Property of Society

Chapter One

"Don't forget to pick up my medication," I call out to my mom as I stare at the empty pill bottle in my hands.
"I'll stop by the pharmacy on my way home from work," Mom walks into my room, her eyes examining the phone screen in front of her. "If we don't leave now you will be late to school."
"Be right there," I coat my curly eyelashes with one last layer of mascara, as Mom walks downstairs. Grabbing my backpack, I slide my feet into some boots and examine my reflection in my mirrored closet doors. My white sweater hangs loosely over my leggings, and my eyelids are coated in gold eyeshadow. I take a lot of pride in my makeup, and one day I hope to own a cosmetics store. People in school are constantly asking me for makeup advice and I honestly don't know why. There are so many more talented people in this world at doing makeup than me. My short, ash brown hair is slightly curled, and my brown eyes stand out against my dark, long eyelashes. Before stomping down the steps, I pull on my brown combat boots.
"Could you take any slower?" My seventeen year old sister rolls her eyes at me as she walks out the front door.
I ignore my older sister's comment and walk out after her. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to eat breakfast because I'm running late today. My mom sits in the driver's seat and Sara climbs into the passenger seat. I throw my backpack in the backseat and climb inside before shutting the door.
"Mom we're going to be late," Sara grumbles while plugging earbuds into her ears.
"We'll be fine," Mom pulls out of the driveway. "It only takes five minutes to get there."
"Or we can just stay home," I smile and check my phone notifications. I have a few texts and snapchats. Martin's name comes up as one of the snapchats and my heart skips a beat. A smile spreads across my face as I open it. The message is a picture of a tree with "streaks" captioning the picture. I quickly snap a picture of the car window and send it to my crush since third grade.
"Not happening, sweetheart," Mom replies to my comment.
I sort through some of my missed text messages while waiting until we get to school. I open a text from my best friend Dillon.
Dillon: think I'm going to skip today
Emma: no pls dont
Dillon: y there's nothing important in school today
Emma: r u really going to do this to me :(
Dillon: oh fine
Emma: u wont skip?
Dillon: ya ill go
Emma: YAYYY
Dillon: shut up I hate u
Emma: u loovveee me
Dillon: bitch
Emma: ok wow watever
Dillon: <3
I smile at my phone and roll my eyes. Dillon is nice and all, but sometimes he can be really overdramatic. He's not gay but sometimes I swear he can be such a girl.
"Aw are you texting Dillon?" My sister puckers her lips and makes a kissy face at me. Dillon's sister Alyssa is best friends with my sister, and they've been trying to set Dillon and I up our whole lives.
"Yeah," I frown at Sara. "But it's not like that."
"Whatever you say," Sara raises her eyebrows and gives me a smug look.
I shake my head at her lies as my mom pulls up to my high school. "See you, Mom. I love you."
"Love you too," Mom calls out before I shut the door. My sister gets out of the car and walks ahead of me without saying a thing. Sara can be so ignorant sometimes, I swear she hates everyone except her boyfriend, Colin.
I contemplate whether I should walk with my sister or all by myself like a loner. Hesitating, I decide to walk by myself. Other students being dropped off flood into the school doors and I catch a glimpse of one of my friends. I run up to Kayla and tug on her long, blonde hair.
"Don't touch my hair," she spins around and slaps my hand away as a smile plays on her lips. Kayla has the most beautiful hair that reaches below her butt, only she lets absolutely no one touch it.
"Hey guys," Samantha runs up behind me and pinches my side as she always does. I smile at her as we walk through the doors. Samantha is neighbors with Martin and is working on trying to set us up. "Martin was talking about you yesterday."
"No he wasn't," I gasp and I can't help but smile widely. Samantha and I have always had the feeling that he was crushing on me.
"What'd he say?" Kayla adds, her excitement matching mine.
"Well," Samantha said with a hair flip, "we were hanging out at his house when he brought you up."
"Why would he bring me up?" I raise an eyebrow and try to ignore the butterflies attacking my stomach.
"He told me he needs to get his grades up or he can't play basketball. So he told me who he was thinking should tutor him."
"Omg don't tell me he wants Emma to tutor him!" Kayla practically screeches and I shush her.
"So Martin said, 'I don't know but I was thinking about asking Emma since she's really smart'," Samantha runs her fingers brought her dirty blonde hair.
"Do you think he'll ask me to tutor him today?" My heart leaps and we get to our lockers.
"Possibly," Samantha winks and spins the lock on her locker.
"Aw, you two will be so cute together," Kayla opens her locker and hangs her coat up inside.
"Calm down we aren't getting married he's just asking me to tutor him," I laugh and get out everything I'll need for the day and throw it into my backpack. Our high school is so big that I refuse to stop at my locker at all throughout the day. I only stop here in the morning to get situated and after school.
"Let's just get to homeroom," Samantha rolls her eyes in a jokingly manner and closes her locker. Luckily we are all in the same homeroom so we can walk there together. Kayla and I both simultaneously close our lockers and follow Samantha down the hall.
"Wait for me, Emma," Dillon calls out from behind me and I turn around to face him.
"Hey glad to see you decided to show up," I smile and the four of us walk into homeroom.
"Anything for you," he rolls his eyes but a smile follows shortly after.
"Aw thanks Dillon," I nudge him with my shoulder as he glances at me through the corner of his eyes.
"I'm so excited for Thanksgiving!" Samantha blurts out randomly.
"Only one more week of school until break," I smile, equally excited for the upcoming holidays. Some anxiety begins to stir up in my chest, thinking about how many tests will be stuffed in our classes before break.
"Emma," Kayla whispers in my ear. "He's right there."
My gaze falls upon my crush, Martin, walking towards us. I silently pray he will talk to me, but instead he keeps on walking past us. "Maybe he didn't see me?"
"Sure, keep telling yourself that," Kayla laughs.
"No, you're right," I sigh and let my mouth fall into a frown.
"I was just kidding. He's probably into you," Kayla gently elbows me.
I'm not sure what to think about Martin. He's super nice to me and flirty but is he like that with a bunch of girls? Maybe it's just his personality and I'm being paranoid. But as the day went on, I couldn't push the thought out of my mind.