Chapter 14
I race down the hall, nervousness eating at me.
The last class just ended. Mr. Rousseau said he was going to post the cast list by the auditorium entrance.
A crowd is already gathered at the bulletin board; some kids shout gleefully, while others stomp away in disappointment.
I twist and dodge my way to the front and quickly scan the list. I pull in a deep breath, then let out a victorious cry.
I got the role!
In your face, Deja! This makes up for my diarrhea day. I break through the noisy mob and see my cousin approaching. She zooms in on my triumphant expression and her steps falter.
“Oh, don’t waste your time, honey,” I say, planting a hand on my hip. “I got the role of Belle. Who’s the basic bitch now?”
“You’re going to wish you never came to Kent.” She pivots on her heel, sneering over her shoulder. “You just wait and see.”
Uneasiness skates goose bumps across my skin. I’m going to have to watch my back every second until graduation. That’s going to be a daunting task, especially since we reside in the same household.
“Hi, Zilphia.” A cheery voice draws my attention. “I’m Jace. We have Mr. Rousseau together.”
“Oh, hey,” I respond, instantly recognizing him. “I remember seeing you.”
“I’m your love interest.” He grins.
“Huh?”
Is he seriously trying to flirt with me? That’s random, but he’s a heartthrob, though. Especially with those dazzling amber eyes and shaggy reddish-brown hair.
“I’m playing Beast,” he states, absolving my confusion.
“Right, duh.” I pop myself on the forehead. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks, you too,” he says, swinging his clunky backpack onto his shoulder. “Are you free to run lines on Sunday? We should get some extra practice time in whenever we can. The next six weeks are going to go by fast.”
“Yeah, sure.” I want to do my best and practice makes perfect. “Your place?”
Definitely can’t have him entering the Double Dragon’s Lair. They’ll purposely embarrass me for sure.
“Eight good for you? I’m babysitting my little cousins until sevenish.”
“Yep.” I slip my cell phone from my purse. “What’s your number?”
My fingers fly over the screen, keying in the information. “I’m going to text you now.”
Since I use a third-party app, I can only get calls and texts when my phone is connected to Wi-Fi. But it’s better than nothing.
“Cool,” he responds. “I can pick you up if you want.”
“That’d be great.” I smile, grateful for the offer. “Thanks.”
“Sure. Just shoot me your addy.”
I send him the address, then tuck my mobile back into my purse. “I have to get going. See you tomorrow.”
“Okay, pretty girl.”
Well damn, he is flirting. I’ll have to unpack that later. Right now, I’m on a mission to mend fences with Leah. I haul ass to her locker and find her rummaging inside the metal compartment.
I stop beside her. “Hear me out, okay? I’m—”
“We’re good.” She closes her locker and faces me. “I overreacted. Snake does that to me.”
“Hey, Spot.” A boy whistles at Leah, slapping his palms against his denim-clad thighs. “Come here, girl. I have a treat for you.”
The asshole hovering behind him roars with laughter. “Man, you are so wrong.”
“Hey, limp dick!”
I whirl around, the enraged shout startling me.
I observe a girl barreling toward us at breakneck speed.
She’s wearing pink and black from head to toe, literally.
Pink hair bounces with every determined footstep she takes.
The fringe bangs and chin-length haircut frame a pretty face.
A pink corset-style top, black patent leather skirt, and fishnet stockings hug her voluptuous curves—chunky pink boots complete the bold look.
My goodness! This girl even has pink eyebrows and contacts.
Talk about fashion statement and color coordination.
Colorful tattoos decorate her creamy olive skin.
The anti-eyebrow, bridge, dimple, medusa, and three piercings along her left nostril accentuate her daring look.
She comes to a hard stop directly in front of Leah’s bully.
“You see this, bitch?” She jabs a long nail in Leah’s direction. “This is my bitch. You fuck with her, you fuck with me.” She grasps the boy’s cheeks with one hand, squeezing until his lips pucker. “Capeesh, motherfucker?”
The scumbag swine drops to his knees, stars in his eyes. “Will you marry me?”
His heartfelt proposal earns him a chunky pink boot to the gut. “Not on your life, limp dick.”
He yelps, fastening his arms around his midsection. His buddy helps him stand and carts him down the hall.
Leah rolls her eyes. “Extreme as always.”
“Can’t let these assholes pick on my bestie.” The girl, whom I presume is Meela, flings an arm across Leah’s shoulders.
“Missed you at lunch,” Leah remarks. “Off somewhere getting high, no doubt.”
“Maybe, maybe not,” she replies cheekily.
“You need stronger body spray,” Leah deadpans. “I can smell the devil’s lettuce on your clothes.”
