Zero

Chapter One: Elizabeth

~Liz's Point of View~

"Liz."

"Liz."

"ELIZABETH!"

My body jerks up, my eyes trying to adjust to the brightness in my room. "What the hell Vanessa?" I ask glaring at my sister standing in the doorway. "What?" She asks innocently. "I'm just helping my baby sister get ready for her last month of high school." Vanessa says, walking towards my bed.

"Can't I just sleep for the rest of senior year?" I ask laying back down on my bed, throwing a pillow on top of my face to block out the light. "Why would you do that?" She asks, yanking the pillow off of my face. "Senior year was the best year of my life."

I'm sure it was. Vanessa is exactly what every girl at one point in her life wants to look like. She has our mom's blonde hair and her skin looks like it was kissed by the sun. Making her bright blue eyes stand out even more. Plus she was valedictorian. She had the looks and the smarts. I barely even have one.

"Well we can't all have a GPA of 4.0 and still look like a Malibu Barbie." I say sarcastically, getting out of bed and walking towards my bathroom. Making sure to slam the door. "Elizabeth Margaret Rogers. I would honestly trade my looks for yours." She yells through my bathroom door. "Whatever." I mumble under my breath.

I quickly change into my skinny jeans and a black tank top. I pull my on my faded, American Eagle jacket and run a brush through my shoulder length black hair.

"Elizabeth! You're going to be late!" Vanessa yells from downstairs. I let out a long sigh.

95 more days until she goes to college.

Grabbing my paint splattered backpack, I run downstairs and quickly close the door. Not even bothering to say goodbye to my mom.

"Took you long enough." Vanessa mutters, starting the car. I ignore her and pull down the visor, trying to look at myself in the tiny mirror. I apply foundation and put mascara on my lashes.

"You know," Vanessa says glancing at me, "if you were to put some black eyeliner on, it would really make your blue eyes pop even more." "I'm fine." I say slamming the visor shut.

"Did you grab something for breakfast?" She asks, changing the subject. "I'm not hungry." "Are you sure? Because I could turn right now and get you some donuts." She says already turning on her blinker. "I'm fine!" I say again.

She turns off her blinker and we spend the rest of the car ride in silence. When we finally get to school, I let out a breath I didn't even realize I was holding.

Just as I was about to open the door, Vanessa grabs my wrist causing me to turn to look at her.

"Lizzie?" She asks, using the nickname she used to call me as a child. "You're not...you're not starving yourself are you? Because I haven't seen you eat breakfast in a couple of days and you just poke at your dinner." She says.

Giving her my best fake smile, I say, "Of course not. That would be stupid. I just haven't been feeling good lately."

"Okay." Is all she says.

Getting out of the car, I wave her goodbye. I just lied through my slightly crooked teeth.