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❝ hanging out with the popular kids isn't all that it's cracked up to be. ❞
―
GEMMA LOOKED OUT HER BEDROOM WINDOW.
The backyard was full of teenagers in their swimsuits, swimming and drinking from red cups as they dipped their feet in the water. Gemma could hear the music in her room as she stared down at her sister, Samantha. She sat with her new friends, Yasmine, and Moon, who were the most popular girls in school.
You need friends, Gem. You can't just spend the entire summer in your room, Sam had told her at breakfast one day. Their parents didn't hesitate to agree. Gemma had tried so hard to get along with them, but no matter how hard she tried, it seemed like they wanted nothing to do with her. She felt like she was just a vessel of a person, sitting back and being ignored while everyone around her was living in a picture perfect world.
Gemma sighed and turned around. She walked over to the mirror, her eyes moving down her body as looked at herself in her bathing suit. It was a blue once-piece that her mother insisted she buy because she "looked so beautiful in blue." On her legs, were a black pair of swim shorts. Gemma sighed and turned around.
She walked out of her bedroom and made her way downstairs. Gemma opened the door to the patio, closing it behind her as she stepped outside. The music was so much louder than it was when she heard it from her window. Gemma turned, her eyes instantly locking with Yasmine's. A wave of self-consciousness washed over her when Yasmine's eyes moved downward, no doubt judging her for what she was wearing.
Just ignore her, Gemma told herself. She took a deep breath and held her head up high and walked over to the where Sam sat with Yasmine and Moon. She took a seat next to Sam, placing her feet in the water.
Sam smiled. "Hey, Gem. Finally decided to join the party, huh?"
Gemma nodded, smiling back. "Yeah. You know parties aren't really my thing."
Gemma turned her head when she heard a giggle. She recognized that giggle. Yasmine was pulling away from Moon's ear. There wasn't a single doubt in Gemma's mind that she was the subject of whatever Yasmine had whispered to Moon. Gemma didn't mind Moon as much. She was a really nice person when she wasn't around Yasmine.
She looked away, pulling her feet out of the pool, and scooting back. She pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees, pushing her legs forward. She stared into the pool, watching the ripples of the water.
Gemma looked up from the water, tilting her head to look at Sam who was peering over her head. Gemma followed her gaze, her eyes landing on Kyler. Gemma rolled her eyes when Kyler smiled at Sam. She didn't understand what Sam saw in him.
In the very few times that Gemma had interacted with him, he had done nothing but make stupid remarks that half the time didn't make sense. When he wasn't doing that, he was throwing a half-assed insult at other students who were considered unpopular.
