Nothing is picture perfect

Chapter 9

47

The weekend went by quickly and before Sammi knew it, it was Monday again. She walked into school with a bit more confidence than before.

"Good morning, Sammi!" West called out, waving from across the hall. She was with two other friends talking. 

Sammi gave a genuine smile. "Hey, West."

Her group of friends gathered around her. "You okay?" Merit whispered.

Sammi sighed, "I am." 

Merit looked at her skeptically. "You sure?"

Sammi nodded. "Yes, thank you." 

By lunch time, the whispers had spread through the school. The news of Sammi's parentage had become the hot gossip and she could feel the weight of everyone's stares as she made her way to the cafeteria. Her friends, Luna, Merit and Leo, surrounded her protectively, a united front against the swarm of curious eyes.

"Are you okay?" Leo asked as they sat down.

Sammi took a breath. "I'm fine." She lied. The thought of facing Kylie and her crew made her stomach churn.

In the cafeteria, Kylie sat with her own group of friends, glaring at Sammi from across the room. Sammi felt the weight of her gaze but refused to turn around. She knew she had to keep her cool, especially now that the truth was out.

As Sammi and her friends were about to leave, Kylie and her entourage approached their table. "Who's the villian now?"

Sammi lifted her eyes. "You."

Her friends surpressed their laughter. 

Kylie flipped her red hair and left the lunch room.

48

Sammi picked at her food, trying to ignore the whispers that followed her everywhere she went.

"What's her problem?" Merit asked, nodding towards Kylie's retreating back.

"She thinks she has leverage over me cause of who my parents are."

Merit said, "Don't let her get to you."

But Sammi knew it wasn't that simple. Kylie had a vendetta and she wasn't going to let it go easily.

The rest of the school day was a blur of whispers and stares. Sammi felt like she was walking on eggshells, every move scrutinized by her peers. Even in her classes, she could feel the shift in the air. People who had once ignored her now whispered behind her back and she caught more than one person glancing at her fascination.

"Hey, show us your glowing hand thing!" Some guy shouted in History class.

Sammi's cheeks burned with embarrassment. "I don't do that on command." She said through gritted teeth.

The guy snickered and she felt the weight of the class's gaze on her. "Come on, it'll be cool!"

"No." Sammi said firmly, not looking up from her textbook. "It's not a party trick."

The guy rolled his eyes and turned back to his friends, muttering something under his breath. Sammi felt the tension in the room and knew she had to keep her cool.

After school, she went straight to the studio for practice. As she walked in, she saw Kylie sitting on the ground watching her with a smug expression. Sammi's fists clenched, but she ignored her and went to change.

During practice, Kylie kept making snide comments, trying to throw her off. But she remained focused, determined to not let Kylie get under her skin.

Kim had to keep telling her daughter to shut up. "Do you really want me to ground you for a month?"