Chapter 1: The Rumor and The Nerd
The long scary night made me look ten times older. The dark circles under my eyes weren't something people would take lightly, it's like I'm a walking dead.
I took my concealer and applied a thick layer under my eyes and soothe it until it layered well with my skin tone, flushing some Chanel liquid satin above it to make it more natural.
This concealer routine has been my only cover for the past year here in Haverton High.
I have insomnia and only get three to four hours of sleep every night. You ask me why?
Being raised in a gang is nothing one would hope for. Everyday is a battle not to get shot, stabbed or worst... get physically abused by my own father. Every night I see myself longing for a better life but now I have it, I don't like it as well. It consumes me, the constant paranoia of getting caught scares the hell out of me.
The darkness of my large bedroom creeps me out in the middle of the night, thinking that maybe Sean would sneak in and choke me to death because of leaving him in Milan four years ago.
I did told Melise, my mom, about this but she told me that trauma takes time. She is a loving mother, taking me to a psychiatrist once a week for counseling - no one ever knew not even Julian, Melise's fiance.
Julian. It is a good thing that mom found a guy for herself, a good guy. A very good guy for that matter.
I give it to Julian that he is a pure gentleman and freaking rich too! When I say rich, I meant that he owns a quarter of Los Angeles' hotels and resorts - he is the CEO and owner of Stack Group of Companies.
Some might say this has been a bad move. Clinging to a rich bachelor isn't that difficult though. He never risked me and my mom seen by the paparazzi.
I never ask about him for the past year that he is dating my mother but I think he is a great step father. He even enrolled me to Haverton, the leading school in LA this year.
When my mother and I arrived in LA, we have nothing but some loots and money from Sean. Melise worked as a barista on a local cafe for three years which also sustained me for the first three years of high school.
There she met her fiance and everything went to place. Did I told you that I am no longer Margaux Bavaria?
Julian Stack also changed our names from Frances and Margaux Bavaria to Melise and Ellain Thomas.
I would give him credit to that, he is smart and our small lie led in having this luxurious life. A lie that contains my dad being murdered four years ago in the busy city of New York.
Melise likes Julian don't get me wrong, but some things just have to be kept hidden from other people - for their safety and for our short lived happiness.
I sighed at the long train of reminiscing and layered a thin amount of lipstick, covering my pale anemic lips.
There.
Turning around and closing my bathroom door, I heard Melise cried, "Ellain! Breakfast is ready!"
"Coming!" I responded back, slinging my backpack on to hop downstairs, not forgetting to tie my long blonde hair in a high neat ponytail.
I smelled the freshly cooked bacon and eggs making my stomach growl for nutrition. If somebody told me I would have this life four years ago, I would've laughed at their faces. Like literally, with a side snort of a pig in between chortles. But who would've thought?
"Hey how's school?" Melise asked cheerfully, as she cut small portions of her bacon.
I sat opposite her and shrugged, "No more bullies"
