"Let's go, this place is infested with fake people," Dakota said and we stood up to leave. The temperature must have dropped because as soon as we left the coldness bit at my arms, I hugged myself, dreading the fact that my jacket was doing nothing for me, Dakota ignited the engine and put the heat on full blast as we got in, we drove with only the radio playing. I thanked Dakota for dropping me off at home and sighed when I got inside, the smell of cookies caught my attention and I walked into the kitchen.
"Hey, I thought you had work?" I commented putting my things down, my mom smiled and put the cookie pan on top of the stove. "They cut my hours, it's pretty annoying but I got over time," she said, "what color did you get?"
"Black, it'll match the shoes." I walked over a took a cookie immediately biting into it despite it just coming out the oven. "Be careful, oh and the mechanic called your car is ready we can go pick it up tomorrow." She said and walked out the kitchen. "Sweet," I replied grabbing another cookie but dropping it when my mom called out, "Save some for me!"
I went upstairs and ran a shower, putting on some silk pjs after and doing a quick skincare routine I found on YouTube. When I was done I went back down to find my mom looking through the Christmas decorations. "It's October," I reminded her. "Yep, but I think we should go through them anyway, Walmart already started putting out their Christmas stuff and I wanna pick up some new lights." She told me closing the container and shoving it back under the stairs. "What color are we doing?" I asked.
Every single Christmas, without fail, since the day I was conceived my mom would change the color of her Christmas ornaments, I know it seems extreme and stupid but it's memorable. "I was thinking red and green, seems fitting," she answered, "what do you have planned for tonight?"
I shrugged, nothing, I have no friends and Dakota has work.
"Wanna watch a movie?"
And so we kicked back on the couch, ordered take out and watched Halloweentown while munching on cookies.
I started my period.
So I bulked up on pads, midol, and cough drops (because I'm sick).
I entered the school in sweatpants and a stained sweatshirt, I didn't bother with my makeup or hair as my acne was flared up and I couldn't bring myself to even deal with my hair today. I headed to my locker hoping—praying no one would bother me today when James walked up, Suzi at his heels as always they were apparently dating now according to Instagram. When James saw me he sent a small smile my way and took notice of the pain I was in, Suzi raised a concern eyebrow.
"Are you okay?" James asked closing his locker, I shrugged and threw my box of pads in there. "No," I said flatly and walked to class with thoughts of murder still fresh in my mind, oh my but the universe had to fuck me over today didn't it? Because the moment before I walked into my classroom there stood Avery standing over some tiny freshman who looked ready to pee herself.
"Are you kidding?" I asked walking over, "Seriously what is wrong with you?"
Avery sent me a look, her eyes were dark, she looked down at the freshman before sending them away and turning back to me. "Look new girl, I don't take kindly—"
"I don't care, stop being a bitch."
That being said I entered my class and took a seat at my desk. Class went by smoothly, despite that stupid motherfucker Leo doing the most to get my attention—this meant going as far to throw a wad of paper on my desk, which I threw right back at his head and was sent to after school detention.
James and Suzi were still avoiding me, Shay was absent as she had the flu and here I was eating lunch in my car because Dakota went home; as for Carmen, we weren't close anyway so I didn't care when she stopped talking to me in art.
CHAPTER FOUR
Start from the beginning
