SUNNYVALE

(1) NEW GIRL IN THE WEST

EXTERNAL POV

4 months before the massacre

The West area of Sunnyvale is known not only for its numerous drug deals, but also for the thugs that would wander the empty streets at night - an unconscious agreement between the thugs and the general population of this part of town took place decades ago, and while Westsiders are immune to any attacks, if an Eastsider dares to come to this area, then he or she will be beaten to death.

The ongoing mortal feud between West and East was caused by a very old legend, and continued to shape the town's politics and atmosphere. If the Eastside was and still is a source of wealth and power, where the most popular families would settle to live a perfect life, the Westside was kind of what was hiding behind the curtains: poverty, chaos and gangs were ruling the place, where lots of junkies were born and then eventually died. 

Either way, if Tierna Davidson was not aware of this radical separation, her arrival to Sunnyvale soon taught her how life there was. Once the Uber she's in passed the wealthy and pretty neighborhoods, she discovered dark, threatening alleys and, once the driver announced they arrived, she also saw the old buildings destroyed by time itself. 

Right by the building's vast entrance door was a ghost from Tierna's part: her half-sister, Tobin. 

"Fancy seeing you here, Davidson" the brunette exclaims, quite amused.

If Tierna's mother fled from Sunnyvale when she found out she was pregnant, it was only because Tobin's father beat her daily. Tobin's own mother died years before Tierna was born, so she had been left alone with her father all her life. 

The car crash that took Tierna's mother and her fiancé Pete occurred a week ago today, and somehow Tierna couldn't shake this feeling away: nausea with a load of apprehension. And Tobin's murderous eyes were just confirming her intuition: she wasn't welcome here.

Taking a deep breath, the younger girl declares: 

"Hi, Tobin, it's been a long time."

The oldest sister smirks, before helping Tierna carrying her luggage to the small room under the stairs that Tobin's father, Jeff, arranged for her - considering that Tobin's room wasn't much bigger, it was a real treat. 

Once her small bag put inside the room - where only a mattress and a few boxes were lying on the ground - Tierna turns to Tobin, before saying:

"Thanks."

She rolls her eyes at her half-sister, before declaring:

"I don't know what your mother told you about us, but whatever happens, you'll always be my sis', and you belong there - even if it takes some time, you'll see the beauty of this part of town."

"I have no doubt" Tierna concedes, honest.

Smirking, Tobin gives her a tap on the back.

"My friends know who you are, and they're gonna protect you, so if someone messes with you, just tell 'em your my sister."

"It's fine, I don't need protection" the younger girl says.

"Yes" Tobin says, visibly mocking her younger sibling. As Tierna's eyes become dark, she quickly adds: "Yes you do, trust me: some fucked up shit is happening in this god-forsaken town." 

"What do you mean ?"

"You'll see soon enough..."

She then leaves, and her father wouldn't be back until the evening. Therefore, after taking a few hours taking her stuff out of those boxes, Tierna has a choice to make: either she stays there and mourns her lost mother (which she still hasn't allowed herself to do), nor she gets the hell away from this empty house and try to find Westside's beauty.

For obvious reasons, she chooses the first option.

Locking the door behind her, only equipped with an oversized hoodie, holding her phone in hand, Tierna walks though the rather busy streets that haven't been renovated for decades. It was a normal Saturday, although she was surprised not to see any store in sight - only regular coffee shops and weed shops. After a moment, she sits down at an old table outside a charming coffee shop, and waits.

After quite some time, a girl few years older than Tierna comes forward, her batista clothes on, with a gay pins. Her hair were purple, which Tierna found quite announcing in a street like this.

The girl - Megan was written on her badge, therefore Tierna safely assumed it was the girl's name - seems to recognize her all at once.

"Shit" the girl called Megan lets out, smirking. Before Tierna can react, she quickly adds : "So Tobs didn't lie : her prodigal sister is back!"

Tierna nods.

"I'm not sure about the «prodigal» part, though" she lets out, slightly uneasy.

"Well, you and Tobs look exactly like each other, that's for sure! So, Prodigy, what are you doing here anyway?"

Deciding to openly ignore the nickname the barrista just came up with, the youngster declares:

"Well, I thought I'd walk around and see what's the dark West's like"

"You use sarcasm very well, I can see that" Megan mocks her, before adding : "You really are Tobin's sis. Come, I'll show you around like VIP get showed around here."

Without asking too many questions, Tierna follows the girl with purple hair to the inside of the coffee shop, where she immediately understands is some sort of meeting or gathering point for young people in Westside. Megan immediately walks toward Tobin and a few other girls - they are visibly the oldest here, as the rest of them seem to be years under them. Tierna remains standing at the entrance, and soon a long and deadly silence occurs.

All eyes are on her now, and suddenly a few girls had gotten up, hostile. Tobin gets up as well, and the girls next to her - a dark-haired Hispanic girl with flawless hair, a small but fiery Black girl with two buns on her head, as well as an agressive brunette and a tall blonde who seemed calmer than the rest of the group. Tierna soon comes to understand that those five girls were ruling Westside's high school or something of the sort.

Before any of them can get to Tierna, Tobin yells :

"Easy now!" and, as the attention shifts on her now, she lowers a voice a little bit, before explaining herself : "Everyone, meet Tierna, my lil' sister. She is untouchable, and undeniably one of us."

Quite immediately, the atmosphere coolens, and suddenly it was like Tierna had always been there in the first place : people treated her like if she belonged, or maybe as if she wasn't noticeable.

Tobin steps forward, before grabbing Tierna's arm and hisses:

"Careful, sis': those girls aren't joking around. What on Earth are you doing here? How did you find us?"

Tierna sets her arm free from Tobin's grip, angrily staring at her and responding :

"I just wanted to enjoy coffee on a terrasse, I didn't mean to interrupt wherever the hell is going on in here."

"In that case" Tobin sighs, smirking, "and since you're gonna be here a while, you might as well want to stay, sis'. Welcome to The Circle, aka the place where Westsiders high schoolers reunite. And you're just in time for the meeting."

Without asking anything, Tierna gets carried away to one table with unknown girls. She nonetheless sits down, confused.

A joking blonde stares at her, before announcing :

" Buckle up, new girl in the West, you're in for a wild ride."