𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐠𝐨, 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫

𝟏: 𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐫?

"What the fuck,"

Today did not begin like Elizabeth Young had hoped. As she readied herself for her first day of junior year, she walked down the stairs only to discover her stepmother, Kassidy, had taken with her car, without her permission.

Kassidy harbored an unspoken resentment toward Elizabeth. At first, Elizabeth assumed it was a general dislike for children, but observing Kassidy's nurturing demeanor towards other children debunked that thought.

"Now, don't go getting all upset. She had to run to the store to get some food," Elizabeth's father, Jeremey, attempted to calm her.

"And she just had to take my car? She has her own," Elizabeth retorted. "It wouldn't start," Jeremey explained, but Elizabeth just scoffed and rolled her eyes.

Jeremey's defense of Kassidy wasn't surprising; he seemed firmly captured in her charm since their marriage. It often felt as though Kassidy held some sort of power over him, leaving Elizabeth longing for her late mother.

"Whatever, I'll just get a ride with Grace," Elizabeth declared, sitting on the couch. With a sigh, she texted her best friend. Elizabeth and Grace had been inseparable since they met in middle school art class. After explaining her morning situation, Grace agreed to give her a ride.

Elizabeth made her way to the kitchen for a snack. "You know, maybe if you were a bit nicer to Kassidy, she would've offered you a ride," Jeremy remarked as Elizabeth grabbed a breakfast bar. She shot him a skeptical look. "In my car? Right," she scoffed.

"It's been years, Lizzie. You need to learn to accept the fact that she's your stepmother," Jeremy insisted.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. She couldn't imagine what her father saw in Kassidy. She was mean-spirited, narcissistic, a master of gaslighting, and more. Nearly everyone in Silver Falls knew Kassidy, and none had anything nice to say about her. So why was her dad the only one blind to her true nature?

A beep from outside interrupted her thoughts. "Grace is here," Elizabeth announced, grabbing her bag and heading towards the front door. "Lizzie!" her dad called out, causing her to pause. "I love you," he said. With a sigh, she opened the door. "I love you too," she replied, walking out of the house.

She approached Grace's car and slid into the passenger seat. "Thanks again," she said gratefully. Grace flashed a smile. "Of course. So, what's Lady Tremaine done now?" she asked. Ever since their first dinner together, Grace had dubbed Kassidy with that nickname and Elizabeth found it hilarious. "Took my car," Elizabeth sighed, and Grace merged onto the road. "Why?" Grace asked.

"Because she thinks she can do whatever she wants, knowing Dad will let her get away with it," Elizabeth explained. "She has a perfectly functional car. Why not use hers?" Grace asked. "Because she enjoys antagonizing me. It's like her life's mission to make me miserable," Elizabeth lamented.

"Well, after this year, it's just one more year of high school, then off to college," Grace reminded her. "Hopefully. I'm still unsure about getting into NYU," Elizabeth confessed. "Oh, come on. With your grades and GPA, they'd be crazy not to accept you," Grace reassured her.

Elizabeth sighed, gazing out the window. All her life, she had one dream: to become a fashion designer. The allure of New York City, the birthplace of American fashion, drew her to NYU.

She just had to give it her all to secure acceptance. As much as she cherished Silver Falls and her friends, NYU was her ticket out of this town.

___

As Elizabeth closed her locker, she made her way to her first class of the day, History. As she entered the classroom, a familiar face caught her eye. He was buried behind a book, causing her to walk over and gently lower it, revealing his face.