Welcome to the States, Good Girl (J and S sequel to Bad Boy's Broken Cinderella)

Its Cruelty Is He Has Known Nothing Else of Life

My paintbrush stroked the wall to the beat of the slow song playing on the speakers behind me.

I had made Johnny promptly leave the day before after his questioning, and then I went back upstairs, climbed into bed, and slept for fifteen hours straight.

When I woke up, I immediately had to start moving, and soon found myself painting my kitchen again.

The walls were almost completely done. Then I would get to work on refurbishing the hardwood floor and rest of the kitchen.

So I stood there in my kitchen, painting.

And as I painted, thoughts ran through my head, and old, painful memories came floating to the surface. Especially the ones from the beginning. The memories that gave me the base to where everything else started.

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It was the middle of sixth grade, before I had tried going back to the states. I was still the pudgy little kid with frizzy hair, pubescent acne, glasses, braces, and a giant smile.

I had noticed lately that my friend, Angela, and I hadn't been very close. I would try talking to her in the hallways but she would often just ignore me.

She was really pretty and athletic and stuff, so I put it off as her just being busy.

On one particular Monday, I walked up to Angela where she was standing with a group of friends talking.

"Hi Angel!" I said enthusiastically and she turned to face me. Her smile faltered a bit when she noticed it was me, and behind her I could see her other friend, Jena, glaring icily at me.

I had never liked Jena much. She was mean and cruel, but Angel liked her so I tried to be nice.

"Um, hi Savannah," Angel said, tucking a strand of light blonde hair behind her ear before sending a nervous look at Jena.

Jena raised her eyebrows snottily and gave me a disgusted look.

My face flushed a bit, but I turned to Angel and asked, "Do you want to eat lunch together today?"

Angel's fingers played nervously with the ends of her hair as she looked down at the ground. "Sorry Savannah, but I already have plans today," she murmured, refusing to meet my eyes.

My smile dipped a bit, but I forced out cheerfully, "That's okay. I'll see you later." I then turned tail, and scurried away, Jena's harsh glare boring into my back.

Later on that day, I saw Jena and Angel walking out of the school towards the courtyard. I quickly ran up to them on my pudgy little legs and tapped on Angel's shoulder.

She and Jena turned and I quickly asked, "Hey, do you want to come by my dorm later? I have a book you can read that I think you'll like."

Jena snorted at this and stepped forward, putting a dainty hand on my flat chest and pushing me backwards.

I stumbled back and looked up at her with wide eyes. "Look," Jena said, flipping her shiny, dark curls over her shoulder. "This needs to stop. Don't you get it? Angel doesn't want to hang out with you. I don't know what demented thought you have under all that hair, but you two are not friends. Okay? So why don't you just back off and leave her alone."

Stunned, I turned to Angel and stuttered out quietly, "An-Angel?" 

Once again, she refused to meet my eyes as she looked down at the ground and mumbled out, "You should go Savannah."