Chapter One

The feeling of being crushed washes over me as pictures of my parents and their death replay repeatedly in my mind, my breathing becomes labored, I can't think and all that comes out of my mouth is a blood-curdling scream. It starts out as a small whimper and escalates to a full-blown scream. The feeling of someone shaking me wakes me up, a soft voice soothes me as it pushes past the haze of sleepiness.

"It's OK, you're safe come back!" Berik, the woman who had become like a mother to me since my parents were murdered, is running one hand softly through my hair while the other is rubbing my back in a circular motion, trying to calm me down from the same nightmare that has haunted me for the past seven years. Her long, light brown hair that has speckles of blonde splashed throughout is disheveled from sleep, showing that I woke her up with my screaming, her bright green-hazel eyes are filled with worry as she tries to soothe me. I try to open my eyes which is hard from the crying, I'm unable to say much, due to being afraid that I might have a full-blown breakdown, so I nod instead. I sit up a little straighter, allowing her to hold me in a full embrace, her petite, athletic figure is strong yet comforting as she continues to rub comforting circles on my back, helping me calm down.

"Is everything alright?" Freyja, Berik's daughter, asks sleepily as she leans her model-like body up against the doorframe. Her light brown hair is tangled from sleep. Her diamond-shaped face is slightly somnolent due to being woken up so suddenly, her bright green eyes are filled with worry.

I look up at Freyja and nod "yeah, I'm fine, it's just the nightmares." I croakily reply as the crying has dried my throat.

"I'm going to make you some hot chocolate, would you like some Frey?" Berik says, letting me out of her warm embrace.

"Yes please." Freyja replies, walking over to my bed claiming the spot that Berik just stood from "are you sure you're alright?" she asks worriedly.

"I think so, I just don't understand why after all this time, the memories are resurfacing," I say shaking my head in my hands, trying to get rid of the still-fresh images.

"Does your counselor have any ideas on what to do about them?" She asks.

"Honestly, I doubt it, she says that they're just manifestations of how I'm feeling. She also says that ever since my parents were murdered, I feel abandoned, that the dreams are just a way of expressing and dealing with it. I just wish they would go away for good." I sigh heavily, shaking my head. "I honestly don't know if I trust her completely or not. Especially since the psychiatrists are just legal drug dealers who only care about pushing their product. They don't care that they're not helping but just making things so much worse."

"I know sweetie, I wish I could take them away for you." She replies sadly. "Do you want me to keep you company for the rest of the night?" Freyja asks.

I shake my head lightly "No, thanks! I think I'll be all right."

She smiles as Berik brings us our hot chocolate. "Here you girls go, Falencia, are you sure you're ok?"

"I'm OK, just need to find a new way to deal, and thank you for the hot cocoa," I reply taking my cup gratefully and sipping it carefully while enjoying the feeling of the hot chocolatey liquid coat my throat. I start to feel better as the creamy chocolate settles in the pit of my slowly unknotting stomach. I look at the clock on my bedside table and groan. "I think we had better try to get some more sleep; we need to be up in a few hours for school." I nod towards the clock that has a steady 1:30 AM in red. Freyja groans and nods in agreement along with Berik. Freyja gets up off my bed and heads back towards her room with her cup, Berik smiles warmly at me before leaving me all alone in my room with nothing but my hot cocoa and my thoughts.

I fall into a very tangled-up mess of sleep. By the time my alarm goes off at 6:30, I don't feel rested in any way. I sluggishly get out of bed and walk to my adjoined bathroom, "what a way to start my seventeenth birthday." I think to myself as I begin to brush my teeth and hair before turning the water to the shower on, I make the water so warm that it's almost scaldingly hot, figuring this would be the perfect way to not only wake myself up, but to also soothe my aching muscles, as the water heats up, I strip out of my pajamas and look at myself in the mirror.

I grimace while looking at myself; I feel like I am not particularly good looking, my body isn't model-thin, I have curves in places that they should be, but I have always wanted to be model-thin, just like Freyja and her friends. I sigh and get into the warm shower and stand under the scalding hot water for a few minutes before lathering shampoo into my raven-black hair that reaches just past the middle of my back, I rinse the suds out of my hair and repeat the process with conditioner, while I let the conditioner soak into my hair, I wash with my black orchid body wash and then finish with my lemon microdermabrasion face wash. I finish my shower, after rinsing my hair and making sure I get all the conditioner out of my hair before turning the shower off and stepping out onto the fluffy rug.

