Bad Guys

CHAPTER 1

Alissa

"Love you Mom." I said before stepping out "what about your lunch!?" I paused when getting on my bike. I knew I had been forgetting something. "Thanks Mom." I planted a peck on her cheek before she graciously smiled.

Stuffing the lunch into my bag I mounted the bike and sped off to school.

It was one of those mellow fall days that made you feel sort of tired in a sense, and my all nighter didn't do me any better, dark circles rounded the bottom of my eyes.

Thoughts raced through my mind, the usual stress of highschool weighed down on me without the notice of where I was really going. It was sort of an auto pilot mode, well I was always on auto pilot.

The bike came to jutting halt as I parked it in front of my school. I never truly dreaded highschool, I dreaded the unreasonable hierarchy it created. A bunch of students who think they have power over one another and act like unbearable jerks.

I got off the bike and basically dragged myself into the building. Again, I don't hate school, I hate the people in it. Before entering the building I turned on my playlist and put my ear buds in so I didn't go clinically insane in here. Humming, I shoved my way through the crowded hallway till I felt a tap in my shoulder making me jump slightly.

"Natalia, you scared me half to death!" I exaggerated, my tone laced sarcasm.

"Yeah yeah, stop the theatrics, jeez your in one play and all of a sudden it all goes to your head." She was right about the play. I had been casted as one of the main cast for our schools rendition of grease. Sandy was the role.

"And? You got Rizo, I would kill for that role." I slumped my shoulders, I've always been seen as the softy while Natalia was good with any role, the ease at which she adapts to a new role, it's almost as if she becomes a new person. I've been told I act sheepishly when it comes to stage presence which is why I got stuck with Sandy. She was the real theater kid in our group, could lie straight through her teeth although she wasn't the best at understanding the situation.

We walked and talked for what felt like seconds but in the end her locker was still in the other side of school, meaning we'd have to part ways. I got lost in my thoughts thinking about where Audrey could have been before a slammed into someone sending me and my books flying. The person seemed to have not even been phased by the hit.

How much do they work out?

I gaze at the figure towering above me rubbing my throbbing— hopefully not bleeding nose. It was Jake. The one at the top of the high school "food chain." His parents are very well known philanthropists. They are the reason we even get to have a play and the reason why I wanted the role Rizo instead, he gets to pick and choose whatever role he wants and I wish I could tell you he chose not to be in the play. But that would be a lie.

I slowly stood up picking up my things that he oh so graciously knocked down with his big burly muscles that in my opinion, no student needs.

He looked down at me, I swear I saw his eyes dart somewhere else but it was probably my imagination. "W-watch where you going short stack." Did he just stutter? I've seen him do many things but this man has the confidence of a Roman gladiator. "Move." He demanded. I remembered where I was and quietly moved out of his way...

*

Finally, the moment I had been waiting for, lunch. I barely walked into the cafeteria, already tired from all the classes and the babbling. I stalked my way to my usual table planting myself next to Audrey who was talking about a new guy she met and trying to coax me into dating for the hundredth time this week.