According to the dress code I read, Wilcox has immovable standards for how their students are supposed to look coming into school. Our hair has to be neat and perfectly styled. We have to wear dress shoes, and our uniforms have to be spotless. If I had walked in the door with foundation smeared all over my skirt, I probably would have been suspended on the first day. Luckily, I caught myself just in time.
I slip into my black ballet flats, and I’m immediately struck with a realization.
I look weird.
My perfectly waxed eyebrows draw together as I frown at myself in the mirror. This uniform looks incredibly out of place on me. It’s just too…prep. I don’t like looking like a rich spoiled brat. I guess I am one now, but at least I didn’t look like a snob before. This makes me look like one of those mean private school girls who drives a BMW past the public school every morning just to taunt people with her money.
I don’t know if that’s actually a real thing, but it seems like something a mean girl might do.
I blow out a sigh. This uniform needs something. I wish I could add leggings or something a little more rocker-ish, but I can’t. There’s no room for individuality in this dress code.
I grab the strap of my black suede messenger bag from its place on the bed and sling it over my shoulder. After one last look at my flawless appearance, I twist my face into a comical smirk, salute myself ironically, and head out the door to partake in the delicious breakfast I can smell all the way upstairs.
Carefully stepping down the entryway stairs, I duck my head down to see Dad and Cass working hard on New York Strip steaks and eggs. There’s fruit in a bowl on the counter, which I know is Dad’s hint to me that I need the good sugars for energy today. Once I touch down to the floor, I cross into the kitchen and set my bag down beside one of the bar stools, and then I take my seat at the bar and start peeling a tangerine.
Cass hears me come in and turns to grin at me over her shoulder. “Good morning, sweetie!”
I smile at her enthusiastic tone. “Man, somebody’s happy to get rid of me this morning. Have I really been that hard to be around this summer?”
Dad responds with a low, gravelly chuckle. “Not at all, sweetheart. We’re just celebrating your first day of your last year of high school.”
I nod as I pull off a section of my tangerine. I bite into it and relish its sweetness as the cool juice runs down my throat. There’s nothing quite like a California tangerine. These were grown not even two hours away from us. I can taste the freshness oozing out of the fruit here like I never did back in Kentucky.
After a hearty breakfast, I kiss Dad and Cass goodbye and step carefully out to where the red Jag, now officially mine, is waiting. I hurry into the driver’s seat and turn the ignition, eager and nervous to get this day started.
A few minutes of driving later, I pull into the parking lot and my breath catches in my throat.
There it is…Wilcox High School in all its glory. The place where I’ll be spending the next year of my life. Its marble pillars, towering palm trees, and gigantic double doors scream to the world that this is the richest, most elite, most powerful school in all of Los Angeles…possibly in all of the West Coast. I feel like a tiny mushroom in comparison to this. Soon after I start down one of the aisles, Raven’s limo rolls in and drops her off in style. I roll my eyes as I pull into what we call a “heart healthy” parking spot in Kentucky. One thing I don’t want to do is strut into this school like I own the place. That’s fine for Raven, but today I need to keep as low a profile as possible.
When I step out of the car and slam the door shut, I lift my head and glance around at my classmates. My shoes scuff onto the sidewalk and my stomach sinks. These people are not going to be impressed by me. They’re all from some affluent family or another and are accustomed to people like me coming and going all the time. I won’t be able to con them into thinking I’m something special. That’s why my plan to blend in might just work.
Raven appears beside me when I finally reach the covered sidewalk at the entrance of the school. Her crisp red lips pull up in a strained smile.
“Ready, darling?” She holds out her arm and I slip mine through to link it with hers.
I blow out a deep sigh. “Not really, but let’s go.”
Raven ushers me down the walkway. People seem to tremble in fear as we pass by. I wonder if I should be trembling with them. Several girls join us on the way and form a circle around us, just like the circle of bodyguards we had to have on our trip to NYC. Two of them pull the double doors open for us.
