Vincent (35 page)

“Ms. Ross, clean up the mess you just made. I can’t have other students thinking they can get away with this, now can I? Oh, and when you’re done, meet me in the Vice Principal’s off…” His voice trailed away.

I am so screwed. No, I am beyond screwed.

When they reached the Spanish classroom and the door came to a close, Elle spoke first.

“I am so sorry, Chloe. It was just a reaction. I didn’t want her to spill it on you.”

“I know, but what are we going to do? She is going to kill us. You know that.” Elle couldn’t tell if Chloe was winded by the run or frightened for her life.

Elle sat down and dropped her head on the desk. “I have no clue.” She looked back up at Chloe. “Any suggestions?”

“Yeah, we become high school dropouts.” Chloe might have sounded sarcastic, yet that couldn’t have been closer to the truth.

Chapter Two

Bimbo #1

Elle and Chloe were genuinely scared for their life when the bell rang once more to end Spanish class. They were doomed.

The next class she and Chloe had they would be separated. Elle had art class; Chloe had taken it her freshman year; therefore, she couldn’t take it with her. So Chloe had health class, and of course, Elle had taken that
her
freshman year. It was a shame their whole lives had changed after they had made their schedules for freshman year.

Elle knew she had to drop Chloe off at her health class first. Unfortunately, it meant double the amount of hallway time for herself.
Great.

Elle regretfully entered the hallway with Chloe at her back. She picked up maximum speed without drawing too much attention to herself and Chloe. Thankfully, Chloe’s class wasn’t too far from their Spanish class anyways. Elle was grateful to reach the classroom unscathed.

“Wait at your desk when the bell rings. I will be back to get you. I promise I will be the first one out in the hallway.”

Chloe bit her lip. “Um, okay, I won’t move from my seat.”

“Good, I will see you in a little bit.” Elle hoped she sounded strong for Chloe.

“Be careful, Elle.”

That sincere, sweet voice made it hard for Elle to turn her back on her best friend and head to class. Although, now Elle had to worry about getting herself safely to class since she knew Cassandra would be waiting for her.

She picked up her feet and hurried as fast as she could.

Elle took a seat. She usually sat in the back of the classroom, but she needed to be close to the door. She was glad, if she was separated from Chloe, it was art class. This was an easy course and wouldn’t require partners. She remembered Chloe had said her own class had been small and they had never been paired up. “Partners”
was the worst thing a girl at the bottom of the food chain could hear.

Elle sank in her seat when Cassandra’s blonde bimbos strutted through the door.
Of freaking course.

When they took their seats at the other side of the classroom, they stared Elle down.
I am completely screwed.

They whispered something to each other and one of them picked up their phones to send a text.
Nope, now I am completely screwed.

Elle knew they’d texted Cassandra exactly where to find her. She thought about texting Chloe that she might be dead soon, but she knew Chloe would worry and leave her desk when the bell rang. At least when Cassandra came for her, Chloe would be safe where she was, and by the time she decided to leave, most of the students would have gone home.

Right before class started, Nero walked in and took a seat at the popular table, which consisted of Cassandra’s bimbos and a few athletes. They each only cared about one thing, status. Status meant their whole life to them. Elle thought, if she had a dollar for every time she heard the word
status
, she would be able to pay for her tuition ten times over.

Elle looked around the room. She was the only person to sit by herself at a table, completely aware of where she stood at Legacy Prep. Even the nerds knew they couldn’t talk to Elle. They wouldn’t even dare to look at her. Elle never blamed them, either.
It’s a dog-eat-dog world in here.

As soon as class began, the teacher wanted them to go ahead and start their first project. It was easy; all they had to do was make a poster that best showed their individual personality, using any materials they desired.

Elle stared at her blank white poster, wondering exactly who she was. Well,
she
knew who she was, but these walls made it hard for her to be herself. No, she just
couldn’t
be herself here.

She was strawberry-blonde, her hair reaching the top of her breasts, and had big blue eyes. She had a slight tan to her skin, which contrasted her hair and eye color. She liked that, being different and having character; unlike the other kids her age who strove to all look the same. She believed she looked younger than the other girls her age, although maybe it was the lack of makeup and fancy clothes. She couldn’t quite tell. Regardless, her looks did not define
who
she was.

She opened her bag and took out a sheet of paper. She thought she should draw the poster out first to try to come up with some ideas.

After several attempts, it became hard for Elle to concentrate. The bimbos were laughing so damn loud she thought they were going to go into heat any second. The hottest athletes, not to mention the king of Legacy Prep, surrounded them.

Elle looked at the clock. It wasn’t too much longer before school let out. She zoned out, a lot on her mind.

Cassandra was going to kill her, She couldn’t protect Chloe at the moment. She was supposed to close at the diner tonight, and she had to find time to do her five-hundred-word essay Mr. Evans assigned about who you love the most.
Yeah, if I even live till then.

Elle felt a pat on her back, snapping her back to the present. “I hope you make it to see the freak on time. It would be a shame if something were to happen.” That was Bimbo Number One, the one closest to Cassandra.

Then, the next thing she knew, all Elle could hear was the squirting of paint all over her.
No, not my big, comfortable white sweater!

The whole class couldn’t help laughing at her torture. That was honestly what hurt Elle the most; not one person would ever rescue her, all they would do was laugh.

“You can thank me later, waitress. I know you’ve needed a reason to visit Goodwill.”

Elle had dealt with enough for the day, and Chloe wasn’t there to get hurt by her repercussions. If she was going to die today, at least she was going down with a fight.

Brrring
.

Chloe.
Elle grabbed her bag and ran out of the classroom unbelievably fast, her retaliation instantly forgotten. Chloe needed her.

That was when it dawned on her. ‘
I hope you make it to see the freak on time.’
She finally understood—the only way to hurt her was to hurt Chloe.

Oh, shit! I’m coming, Chloe.
Elle ran fast down the hallway; she didn’t jog or walk fast, she
ran
. At that point, it didn’t matter if she drew attention to herself.

When Elle ran into Chloe’s classroom, she came to a halt. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Her heart actually skipped a beat.

“Chloe, are you okay?”

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