“Okay, I may have smoked half a joint,” she says with a grin, then directs her sassiness at me. “Who are you?”
“Zilphia,” I answer her.
“Jameela, but everyone calls me Meela.” She openly examines me for a few seconds. “My girl been showing you the ropes?”
“Yeah, she’s great.”
“Come on,” Leah interjects, quickly spinning on her heel. “You know how Olive gets if I’m late.”
We push through the heavy foot traffic toward the exit.
“Who’s Olive?”
“My little sister. She’s fourteen and a real pain in my ass,” she gripes. “If I’m even two minutes late, she whines to our father, and then the responsibility speech commences. That spoiled brat always makes me out to be the bad guy, and my gullible father falls for it every single time.”
“Do you drive?” Meela asks me.
“I have a driver’s license but no car.”
“How do you get home? Regular bus or cheese bus?” she questions further. “Or does someone pick you up?”
“None of the above,” I respond. “I walk.”
“Where do you live?” This question comes from Leah.
“Rochdale Boulevard. Right off Somerset.”
We pad outside and descend the steep concrete stairs. The weather has gotten a lot milder since lunch.
“I would offer you a ride, but that’s in the opposite direction of Olive’s school,” she explains.
“I’ll be okay,” I assure her. “It’s about a twenty- to thirty-minute walk. Besides, you’ve done enough for me already today.”
“I can show you a shortcut,” Meela offers. “You’ll be home in fifteen minutes flat. It’s through the woods, though.”
I could kiss her, because shit, my feet are on fire. I need to get these death traps off stat. RIP wedges. You will not be worn again.
“The woods don’t bother me. Lead the way.”
“See y’all tomorrow,” Leah says with a quick wave and hurries toward the parking lot.
We call out our farewells and set off in the opposite direction.
“You walk too?” I ask.
“Hell no.” Meela points to a small building two blocks ahead. “My sister owns that convenience store on the corner and the laundromat next to it. I usually drive to school every day, but she took my car keys because she’s a big, fat, drooping labia.”
I burst out laughing. She has a way with words, that’s for sure.
“She makes me wait with her until closing time,” she complains. “It’s the worst torture imaginable.”
“That sucks.” I dutifully take her side.
“Okay, yeah, I snuck out of the house in the middle of the night.” Her arms fling into the air.
“Big fucking whoop! I come home and find her sitting in the dark, like she’s fucking Hannibal Lecter or something.
I swear she’s thirty-four going on one hundred.
Anyway, my car privileges will be restored this weekend.
Thank the heavens above because having her chauffeur me around for the last week and a half has been a complete nightmare.
That chick seriously needs some D.I.C.K in her life. ”
“Your sister sounds very strict,” I remark. Like my mother.
“You have no idea.” A prolonged sigh parts her lips. “So what grade are you in?”
“It’s my last year.”
“Ugh! You’re so lucky,” Meela whines. “I can’t wait to graduate and tell my sister to stick her stupid, asinine rules where the sun don’t shine. Aren’t older sisters supposed to be fun? I think mine may be broken. Do you have any siblings?”
I scoff. “An older brother, and trust me, they aren’t any better.”
Her nose wrinkles. “Gross. I’m happy I don’t have one of those. I heard they’re smelly.”
“You heard right.”
My gaze roams over the neighborhood. I was rushing this morning and didn’t pay attention to my surroundings. There isn’t much in the general vicinity—just a gated apartment complex across the street, a park adjacent to it, and a storage place a little farther up.
“You can’t ride the cheese bus since you live within two miles of the school, but you can get a transit pass from the office. It’s free and you can use it for the whole school year.”
“Really?”
“Yep, but honestly, it’s better to walk if you ask me. With the constant stops, it’ll take you almost an hour to get to school. That means earlier mornings and less sleep for you. It’s good to use for rainy and snowy days, though. And you can use it on the weekends too, which is a plus.”
“Thanks for the tip,” I say, eternally grateful.
“No prob,” Meela says, stopping at the entrance to the convenience store. “Cross the street here. You’ll see the footpath leading into the woods in about a block.”
“I want to come inside and take a look around.”
“Cool.” She opens the door, and the bell hanging above the entrance chimes. “After you.”
I step into the air-conditioned building, my gaze immediately coasting over the food, snack, and drink options available.
I only added enough money to my student account to buy lunch for today, wanting to figure out a way to stretch my dwindling funds. Talk about right on time. I’ll buy bread, lunch meat, cheese, and a few other goodies to tide me over.
“Hey,” Meela greets a woman standing behind the counter. “New girl, this is my sister. Sister, new girl.”