Ch.1

Rachel walked into her English homeroom, head down, with her hoodie up. At 18 years of age, with Chinese features, her porcelain skin showed bruises very easily, even when she put a shit ton of foundation on. Her step-father had been even worse last night when he came home. Apparently he had lost to Billy at pool, and that had soured his already bad mood further. Rachel had tried not to encounter him, but encounter him she did, or rather encounter his fist, her face did. Rachel's mouth curled morbidly. She sounded like Yoda when she thought like that.

"Hey girlfriend, how are you?" came Mrs. Brown's voice. Mrs. Brown was her chipper English/homeroom teacher who called everyone girlfriend, even those "cool" kids, who despised everyone not in their clique.

"Umm, I'm fine." Rachel said, tilting the damaged side of her face away from Mrs. Brown, so that she didn't ask.

"Well, it's a fun day today. Vocab and all that rot, so get seated and we'll start in a few minutes."

Rachel made her way to her normal seat, looking for Jason, who at 6'1 was taller (and cuter) than most of the boys in her homeroom. Rachel still couldn't believe that he was hers. After the prom last year, he had finally gotten up the courage to tell her that he liked her, and the rest was history. With his blond hair and green eyes, he was by far the hottest boy in school. Even the freshmen girls looked longingly at him as he walked by with his hand in Rachel's.

Rachel scanned the room, still no Jason. She slung her bag near her chair and pushed it out, trying not to be put out by the fact that Jason wasn't there. He was usually the earliest kid to school, due to the fact that he lived alone because his parents disowned him because of a huge fight Junior year. Jason had been talking about going to New York for the weekend sometime with Rachel, but so far it hadn't happened.

"Hey Rach," came Nadia's annoying voice, "Looking for Jason? He's not here yet. He texted me to say that he won't be coming to school today. Something about you being to clingy."

"He did not." said Rachel. "Jason would never. You're just jealous, always were. You don't even have his phone number."

"Oh, hon. You are soooo oblivious. Of course I have his number." she waved her phone up i Rachel's face. On screen were the words, 'Rachel is just not fun anymore.'

"I can't believe it. He wouldn't. . .he couldn't. . ."

"Hmmm. That's what you think, hon. By the way, what happened to your cheek? It looks like someone punched you and you tried to cover it up with some foundation." Nadia smiled, insincerely trying to fake concern.

Rachel slumped down in her chair. What if Jason was right? What if she was too clingy? Did everyone think that? Was Jason just trying to get rid of her all the time? What if people knew about her dad?

Unable t bear the accusing looks half the girls were sending her way, Rachel rushed out of the classroom, and left.