I have a feeling I'm going to get some comments about how I ended this but I'm assuming you guys know what's going to happen so I wanted to add some anticipation.
I'm getting more and more covers sent in and I want to thank everyone who makes one. I'm putting them up with each chapter so be a little patient and I'll get to yours. Lot's of people have asked this so I'll clarify. Yes, if you make me a cover or a banner I'll put it up and you get the chapter dedicated to you. I don't dedicate the chapters just to prompt people make covers for me, I do it to thank those who take the time to do it. I really do appreciate it :)
This chapter is dedicated to xxAquaLovexx because she truly outdid herself. She made not one, but THREE covers. Unfortunately only put one of them up but they were all fabulous. Thank you soo much (:
Thank you to the people that voted/commented/fanned on the last chapter. As always, thanks to my silent readers as well.
(Sorry for any spelling/grammar mistakes)
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Chapter 3
Libby Ashford
I sat through my classes quietly and tried to be as inconspicuous as possible. The thing is, when you’re seen walking around with two of the most well-known girls in school on only your first day, it garners you some questioning looks. So while I sat in the back of the classroom staring at the board, my classmates gave me curious glances while not so discreetly talking about me.
It was mortifying.
I was sitting in my third period class and trying to ignore the more blatant looks I was receiving when I spotted a familiar brunette bounce into the room. Her brown hair was curled loosely and framed her perfectly made up face. While her shirt and shorts were simple enough, they seemed to look better on her then I knew they would on me. The lavender top was loose enough to slip off one shoulder and hint at her tan shoulder while her shorts were cut stylishly but not short enough to be considered slutty. I almost sighed enviously when I caught sight of her toned legs that with the help of high heeled sandals, looked like they stretched on for miles. She was the picture of striking beauty.
Exactly what my parents had always wanted from me. Exactly what I had always wished I was.
“Liberty!” Meredith shrieked once her roaming eyes found my sulking form. A blond girl sitting a few seats away opened her mouth in shock.
“She knows Meredith too? What the hell!” She said in a hushed shout. A few more girls scattered around her nodded in agreement and gazed at me with a renewed curious fire in their eyes.
“Thank you Meredith.” I muttered, bowing my head to escape the stares. If my mother were here she’d tell me to bask in the attention I was getting. I guess it’s a good thing she wasn’t here then.
“Oh hush.” Meredith suddenly appeared in front of my desk and scowled at me. I’m not really too sure how she heard me as she was all the way across the classroom.
“Hi.” I mumbled. She grinned at me before looking around frowning.
“Uhh, Libby,” She leaned in a little closer and held a hand up. “What are you doing back here?”
“What?” Was my ingenious reply. Was the seat I was sitting in reserved or something?
“The back of the room.” She glanced around in distaste before lowering the volume of her voice. “Only losers sit in the back of the room.”
Oh…snap.
“Please, you wish you could be as cool as us.” A sudden deep voice interrupted Meredith’s disapproving scowl.
Over her shoulder I could just make out the face of the speaker. Brown hair swept over a pale forehead and icy blue eyes glared at the back of Meredith’s head. His pale pink lips were pressed into a hard thin line as something like disgust mixed with longing flitted across his face. Meredith stiffened and froze, her eyes narrowing as she placed a face to the voice. Without saying anything else, the mystery guy threw his backpack down onto the desk next to mine and flopped onto the chair. He crossed lanky arms across his chest and glared spitefully at her, a glare she returned vehemently. After a moment of a full stare on, the guy turned to me and stuck a hand out.
“The name’s Bradshaw but you can call me Brad.” He flashed a perfect set of white teeth at me. I discreetly hid my hands under the desk and tried my best to smile back at him. He put his hand down after a second and gazed curiously at me.
“Why would she want to call you anything?” Meredith sneered, placing her hands on my desk. I felt like I was intruding on their personal war.
“Well maybe some people around here don’t care just about looks or status. Maybe some people around here actually have a heart.” I started to feel very uncomfortable and looked away from the heated looks they were giving each other. The same blond from before turned around and rolled her eyes.
“And they’re at it again! You would think after all the detentions they got last year from arguing in class the administration would learn to keep them out of the same classes.” Blondie shook her head before turning to look back at the teacher who sat lazily at his desk, his feet propped up onto the table and his eyes entranced by whatever was on his computer screen.
“Libby, front of the class. Now.” Meredith demanded, giving one last glare at Bradshaw before storming to the front. She took a seat next to an equally beautiful brunette and tapped her foot in agitation.
“I’m sorry about that.” Brad glanced at me apologetically.
“It’s ok.” I murmured.
“We have a long running history and we don’t get along too well. Although, somehow fate deemed us as-” He cut himself off and shook his head. He smiled and ran a hand through his hair again. “Sorry, wrong person.”
“Ok.” I mumbled, more than curious to know what he had been talking about.
“Libby!” Meredith called from her seat. She held up a finger and beckoned me toward her.
“Looks like the queen is calling.” Brad grinned at me.
“Well it was nice to meet you.” That’s what normal people say, right? Something ordinary?
“Listen Libby,” Bradshaw said just as I was going to walk away. “If you ever decide that you don’t like someone telling you what to do, come and find me. I can assure you I have no rules to abide by.”
