The Bad Girl, The Bullet & The New Beginning (on-going)

3 ~ I'm Not Your Princess

The car ride to school was even more awkward than Lila had imagined it would be. Penny was driving, since Jon had been called in early to the hospital where he worked as a surgeon, but even she couldn't think of any more small talk to fill the uncomfortable silence in the car. Either it was too early in the morning for her to start scraping the conversational barrel or maybe she had used up every conversation-starter she could think of over the past 24 hours, Lila wasn't sure.

Harvey sat in the passenger seat, his attention consumed by a book rested on his lap. Lila could've almost forgotten he was there if it weren't for the occasional movement catching her eye of him pushing his little round glasses up the bridge of his nose.

That just left her on the backseat with Melissa, who would glance over at her every five seconds with that permanent sickly smile. How could a person be so happy all the time? As someone who could easily take the crown for 'queen of mood swings', Lila just couldn't understand it.

In an attempt to escape the suffocating atmosphere of the car, she pulled her cellphone out of her bag and checked for any messages. She kept expecting to hear from her friends back home, a text or a call just to check up on her. But she only had a blank screen in front of her. Nothing. She hadn't seen anyone after the incident with Carter since she'd dealt with the police the day after and then aunt Penny was on her doorstep the next morning to whisk her away to Lake Larson. She didn't know if they even knew what had happened. Or maybe they didn't care?

Letting out a little huff, Lila dropped her phone back into her bag. If they didn't want to talk to her then that was fine with her. It's not like she needed them anyway. She could deal with this mess on her own. Just as these thoughts were crossing her mind, Penny slowed the car as they approached the school.

Lila couldn't help but roll her eyes as they drove through an ornate cast iron gate with some kind of Latin motto written above it in gold lettering. Of course. The parking lot was full of kids in the same dark red blazers and matching uniforms, kissing their parents goodbye before carrying their stacks of books up to the front doors. Did anyone actually drive to school in this place or did they all just get chauffeured by mommy and daddy?

"Have a good day, kids," Penny said brightly as she pulled up in a parking space near the entrance. Harvey and Melissa started to hop out of the car and Lila hesitantly followed. "Lila," Penny called, winding the window down, "You need to head to the registration office for your orientation and a meeting with the principal." Lila nodded in response. "Good luck, and enjoy!" Penny beamed as she drove away.

Lila forced a smile even though she felt far from happy. As she looked at the dark grey stone monstrosity in front of her that was supposed to be her new school, she wondered how she could possibly have felt optimistic the night before. This was going to be a nightmare from start to finish, she just knew it.

"Lila, would you like me to take you to the office?" Melissa offered, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Uh, yeah sure. Thanks," she mumbled, following her cousin up the steps to the front entrance. As she stepped inside, she was immediately greeted by a vast hall with an imposing dark stone staircase snaking up the back wall. This was nothing like her school back home.

Melissa was greeted by classmates as she led the way through the austere hallways, all of them wearing the same genteel smile as she did and talking to each other as if they were royalty. Lila just stared at them blankly, wondering how people like this could even exist in the world. Eventually they reached an office with a low desk and a small woman seated behind it, typing furiously on her ancient-looking computer.