Fuck this, I could leave in my gym clothes, but fuck them all.
I throw the shirt and skirt in my bag, slipping on my untouched underwear and blazer. I let my hair down from its ponytail and fluff it up. If these assholes think I’m going to cower just because they fucked with my clothes, they have no idea who they’re fucking with. I have bikinis that show more skin than this.
I pick up my bag, slip on my heels, and check out my reflection. At least I picked pretty black lace underwear today. I look like something out of a fucking Victoria’s Secret ad. It’s so fucking stupid, but you can bet your ass I’m going to rock this shit. I refuse to be beaten twice in one day. These assholes have no idea who I am, and the girls at this school don’t scare me.
I hiss as I apply a little foundation over the red line down my skin to hide the mark Maverick made earlier before sliding on some lip gloss. I head out of the locker room in nothing more than my underwear and blazer.
The comments are almost instantaneous. I guess news of what the bitches in my gym class did spread around the school, which explains Indi’s message about the parking lot. I hold my head high and strut through the halls, owning my shit like a badass bitch. I find Blair and her bitch squad all giggling by my locker, phones out and taking pictures. They stop laughing when they see the look on my face. I know I’ll see those pictures online later, but what’s one more at this point?
“I look fucking awesome, right?” I ask with a small wave as I pass them by. If they thought this would break me, they can think again. I’ve survived worse than their attempted humiliation.
I get to the end of the hall just to come face to face with Lincoln, Maverick, and Finley. Lincoln’s jaw ticks as he takes in my appearance. Maverick’s heated gaze on my chest where the cut on my skin is hidden almost makes me want to cower. But not again, not today.
“Not so off limits after all, am I?” I wink at him, and I swear to God Finley smirks as I push between him and Lincoln.
The catcalls and shouts I get as I pass the football field to where Indi is parked just make me shake my head. I can’t help but laugh when I hear Raleigh tell them to shut their mouths before yelling, “You look like fire!”
I finally reach Indi, and she gawks at me as I climb in the car. “Don’t even ask.”
“Bitch, you just owned that. Whoever did this to you fucked up. There’s no way in hell you look as good as you do right now and don’t get half the school simping over you by tomorrow morning.”
I bark out a laugh as she throws the car in drive and peels out of the parking lot. I knew I loved her for a reason.
Chapter Six
Isurvived.
Kind of.
Well, my first week anyway. It’s been pretty fucking hellish. Between Lincoln, Maverick, and Finley terrorizing me daily, Blair and her bitch squad ramping up their assholeish ways, plus the general taunts and social media hate from the rest of the student body, I’m worn thin.
A girl can put on a brave face, but on the inside, I’m crumbling a little. Bullying isn’t something I’ve ever dealt with before, not like this anyway. The online stuff I can handle, I’m used to tabloid bullshit, but my dad was there to shield me from most of it. Now I’m alone, and I’m not so sure I can handle it. I’ve questioned more than once this week if my inheritance is worth staying here. Between that and the struggle I’m already having trouble focusing in some of my classes, I’m not sure I’m going to meet the requirements of the will anyway.
I’m just glad I made a few good friends who haven’t even blinked at the social bullshit that seems to come with being associated with me. Indi is my fucking rock, and Raleigh has all but ignored theoff-limitswarning. We’ve sat with the jocks everyday at lunch since then, which meant that at least at lunch, I’ve felt somewhat safe. Some of the players still won’t talk to me, but Jackson seems to have gotten over his aversion to eye contact, at least. He mostly spends time talking to Indi rather than me, but that, at least, makes me happy. Jackson chatting up Indi was always my endgame anyway. Becoming friends with Raleigh along the way is just an added bonus.
Throughout the week, I’ve managed to get lost inside my own head and packed up my meager belongings in the pool house. I also returned my rental in fear of it being fucked with because I wouldn’t put it past the animals I go to school with to do something like that. Surprisingly, my aunt and uncle haven't put up much of a fight, though that could have something to do with the money I've already transferred to them for my ‘rent’.
The few boxes of my dad’s records are stacked in the corner along with the three duffel bags full of my clothes.
My new furniture has been delivered to the house throughout the week, and according to my regular updates from Smithy, everything is coming along nicely. Indi is going to help me drive the few things I have here over to the house in the morning, and then I never have to grace this house of horrors with my presence again.
It’s almost enough to make me let out a whoop of joy. I focus on getting ready for Jackson’s party instead. I’ll save the celebrating for tonight.
I finish the final touches on the waves of my hair and add a batwing of eyeliner to each eye before adding a swipe of mascara. It’s simple, but that’s all I’ve ever done anyway. I’m not a cake-it-on kind of girl. I have mad respect for those who can, but contouring my face is basically the same as asking me to contort my body… It’s just not going to happen. I’m hopeless.
I’m just glad that the cut Maverick made has mostly healed and what's left can be hidden with makeup. I sure as fuck don’t want to spend my night explaining that away.
Indi sashays out of my bathroom, and I can’t help but grin. She looks like an emo princess. “Damn girl, you are fire!”
“Why thank you.” She blushes, taking a curtsy in her tutu, and I laugh. I’m not sure many people could pull off a black tutu dress with a leather jacket and flip-flops. “I don’t want to get sand in my boots, so I figured I’d make this work.”
“Dude, you look amazing! You’re totally making it work.”
“Are you ready to go?” she asks as I shrug on a kimono over my white tank top. I glance at the storage box of my shoes and ultimately decide to go shoeless. It’s on the beach anyway, so fuck it.
I look outside at the pitch black sky and grin. I mean, who turns up to a party on time anyway? “Yeah, let’s hit it.”
I pull my phone out of the pocket of my cutoffs and send a message to Raleigh.