“Ok.” I nodded, confused. He just nodded back and continued to watch as I walked over to a still steaming Meredith.
“What did he say?” I glanced at her cautiously. Was that jealousy I detected in her voice? Meredith kept her hard gaze on me and waited for my response.
“Nothing worth repeating.” I replied finally. She looked like she was about to object when the teacher stood from his reclining position and decided to step up.
“Ok class, quiet down now. Let’s get these shenanigans started, shall we?” He clapped his hands and looked around us. Looks like I was saved by the teacher.
I sat through the rest of the class and let my mind wander. I’d already covered this topic at my last school so I felt no need to pay attention. It seems Meredith wasn’t the ever diligent student as she sat beside me and inspected her nails. I wondered idly how it was possible that she seemed so different at school then she did when I met her in the home furnishing section. At the store she seemed like the laid back, kind and humorous person who, to be honest, didn’t appear to be very popular. Seeing her now though, I guess my first judgment was wrong. Don’t get me wrong, aside from her little tiff with Bradshaw, Meredith continued to be an easygoing girl, so maybe it was just the friend’s part that I was wrong about. I could tell from the envious looks she got from the girls and the lustful gazes coming from the males in the room, she was someone popular. For lack of a better expression, Meredith was who every girl wanted to be and who every guy wanted to get with.
“What a boring lesson.” Meredith complained once the bell rang and we were released to a short break.
“Tell me about it.” Her stunning friend agreed.
“I’m so losing it.” Meredith put a hand to her forehead and shook her head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t introduce you guys. Libby this is Darcy, Darcy you know Libby.”
“Hi, nice to meet you.” Darcy grinned brightly at me and to my relief, didn’t extend her hand.
“Same here.” I murmured, looking away. Darcy was seriously beautiful. With luscious brown locks light hazel eyes, she was certainly a girl that grabs the attention of most anyone in the room.
“Sorry about not meeting you in the morning. I was running late and when I got here the bell had already rung.” Meredith apologized.
“It’s ok. I got the red carpet treatment from the welcoming committee.” Meredith and Darcy exchanged a sly glance before turning their gaze to me.
“So I’ve heard.” Meredith murmured. She cocked her head to the side and gave me a questioning glance. “So what’d you think of them? Lilly and Sasha I mean.”
“Oh, uhh, they’re…cool.” I stuttered. Something about the glint in their eyes made me think they were looking for something particular in my answer. They must have found it because Darcy suddenly broke out into a full on grin and turned to Meredith.
“You were right, this is going to be fun.” I blanched. Were they really talking about me like I was some kind of guinea pig?
“So I better go find Lilly because she told me to look for her at bre-” I was cut off when there was a sudden mad rush to get out to the courtyard in the front of the school. “What’s going on?”
My question went unanswered as Meredith and Darcy gave each other knowing looks. They both started for the doors at a quick pace before thinking better of it and reeling around to come back to my frozen form. All around us students pushed and shoved towards the front doors. Distantly I could hear shouting and chanting that reminded me of being at a sporting event. Darcy hooked her arm through my left one while Meredith hooked her arm through my right one. I bit my lip to stop myself from crying out in discomfort and instead focused on steadying my breathing. Get over it!Get over it!Get over it! I chanted to myself in my head.
“Looks like the king of fighting has returned.” Darcy muttered while dragging me forward.
We pushed our way through the crowd and spilled out the front doors. I drew in a deep breath, looking around wildly. The courtyard was in complete chaos with dozens upon dozens of students all yelling and shouting. More students poured from the building and other’s peered down from the classrooms on the upper floors. I couldn’t make out what was happening and what had gotten the crowd so riled up. Meredith yanked my arm to the side so that we were standing on the fringes of the crowd. I craned my neck up and realized people were cheering about something that was happening in the middle of the crowd. I glanced up to see both Meredith and Darcy rolling their eyes with a fond smile on their face.
“Never could stay out of trouble.” Meredith shook her head and looked towards the center of the crowd almost as if she knew exactly what was going on.
“Such a bad boy.” Darcy murmured, her eyes focused on the center of the crowd as well.
For some reason I couldn’t help but remember what Lilly said about her brother being back in school and how he liked to fight. Another roar went up from the crowd and I could make out two distinct words ringing through the crowd. Meredith squared her shoulders and marched into the surge of students, dragging me along behind her. Bodies shoved against me and loud shouts stunned my ears. I gaped wildly, feeling very panicked and very scared. Raw energy emanated from the excited teenagers around me and heady excitement drifted through the air. My breaths came in short pants as Meredith continued to pull me through the thriving mob with Darcy pushing me along. All at once, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I felt as if the air had been sucked from my body and the bodies packed in around me were preventing any air from reaching my awaiting lungs. Up ahead I could see an opening in the crowd and gasped when we finally broke through.
I took a deep breath of air and withdrew my arms from the grip of Meredith and Darcy. We now stood on the edges of the inside of the mass and could clearly see what was happening. Now that we were right in front of the action I could make out the two names being thrown around the crowd. Each person seemed to have chosen a side, their eyes lighting up with excitement. The energy was almost overwhelming, exhilaration coating the air. My eyes strayed to the scene in front of me and widened automatically at the sight.
Oh my.
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Here's to the first cliffhanger of the book! :)