I wolfed down the remaining eggs, more to avoid the taste than out of enjoyment. Grabbing my bag, I rose and headed to my little, beat-up burgundy car parked in the driveway.
Dad hurriedly stood up as I passed him. "Wait, I can take you to school if you want," he suggested, retrieving his keys from the silver hook on the wall. I shook my head. "Oh no, that's really okay Dad. I need to learn how to get there myself anyway." He narrowed his eyes. "C'mon, you can do that tomorrow. Let your old man drop you off on your first day." His insistence cut through the air, making it clear this wasn't just a suggestion anymore. I rolled my eyes. "Ughhh, Dad, haven't you done enough? You've already dragged us to this hellhole, and now you can't even trust me to get to school by myself? I'm not a little kid anymore, Dad. I just need some space—five minutes where it doesn't feel like you're breathing down my fucking neck!" I exclaimed in frustration. A shade of disappointment clouded his face. Instantly, I regretted my choice of words. "Sorry, Dad, I didn't mean that... of course you can take me to school," I sighed, forcing a small smile. I gave him a quick hug and headed towards the front door to the driveway. I hopped into his enormous black truck, and he closed the door behind me. After he settled into the driver's seat, he started the engine, and we headed for my new school. Besides the GPS on Dad's phone, silence engulfed the car. I wanted to tell him about my weird dreams about Mom, but I knew he would just brush it off like he did everything else. After what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke. "Angel, I'm sorry if you feel like I'm suffocating you. It's just... after your mom left, I realized how much I need to love and protect you because if I don't, who else is going to do it? Of course, you won't be able to understand this, but it's just a lot of pressure being a single parent; especially since I never imagined your mom would just up and leave the way she did," he explained frankly, his gaze fixed straight ahead at the road as he drove. "I understand, Dad. I'm not trying to make things harder on you," I mumbled, a lump forming in my throat. An overwhelming sense of guilt washed over me. I've always carried the belief that somehow it was my fault that my mother left, so he's right. How could I be anything but grateful to him for stepping up and trying his best to raise me by himself? Sure, he made mistakes, like all parents do, but he didn't just disappear when things got hard like my worthless mother did. It would be incredibly selfish not to forgive him more easily. I tried to muster a more optimistic outlook as we reached the school. He maneuvered the car to the front of the enormous, red brick building that proudly displayed the name "WinterCrest High." Above it, a logo featuring an imposing black wolf caught my eye, its gaze seemingly fixed on me. A shiver traced up my spine, a disconcerting reminder of the wolves that haunted my dreams. Bringing the car to a halt at the curb, Dad gestured for me to exit. "Thanks for trying to see things my way, baby girl. Text me when you're ready to be picked up, okay?" His words carried a newfound cheerfulness, and he gently planted a kiss on my forehead. A faint smile graced my lips. "Thanks, Dad. Love you!" With my bag in hand, I stepped out of the truck, closed the door, and observed as he waved and swiftly drove away.As I approached the entrance of WinterCrest High, a dark, suffocating wave of fear washed over me. A multitude of students streamed in the same direction, and more were arriving, offering a glimmer of hope—I could seamlessly merge into the crowd, fading into the sea of faces and escaping notice. Pushing open the doors, an eerie hush fell over the crowd, and it may have been my imagination, but it felt as though everyone stopped and stared at me. Some exchanged low whispers with one another. My heart pounded; blood rushed to my cheeks as I hurried past them towards the administrator's office. The door stood ajar, and a post-it note on the handle read, 'Be back in 10 minutes – Greene.' Uncertain how long it had been there, I entered the office. A faint scent of sage and vanilla filled the air, adding a welcoming touch. Glancing around, I confirmed the room was indeed empty, seizing the opportunity to calm my nerves before a potential panic attack ensued. Deep breath in, breathe out. De
"Good morning, Mom. Do you need any help before class starts?" The interruption came in a high, bubbly voice, full of enthusiasm. I whipped around to see the girl I recognized from the family photo. In person, Jasmine was even more stunning! Principal Greene put a comforting hand on my shoulder as she focused her attention on her daughter. "Jasmine, I have just the task for you this morning. This is the new student, Angelique. Can you show her around and help her find her classes?" Jasmine's hazel eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. She grinned, revealing a set of perfectly aligned teeth. "Of course! Do you have her schedule?" "Yes, it's right here!" Principal Greene handed Jasmine my schedule, a crisp paper that held the roadmap to my academic journey at WinterCrest High. Her eyes darted across the paper, her lips moving slightly as she memorized the details. Jasmine's excitement bubbled over as she exclaimed, "Great! Let's get started!" Her infectious energy seemed to emanate from he
