New house, new life, new start.
Lucinda Cartwright's life was thrown into chaos after her father and step mother died. She became the sole provider for her younger sister, Mary-Beth in a single moment. Uncertainty cloaked her and she decided that m...
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Twenty-Four hours ago...
There was something in the air. It was building like static before a storm. Since the day that Avery and I fought that divide between Roxie's misfits and the Vanderville posse had splintered further. To the point that I was certain there was no hope for reconciliation. It was impossible for them to pass each other in the hallways without sneers and glares. This was all my fault even as unintentional as my actions had been.
I opened my locker and began to empty my book bag. Around me the mill of voices and bodies was stifling. It was hard not to be paranoid with all that was going on. There was always that creeping thought that someone might try to get payback for what I had done. The only thing that helped was that since my return no one had gone out of there way to talk to me, let alone come near me. It made sense, though. Many of them had witnessed my fight with Avery. Before I may have come across as a bit eccentric. But now they saw me as a threat to their comfortable and secure lives. Better that they not even acknowledge my existence than possibly incur my wrath.
The only person that I couldn't seem to escape was Roxie. I mean I was sharing a room with her at the moment, but still I wish she would let me be. She was too much to bear on good days, and I had not seen many of those recently. As if I summoned her, she suddenly stood beside me.
"What do you want?" I asked.
"Archer and Tommy are in the principal's office. They got busted with drugs."
"And?"
"And they were clearly planted." She leaned closer to me. "I thought you talked to loverboy the other night."
Closing my locker I looked to her with a flat expression. "I did."
"Then why are those assholes starting stuff with us?"
"How should I know? Why don't you ask them?" I turned and started walking away. I was late to an appointment with the school counselor. Of course, that was no problem for me considering I was planning on ditching it anyway. I didn't need to discuss my problems with a stranger. But if I got held up too long she might catch me.
Roxie grabbed a hold of my arm and I bit back the urge to snarl at her. She closed the distance between our faces and said in a low voice, "I'm all for the ass whoopin' you gave Avery. But you started this, which means you're going to fix it."
"Are you threatening me?"
She let go of me with a relaxed smile. "Of course not. We're friends, all of us. I Just thought you should know what was up."
I didn't know what she thought that I could do about this. Alec made it clear that he wasn't going to help me. And after I told him to stay out of my way I didn't think my pride could take the blow of turning to him and hoping something was different.
A loud commotion erupted at the other side of the hallway. I turned my face to see that Mae was cornered by a couple of the Vanderville posse. She looked so small pressed up against the lockers, though her eyes were full of a silent rage.
