SUNNYVALE

(8) THE FEMALE PABLO ESCOBAR

Tierna shakes her head, beyond angry and disappointed: after all, she had been warned by her sister and everybody else in the Western part of town that Eastsiders were entitled and privileged pieces of crap, but little did she know the length of injustice that was striking at the heart of Sunnyvale. 

As her sister and more or less three quarters of the school's seniors were in detention - while, on the other hand, Eastsiders like Shelina Zadorsky or Caitlin Foord were following their classes - the younger girl felt her anger grow inside of her more and more quickly, until something even more upsetting occurred:

A handful of Eastsiders walk into the classroom where Tierna and Emily were sitting, welcomed by the professor in a rather warm manner. 

"Good morning everyone!" the teacher exclaims, establishing a deadly silence. As the newcomers were feeling the coldness emanating from their new classmates, he announces: "Despite the obvious reluctance of the students of this school to welcome young people like them who are undergoing a horrifying tragedy within their community, you must know that they are here to stay: the police won't allow them to study where a murder was committed. So, here are the new students that will join your class: Abigail Dahlkemper, Rose Lavelle, Leah Williamson, ..."

But Tierna wasn't listening anymore. 

As soon as she catches eyes with the blonde with greenish-eyed girl, Tierna feels a deeply rooted hatred within her chest and entire body: somehow, she knew that this girl would only be trouble, and was less harmless than anyone seemed to think. Indeed, something inside her eyes when she looks straight at Tierna rings the alarm: somehow, the brunette knows her bad feeling isn't a coincidence. 

There is something deeply rotten behind Abby Dahlkemper's perfectly-shaped face and almond eyes: something evil. 

When the teacher is done with his not-at-all-convincing speech, he orders the newbies to sit down next to someone they don't know, and to his regular students to make way and space for them - according to him, it 'simplified' communication between students, although everybody in this room knew that nothing will be simplified. 

The first hour goes rather fast: Emily already made ten jokes about Eastsiders, and she even got expelled from class by the teacher. When Tierna joins her afterwards, the two friends are laughing out loud.

"Have you seen their faces?" Emily asks, in between two loud laughters. As Tierna smirks, she adds: "Bro, the look on Lavelle's face when I made the joke about the bulldogs..."

"Yah" Tierna says, out of breath, "she certainly did not like that one."

As the two friends laugh, a sudden wave of fear goes through the busy halls of Westside High. As Tierna looks around, confused, Emily hits her with her elbow in order to make her look the right way.

If Tierna had learnt anything from her time here in Sunnyvale, it is that, even in the Westside, some people rise above everyone else not because of their money, but because of their influence. Therefore, although Becky might be the most influential person in Westside High School, she wasn't the Big Boss of Westside : rather, the daughter of a Spanish drug lord that has established here in Sunnyvale and in every inch of this state was Westside's Big Boss, although she only was 18. 

The tattoo on her neck, as well as her gang's symbol on her wrist, were only two signs among millions that would make her the only person in Westside you shouldn't fight against. The very deranging yet charismatic persona of María Pilar León Cebrián, otherwise known as Mapi León, lived above all rules here in Sunnyvale: policemen couldn't reach her, other drug quarrels would run away from her and the legacy she symbolises, and Westsiders feared and respected her. Hell, she was not even bothered by the school, which she attends every now and then - including today. 

When Mapi León walks past the group of student that just moves away against the lockers in order to leave her some room, she doesn't even look at people - she just passes like a shadow, all alone, as always. 

Once she is gone, Emily turns to Tierna, commenting:

"Woah, imagine being as cool as this chick."

Tierna nods, but her attention is taken away by Abby Dahlkemper, who once again sends her a murderous look before disappearing at the end of the corridor, followed by her group of friends. Emily notices her friend's confusion, but doesn't ask anything.

***

Christen's eyes go wide.

Not only her friend Kelley was trying to recruit picture-perfect Julie Johnston to contribute in her new drug idea ; not only some of her best friends were held in detention because of those filthy Eastsiders ; not only has it been a stressful week for Christen and her family because of the store - on top of all that, her poor life choices were hitting her right in the face. 

"Hello, Christen Press."

She did not have to turn around to figure out the identity of the person standing right behind her: as usual, her stomach would feel weird, as she would fight any impression she has when around this person. 

Setting her jaw, the dark-haired turns around slowly, before faking a smile and saying, tensing up quite a bit:

"Hi, María"

Obviously, only pronouncing the blonde's name was enough for Christen to loose her ability to think clearly.

If it hadn't been for that one night they spent together by accident a few weeks ago ; if it hadn't been for that weird and somehow reciprocal natural attraction between the two girls ; if it hadn't been for María being a very dangerous individual... - if it hadn't been for those two in particular, things could've turned out just fine.

But María's family were threatening every other drug dealers - aka Kelley and Crystal - and killing them one by one if they dared to stand up against them - and they were not known for their ability to feel anything else than cruelty. 

Her breath being slowly taken away from her, Christen just stands very still, biting her lips when María walks right behind her, before whispering:

"You look superb."

With that said, she vanishes, as Christen turns around one final time, feeling her head getting dizzy. 

She shakes her head: what the hell is going on with me?