Nerd in Disguise: Blood Bound

Chapter 21

High school is terrifying.

I have faced deadly mafia bosses who have wanted to kill me. I have been shot at. I have been thrown from a motorcycle.

That I can handle.

School? The word gives me shivers.

As soon as I enter the school-no, the motherfreaking yellow school bus, I experience the perks of being a social pariah.

Apparently, they didn't really dig the whole "flannel on flannel" style that I was rocking. Perhaps the chihuahua was just a bit too much? I know, who in the right mind could be as gorgeous as me in her wig and glasses?

Score one for the Ricca brothers.

I make a mental note to walk to school next time. It's a couple miles, but I could use the exercise.

I take a deep breath before stepping onto the bus. The bus driver grunts and motions for me to hurry up. I rush in and face the students. It's loud; it's annoying.

The bus is half filled; everyone has their designated little seat they claimed in the beginning of the year. Almost all the seats have one person, but they must be fat since they need the whole seat for two. Each student eyes me as I get onto the bus.

Well, the students stop talking first. They stare in shock at my beautifulness. Bow down, you peasants!

I gulp as I realize I just beat the first level of high school: finding a bus seat. Nobody will let me sit; it's their social status they are risking. Who the hell wants to sit next to the new weirdo with orange hair and awful fashion sense?

Not me either. Still, it hurts to see not a single student is nice enough to let me sit. There must be one kind soul out there!

Or not.

As I walk down the narrow path in the bus, the first half remain still. Some even move their backpacks to their side to make no room for me.

I get to the very back of the bus. There's nobody sitting in the last seat. I look around, always suspicious of anything good.

I sit.

Some of them gasp in shock. Some stare with a mixture of awe and fear.

Now, who's seat is this? A bully? A popular? A ghost?

What do I care?

I plug in my earphones and look outside the window.

As I jam to my current favorite song, "I Got You" (feat. Jax Jones) by Duke Damont, I try to appear as nonchalant as possible. It's quite obvious that the students around me are trying their best not to stare as they talk amongst each other. Nevertheless, some are still outright staring.

I observe the students around me. There's a mixture of cliques. We have the quiet, studious students in the very front. Then, there's the loud ones in the back near me. I try to memorize the names and faces of each person on the bus, categorizing their personality to see if they had a chance of being a spy.

Then again, they could all be spies. I'm sure eventually I'll be seeked out on some way or form.

The bus couldn't have taken longer. Soon, I find myself alone, standing by my seat. Everyone rushes off as soon as we arrive.

"Are you going to get off or not?" The bus driver gives me stink-eye. Someone sure hates her job.

"Yeah," I roll my eyes. As I exit the bus, I take off my wig. Sorry, but the wig is just too hideous for my liking. Plus, I have a feeling my brothers only included it as a joke.