Just as I am wrapping my towel around my body and walk back into my room my phone dings with a new notification, opening it I notice that I have a new text message from Niklaus, my guy best friend who has a huge crush on me, although, I feel bad for not reciprocating the feelings, I honestly see him as nothing more than that of a brother.

"Happy Birthday Gorgeous!" I smile as I toss my Samsung Galaxy S20 on my four-poster king-size bed, I finish getting ready by putting on a pair of purple boy short undies and matching lacy purple bra along with a pair of hip hugger jeans that I have to dance around the room to get up over my thick thighs and curvy buttocks, along with a black tank top that says 'Suck It up Buttercup, I'm a Bitch! it's what I do.' I finish the look with my black lace-up combat boots and Army green jacket, I grab my phone off the bed and reply to Nik "thank you!" I send the reply as I grab my book bag off of my chair and head to the kitchen, my phone dings one more time "let me know when you get to the school, I have a HUGE surprise for you!" I smile as I reach the kitchen.

"Hey, Birthday Girl!" Freyja smiles as soon as I come into the room "you ready for this weekend?" She asks excitedly, my mind is still on the huge surprise that Nik has for me when I notice that Freyja is still in her sleepwear.

"Uh Frey, why are you still in your pajamas?" I ask forgetting to say thank you for the birthday wishes.

She looks at me as if I just grew two heads "You seriously forgot that today was pajama day at school in honor of spirit week?"

I groan as my happy high slightly deflates, I had forgotten all about this being prom week and how the whole senior class is supposed to dress in wacky clothes all week, yesterday was duct tape day, and some people took it too far in my opinion, as the cheerleaders, for example, they used duct tape as clothing, only covering their naughty bits. At this point, I don't even see the point of changing back into my pajamas.

"I didn't even realize that was this week," I reply, hoping she wouldn't catch onto my white lie.

"Seriously!?" She exclaims, "How could you not realize that prom is this Saturday? There are flyers all over the school." She says as if it's the most important thing in the world, but I guess to her it would be since she is Class President, Head Cheerleader, and the head of the prom committee.

"I don't pay attention to everything that goes on in our school, you know that," I reply, grabbing a banana from the fruit dish on the counter. "I wasn't even really planning on going to prom anyway," I reply peeling my banana and taking a bite.

This comment earns me a huge gasp and what would have been a good smack to the head, had I not ducked it, luckily for me; I know her well enough to know what she has planned. "How can you not plan on going to prom? This is our last year of high school, you should be making the most of it!" She replies reciting the same lecture that I have heard from Berik at least twenty times in the past few months.

I sigh and sit on the counter knowing exactly where this speech is going, so I decide to at least get slightly comfortable as she starts in on me. "You're always studying or working." I recite Freyja's usual banter, which again in turn makes her glare at me if only looks could kill. "You should at least try to find a date if you're worried about going stag." She says with a smile that usually gets people to do what she wants. "I'm sure Nik would love to take you." She says trying to play innocent.

"I don't want a date to prom, I don't want a boyfriend, I don't want anything of the like Frey, you know this," I reply as a knock at the door breaks into our conversation.

Freyja walks into the living room to answer it as I hop off the counter, opening the fridge I notice that there's no more milk "Frey, I thought you were grabbing milk last night?"

"Damn, I knew I was forgetting to do something," she replies walking back into the kitchen with her best friend, Cherie.

"Don't worry about it, I'll pick some up after school, we better get going or we'll be late for the first period."

"Are you sure? I can grab it," she replies as she puts her hoodie on. "Don't you have an appointment with your counselor today anyway?"

I groan at her reminder "Damn it, I forgot that I had that today." I say in frustration, not really wanting to go.

Cherie looks from Freyja to me "Why aren't you in your pajamas?" she asks eyeing me up and down with confusion.

"I forgot that this week was spirit week, and I didn't feel like parading around in my pajamas." I retort.

