Billie pov “No,” I said. Ann threw a hard glance at me, and I smiled. She shook her head, disappointed. The new boy looked confused for a moment, and then he smiled at me as if he understood my intention. It seemed like he was smiling at me. I hid my eyes and faced my parents and Mr. Rogers. And The memory earlier came playing in my Head. I raced out of the room where I had been earlier with John. My heart felt like it was shattering into a thousand pieces. I knew it was a lie; it wasn’t a prank. John was lying, and I could see it. But I didn’t know what to think. Why is my life such a mess? I can’t tolerate it anymore. How could MN be someone who knew John? I thought it was a prank, a bet. I dashed into one of the toilets and broke down. I hadn’t cried like this before. I didn’t know what to do now; I just needed some time alone. My life had always been difficult, and just when I started to have hope with M.N., I was thrown back again. Of course, how could someone like me be l
Billie pov I lay on my bed, unable to sleep after everything that had happened. A slow smile crept across my face as I remembered our drive home. The drive with Nate and Ann was something I hadn’t expected from the new guy. He seemed genuinely kind and, of course, jovial. He had volunteered to drive us home and borrowed his brother's car, who had come to visit him. Nate had been ranting non-stop for what felt like an hour, which put Ann on edge. She hated how he was trying to be nice, even though she resented him; after all, she had been in the same position as him. But after he saved me from Blake, she had formed a good impression of him. “Hey, girls, aren’t you some item?” he joked as he turned onto the bumpy road. Ann smirked. I hardly ever saw her smirk, but I noticed it now as she shot an angry look at Nate. “What do you mean by 'an item'?” she asked, her voice sharper than usual. “I mean, you act like her sister even though you’re not, while her sister acts like her rival.
Blake POV I strode back into the corridor, Mom and Dad behind me as they spoke to Mr. Rogers. Billie had left with her friend and the new boy. I couldn't stop wondering what she had done. How could she still defend me after I had done something horrible to her? The look on her face was one I had never seen before; she didn’t feel like the Billie I knew. She always acted weak and would seek help from anyone willing to offer it. What was she doing? I thought. She seemed like a different person, brave even. I hated the expression she had. How could she act so good after what happened? I always wanted her to be afraid of me. I wanted her to keep her distance because I didn’t want anyone to know she was my sister—my twin. It was embarrassing and depressing. I knew it hadn’t always been like this when we were kids. “The castle is almost finished!” small, chubby Billie chuckled as she molded the sandcastle with her delicate hands. I had to admit she was always good at art, while I was bus
Billie POV I slowly got up from bed as the alarm went off, ringing loudly enough to almost burst my eardrums. I reached out and pressed the button to silence it. I leaped out of bed and headed straight to the bathroom for my early morning visit. After a few minutes, I came out only to hear something that nearly made me want to throw up. “Oh God, Ann, what are you doing here so early?” Mom's voice echoed from downstairs. My ears pricked up. I must be dreaming, I thought. “I came to pick Billie up for school. Since we have a project to work on today, I had to get her early,” Ann's cooing voice was instantly recognizable. What the hell is she doing here? I couldn't believe it. She had come to pick me up? The last time I checked, I didn't have any project with her. It was a blatant lie. Why was she here? I needed to find out. Mom's voice sounded again, and then I heard the front door creak open and close. I knew Ann had entered and that Mom was busy giving her directions to my room.