Out of the clear blue, as I step inside the entryway, someone shoves an iced latte in my hand. I look over to my right and see the Asian girl from Gio’s party. She wears this uniform better than I do and has her hair pulled back into two cute braids.
“Welcome to Wilcox, Madison. If you need anything this year, just call on Kiki Nguyen.” She rolls her fists back to point at herself with her thumbs.
“Uh…thank you,” I reply in confusion.
Kiki accompanies us into the domed entry hall. I glance up at the fine chandeliers that hang from the ceiling and follow the wall down to the marble floor, which is overlaid with strips of red carpeting. The center of the entryway has a mosaic of the school crest inlaid. Antique doorknobs adorn the mahogany doors of the offices. Some of them have glass windows in them so you can look right in.
We continue down a hallway to the right and find two other girls waiting for us in front of my cherry red locker. One is a full-figured girl with fiery copper hair, and the other has black hair pulled into a tight bun at the nape of her neck and giant chocolate brown eyes. Her lips are pulled into a thin line, and she’s studying me intently.
“Madison, meet Chandler and Marianna, your other assistants,” Raven says.
“Assistants?” I lift a questioning eyebrow.
“Yes. These are the girls who have agreed to service me at school in exchange for favors and invitations to my parties. I have plenty of my own girls to aid me, so I delegated these three to you. They’ll help you with whatever you need. Don’t hesitate to call on them for anything, and I do mean anything.” Raven nods to them, kisses me on the cheek, and whisks off in the direction of her locker with her minions in tow.
The redhead gives me a warm, friendly smile and extends her pale hand. “Hi, I’m Chandler.”
I shake her hand. “Mads.”
“Mari.” The stern dark-haired girl also shakes my hand. She seems very unhappy to be here. A part of me wishes I could just dismiss her from duty. Come to think of it, couldn’t I?
“Nice to meet you all.” I glance around at them. “Listen, you girls don’t have to ‘assist’ me if you have something better to do. I’m sure I’ll manage on my own.”
Mari pipes up in a low, no-nonsense voice. “We are under strict orders from Raven to help you with anything you need. We are not to leave you between classes, especially on the first day.”
“I’m excited to be your assistant.” The sparkle in Chandler’s emerald green eyes gives her away. “You seem a lot nicer than…well, you know.”
Kiki lays a hand on my shoulder. “She told us you’ve never been to school before. Don’t worry, we don’t mind helping. Right, girls?” She smiles at Mari and Chandler. Chandler nods enthusiastically and Mari just shrugs.
“Well, all right. I guess I could use help with this thing.” I gulp down saliva as I turn toward the combination lock. I’ve never used one of these before, and I don’t have the first clue what to do with it. I glance down at the slip of paper I scribbled my combination on, and then I start twisting the knob aimlessly, finding the numbers one after the other and yanking on the lock like a mad woman. “Here, let me help.” Kiki steps in to rescue me. She takes the note with the combination on it and shows me how to twist it the correct way. Then she jiggles the old, clattery lock and pulls it open effortlessly. “You always have to jiggle it. The one thing they haven’t replaced at this school in thirty years is the locks.
”
I smile in appreciation. “Thank you.”
“No problem.”
They wait for me to arrange my things in the locker, and then when I’m almost done, I hear a gasp catch in Mari’s throat. I glance at her and find her giant dark eyes glued on something—or someone— behind me. I follow her gaze and my stomach drops when I see the person who caused that reaction. Gio’s here. He’s headed to the locker directly across from mine.
I try to avoid glancing in his direction, but I find my eyes drawn to the way his structured blazer wraps around his model physique like a glove. The wild curls of summer are gone and have been replaced by a slightly waved comb-over. Somehow he looks just as hot in this uniform as he did riding the waves in nothing but a pair of swim trunks. He turns to the right and I catch a glimpse of his dimples when he smiles at a friend. My heart melts and breaks all at once. He must not have seen me yet, or I’m sure that smile would be replaced by a glower.