She shakes her head and goes back to talking to Freyja, "So, are we going to go to any of the after-parties after prom?" Cherie asks as we start to head out of the apartment. Cherie is more of the pretty, preppy, cheerleader types, who is wearing a matching PJ set to Freya, which consists comfortable cotton blend that is white with little pink hearts all over the pants and tank, her heart-shaped face isn't caked on with make-up as most of their crew, she usually goes for the natural beauty instead of clogging her pores with all the foundation and crap most teens use nowadays, although her black eyeliner and mascara are paired with a shimmery light pink eyeshadow that really brings out her hazel almond shaped eyes.

I smile at Freyja "yeah, go ahead and get the milk since I have my stupid counseling appointment today." I say scrunching my face up in a grimace.

"You wouldn't have gone if I hadn't reminded you about it Fal, you know it." She replies, to which I reply by sticking my tongue out at her showing off my rainbow tongue ring.

"Even if that may be true, you don't have to rub it in," I say in a slightly annoyed tone.

Cherie and Freyja both just shrug as we reach the parking lot. "So, do you think you're finally going to let go of your four-year streak of being single and go out with that guy who follows you like a little lost puppy dog?" Cherie asks as she climbs into the front of Freyja's silver '07 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

I look at her in bewilderment, I didn't think she really paid much attention to what happened with me. "What guy?' I ask

She giggles, not the annoying nasally giggle that most stuck-up cheerleaders use, but an actual genuine one, "you know the boy with the sandy blonde hair, gorgeous blue eyes, and always wears a green army jacket that matches yours." She replies knowing that I know which guy she's referring to.

"You mean Niklaus?" I ask.

She smirks "he is totally in love with you, you realize this right?"

I sigh rubbing my temples "yes, he has told me about his feelings for me, as much as it actually hurts me to hurt him in this way, I don't reciprocate the feelings." I say getting into the back seat of Freya's car since mine needs to have some mechanic work done.

Freyja pulls away from the curb as we continue to debate my dating life or at least the lack thereof. As we pull into the school parking lot, something feels different, a little eerie. I look around but find nothing out of place, the jocks are standing with the cheerleaders talking up a storm by their jacked-up trucks that mommy and daddy's money bought, the outcasts are drinking their energy drinks as per usual, everyone is walking towards the school building in groups.

As I grab my bookbag, I feel eyes on me, as I turn my head, I notice someone staring at me from the bleachers on the sideline of the football field. I stare back at him, trying to get a good look at the guy, not knowing what else to do. Even though I get a creepy feeling from him, I can't help but notice that he is exceptionally good-looking, his light reddish-dark brown hair is cut in a shaggy buzz cut, his other features aren't quite as clear.

Tearing my eyes away from the creepy hot guy, I get out of the car and bump into a firm chest, I jump as I turn around, coming face to chest with Niklaus. He stands at 6'5'' to my 5'3''.

"Hey birthday girl!" he says grinning handing me an envelope.

"What is this?" I ask as I take the envelope from him, leaning against the car.

"Just open it and stop asking questions!" He chuckles.

I look up and playfully glared at him. "Fine," I reply as I open the envelope to find a pair of concert tickets to Avenged Sevenfold. "Are you freaking kidding me?!" I exclaim excitedly making Freya and Cherie look over at me in confusion, stopping them mid-conversation. I jump up and down excitedly hugging him hard.

"If I had known that this was the way to your heart, I would have done it sooner." He chuckles fighting for air. "But uh, do you think you could lighten up your hulk-like grip just a smidge?" he asks breathlessly.

I smile pulling back "sorry, I guess I don't know my own strength."

Freyja and Cherie walk over to us "What did you do to be able to get her to squeal like that?" Cherie asks with an amused look on her face.

"Oh, nothing, except for getting me concert tickets to my favorite band!" I squeal again waving the envelope excitedly.

Freyja giggles "You were actually able to get the tickets after all?"

"Wait, you knew?" I ask eyeing her suspiciously, knowing how she thought that I should give Nik a chance.

She smiles and does the little 'maybe' dance, which consists of shuffling from one foot to the other.

"I thought you didn't have class until the second period, what are you doing here so early?" Niklaus asks as we walk towards the school when the second warning bell rings.

"I don't, but my car isn't in working order, plus I also need to head to the library to do some research for a project," I say leaving them at the entrance.

As I'm walking towards the library, the feeling of someone following me creeps up the back of my neck, thinking that it's Freyja, Cherie, or Niklaus I turn around, only to find that there is no one there. I shake my head trying to understand what is going on with me. I walk into the quiet library and head straight to the computer lab, there is a new guy sitting at one of the computers just hanging out.

