What’s up with me for the past few weeks, you mean. The thought irritated me endlessly, having been turned over and examined again and again in my mind. I had known my father would remarry for almost a year now. It hadn’t bothered me quite so much until...now. When she showed up. She got under my skin from the moment I saw her. Who on earth dressed like that anymore, anyway? Such a priss. How ramrod straight she sat up between us. How she enunciated her thank yous and sorrys. Her impeccable manners. I felt like scratching my eyes out just so I wouldn’t have to see her again.
My gaze searched the cafeteria until it landed on her. Her blond hair in that tight bun, not a hair out of place. Those square glasses. If it weren’t for the school uniform she would probably be wearing collared blouses buttoned up all the way and loose pencil skirts. She was laughing at something that editor guy was saying, and appeared oblivious to the fact that he was stealing peeks down her shirt. My jaw clenched, and I looked away. Who she hung out with and who she dated was the least of my concerns. What I should be thinking of was my next move that would send her and her mom running back to wherever they came from. She appeared unaffected by the warning I gave her yesterday. She even joined us to school this morning, for fuck’s sake. Either I was going soft, or she was just that dumb. I grit my teeth at the thought of either possibility. I was going to have to work harder to send her packing. There was no way she was going to mess up whatever we had left as a family.
“You’re ignoring me.” Monica’s whiny voice grated at my already-thin nerves. I had forgotten she was next to me. I took a deep breath, because whatever I had to say was best delivered candidly, and without me shouting at her. I disliked her, but she didn’t need to be shouted at.
“Look. I’ve said this already, but I’ll say it again. We are done. I think you and I both know it’s been coming for a while now. It’s got nothing to do with anyone I met over the summer, or even after. We’re different people now.”
She gave me a fierce, hard stare that I held with no remorse. I watched as she then stood up in a huff, throwing her dark hair behind her shoulder, eyes filled with hatred. She was staring at Ella.
***
Ella
I smiled as I high-fived my new friends. My first practice session and I had barely broken a sweat. My limbs felt like putty though, and I knew I had to continue practicing to get my strength back to where it was. The girls on the team seemed alright, and even Monica hadn’t glared at me once. I took that as a step forward.
I hummed as I showered. The girls waved as they left, and I quickly dried myself off and pulled on a dress and tights. Pulling out my phone, my smile wavered when I saw my mom’s text saying she had to work overtime and wouldn’t be able to take me home. I looked up at the dark sky – if Gray Lake’s weather wasn’t reliable, I didn’t know what was. I sighed, putting my sweater on and pulling it tightly against me. The chill in the air told me I had better start walking, and quick.
Slipping a pair of flats on – and now wishing I had brought my comfy sneakers with me instead – I speed-walked to the school gates, all the while Googling the nearest bus stop. I didn’t want to hitch a ride with the twins, who both had been at football practice earlier. I was keen to avoid another encounter with Cole since I certainly didn’t know what could set him off. I sighed. Now would be a good time to have either Sarah’s or Jules’ number. I guess I didn’t have any real friends in Gray Lake yet after all.
As I walked past the gates, I heard the engine of a car rumble past. My heart jumped when I saw Cole in his Audi, alone. Where was Hans? He drove past without looking back once, and my palpitations slowed down even as disappointment blanketed me like the heavy clouds threatened to. I shook off the feeling and put one foot in front of the other resolutely. It was a good thing that he left me alone. A drop pelted my cheek, followed by another. I swore under my breath, even though I could hear my late grandmother’s voice in my head telling me ladies did not swear. I was going to have to get a car of my own. I would need to borrow some money from my mom – but whatever it was, I couldn’t depend on anyone else for a ride anymore.
A good half hour later, I stepped into the house, drenched, and wishing I had remembered to charge my phone the night before. It was good to know early I was living on the right side of town – the rich side – which had zero use for public transportation. As I walked past the living room I heard a scoff.
“I was right.”
I looked into the dark eyes of one of the twins, unable to tell who it was without something more to clue me in.
“My dad has a soft spot for charity cases. A drowned rat, no less.” It was the look of disgust in his eyes that broke me. Like I was the filthiest girl he had ever laid his beautiful, cruel eyes on. I knew I didn’t have a single glamorous bone in me, nor did I have curves that would make any guy drool, but I never knew I could elicit disgust in anyone, much less a guy I had met barely two weeks