Billie POV "You have to look really good, Billie," Ann said as she tried on various outfits for me. I sat by the mirror, watching her select the clothes I was supposed to wear for my date. It was she who had made me wear that strange dress that caught everyone's attention. While I was cornered by John, Nate came to my rescue, but then he also went a bit crazy and asked me out on a date. I couldn’t believe it. How could I go on a date with the most handsome boy in our year? I felt a mix of emotions—half happy, half amazed, and also half sad. I knew I’d been on the girls' red list since the beginning, and now it seemed they had a real reason to disturb my peace. "I think this one suits you," Ann said, pulling me back from my thoughts as she held up a long pink dress with short sleeves. I recognized it right away; she had bought it for me the day we went shopping together. I shot her a concerned look, trying to make her feel guilty. "Ann, don't forget that you were against this date
Nate POV "And who is the girl for you to defend?" The tall, grumpy man with big black eyes seemed important—he was one of the few customers who usually patronized my aunt. Despite his significance, he was very rude to Billie, calling her names when she was already disliked by others. I had no choice but to stand up to him, and now he was questioning my connection to her. His arrogance was evident; he was proud of his status. I could boast about my father being the heir to one of the most profitable businesses in New York before his demise, but I wasn't raised that way. I despised the idea of acting tough, especially not in front of Billie. “She is my…” I noticed the entire room freeze at my confession, even Alice seemed interested. “She is my friend,” I said, locking eyes with the man. “Close friend.” His expression brightened for a moment. “Close friend, you say?” I nodded, knowing I had to tread carefully; I couldn't afford to offend my aunt's VIP customer. I invited her
Billie pov I tried to calm myself down as we drove home, staying silent the entire time. Even Nate seemed tense; he knew something had happened, but I wasn't in the mood to fill him in on what Alice had said. Honestly, I didn't care whether she liked him or not, but she shouldn’t have overstepped her bounds. I didn't have any feelings for Nate, and I wasn't sure I ever would. Just because he had been a nice guy and friendly with me for a few days didn't mean anything significant. It felt like he was after something, and I didn’t think I had whatever it was. I looked at myself. If he wanted a girl to hook up with, he could have gone for someone attractive like Alice. So why come to me? I couldn't stop wondering what his mission was, and why he was trying so hard to befriend me. He knew I was overweight, yet he still chose to hang out with me and defended me when someone insulted me. I knew he was nice and a good person, and I could see he was a better guy than John. John was crazy
Billie POV Traveling to Grandma's place kept me under control. It was a holiday I thought would never happen. I found out that I was the only one Grandma had invited; she left Blake out of it. I know everyone is aware that Grandma has the least spot for Blake. She always says he takes after Daddy, especially when she first met him years ago the day he came home with my mom. He was arrogant and always looked down on people, though I hadn't seen Dad act that way myself. However, he usually sides with Blake whenever we fight, and I can't be shocked because Blake is his favorite, and looks like him. I knew I had to be gone for Christmas, but I couldn't stop thinking about leaving Ann alone, even though she said her parents would come to spend the holiday at her aunt's place. Still, she ranted about my trip to Grandma's when I told her. "It's just for a few weeks," I said. But she insisted on going with me, even though her parents were coming too. I had to turn her down. I needed to go
Billie POV As I stood there, I could already feel the sweat forming on my brow, and the tall man walking towards me only intensified my discomfort. He was handsome with perfectly defined muscles, a slight mustache, and tousled hair. His physique reminded me of Nate's, but Nate was undeniably more attractive.The man wore a long leather jacket and black trousers, and his smile was striking, giving him a model-like appearance. I couldn't help but wonder, Who is this man? When he reached me, he asked, “Are you looking for someone?” His voice was deep and directed at me with an assertive tone. Though I didn’t know him, being lost in the middle of nowhere and the midst of a race, I felt I had no choice but to respond. Perhaps he could help me find the person I was looking for.“Yeah, have you seen a girl who looks like me, but…” I gestured with my hand to indicate my size for him to see. His eyes widened as if he hadn’t noticed my weight before. Then he smirked. “Much larger than you, ri
Billie POV The next few days were awful. I had to stick to a strict diet, training, and exercise regimen. I had never pushed myself like this before, but I knew that I would eventually start seeing results. However, the other contestants were making it difficult for me. They hurled insults that were much more painful than the names I had been called at home. Thankfully, Betty was the only one by my side. She stayed quiet whenever I was attacked, but she stuck by me whenever I was being bullied. I couldn't blame her; she was scared and had faced many challenges like mine, but she hadn't overcome them yet. As for me, I still had my battles to fight, and it took me some time to start making progress.Savannah, our instructor, was kind and beautiful, but she also had her backstory, just like the rest of us. She was once chubby like us, and after undergoing this training, she chose to become a teacher and help others. I didn't think I would follow the same path, especially since Savannah
Betty POV The moment she got thrown on the floor, I couldn't take it anymore. Of course, I had heard about her, but over the last few days that she had been here, I had gotten to know her. She was mistreated and tossed aside, just like I had been, like all of us here who were bullied by our peers because of our weight. I had been through hell and back; my friends abandoned me, my best friend did too, and even our neighbors stopped talking to me. I felt all alone.Before the break, I didn't even go to school; I was used to sitting at home. My mom tried to convince me to speak with the teachers about the bullying I faced from my classmates, but I stopped her. I didn’t want that because I knew it would only double the bullying. My mom didn’t understand me; no one in my family did, except for Grandma McCarthy. She was the only one who truly got it. She told me that her grandchildren were also like me. Though they were twins, one was the epitome of beauty while the other was the big, fat,