He turns around and I finally look into his silver eyes for the first time since July. When he sees me across the hall from him, his dark eyebrow raises of its own accord, almost in amusement. I’m surprised to find no pain in his eyes, just an unmistakable air of disdain. He knows I’m the one who got the raw end of our “breakup.” I’m sure he was laughing at me along with the rest of the world for the past two months.
I turn back around to slam my locker door shut, my cheeks flaming with embarrassment. Chandler and Kiki mercifully block me from other people’s view as I rush down the hallway in the direction of the women’s bathroom. Once inside, I ignore their questions about my well-being and lock myself in a stall. I whip out my phone with tears streaking my cheeks, thanking the glamour gods I thought to wear waterproof mascara today.
September 14
Emergency Blog Post
I saw him. I finally saw Gio, and he didn’t look torn up at all by seeing me. I don’t know what I was expecting. Did I really think Giovanni Abate would be pining over me? Fat chance. Still, it would have been nice to see some reaction besides the obvious amusement in his eyes. He’s been laughing at me. Everyone has. I’m an idiot for coming to this school.
Maybe it’s not too late to pull out. I haven’t exactly had much training in dealing with high school drama, crushes, and mean girls. I am in way over my head and I just stepped in the door. Bad things are about to happen to me. I just know it.
What am I saying? Have I completely forgotten who I am? Yeah, things might be hard here, but I am not a person who runs away from a challenge. I can do this. Millions of other high schoolers do it, so why can’t I? I came here to have the high school experience, and dammit, I’m going to, even if I hate every second of it. If I had what it takes to get into this school, I belong here. Quitting is not an option.
Uh-oh, someone must have called for Raven. She’s here in the bathroom.
Ttyl,
Mads
“Madison?”
I whip out my pocket mirror from my bag and dab my eyes before responding. Once I’m satisfied with my looks, I flush the toilet and come out of the stall. “Oh, hi, Raven. I didn’t expect to run into you here.” I pass by her toward the granite and stainless steel sinks and Hollywood-style mirrors to wash my hands as if I just got done with completely normal bathroom functions.
Raven glides up beside me and looks into my eyes in the mirror reflection. “Mari thought she heard sniffling in the stall.”
“Oh, that was nothing. I must be allergic to something in here.” I rinse the suds off my hands and move to the Dyson hand dryer.
As air blasts my hands on both sides, Raven follows me and faces me head-on. “She said you just ran into Gio in the hallway.”
I sigh and drop my hands to my sides. Thanks a lot, Mari.
“Okay, I was a little bothered by seeing him.” I turn to face Raven and plaster a smile on my face. “But I’m fine now.”
“Madison…” Raven places a hand on my arm and levels her gaze with mine. I spy a flicker of compassion in her eyes. “I understand how hard it can be to see him around. We don’t need him, all right? We have each other. Let’s focus on keeping afloat in this school and not on stupid cheating boys.” I search her gaze for sincerity. I can’t tell right now if those words were for show in front of the girls or if she really, truly wants to comfort me. Time will tell if Raven Redinger has a human side or if she has too many tricks up her sleeve to ever be real. “I’m glad I found you in here. We need to go over some ground rules for school.” Raven motions me over to sit in one of two plush chairs against the wall. This room is more like an actress’ lounge than a school bathroom. Very luxurious and over the top. I sit opposite her and await my instructions. “Rule number one: My girls are my girls. I’ve given you Mari, Chandler, and Kiki, but the rest of the assistants are loyal only to me. If I hear of you trying to capture some for yourself, our deal is done.”
I purse my lips to suppress a snicker. She really doesn’t know me and my independent spirit at all.
“Noted,” I reply. “What else?”
“Rule number two: No fraternizing with the enemy. Giovanni Abate is nothing but a cheating liar and must be avoided at all costs. Clear?”
“Clear.” I frown at the reminder. Didn’t we establish that at the beginning of all this?
