THE PRINCESS AND THE SLUT ❇ RUBY MATTHEWS

chapter one

Carter rolled over expecting to clash with another body but was met with the empty bed. With a sigh the girl sat up and checked her phone, no texts or calls. But there were countless DMs and tags coming through her Instagram.

She knew what it meant. It wasn't even close to the first time it happened. That didn't the it still didn't hurt to see something else posted of her. At least this time her face wasn't in it. Of course everyone knew, her fucking boyfriend was the one posted it. But at least she could pretend to have some dignity left.

Tears formed in the girls eyes but she quickly blinked them away. She couldn't let it effect her. She thought he was one of the nice ones, though the nice ones don't usually stay so nice. But she hoped, she always hoped.

"Carter!" Her mind snapped from her thoughts. A smiled replaced the frown at the sound of her best friends voice. "Coming." She checked herself over once more before going downstairs.

The girl rolled her eyes when she saw her mother talking to him. "Mom, stop." Carter said walking into her living room. Her mm looked over to her. "Thomas loves talking to me." She said. "Of course I do Ms. Davies." The boy said with a sweet smile. "It's Jan, Tommy." She slurred sternly. "Sorry, Jan."

"And don't get snappy with me young lady. Just because your boyfriend left before you got up doesn't excuse your behavior." Jan told her daughter. Carter felt a lump form in her throat at the words. "Tommy we're leaving now." Carter said ignoring her mom.

Carter grabbed the boys arm and dragged him out to her car. "So, Josh left, everything okay?" Thomas asked as the girl lit a cigarette. "The same as always." She said shortly.

Thomas frowned at the girl. He grew up with her, they'd been neighbors their whole lives. He's seen this cycle more times than he should've. They never spoke of it. He knew she was embarrassed. But she shouldn't have been, it wasn't her fault. She deserved so much better then what she got. She deserved someone good, like him. 

"You know we can talk-" He started but Carter quickly cut him off. "There's nothing to talk about." He noticed the crack in her voice but stayed silent the rest of the ride to school. 

Carter stomped out her cigarette as she got out of the car. "I'll see you at lunch yeah?" She asked Thomas, hoping he wasn't upset with her. "Always." He said heading towards the science wing of the building. She went the opposite direction, towards the gyms where she knew Josh would be.

It was obvious the relationship was over, but she needed to hear it from him. "Josh." She called out quietly when she spotted the boy. He sent a glance to his friends before walking to her.

"Carter, hey." He said awkwardly. "Hey." She smiled but he didn't return it. "Look, things aren't working out." He said quickly, wanting to get the conversation over with. "I kinda guessed, I just wanted to hear it I guess." She said with a shrug. "I'm really sorry about the video" He fake apologized. 

Before she could say anything else his friends ran up to his sides. "Davies." Ryan smirked. "Ryan." She looked over to him. "I think our boy is done with you now." She scoffed lightly. "Screw you."

"I bet you would, nice video by the way." He called as the girl walked away. The boys all laughed beside one, Jackson Marchetti, who spared her a weak smile.

Carter made her way to class trying to ignore all the looks and whispers sent her way. She stopped at her locker to grab a book. "Surprised she showed up, this one was bad." Olivia said looking at the blonde. "Well her face wasn't in it technically." Anwar countered. "She's a slut, nothing more." Ruby scoffed. "She's not worth our time." 

"Why don't you mind your own fucking business." Maeve snapped as she approached her friend. Carter groaned, she was trying to be as unnoticed as possible. But this wasn't helping. "Well, The Cock Biter and The Slut, hand in hand. What a duo." Ruby taunted as the four walked past.

Aimee sent an apologetic smile to her two secret best friends and moved an 'I'm sorry'.  Carter sent back a smile with a small shrug.

"I appreciate it Maeve, but was it necessary?" Carter asked the girl. "Everyones staring already babe, you gotta own it." Maeve said squeezing her side. "I'm not exactly proud of it." The shorter girl sighed. "They don't know that but if you let them think its gives them more power."

"Thank you for the wise words Maeve." Carter laughed, for the first time that day. "Anytime Carter." The pair made there way into the auditorium. 

Students cringed as the squeaky sound of a french horn filled the air, Eric attempted to play the school song. "Thank you Eric for a beautiful rendition of the school anthem." Mr. Groff said as laughs filled the crowd. Eric rushed away from the stage with awkward smile.

"Just a few things to get us started. The toilet block behind the gymnasium is is full of asbestos so, please keep out." Mr. Groff announced. Carter, Maeve, and Aimee all shared a look, silently deciding it would be their new spot. 

Carter rolled her eyes as the headmaster went on. "God this is the worst." She muttered. "Tell me about it." Maeve sighed back to the girl. 

"Let me introduce our brand-new head boy." Carter looked over to her friend with a smirk. "Jackson Marchetti." Maeve glared at her friend. 

"I don't want to hear it Carter." Maeve said sternly as the pair left the auditorium. "I wasn't gonna say anything." The blonde chuckled. 

Maeve went to respond but before she could someone went crashing into the pair. "Are you a complete moron?" The pink hair girl shouted at the same time her friend asked if the boy was okay.

"No I'm not." He told Maeve. "And thank you, I'm alright." He said turning to the blonde, his eyes going wide for second when he saw who it was. "That was a rhetorical question." Mave said annoyed as he scrambled to grab their stuff from the ground. "Here."

Carter smiled at the boy taking her notebook but Maeve glared. "Don't touch my shit." She spit out. "Just trying to help." He said defensively.

"Don't." She said shortly. All of their heads turned at voice of Jackson Marchetti. Carter froze slightly when she saw Josh at his side. "I'll see you in class." She said leaving the scene as quick as she could.

The blonde sat in the back of her English class trying to slow her breathing. She was trying to act like nothing happened, but it was hard. She really liked Josh.