Billie POV I gulped down my toast and drank my coffee. The rich aroma hit me like it was brand new. This was the most delicious coffee I had tasted in a while. It had been two days since I arrived in Miami, and I could honestly say everything was going well. The view from my grandmother's porch was beautiful, and the atmosphere was vibrant. For once, I understood how it felt when someone decided to change their environment. Perhaps this was what my mom was afraid of—me not coming back home. But I still had unfinished business back home. I mean, unfinished business—only I understood, and I carried that weight in my stomach. It was going to be tough.In the past two days, I had tried calling Ann, but my calls wouldn’t go through. I kept getting her voicemail, and it seemed she wasn't checking it. I wondered what had happened. It was strange; I felt like I must have done something wrong, or maybe she lost her phone. But I couldn't think of anything I had done. Maybe she was just busy, I
Billie POV Days passed quickly, and before I knew it, I was on my way to Miami. As I stepped off the plane and into Miami International Airport, the humid air enveloped me like a warm hug. The sounds of salsa music and lively chatter filled my ears, a stark contrast to the quiet, small-town life I was used to. Back home, the airport is a tiny terminal with a handful of gates and a view of cornfields. Miami's airport, on the other hand, is a bustling hub with sleek glass walls, tropical plants, and people from all walks of life rushing to their next destinations. The vibrant atmosphere was infectious, and I felt a thrill of excitement as I navigated through the crowded concourse. Everything about this place exuded energy and excitement—so different from my quiet rural town.We took a cab to Lane, where Grandma lives. It had been years since I had visited, and I couldn't remember much, but I could say Miami was the biggest city I had ever been to. Unlike my small town, Miami had tall s
Ann POV “Did you tell her?” Her voice echoed from the other end of the room. I shook my head. “No, I think she's too caught up in her plans to go to Miami,” I replied, shooting a look at the blonde girl.“Why did you have to approach her? You caused all this,” I added.“What, caused?” Valentine laughed. “That I warned her about the threats surrounding her?”“This was none of your concern. And what about him? Why does he care for her as if she owes him something? Or is she just bait? You think I don't know what he’s planning?” I growled at her, but she merely chuckled.“Oh, you see, Mrs. Ann, or whatever you call yourself, Billie needs help, and that’s what I provided—help. I also prepared a place for her. Do you like that she was threatened by her friends and drugged at the party? Do you like that?” I flinched at the mention of being drugged. She knew exactly what would rile me up or make me go silent, but I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.“She is my friend. Stay away from her.
Billie POV “What?” The trail of Anna’s hair hung down her neck. “You are traveling with your grandma?” I nodded. She was just processing the information, so I could see she was shocked. I wasn’t surprised, but it was sudden for me, and I hadn’t had time to tell her last night since she was with me at the hospital, and I could bet she was tired. When I finally told her, she was both shocked and happy. “As happy as I am, I’m also sad,” she said. “It’s going to be boring without you.” I understood. I would also miss her; I’d be gone for three months. I was wondering how I would cope without her. Truthfully, Anna had always kept me company since the time I met her; she was a good friend, and I could count on her. I wanted to tell her about MN and Valentine. I didn’t want to hide anything from her—she was the only one on my side. She really knew me. So, I decided to share. “Look, Anna, I have to tell you something.” I said, and she turned to face me with a serious look, studying m
Billie POV That was it, I thought as I lay on my bed, playing with my phone. I could tell Mom was disappointed; from the way she looked and sounded, it was clear she was sad about me leaving. I never knew she had this emotional side to her. She had always been distant, but unlike my dad, she paid little attention to me. Still, that didn’t erase the past. Blake was always the favorite. Anyway, that was behind me; it had been last night since the conversation with Mom and Grandma, and I could tell they hadn’t discussed it further.Grandma was given the guest room downstairs, where she always preferred to stay, complaining about having to go up and down the house. She hated exercise. They had finally given her approval—not that she needed it anyway—to take me away.So, it was just a day before I was set to spend the holiday with Grandma in Miami, and I don’t know why, but I could feel excitement stirring inside me. It was the kind of feeling I hadn’t experienced in a long time.Ann was
Billie POV I slowly turned over in my bed as the night dragged on. The memories of the previous evening flooded my mind, especially Grandma's sudden appearance. She was never one to show up somewhere without a reason, and her visit this time was because of MN. Although I thought I had lost contact with him, it seemed he had been messaging my grandma. The chat I had seen indicated they had been in touch for a while, but I didn’t know much beyond that. It appeared he had been keeping tabs on everything I did and was aware of what was happening in my life. However, I didn’t feel anyone suspicious around me or that I was being monitored. Everyone around me just went about their daily routine of bullying me, and Ann being who she was, so how could it be so easy for someone to pry into my life and know about the incident from yesterday? He even knew about that.I sighed as I tried to recall all the new faces I had seen, but there were none. I was the only one who brought Kane with me as my