I shrug my backpack up higher on my shoulder, wincing slightly as the stitches in my abdomen stretch. “Why?” My answer is curt and short, I’m not in the mood for being told what to do.

            His answer isn’t what I expect. “We can keep you safe here. The family’s got you protected, the school and the house. So long as you only travel to those two places, we can practically guarantee your safety.” I’m tempted to shove past him and leave anyways, but the, now familiar, pain in my stomach brings me to my senses. I should take time to recuperate, and then I’m gone, this time for good.

            “Fine.”

            “Yeah?” He looks surprised and just a little suspicious.

            “Yes.” I’m on the mood for answers so I ask a question. “Remind me why Zeus wants me dead.” My cousin cringes and rubs his head.

            “Don’t take it personally.” I narrow my eyes. As if reciting from a text book he says, “Subject has been deemed dangerous by the counsel of the twelve Olympians. Due to its unpredictable lapses in control, subject is to be eliminated.”

            “English.” I say, but I caught one word, ‘its’. I’m not a person to them. Although maybe I should be more worried about them calling me ‘Subject’ like I’m from a bad horror movie.

            “You’re unstable and dangerous so they’re sending demigods after you to kill you.” I nod tersely.

            “Keep Ray safe.”

            “I will.” I turn around and march back into the school.

            Amazingly, I’ve just slumped into my Calculus seat when the bell rings. Glancing around I see impeccably dressed teenagers, their hair brushed, their clothes ironed. The difference between them and me is cataclysmic. I’m wearing a rumpled band t-shirt and a clean pair of jeans, but that’s as much effort as I put into my appearance this morning. I have dark circles under my eyes and when I rake a hand through my short, dark hair, it’s full of tangles. I grin, flashing a silver lip ring.

            Students keep shooting me looks. They probably think they’re being surreptitious about it, only glancing out of the corners of their eyes, but I see them. I’m wondering if they recognize me, I don’t recognize them, when a kid bursts through the Math door.

At first I think that he has white hair, but then I see that in fact, it’s just a very pale blonde. He displays slightly crooked teeth as he smiles at the teacher. I scoff at his clothes though. He wears a simple tee and jeans, but over them he flaunts a leather jacket and boots. Clearly he thinks he’s all that and more. When he slumps in the seat two away from me it dawns on me that this is the school bad boy.

Back at the schools I spent my high school years in the bad boys were real, not just playing at it, and I can’t help smirking at his lame attempt to be cool.

“Pst, hey new girl.”  I focus on staring out the window as his words drift into my personal bubble. The trees have almost lost all of their leaves now. In a couple of weeks kids will be pounding the streets in search of candy.

A ball of paper whizzes past my desk and lands on the floor. I grit my teeth and think of my plan. Lay low and then you’re gone. I start to chant it in my head.

“New girl!” I ball my fists and the surrounding people glance my way. Suddenly, something hits me in the head, a paper ball, and something in me snaps.

This is new. Normally I would be Miss cool and collected, on the outside, completely in control. Lately, on the other hand, life has gotten rather stressful. Maybe it’s the fact that I always have to stay calm because gods forbid I freak out and kill someone. Or maybe it’s because there are demigods searching for me with the intent to kill. Or maybe it’s because I have to move in with the people who make me feel so guilty I want to scream.

I just don’t need some obnoxious teenager breathing down my neck. I turn to look at him. He’s lounging at his desk like he owns it, smirking at me as he opens his mouth to speak again.

And then somehow I’m lunging over the girl between us and punching him straight in the jaw. He flies backwards and lands hard on his back, I loom over him. He’s just some stupid kid I tell myself as I lean over him, air going dry around me. I take deep heaving breaths that tear at my stitches. It works. I calm down and walk over to my seat and sit.

The teacher stares in shock and the kids are frozen in their seats, identical expressions of horror etched in their features.

The kid sits up, cradling his eye in his hand. For a moment I wonder if he will cry, but instead he does the unexpected. “You punched me.” He says. It breaks the spell and my teacher, a smile red headed woman, starts to yell at me.

“Ms. Reid! How could you attack a student like this?” She seems at a loss for words and I get the feeling that she’s never had this happen before.

I stand up reluctantly, it’s awful, but I really don’t care that I just hit the kid.

“She punched me!” Blonde boy says incredulously.

The teacher looks flustered as she says, “Mason, go to the nurse. Uh, Hailey, go with him.” She looks relieved to have found a way to get rid of the situation.

“Don’t you want me to go to the principle?” I say, confused.

“Oh, um, yes. Mason, show her to the principal’s office after you see the nurse.”

“She punched me.” This time he almost seems like he’s pleased with the fact.

Oh how I love school.

Sorry this took almost two months to update. I have absolutely no excuse other than that I have lost all motivation to write and am literally dragging words out of my mind and forcing my fingers to type.

So sorry if this is lame and a pathetic update after so long.

Three new chatacters.

Mike- the brother

Caleb- Seth( the boy she killed)'s brother, you met him at the diner

 Mason- Blondie

If these weren't clear please tell me.

If you have any questions or are hopelessly confused, just ask! :)

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