Waking up to 'Blurred lines' blasting next to your ear is never a good way to wake up. Austin jumped and with my luck I was laying on his chest so it sent me flying to the floor with a loud thud. “Ouch!” I shout as I rub my butt. Austin peeks his head over the side of the bed, “My bad, that scared the shit outta me and I forgot you were there,” he said helping me up. I stand there for a second while the pain dies down, “Idiot,” I say hitting his arm and walk upstairs. “Morning Courtney,” Becca says as I walk in and slowly lower myself on the chair. She looks at me weird, “Again?” she says with a smile. I nod, “Yeah, he should like turn it down or something,” I say taking the toast she gave me. She laughs, “If he doesn't have it that loud he will never wake up,” she says making me laugh. Soon after I arrived Cayden walks in, “Morning ladies,” he says raiding the fridge. Austin follows, “How's the butt,” he jokes sitting next to me. I glare at him, “You are lucky I don't kill you right now,” I say. Becca laughs, “Wow, violent morning we are having,” She says. Chris walks in and kisses Becca, “Morning love,” he says. I smile at them and look at the time, “Austin, I need to go get dressed pick me up in ten minutes?” I say getting up. He nods with a mouthful of food. I laugh and run out the house.
Once I get to my house I walk in and Lizze runs over to me. I smile at my little sister and pick her up, “Hey baby girl, where's mommy,” I say kissing her cheek. Lizze points to the living room and I walk in. Mom is sitting on the couch looking at something in her hand. I set Lizze down and sit by her, “What is that?” I ask. She smiles and holds it up. It's a beautiful necklace with the letters K and B in the middle of a heart. “it's beautiful,” I whisper. She laughs, “Your dad got it for my 18th birthday,” she says putting it back on. “Whoa, you kept it all this time?” I asked amazed. My parents had a true love story going on, something I wanted more than anything in the world. “Of Course, it's the best gift ever... Well actually Chris, Jesse, eric, Seth, Sam, and Ryan got me the best gift ever that year,” she says with a smile. “NO way what was it?” I ask. She looks at me, “A black charger,” she says. My mouth drops. That is so cool, I hope I get a gift like that someday. “Wow, spoiled,” I tease getting up and going to my room. Once in I look around. What to wear? I grab a pair of light faded jeans and a cute hoodie and throw my hair up in a messy bun. “Lazy day?” Ryder says from the stairs. I throw my pillow at him, “Shut up, im tired and not in the mood to get all dressed up,” I say. Ryder grabs my bag before I can and carries it downstairs where all the boys are waiting. “Looking good Court,” Jason says with a smile. I flip him off. “Courtney Nicole, not in this house,” my mom says from the kitchen. My mouth drops, “How can you even know what I did from in there?” I yell at her as the boys laugh. “I'm you're mother, I have eyes everywhere,” she says. I can hear the smirk in her voice. I roll my eyes and push the boys out the house and we go.
Once at school we split up. Well Austin and Ryder are with me as always. They walk me to my first hour, second hour, every hour. “I have to stop at my locker,” I say as we stop and I open it. “Did you heat Russo's are back in town,” I hear someone say. I turn my head to see Alex Cross and his friends talking. “Yeah man, thought they wouldn't want to come back after what happened to Crystal,” another boy said looking at me. I take a deep breath and close my locker. “What was that Alex?” Ryder asked leaning on the locker. Alex smiles, “Ryder my man, what's up,” he says totally ignoring the fact im there. People act like im not even a person when it comes to the boys. “Football season is starting. You gonna join this year?” Ryder asked. Austin shakes his head, he doesn't really like Alex since he hangs with Jack a lot. “No way man, that is you boys thing. I will stick with Soccer and baseball,” he says with a smile. “You said Lena was back in town?” I finally speak up. They all look at me in shock. Alex smiles a little at me, he is kinda nice, at least he doesnt bully me like the others. “Yeah, they moved next door to me. Lena said she is coming back here for school,” he says. Austin grabs my arm, “We are gonna be late,” he says pulling me along. Ryder stays behind talking to Alex. “Wonder why she is back?” I ask. Austin looks at me, “Maybe she is over it now,” he say stopping at my class, “Your stop Stevens. Try and stay awake,” he says walking away laughing. I shake my head and walk into the room only to get glares from all the girls. I sit in the back as always and pull out my stuff.
As class goes on the teacher is called to the office and leaves us all in the room. “Lookie here,” Stacy says walking over with her friends and circling my desk. I look down trying to ignore her. “Aw, she is scared of us,” Stacy says hitting my papers all over the ground. I gasp at the fast movement and stand up, “What's your problem Stacy?” I shout at her. She smiles and pushes me a little, “You're my problem stupid--” she is cut off, “Enough Stacy,” someone says from behind her. Stacy freezes and turns around, “Lena?” she says in surprise. Yeah, I forgot to mention, Lena and Crystal were the it girls in the school, only when they left Stacy took over but she knows Lena is above her. “I suggest you leave Courtney alone from now on,” she says as Stacy and her friends return to their seats as the class watches in aw as Lena helps me pick up my papers. I look at her, “Thank you,” I whisper. She doesn't say a word and hands me my papers and takes a seat in the middle of the room. The bell rings and we all leave for our second period. As I walk out Lena stops me, “Courtney,” she says calling me over to her locker. I slowly walk over, “You're back in town?” I asked. She nods, “Yeah... I guess I needed some space after the accident and I went on a trip around Europe with the family,” she pauses and looks at me, “Look Court, I know you are blaming yourself for what happened. I talked to the boys on the phone last night and they told me, I just want you to know it isn't your fault and I don't hate you. I left because I needed the space to think, and I didn't call or text you because I was scared I would get memories of how Crystal and you used to be and I miss that... It made me realize how much I missed my best friend,” she says hugging me. That moment I realized I never lost a friend, but I did realize she doesn't know how much the school changed since she has been gone.