“Final rule, for now: You must join at least one club with me. We need to present a united front to the school. I’ve drafted up a list of my commitments for you to choose from.” She reaches into her Coach bag and pulls out a typed-up list with at least fifteen clubs on it. My eyes widen at the selection. “This is quite a list,” I remark.
“I like to keep busy,” Raven explains. “That should give you plenty of options to choose from. Please get back to me tomorrow with your choice. As for today, I will see you at lunch on the patio. I don’t want to keep you from getting to homeroom on time.”
I glance up at the gold clock on the opposite wall and panic when I realize I only have ten minutes to figure out where Mr. Jakowski’s homeroom class meets. I spring up from my seat and my minions follow me. “See you later, Raven,” I shoot back over my shoulder.
Mari, Kiki, and Chandler help me find my homeroom classroom just in the nick of time. They all rush off as soon as I’m settled in a mahogany chair and desk combo in the back. I feel very lucky I was assigned a back seat in at least one class. The last thing I want right now is to be front and center. I glance around at the other seniors I’ll be seeing here every day. Most of them are talking amongst themselves and completely ignoring me, but I notice several guys around the classroom are stealing covert glances at my chest. I quickly hunch over to rest my elbows on my desk in front of me. Bunch of perverts…they’ve seen almost everything, and now they’re curious. I’ve had to deal with this everywhere since I broke up with Gio. I thought the curiosity would die down after a while, but I guess I’m never going to live that awful scandal down. Do they really all have to stare at me? I can feel a blush rising up in my cheeks, and my palms are creating clouds on my desk.
The teacher, Mr. Jakowski, calls out attendance, and I half-expect to hear my name in the D section, but then I remember that my legal name is Landers, so that’s what they’ll be calling me at school. I’ve been called “Madison Daley” so much ever since I got to L.A. that I keep thinking of myself by that name.
Finally, the teacher calls out “Madison Landers,” and I say, “Present!”
The other students look back at me like, What the hell?
“That’s my legal name,” I explain. Some of them respond with whispers and giggles.
That process is repeated at every single class up until lunch period: sliding into my seat, getting stared at, being called “Landers,” and having to explain myself. By my fourth class of the day, I am so ready to join Raven and her cohorts at lunch. At least they’ll know my story, since I’m sure Raven has filled them in on every last detail.
Lunch period finally arrives. I enter a spacious café style dining area and join
the lunch line, which is pleasantly short. I take a cherry red tray and proceed to the area where we’re being served our choice of chicken Parmesan or chicken nachos. All of the food looks professionally prepared. Our drinks are served to us in little crystal tumblers. I receive my nachos and a tumbler full of mixed fruit juice, and then I look around for Raven and her minions. I eventually spy them through the large windows that line the side of the café. They’re sitting outside on a patio at shaded tables that look really inviting.
I step out through the back door onto the patio. Raven immediately glances up from her food and invites me to sit in a seat she’s reserved for me.
“Over here, darling,” she calls. I plop into my cushioned chair between Raven and Chandler.
I devour my nachos and don’t even bother trying to keep up with the other girls’ conversation. They’re all talking about something called a “StuCo” and I have no clue what that is. After all the things I’ve had my brain stuffed with so far today, I really don’t care to find out. I’m more worried about memorizing the four syllabi I’ve had shoved in my face this morning.
About halfway through my meal, I feel a buzz in my lap. I check my iPhone, which I grabbed from my locker on the way over here.
Ana: Hey, Mads! Just got done with my school
day. How’s yours going?
Screw nachos. I haven’t talked to Ana since Saturday. Her parents have this weird “no phones” rule on Sundays because they want a day with just church and the family. Makes sense, I guess, but it sucks for me. I slouch back in my seat in an undignified manner to text her back.
Me: Hey, girl. My day is kind of blah so far. No disasters yet, but it would be better if you were here.
Ana: I wish I was :( Wilcox looks like a dream!
D.O.R.K. Series Box Set Page 29