across it, which I still didn’t understand the meaning of.
Even though no one told me directly, I’d overheard the adults—namely, my own parents—talking about how Amanda’s father died violently and her mother was an addict. Her parental situation must have been bad if her most lucrative alternative was staying with her eccentric Grandma Mimi.
We didn’t have much in common but somehow, we hit it off right from the start. She introduced me to some new styles of music and I helped her paint her nails for the first time. She even let me try some peach schnapps, which was my first drink of alcohol, although I’d never tell her that. We rode bikes, took walks, and talked about boys all summer long. Honestly, it was one of the best summers of my life. Amanda was witty, confident, and all around fun, and I was glad to have her at Harrow High with me this year.
“Sydney, this is Amanda Loxx, my new neighbor. Amanda, this is the best friend I always talk about, Sydney Hargreaves.” They smiled and nodded at each other, but I could sense a small aura of jealousy emanating from both of them. I scooted over on the bench seat, making more room for Amanda.
Several classmates were looking our way, undoubtedly checking out the new girl. I wasn’t surprised to see Genevieve and Mariella glaring at us too, but I was a little caught off guard by the furious expression on Genevieve’s face as she mean mugged Amanda. I was used to them hating me, but I wasn’t quite sure what their vendetta was against Amanda. It didn’t take long to figure it out.
“I thought I was her only enemy. Guess I was wrong.” I smiled sheepishly at my new neighbor and friend. “Why is she looking at you like that?”
Genevieve narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips evilly, burning holes into Amanda with her liquid-green eyes.
Amanda shrugged. “Oh yeah, that. Well, you know how I wasn’t on the bus this morning?” I was used to riding the bus alone in the mornings, so I’d completely forgotten all about not seeing her at the bus stop. I nodded.
“Grandma Mimi sleeps ’til noon every day and I forgot to set an alarm. So, I overslept,” she explained, shrugging some more. “I decided to walk because…well, everyone knows that Grandma Mimi doesn’t leave the house, and she sure as shit doesn’t drive.”
“You walked all the way to school this morning?” I asked incredulously. We were only six miles from Harrow High, but that was quite a long commute traveling by foot.
“That’s the thing…I didn’t have to walk. Some older boy picked me up a few blocks from our street. He was super cute and nice, and when he pulled up to drop me off, I rewarded him with a kiss on the cheek,” Amanda admitted, blushing slightly at the memory of it.
“Yeah, so? What does that have to do with Genevieve? Get to the point,” Sydney demanded. I shot Sydney a hateful look. “Sorry,” Sydney murmured under her breath.
“It turns out his girlfriend was waiting out front for him, and she saw that he’d given me a lift, and…she also saw the kiss,” Amanda explained. “How was I supposed to know he had a girlfriend?”
I knew where this conversation was headed. “Let me guess. The guy you kissed…it was Genevieve’s boyfriend, Ronnie, right?” I asked, flatly.
“Yeah, Ronnie. That’s his name!” Amanda exclaimed, cheerfully dipping her spoon into a small pudding cup. She filled her mouth with chocolate, then flashed me a silly black-toothed smile.
I rolled my eyes. Yesterday I liked her…ten minutes ago, I liked her. But at the moment? Not so much.
Sydney shot me a knowing glance. The last thing I needed was another girl flirting with Ronnie, the crusher of my heart and asshole of the century.
“Oh yeah, I almost forgot!” Amanda chimed in, interrupting my hateful thoughts. With her painted black nails—the nails I painted for her when I still liked her—she slid a pink and purple flier across the table. I stared at it.
“Do
Even though no one told me directly, I’d overheard the adults—namely, my own parents—talking about how Amanda’s father died violently and her mother was an addict. Her parental situation must have been bad if her most lucrative alternative was staying with her eccentric Grandma Mimi.
We didn’t have much in common but somehow, we hit it off right from the start. She introduced me to some new styles of music and I helped her paint her nails for the first time. She even let me try some peach schnapps, which was my first drink of alcohol, although I’d never tell her that. We rode bikes, took walks, and talked about boys all summer long. Honestly, it was one of the best summers of my life. Amanda was witty, confident, and all around fun, and I was glad to have her at Harrow High with me this year.
“Sydney, this is Amanda Loxx, my new neighbor. Amanda, this is the best friend I always talk about, Sydney Hargreaves.” They smiled and nodded at each other, but I could sense a small aura of jealousy emanating from both of them. I scooted over on the bench seat, making more room for Amanda.
Several classmates were looking our way, undoubtedly checking out the new girl. I wasn’t surprised to see Genevieve and Mariella glaring at us too, but I was a little caught off guard by the furious expression on Genevieve’s face as she mean mugged Amanda. I was used to them hating me, but I wasn’t quite sure what their vendetta was against Amanda. It didn’t take long to figure it out.
“I thought I was her only enemy. Guess I was wrong.” I smiled sheepishly at my new neighbor and friend. “Why is she looking at you like that?”
Genevieve narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips evilly, burning holes into Amanda with her liquid-green eyes.
Amanda shrugged. “Oh yeah, that. Well, you know how I wasn’t on the bus this morning?” I was used to riding the bus alone in the mornings, so I’d completely forgotten all about not seeing her at the bus stop. I nodded.
“Grandma Mimi sleeps ’til noon every day and I forgot to set an alarm. So, I overslept,” she explained, shrugging some more. “I decided to walk because…well, everyone knows that Grandma Mimi doesn’t leave the house, and she sure as shit doesn’t drive.”
“You walked all the way to school this morning?” I asked incredulously. We were only six miles from Harrow High, but that was quite a long commute traveling by foot.
“That’s the thing…I didn’t have to walk. Some older boy picked me up a few blocks from our street. He was super cute and nice, and when he pulled up to drop me off, I rewarded him with a kiss on the cheek,” Amanda admitted, blushing slightly at the memory of it.
“Yeah, so? What does that have to do with Genevieve? Get to the point,” Sydney demanded. I shot Sydney a hateful look. “Sorry,” Sydney murmured under her breath.
“It turns out his girlfriend was waiting out front for him, and she saw that he’d given me a lift, and…she also saw the kiss,” Amanda explained. “How was I supposed to know he had a girlfriend?”
I knew where this conversation was headed. “Let me guess. The guy you kissed…it was Genevieve’s boyfriend, Ronnie, right?” I asked, flatly.
“Yeah, Ronnie. That’s his name!” Amanda exclaimed, cheerfully dipping her spoon into a small pudding cup. She filled her mouth with chocolate, then flashed me a silly black-toothed smile.
I rolled my eyes. Yesterday I liked her…ten minutes ago, I liked her. But at the moment? Not so much.
Sydney shot me a knowing glance. The last thing I needed was another girl flirting with Ronnie, the crusher of my heart and asshole of the century.
“Oh yeah, I almost forgot!” Amanda chimed in, interrupting my hateful thoughts. With her painted black nails—the nails I painted for her when I still liked her—she slid a pink and purple flier across the table. I stared at it.
“Do
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