I notice that there is a scar above his left eyebrow as if he had once had a piercing there. his sparkling green eyes have slight malice to them, and his muscular build shows through his black Metallica band tee. If having a boyfriend was on the top of my to-do list, this guy would be just my type.

I sit at the computer next to him and start to log on. 'Damn, she's gorgeous!' I hear someone say. I don't know what is going on exactly, but a strange sense of familiarity washes over me as a memory starts to play in my head.

FLASHBACK

Berik, Freyja, and I are sitting in their 1997 Dodge Dakota heading to the zoo for my tenth birthday, my parents had asked her to take me for the day, do whatever I had wanted to do, the only stipulation was that she had to keep me away from the house at all costs for the entire day. Knowing that I wasn't supposed to be eavesdropping, I didn't say anything to Berik, I honestly thought that they were planning a huge birthday party for me and didn't want me to be underfoot, so I excitedly went with Berik and her daughter.

After the zoo, we went to a theme park, it was more fun than I had originally thought, then we went to a Broadway showing of Beauty and The Beast, which happened to be one of my all-time favorite movies, we then went to an amazing dinner, I was starting to feel a little tired by the time Berik told me that it was time to head home. I was content, I had gotten everything that I had ever wanted, the only exception being that my parents weren't there.

On our way home, a woman who seemed to be terribly upset started talking, 'when we get back, nothing will be wrong, everything will go the way they promised.' The voice sounded as if they were terrified of something. I looked at the radio thinking that it was a talk show or something, but the radio was turned off, Freyja was soundly asleep in the back seat and Berik had her eyes staring straight ahead focusing on the road.

END OF FLASHBACK

I find myself staring at the computer screen in front of me as the new guy is trying to talk to me.

"Hey, are you alright?" He asks concerned.

I shake the past away from my thoughts "yeah, sorry; it's been kind of a weird morning." I reply with a chuckle.

"Oh?" He replies curiously.

I just nod and finish logging into the computer "you're new?" I state questioningly still focusing on the computer screen.

"Yeah, just moved into town over the weekend." He replies nonchalantly.

"How are you liking the town so far?" I ask clicking on my project folder to open it.

"It's not so bad, I'm more used to the big city life, but it seems that little towns may have some surprises, just like the big cities." He replies smiling at me.

"I'm sure there are," I reply as I pull up my English project that is due in the second period, knowing that he's flirting with me.

The librarian, Thelma, comes in just as I am about to print off my paper. "Oh, Falencia dear!" She exclaims in her thick Cajun accent, the only way I could describe her is with the word 'spitfire' she and Berik were the best of friends, so naturally, Freya and I grew up around her.

"Hey, Thelma!" I reply with a happy smile "How are you today?" I ask as I get out of my chair to grab my paper from the printer.

"The same 'ole same, just can't wait for summer break to grace us." She replies with a big smile on her face.

I smile back at her "Going home for the summer?" I ask, hoping to be asked to join to go along at least one more time.

"I sure am! Are you finally ready to stop playing it safe and go on the ride of your life?" She asks as if reading my mind.

"Since I always turn you down, I figured I'd oblige just this once," I reply smiling.

"Oh, that is music to my ears Mon Cheri!" she exclaims, "let me deal with this new student, and we will talk about our upcoming trip."

Thelma isn't your ordinary librarian, she is from New Orleans, Louisiana. She grew up learning the ways of hoodoo, she started teaching Freyja and me, much to Berik's chagrin, to defend ourselves, if ever the need should arise. I was more adept at the craft than Freyja, but she wasn't too bad with it either.

I finish printing off the papers for my project as Thelma goes over the new guy's class schedule with him. "Falencia, would you be so kind as to show Mr. Danvers around the school and to his classes today?" She asks, giving me an odd look.

I give her a curious look, cocking my head to the side "No problem!" I reply, taking his class schedule noticing that he has every single class with me, now I understand the look she gave me, I find this to be a bit creepy but shrug it off.

She nods as the guy, and I head out of the library just as the bell signals the end of first-period rings. "Come see me at lunch and we'll talk road trip!" Thelma squeals happily.

