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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
"What the hell are you doing here?" I squint my eyes at Brad as he leans against my door to my house.
"I got a new car and you are going to keep me company on the way to school," He smirks and dangles his car keys in my face. I look over his shoulders to see a black Ferrari parked outside my house.
"Did you steal the car or something?" I raise an eyebrow at him.
"No, my mum bought it me for my birthday last year and I only just got my insured on it," He smirks.
"But you're sixteen–"
"My mum has links alright, trust me," He shoves his hands in his back pocket and shows me his driver's license. I sigh and grab my bag, shouting goodbye to my parents, and they shout goodbye back.
"How do you manage to insure this car? It must cost a lot of money," I state and he chuckles.
"My mum and dad have very good paying jobs, so they pay for insurance, not me," He smiles and I roll my eyes and climb into the car. Ugh, rich kids.
When we set off, I reach over to the radio but Brad gently grasps my wrist and stops me.
"My car, my radio; not yours," He explains and I roll my eyes at him. "You don't pay for this baby so you don't get to touch it."
"Your parents are paying for this, not you," I roll my eyes and he pauses, opens his mouth and sighs
"Just don't touch the radio."
▲▼▲
When we arrive at school, it felt like everyone's eyes were on me and Brad and I laugh as girls glare at me.
I know, I'm fucking fabulous.
"Princess, where are you going?" Brad shouts rather loudly at me as I begin strutting away and to class.
"Maths, duh," I roll my eyes and I stop walking as he strolls over to stand by me. "And princess, really?"
"Do you want a ride home?" He asks, ignoring my comment on the whole princess thing.
"Uh, sure," I reply and he smiles, telling me to meet him by his car after last period and I nod, walking away.
I look down at my phone, tapping away and messaging Luisa and Ana on our iMessage group chat, talking about Brad driving me here and copying homework.
"Oh my God, I'm so sorry," I splutter out an apology as I collide into someone and our belongings go flying everywhere. I look up to see an unfamiliar face laughing halfheartedly at me.
"Don't sweat it, I should've looked where I was going," He shrugs and I smile at him. "Do you know where I could find the maths rooms?"
"Yeah, I'm going there now, actually," I smile slightly. "I guess you're new here?"
"Yeah," He laughs. "You can probably tell by the lack of orientation around this place."
"What brings you here. . ?" I trail off since I don't know his name and he gets the hint, chuckling.
"My name's Zach," He replies. "And I moved here because my dad's house got renovated so we moved to our other house here."
I laugh under my breath: moved to our other house.
"What? Is something funny?" He asks, genuinely intrigued.
"No, I mean, yeah, that's why I'm laughing but it's nothing," I reply. "It's just every kid here has loads of houses or money or they have a bedroom for their hamster that's three times the size of mine; and I'm here like- never mind."
"You're here like what?" He presses and I shake my head, sighing. "Hey, I won't judge."
"Even though my mom and dad don't know that I know, I know that they're struggling for money."
"That sucks. . ." He trails off.
"Right, sorry, my name's Mollie," I have laugh. "And I know but we'll figure something out so I shouldn't be as worried as I am."
As we walk up to the maths room, it turns out we're in the same class and we walk in together. He gets seated on the other side of the room to me and eventually class begins.
▲▼▲
"So. . . Brad gave you a ride to school?" Luisa wiggles her eyebrows and I laugh lightly.
"Don't make a big deal about it, it's a one time thing." I shrug and pick up my phone, scrolling through Twitter and Instagram, hoping I could lunch over and done with.
"Alright then," She sighs. "But there's a party–"
"I'm not going to another party after I passed out unconscious and ended up being taken to Brad's house."
"Oh, come on, it can't be that bad ending up there," Ana chirps and I roll my eyes. Of course they wouldn't understand.
"I'm not going to the party," I say, and they get that they can't persuade me to go.
They look at each other with a sigh and converse in gossip.
