"Don't you dare fucking talk to me like that." I snapped at the seething boy in front of me.
"Like what, princess? Like you're full of shit? Someone had to say it!" He yelled back.
"No, don't talk to me like you're better than me! You and I are the...
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★★★
Summer was almost over, and I had to get myself signed up for school. Enrollment was going to be important considering it was my senior year and first year of not being a home-schooled freak controlled by Helen Kessinger.
When I spoke to the school, they didn't ask too many questions surprisingly. I was just... enrolled, I guess.
"Are you sure you want to go to public school for one year as your grand closeout?" Kie asked, sipping on the drink she had poured herself over the counter at the Wreck.
For two solid weeks after Sarah and John B. disappeared, we had tried to hang out with each other, all of us, but found ourselves distanced.
It made sense, the grief we were all feeling was intense, and I couldn't bring myself to talk about my theory that they were alive. I was sad, sure, but my gut was telling me they didn't die. I didn't want to rub salt in the wounds of JJ, Kie, and Pope, though.
Even JJ and I were distanced for a week, I let him have some space. I wanted to give him time to process, but of course I didn't want to just leave him all alone.
I wasn't great at comforting people, I never have been and never really had to be either. It was hard for me to make people feel better considering it was never something I had to do. I didn't even know how to make myself feel better most of the time.
I shrugged at Kie's words as we sat in the Wreck, talking and drinking sodas. "I don't know, I don't really think it's my first choice but what's my other option? I'm legally separated from Helen, there's no home-schooling option for me anymore," I said.
"I guess not. Only problem is you're gonna be going to school with JJ and Pope, my parents stuck me in the Kook Academy," She sighed, and my jaw dropped slightly.
"No! I won't have you to help me through this shit?" I complained, and she shrugged. "I know, it sucks," She said and I groaned.
"I'm gonna have dumb and dumber guiding me through senior year?"
"I guess so," She said with a light laugh.
I buried my face in my hands and shook my head, laughing. "Just my luck," I said. "It won't be terrible, you just have to remember to watch out for Riley, she goes to school with you guys"
"Riley who?"
"Stewart. Riley Stewart? JJ never... never told you about her?"
"No...?" I said hesitantly. "Who is she? Do I wanna know?"
"They had a thing for like four months during sophomore year, and they stopped it mutually but she's been kind of obsessed with him ever since, I don't know," She said. "He really never told you about Riley?" She asked, and I shook my head, biting my tongue.
