Don't Blame Me: Genius

FDOSY

~Hope Pov~
Six am, Monday Morning
First Day Of Senior Year

I groaned at the sound of my alarm blaring. I patted around for the stop button to turn it off. I let out a big sigh. I haven't been out of my room in twenty four hours. I've been too frightened to tell my mom the truth. Granted, she was going to find out anyway, I didn't have the guts. Today is the first day of school. I am nervous. I want to hide away. I don't know what's going to happen, who's going to happen, or when it's going to happen. However, this slick back ponytail won't pin itself up.

I pulled the covers off my morning corpse, and lugged myself to the bathroom. I brushed my teeth, washed my face and the rest of me. I threw on a new bra set, then turned to the mirror to pin up my hair. As I barbied my hair, I noticed the dark shadows under my eyes.

eat, no sleep, stress, repeat.

I dove into my makeup bag. It was the first day of school, a full face couldn't hurt. Eyebrows intact, concealer no creases, orgasmic blush, and fluttering lashes.
I step into my closet to look for something to wear.
I find a bright orange fringe crop top, I pair it with black parachute pants and white converse. I load on my jewelry and perfume before I gather my things.

"Okay, you got your bag, your phone, jacket if needed, lunch downstairs, and keys- fuck where are my ke-oh and keys. Okay let's go.," I said to myself. I felt like I was forgetting something, I couldn't put my finger on it.

My mom was waiting for me downstairs with my lunch...and so was Tess.

I stop at the bottom of the stairs. "What is this?," I ask, trying not to be rude.

"Tina is having a problem with her car this morning so Tess came to ask for a ride," my mom sipped her coffee.

I grabbed my lunch off of the counter. "Sure. See you later mom!," Tess followed me out of the house.
——
It was quiet in the car ride to school, I hadn't seen nor talked to Tess since I left her at the campfire. I felt her gaze upon me, she was trying to tell me something.

"What?," I huffed. Tess didn't answer, she looked around confused. "You need to say something, what is it?"
"I'm confused," she stated.
"Me too, because you've never done this so what's up,"
Tess sighed, "well I mean, after you left I walked home from the campfire. The sheriff stopped me on the sidewalk," I gasped, "Stop it right now!,"

"I wish I was kidding. We went down to the station and he called my mom. He said he got my name from someone, that I was involved in an act of violence.," Tess spoke softly. "I was in a holding cell until mom came and picked me up, which was about four in the morning.,"

I arrived at the school parking lot. I parked in my usual parking space, three spaces away from the courtyard, five spaces away from the front doors. We sat in the car for a little bit longer.

"Look. I think we put ourselves in a really bad situation here and to get out of it, we're going to have to stick together," Tess swiveled in the passenger seat to face me.

I propped my knee up on the steering wheel, "you want me to forgive and take you back at the same time Tess?,"

"No, I just mean, we shouldn't drift apart like we did last time," she claimed. Tess caught my twiddling thumbs and the bite of my lip. "What are you thinking,"

I looked up to meet her eyes.
"I don't know," I lied. "Come on, we should go."

I knew that if someone gave Tess name, they also gave mine. I knew looking at Tess, she wanted a cover story but I couldn't lie, I wasn't going to.
——
Eight am
I shook away last year's trauma that ran through my head as I heard the lockers slam. Tess and I compared our class schedules together. I looked down at mine: