pretty when you bleed

One fight. One detention. One queen bee with blood on her teeth.

Laine Torren doesn't do friends. She doesn't do drama. She doesn't do Regina George.

After being kicked out by her mother, Laine shows up in Evanston just weeks before senior year starts - black boots, sharp tongue, and a duffel bag full of silence. Living with her charming, manipulative older brother is bad enough. North Shore High? Worse.

Then Regina George happens.

She's still beautiful. Still terrifying. Still playing God with a smile.

Their first meeting ends with a shove and a cracked lip. Their second earns them both Saturday detention. Their third? It's in a locked janitor's closet, breathing the same air.

They hate each other.

So why can't they stop?

Secret hookups. Broken mirrors. Power plays. Obsession. Shame.

Laine doesn't need anyone. Regina doesn't love girls.

But need isn't a choice. And neither is the way Regina looks at her when no one's watching.

This isn't a love story.
It's a war with benefits.