Majority of the seats were occupied, leaving me to settle into the nearest empty one. Almost immediately, I sensed eyes on me, accompanied by hushed whispers circulating throughout the room. "Is she crazy? Why is she sitting in his seat?" a girl muttered. "Someone hurry, get the new girl before she pisses him off," another person whispered. It seemed everyone was doing a poor job at keeping their voices down. I couldn't help but wonder about the mysterious "he" they were referring to. Unaware of any assigned seats, I decided to relocate to the unoccupied seat next to me, especially since everyone appeared strangely concerned. In a scene reminiscent of a teen drama, the atmosphere shifted as I rose from my seat. The door swung open, revealing a face both familiar and unfamiliar—the same guy from the picture in Principal Greene's office. Dressed in a snug grey T-shirt and dark denim jeans, he moved with a confidence that demanded attention. His arrival echoed like a silent p
"I've literally been here for like five minutes, so no, I haven't heard about how popular you are, Mr. Dante," I replied, trying to be irritated by his cockiness, but really, it was doing strange, wonderful things to my body. The coy smile remains on his face. "Damn, what a pity. I usually don't have to talk myself up." "Yeah, I'm sure I probably would've heard about how girls just start tearing their clothes off when you walk into a room, huh?" I teased, raising an eyebrow. I wonder if I'd be one of those girls. No. Stop. I'm not thirsty like that! He chuckled lightly. "You know, that really doesn't happen as often as you think it would." I feign a pout. "Aww, I'm sorry to hear that." By now, I'd completely ditched the classwork and my full attention was on him. It was a first for me, actually having a guy pay attention. I'm usually the quiet, nerdy girl who sits at the front of the class and doesn't make friends. So, his genuine interest piqued my curiosity. I coul
We walked all the way across campus to get to my study hall. I insisted that Jasmine head to her own class to avoid being late, yet deep down, I genuinely appreciated her walking alongside me. She marked the beginning of genuine friendship in this new environment, where it felt like everyone else kept their distance as if I had a contagious disease or something.After thanking her, I entered the classroom and chose a seat towards the back. With no homework to occupy my time, I found myself overthinking about various aspects of my life. I planned to interrogate my father when he picked me up from school; evidently, we had a lot to discuss. I was also terrified that I couldn't shake Dante from my thoughts. The emotions that lingered after he walked away left me with a sense of cold emptiness, a feeling that seemed irrational considering he was just a stranger I had one conversation with. I couldn't stop thinking about how soft his lips would be against mine. How it would feel to run my
Suddenly, I felt this strange pull. My gaze shifted towards the entrance of the cafeteria to see Dante and a group of tall, muscular guys walking in. His eyes once again immediately locked with mine, as if he, too, sensed the peculiar connection. Butterflies danced wildly in my stomach as I blushed and quickly looked away. Crossing my fingers underneath the table, I hoped they weren't headed in our direction.My breath caught in my throat as I watch all of them strolling across the room and settling down at our table. Dante positioned himself directly across from me. I subtly shifted in an unnatural position, intentionally avoiding eye contact with him, even though, if given the chance, I could have stared into his beautiful eyes all day. They reminded me of spring—a blend of fresh earth and leaves on a tree. "Hey Dante," Peach purred, her voice carrying a hint of seduction. Uncertain if it was my imagination, I observed the exchange.He doesn't even look in her direction. "Peach," he
Dante stared at me with intensity as he settled back into his seat. I averted my gaze, desperately hoping that Jasmine would dismiss the incident. The last thing I wanted was for her to assume I was hitting on her brother, especially not in front of her.Maybe it would help if he would stop staring at me like that! I exclaimed in my head.After a prolonged and awkward silence, Jasmine suddenly burst into giggles. "Bestie, be careful next time. You could've caught an STD or something.""Jasmine," he warned in a low voice, his tone stern.She put her hands up innocently, and Peach and Mya silently returned to their seats beside her. "Sorry, bro, I was just kidding," Jasmine apologized with a playful smile.I frowned. I recognized her jest, yet there was an underlying truth to it; she was hinting at the long list of girls he had been with. The idea of him desiring someone else and being in past relationships unexpectedly tugged at my heartstrings for some inexplicable reason.I shook my
Once we got to class, we sat at the same large, wooden table. My eyes remained glued to the clock as the bell rang, signaling the beginning of the class. Ms. James, the first teacher to ever make me introduce myself, called me to my feet. I awkwardly announced my name, giving a hesitant wave, desperately wishing to disappear off the face of the planet as everyone stared at me. Returning to my seat, I listened as she went over the details of the paper we were required to complete on our laptops.It was a pretty simple assignment, identifying lobes of the brain and their functions. I could easily finish it before I left for my special trip to the bathroom. Exactly twenty minutes later, I submitted my work, and with excitement coursing through me, I informed Ms. Jones that I needed to use the bathroom. Her peculiar look made me want to die of embarrassment again, especially when she advised me that next time, I could just go. Thankfully, no one seemed to hear or care about the awkward co