The first three hours flew by and it was now lunch time. As always I sat outside in the court yard away from everyone. “Hey Stevens,” Aiden shouted walking up and taking a seat along with Avery, Jason, and Cayden. I shake my head and smile, “I have a first name you know,” I tease. They all shrug, “To hard to remember,” Avery jokes as I push him a little. “Getting violent Court,” Ryder says sitting down with Austin next to me. I smile, “Always, learned from the best,” I laugh. As lunch goes on we sit and laugh about stupid stuff like always until we seen someone run outta the lunch room in tears toward the soccer field. I look into the lunch room and see Stacy and her friends laughing. Should have known it had something to do with her. I get up and grab my bag. “Where are you going?” Ryder asked me. I look down at them all, “Well, im going to go see who Stacy made cry this time,” I say walking off tot he soccer field. “Wait!” Austin yells running up to me, “Ill come with I know how the soccer field gets to you,” he say swinging an arm around my shoulders. I smile and we walk over. “Lena?” I say as we walk up to her sitting in the middle crying. I sit down and wrap my arms around her. She hugs me and cries some more. I look up at Austin and he looks just as confused as I am. I pull away from Lena and look at her, “What happened?” I asked. She calms down a little, “So much has changed, Stacy is using Crystal against me,” she says. I feel the blood in my body boil at that comment. “Courtney,” Austin warns. I couldn't help it, I let go of Lena and start toward the lunch room. “Courtney don't,” I here Lena shout at me. I run to get away from them and make it to the lunch room. By now all the boys were walking over to see what was going on. I push through the doors and search for Stacy. Once I find her my anger level goes up another level, “Stacy!” I shout making the whole lunch room look my way. I was to angry at this point to even care. Stacy looks up from her lunch and smiles walking over to me with her friends. She crosses her arm and looks at me, “what do you want freak?” she says making a few people around us chuckle. I cross my arms, “Leave Lena alone... Don't use her own sisters death against her. You don't fucking own the school,” I shout at her. Lena and the boys just made it into the lunch room but couldn't see me because of the crowd that is around us now. She smiles an evil smile, “What are you going to do? You are a pathetic loser who has no friends. I bet the boys are only friends with you still because they feel sorry for you. Who wants to be friends with someone who let their whole school down, and killed someone everyone loved... You are nothing, a nobody,” she says ending with a smirk. Her words hurt not gonna lie. But she wasn't finished yet, “NO wonder Jack cheated on you and used you, because he seen how messed up you are. You think any guy would actually like you?” she says making everyone laugh. I felt a tear role down my cheek, but I stopped more from coming, I wasn't giving her the pleasure of making me feel weak. I step forward so I was closer, “And you're any better. You think you're so perfect Stacy. News flash, you are far from it, if you have to put people down and make them feel small, it's because you are to upset about your own life and self. Who cares if your the cheer captain, or dating Jack, nobody fucking care. But don't you dare talk about Crystal like that, she was a better person then you'll ever be. You are trying to replace her in the school, but you can't. Because unlike her, you are a selfish bitch who cares about nobody but yourself. Sure Crystal was popular, but she treated everyone equal,” I shout in her face making her step back a little in shock. I socked myself, and everyone else. I don't think they knew I was capable of getting to this anger level.
After a few silent minutes Stacy laughs, “That was a good little speech Courtney, now if you're finished, we all have better things to do. Why don't you go run along to the people pretending to be your friends, because you and I both know they don't care,” she say turning around. I go to grab her hair but Austin wraps his arms around my waist and holds me back. I let the tears stream down my face at this point, “Fuck you Stacy,” I yell as she turns toward us. But right when she does a pile of potatoes lands on her front. She lets out a death scream, “Who did this?” she says looking around. Lena drops the spoon with an evil smile, “Don't fucking mess with my friends, me or my sister bitch,” She says walking over to our group and getting fist pumps. Austin is still holding me. Stacy walks over again and slaps me across the face. The room goes silent. I slowly turn my head back toward her. “Oh shit, back away slowly,” Cayden whispers to Austin. That's right, the boys knew what happened when I get to this anger point, and now it just over did it. Austin lets go of me and I just stand there. “Well, I was going to let you go Stacy, but now, im gonna let her kick your ass,” Austin says running back to the group. I touch my cheek and look at her, “You're dead,” I scream before we are both on the ground fighting. I hear my group cheering and Stacy's friends yelling and then they join the fight. Now this was where the boys stepped in because it was me taking on like four girls. Lena grabs one girls hair and pulls her off while Austin pulls me out of the mess. “My office, all of you,” The vice principle says making everyone freeze.