The morning sun filtered through the blinds, casting a soft glow across my room as I stirred awake. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I sat up and stretched.
I got out of bed, the cool wooden floor soothing beneath my bare feet, and made my way to the closet. Pulling on an oversized jersey that hung loosely over some baggy jeans. I straightened my hair and applied a light touch of makeup to my features.
My phone lit up with a message
from Harper "Hey, I'm outside x"
As Harper and I walked together, I couldn't help but feel relieved that we were on foot instead of in a car with Amerie, Missy, and Sasha. Our usual routine of driving together had been disrupted, and it wasn't by choice. The tension between Amerie and us had reached a boiling point, and the last thing we wanted was to be stuck in a confined space with her. I could feel my phone vibrating in my pocket, the screen lighting up with notifications. I glanced down to see a barrage of messages from Amerie, each one more frantic than the last.
"She's blowing up your phone too?" Harper asked me
"Yep, are you going to respond?" I asked
"Fuck her, no" Harper said harshly
"I wish I could pull off a shaved head," I said trying to change the subject, rubbing Harper's newly shaved head.
"Stas, you would never shave your head" She laughed
"Hmm, maybe, If I was going through a 2007 Britney Spears meltdown," I said, thinking
"God, I love you," Harper said, playfully pushing me.
"Stas, I'm going to go to the old bathrooms, I'll meet you second period" She smiled
"Right, message me if you need anything," I said, smiling back
As I stepped onto the school grounds, my heart sank as I spotted Amerie waiting alongside Sasha and Missy. Despite the warmth of the morning sun, a chill ran down my spine at the sight of them.
"Hey Stassy, where's Harps?" Amerie chirped, her tone light and casual.
I felt a surge of anger and hurt rise within me at her nonchalant demeanour.
Ignoring her question, I tightened my grip on my backpack and walked past her without a word. The air between us crackled with unspoken tension, a silent barrier that seemed impossible to breach.
Before I could dwell on it further, Ant appeared beside me, his easy grin brightening the morning.
"Stas, you're looking better than the last time I saw you," he chuckled, pulling me into a warm hug.
I returned the embrace, feeling a surge of gratitude for his unwavering friendship. Dusty and Spider joined us, a comforting presence.
"Thanks for helping me out, I never really got to properly thank you," I said, sincerity lacing my words.
"Anytime, Stas," Spider replied, squeezing my shoulder gently.
We fell into easy conversation as we made our way to our first class, the morning sun casting long shadows across the courtyard.
But as we approached the main building, a sudden commotion drew our attention. A voice rang out, loud and excited.
"Oi, there's a fully gacked sex map in the old stairwell. It's called the incest map!"
The words hung in the air, a ripple of scandal and intrigue sweeping through the crowd. Without hesitation, we followed the commotion, curiosity getting the better of us.
