The Secret Life of Emily Blu

Chapter One

Joanne drops me off in front of the school, smiling brightly. If I didn't know her I'd think she was just another mom dropping off her high schooler for the first day of school. But I do know her, and I can't miss the way her eyes scan the already thinning group of kids that are all filing towards the high school from the parking lot.

"Have a good day Emily," she says, turning her bright eyes to me, reminding me once more that my name is Emily now, not Sarah.

"Thanks," I mutter. I should call her 'mom' – I was told to call her that – but most of the time I can't bring myself to do so. She's not my mom, any more than I am her teenage daughter. She's just the woman tasked with taking care of me until I reach 18.

I turn and walk into the school. It looks just like every other high school I've ever seen, and in the last two years I've seen five others. This is school number six, and I'm hoping it's the last one. I'm still 17, but this is my last year of high school. Starting mid semester isn't ideal, but if I can just keep a low profile, I can stay here until I graduate. Then I can access my trust fund and vanish off the face of the Earth.

As I walk I keep my head down, focused on my feet. My shoulder length brown hair falls into my face but I don't brush it away. The point is to remain anonymous and the best way to do that is to keep my face as hidden as possible.

Logically I know no one is going to connect current me to Sarah Livingston. Sarah Livingston was blonde, with hair so long she sat on it when she wasn't careful. Sarah Livingston was the perfect all-American teenager, with big tits and a tiny waist and hips that made boys drool. She was full of smiles and wore bright, youthful makeup and colors.

Emily Blu has shoulder length dark hair – my natural color for once – and she wears heavy makeup every day with bold lips and colorful eyeshadow, something Sarah Livingston would never dream of. She wears black almost exclusively, and more importantly Emily Blu is rail thin. I know I'm too thin and Joanne spends every meal trying to get me to take just one more bite, but I can't help it any more than I can help that my entire family is dead because of me.

I find my way to the office and let myself in, going straight to the secretary.

"What can I help you with?" she asks, her voice no-nonsense. She doesn't even look up from her computer screen.

"My name is Emily Blu. Today's my first day and I was told to come here." The name rolls off my tongue exactly as I've practiced, as if it has been my name since the day I was born instead of Sarah Livingston.

The secretary looks up with a small smile. "I've been expecting you. I have all your stuff here," she passes me a stack of papers, "and there's a map on top. Do you think you can make it to your first class by yourself?"

I melt in relief. The last thing I want is someone stuck to my side all day. "I definitely can. Is there anything I need to sign?"

The secretary shakes her head. "Your mom signed everything last week. You better get going; class is about to start."

I nod and turn without another word. When I step out of the office I pause by the door to look at my map and get my bearing. I have English first, which was always one of my favorite subjects, and it looks to be only two halls away. If I hurry I might get there before the bell rings.

I'm not quite that lucky and am still walking through the doorway when the bell rings. The teacher, Mr. Parker, glances over at me with a frown. "Ah, you must be Emily. I was starting to think you got lost. You can have a seat over there," he directs, pointing me toward a desk in the far corner. It couldn't be more perfect.

I walk through the maze of desks with my head down, determined not to meet anyone's eyes.

"Mr. Parker, that's Hardy's desk," a voice calls out. I don't stop moving, unaware they're speaking about the desk I'm about to sit in.

"Hardy can sit somewhere else," Mr. Parker says, nonplussed, turning to the board to start writing out whatever he wants us to do today.

I'm pulling out my favorite pen when the door to the room flies open and a boy steps inside, his eyes immediately finding me. I use the word boy lightly – he looks more man than boy, but I can't deny he is handsome. He has dark hair that looks like it might have started the morning pushed away from his face, but now has fallen partially over his forehead in an altogether dashing fashion. His blue eyes are bright, and his crooked smile falls when he sees me sitting in what I've now realized is his seat.

He stomps over to me, his easy smile turning into a frown, and raises his hand. Automatically I shrink back from him, and by the confusion that clouds his face for a second my instinctual movement isn't lost on him.

"You're in my seat."

I blink at him, unsure what to say.

"You should have been on time, Mr. Hardy," the teacher sighs. "You're going to have to sit someplace else today. In the future if you'd like to keep your unassigned seat, you need to show up on time."

Hardy – that can't possibly be his first name – turns back to me. "Move."

I blink up at him. When I realize he's serious I frown back at him. "No."

From his reaction you'd think no one has ever told the boy 'no' before. His mouth falls open and he sputters for several seconds before saying, "Do you know who I am?"

Before I have to respond to this idiotic question Mr. Parker butts back in. "Hardy. Sit. Now."

Glaring at me, Hardy shuffles to the other side of the room and takes the only empty seat. I can feel the heat of his glare the entire class. I have the sinking feeling that somehow I've already created an enemy, and I pray that the rest of the day is going to go better than this.

"Emily, please stay after class," Mr. Parker says right before the bell rings.

I take my time collecting my stuff and by the time I make it up to the teacher's desk the rest of class has already filed out.

"I understand you've been homeschooled up until this point?" Mr. Parker says, adjusting his glasses.

"Yes," I say, the lie coming out smoothly. It is always easier to have the school think I've been homeschooled than to explain this is the third school I've been to this school year alone.

"Have you read any of the books on my list?" he asks, handing over a sheet of paper with a dozen books listed.

"I'm afraid I've read them all," I admit after a quick glance. I've always loved reading and used to read on set in between takes.

"I figured as much. Well, try to keep yourself occupied if you're bored in class. As long as you aren't disrupting anyone else's learning, I don't really care what you do."
"Thank you, Mr. Parker," I say, giving him a small half smile.

"You better get going to your next class. I'll see you tomorrow, Emily."

I nod and leave, pulling out the map as I went to figure out where I needed to go.

"You," a deep voice says behind me.

I freeze, my heart immediately going into double time. I swallow and try to calm my racing heart as I turn. Logically I know there is no way he's found me. He is (hopefully) thousands of miles away. But that doesn't stop my body from wanting to run.