that, right? You know I've got your back," I said. "Their approval means nothing to me. They have nothing that I want. Cool?" I slowed, waiting for her reply.
She nodded her head slowly. "Yeah, I know," she finally said. "She just knows exactly how to hit where it hurts." Her eyes fell.
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