Kadie lives in a small apartment with her dad in a relatively dangerous part of town, there's plenty of crime and more than enough unsavory activities. It just-so-happens that a street fight gets out of hand, and it just-so-happens one of the partic...
"If I'm not thinking about one shit storm, I have to think about another." - Karen M. McManus, One Of Us Is Lying
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I am well aware that I am a strange person. I'm used to people looking at me when I come running to school late, and when I'm with my loud friends. But today is just weird. Everyone is pointing and whispering.
I pull my jacket tighter against me and try to discretely look myself up and down.
Is something wrong with my outfit? I didn't start my period or anything, so no worries there.
Louisa is walking with me, equally confused, "Kay, do you know what's happening?"
"Nope." I wrap our arms together.
I see Eddie down the hall running towards us, he always knows what talk is going on in school, so I quickly drag Louisa with me towards him.
"Eddie," I start. "Why the hell is everyone staring at me?"
"The rumor mill is working overtime, Kadie. Apparently, you've got a new boyfriend and he's an older gentleman."
"What?!" Me and Lou yell.
At this time, Rafe and Serena also find us.
"You'd tell us if you got a boyfriend, right?" Rafe asked.
"Of course I would!" I insisted. They nodded, thankfully believing me. It's too early to be this confused.
"Kadie?"
I turn around to see a group of the most popular girls. Carol Rush, Tiffany Till, and Jennifer Greene.
"Kadie Duncan?" Jennifer checks, as if not already knowing it's me and waits for a response, but I just glare.
Fan-fucking-tastic.
"What's this I hear about you getting a sugar daddy?" Jennifer inquires. She was always wearing bright colors and long, dangly earrings that got caught in her wavy hair. And...should I tell her that it's blatantly obvious where her real lips end and her terrible liner-job begins?
"Excuse me?" I cross my arms.
"Oh, honey," Carol, the Jennifer-Copycat, soothes. "Nothing to be ashamed of. We all know how you struggle financially."
"And is that a crime?" I ask. "Who the hell gave you permission to stick your nose up my ass—"
"How is any of this your business?" Serena steps in before my mouth gets us into more trouble.
"We just wanted to tell Kadie here that she doesn't have to go exploiting her body to make a living. We girls need to look out for each other."
"Speak for yourself..." Rafe murmurs while making a handjob gesture with his hand.
This time Tiffany butts in, "What are you trying to say?" She's the one I'm pretty sure the other two are only friends with because she has a nice car. I'm also pretty sure that she's perfectly aware of it.
