The Genetic Code

Chapter 1

However, I can always count on my ole' reliable best nemesis to make sure that my life has no longer than five minutes of peace. Keeps things exciting! She's so thoughtful.

After homeroom in the morning, I was looking forward to three periods of Kera-free lectures. But as I was walking — more like casually bolting at lightning speed — out of the classroom, she cut my path, with a grip on my wrist.

"I haven't seen you in the cafeteria for a while," she speaks lowly, words laced with malice, "but I have a feeling you're gonna show up there today." She tightens her grip on my wrist until her nails are digging into my skin. I wince but don't utter a sound, biting the inside of my cheek to hold back the profanity threatening to spill out. "I expect to see you there."

With that threat left hanging in the air, she releases me harshly, and struts out the doorway, hitting me with her shoulder as she passes. Her two cronies follow quickly after.

My fists ball up tightly as I clench my teeth together and close my eyes, taking deep breaths to calm myself so I don't immediately run after her and jump her. Over the blissful weekend I'd forgotten how hard it was to control my emotions in front of that she-devil. It's definitely going to take a lot more conditioning. I'm not usually the type to let brats like her step all over me, but this is a special case, so I'm gonna have to suck it up and learn, even if I end up imploding from the suppressed frustration. In fact, imploding sounds pretty nice right about now; then I won't have to show up at the cafeteria later today to face whatever lovely surprise she has in store for me.

You know what? My dignity is dispensable. Come at me, bitch. Show me your worst... That way, anything she does after that won't seem as bad anymore. It's not like I have any reputation to upkeep or anyone I'm trying to impress who I can't embarrass myself in front of.

The only thing I'm relatively concerned about in that cafeteria is Sterling. I just hope he doesn't stir up even more trouble by crossing the Line to sit with me like he did last time. I can still deal with Kera, but for some reason, I can't handle him. I feel like whatever torture plot Kera has for me will only be exacerbated by Sterling's presence. Well, I'd made it pretty clear in the past week that I did not want to have lunch together so he probably (hopefully) got the message in that pretty little head of his and will leave me alone.

Oh, spoke too soon.

I keep my head down as far as it can go without burying my nose in my food, trying to block out my surroundings by the strength of my will, so I don't notice all the stares and whispering until the white tray claps down on the table and my head shoots up to face an annoyingly handsome one with his eyebrows raised in challenge. I lick my lips and glare at him, eyes widening as large as they can go in a failed attempt to look threatening.

Sterling grins sarcastically in a 'I know what you're trying desperately to communicate with those eyes but I'm not going anywhere' sort of way. Ugh, why does he have to be so coy? Why do I... enjoy it? I must have incurred some brain damage when Kera slammed an encyclopedia into my skull in the library a few days back, so it's not functioning properly.

"What's up, ally? It's been a while since we last caught up," he deliberately acts aloof, which aggravates me to the point of nearly dropping a curse. "You look happy to see me. You must have missed my gorgeous face while scorning me the past week."

"I swear, Crawford, of all times to play catch-up, you chose a really bad one."

He seems to count something on his fingers, which makes me narrow my eyes in puzzlement. He looks back up at me with mock surprise painting his features.