glitched | ✔️

t h r e e

"Vickie! Time for school!" Larissa (I couldn't bring myself to call her mom) called from downstairs.
I grimaced at the use of my fake name. At least I wasn't Gracie.
I slung my two million pound backpack over my shoulder and trudged our the door, mumbling annoyances.

My new school was an average, rule-following school. And they followed all the rules to a T.
If you were pretty- popular
If you had a nice body- popular
If you talked a certain way- popular
If you were a bookworm- invisible
If you dressed odd- invisible

It was all a load of crap.

But I was landed at the top of the food chain anyway, no matter how much I disliked this school.
The only thing that had ever mattered to me in school was having Chelsie there with me. And now that she wasn't, it wasn't the same.
The fact that I hadn't seen Peter in two weeks, since my voluntary kidnapping, made me wonder if I'd see him again.
I wrinkled my nose.
Hopefully not.
Although he was mega-hot....

The worst part about this school by far was the principal.
I have had the pleasure of meeting him already... twice.
But in my defense, that bully had no right to bully that freshman. My reaction was perfectly reasonable. And I had some soft, sticky gum lying around that was begging to live in Ms. Bully-Butt's hair.

The second time I went to the principal's office was dress-code.
Stupid dress-code.
Who cared if my shoulders were showing?

Not only had I become well acquainted with our devil principal but I also came to know the detention lady well. Very well.
I had visited her almost every day since I joined this school.
And all I did was talk back (they were asking for it), leave the classroom without permission (I really had to pee), than there was that guy I slapped in the face who was flirting a little too dirty with me...

"Mom" dropped me off at school, with one last scolding look. She was not very pleased with me.
If she wasn't getting paid to take care of me she would have abandoned me on the side of the road already.
Whatever.
She would never be my real mom.
No one could ever be perfect as mom.

As soon as I entered the school I was swarmed by teenagers.
Mostly guys.
I will admit, I am a bit of a flirt. It's a bad habit, I know. But so entertaining.

Homeroom was dreary as usual. I plopped down at my desk, and pulled my binder out of my backpack.
Mrs. Garnish strutted to the front of the class and clapped for attention.
I rolled my eyes, and ignored her, examining my nails instead.
I was in a bad mood this morning, okay?

"Everyone," Mrs. Garnish called in her nasally dictator voice, "A new student will be joining us this morning. Please welcome Tyler four-oh-three-two."
A spattering of clapping.
I rolled my eyes.
Why were they clapping?
That the whispers started to come from the girls, reaching my ears in my self-imposed secludedness.
"...he's cute..."
"....damnnn looks like he works out..."
"...that dark hair tho...."
"...I'd die for a guy with green eyes...."

My head snapped up, and my eyes clashed with Peter's.
Peter.
He was smirking at my dumbstruck expression and I pulled myself together, morphing my face into a glare.
Peter's eyes flashed with amusement.
Why had he transferred to my school? He seemed to be just under two years older than me, maybe 17? Which would make him a senior like me, due to the fact I skipped third and fifth grade, making me the youngest in every class at 15 years old.
Mrs. Garnish spoke again, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Tyler, go take a seat next to Vickie. That's the only open seat we have available."
Screw my self imposed solitude.
I slumped in my seat as made his way over and cockily sat next to me.
Son of a biscuit.

"Why are you here?" I hissed at him.

"It appears, 'Vickie Doe', that you have been making trouble. Liberty for the Bounded sent me to make sure you're a good little girl."
I rolled my eyes.
"Why you?"
He pretended to look hurt.
"Ouch, Vickie..."
I stepped on his toes under the desk and he winced the slightest, bringing a smirk to my face.
Peter threw me a glare.
"They sent me because I'm the only high school senior they have out in the field."

"Well I don't need a babysitter. I'm blending in just fine, so you can go home now." I huffed, sticking my chin in the air.
Peter snorted.
"Blending in? Vickie; the most popular girl in District Two-Eleven High, who, in her lengthy two weeks has been sent to the principal's office, not just once but twice and has visited detention what was it..."
he smirked cheekily
"Oh yeah, seven times."

I fought the angry blush back that was threatening to rise on my cheeks.
"Shut up. It's harder than it looks. I can't just bend over backwards and succumb to the HH. It's not who I am... it's not who I ever will be."

Peter was about to reply when we noticed Mrs. Garnish glaring in my direction, hands on hips.
She held a stack of homework in her hand and was tapping her foot.
I gulped, chuckling nervously.
"I may have forgot to do it...?"

Peter snickered and I elbowed him in the ribs.

Mrs. Garnish looked like she was about to explode.
"Vickie May- are you telling me you forgot to do your homework again?"
She looked like she was about to turn into some sort of devil.

"Uh, yeah," I started to ramble, "I was busy... with gymnastics. And, uh, detention." I cringed at my own words.
Peter seemed about to loose it.

And then my savior, my joy, my one true love, the bell rang.
Thankfully Mrs. Garnish wasn't the, "The bell doesn't dismiss you, I do," sort of teacher. I think she was just as happy to be rid of us as we were of her.
I flash Peter a prissy grin and swing my backpack over my shoulder, skipping out of the classroom.

Than I hear footsteps behind me.
A tan, calloused hand reaches out and touches my arm.
I turn to glare at Peter. "What now, Pete?"

He clenched his jaw at the nickname than seemed to force himself to relax and gave me a slow grin.
"Sorry, Vickie, but you're stuck with me for every class."

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