𝑩𝒊𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝑶𝒇 𝑨 𝑭𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓

Chapter 1

"Nala is scratching me again. Help me, please!" Camilla says as she runs around my room, my cat chasing her. Nala likes terrorizing all my friends, for some reason. I raised her right.

"Cami, stop running. That'll make her chase you more, she thinks it's a game at this point." I say as I sigh deeply, trying to focus on my science project.

I've spent a whole week on this project, sleep-deprived, to make it look right. Camilla has been staying over to help me with it. Even though, she basically slept 40 minutes in, saying how science is complicated and all.

"Girl, you need to take a break. You've been up all night. We have school in 20 minutes. Henry is picking us up and driving us there." She insists, giving me a worried look.

"It's fine, I'll just sleep after school. I couldn't sleep until this was done." I finish doing the last touches on the project, proud of myself because this wasn't easy at all.

I hear a car honking outside in an annoying way, I immediately know it's Henry. I groan loudly, "Go tell him to stop it, I have a headache already."

"Okay, but pack your bag, because we really need to go. We'll be late." Cami gives me a smile as she packs her own bag before she goes outside.

Not even 5 minutes have passed before Henry barges into my room, giving me an annoyed look. "Layla, what's taking so long, for god's sake—"

I roll my eyes, struggling to carry both my bag and the science project at the same time. Henry takes the bag from me and puts it on his back. "I can carry it myself—" I say with a protest, but he shoots me a look.

"You look like you're going to fall and crack your head open, and Mom would blame me somehow, saying it was my fault for that. So, let me help." He says, grumbling. So, I just accept his help and walk out of my room, carrying just the science project.

I do not have any siblings, but Henry is the closest thing I have to a brother. He cares for me in his own way, I guess. If he says he wants to murder me, it just means that he's showing his affection. Same as me, in that way.

I get in the backseat with Cami, carefully, to not mess up my project. Cami grins softly, nudging me. "Look at you, all cute and ready for school." I give her a side-eyed look because I'm pretty sure I look like Frankenstein right now.

"Cute and what— she looks like the undead." Henry says to Cami before he starts the car, already driving the road.

I roll my eyes, "I suggest you don't even speak about me in the morning, because I'm in my murderous mood right now. You'll be the first prey."