I nod at her smiling "so, you know where the library is, have you already been to your locker, or do you even have one?" I ask. "Most of the seniors opt out of having one, but I like having one, it helps with the number of books I have to carry at one time."

"I don't have a locker; didn't think I would need one." He replies.

"Okay" I reply as we stop at my locker "I'll take you to our second-period class, just need to grab my books and such."

He nods looking around, "no problem."

"You aren't much of a talker, are you?" I ask.

"I can be when there is a good discussion, you seem tight with the librarian, mind if I ask what the story is behind that?" He asks.

"She's best friends with my adoptive mother," I reply as I shut my locker. "Don't let Thelma fool you with her sweet southern hospitality, she is quite the spitfire, especially when her family is involved, which consists of me and my adoptive sister."

I smile to myself as we head towards our English class, we are almost inside when I feel a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist in a hug, I could swear I hear a low growl before Nik says his hellos.

"Hey, Falencia!" Nik says as he eyes the new guy.

"Hey Nik," I say leaning into him, embracing his hug. "This is..." I trailed off realizing that I don't know the dude's name.

The guy smiles and extends his hand "Addam Danvers, I just started today."

Nik gives him a look "Welcome to Summit High." He says taking Addam's outstretched hand and shaking it.

The boys stand there in the hallway staring each other down, I get tired of the alpha male showdown and unentangle myself from Nik's arms and walk into the classroom heading towards the back where Nik and I usually sit and start getting ready for the presentation of our projects silently praying that Nik didn't forget to do his portion of the homework.

"Hey, you alright?" Nik asks as he and Addam join me at the table.

I nod feeling a small headache coming on. "Yeah, everything is fine, please tell me that you did the homework."

"Shit! Was that due today?" He says worriedly

I sigh "Please tell me that I am not the only one taking this seriously."

He chuckles and pulls his papers out "I promise, I would never leave you hanging."

I growl at him menacingly "Seriously Nik? I swear one of these days, I am going to end up killing you for doing this to me." I say, semi-joking.

"I know, which is why I don't and never will forget to do my part of the project." He replies honestly.

Mr. Holliday, a man in his mid to late thirties with dark blonde hair that easily reaches his mid-back, stands six feet tall and gives half of the female student body, along with most of the female faculty wet dreams, walks into the classroom just as the bell rings and clears his throat. "Good morning class."

"Good morning, Mr. Holliday." we all reply in unison.

I lean over to talk to Addam, "This is Mr. Holliday, he is easily the coolest teacher at Summit, but don't let that fool you, he is also the strictest, though he won't give problems to those who don't deserve it."

Addam nods in understanding "Good to know." he whispers back. "I'm assuming that there isn't assigned seating then?"

I shake my head "Only to those who desperately need it."

"Miss. Black, I can see that you have plenty to say this morning, does that mean that you and Mr. Cryb are ready to present your project to us today?" Mr. Holliday says calling me out in front of the entire class.

I roll my eyes at his lame attempt to make me feel bad "I am sir, I was also helping our new student here, "I point to Addam "learn the ropes of your class."

Mr. Holliday looks at me with smiling eyes "Of course you are. Either way, why don't you two come up and start off our presentations?" He says in a non-questioning tone.

Nik groans as he follows me up to the front of the classroom "you just had to get caught talking, you know he already hates me as it is." He whispers to me as we get up to the front.

"Nik, the only reason he is as hard on you as he is, is because you don't know when to keep your trap shut and when to let it open," I reply pointedly.

"I know when to keep it shut." He says defensively as we start our presentation.

The presentation goes off without a hitch and we're back in our seats quickly. "Well done you two, very well thought out." Mr. Holliday says approvingly.

I smile and try to focus on the other presentations while Nik and Addam are throwing some serious vibes around.

As soon as class ends, I bolt out of the classroom to head to my third-period class, "Hey, why'd you bolt so quickly?" Nik asks as he catches up with me.

"Seriously?" I whirl around to face him "I don't know what the hell is going on, but you have been very alpha male since you met Addam, you know I feed off of the vibes others are putting out and yours are so strong that I can't even think straight."

He looks at me sheepishly "I'm sorry Fal, I don't know what's got me so riled up, it's just that there's seriously something not right about that guy."

As we reach our third-period class Addam catches up with us "wow, you guys walk really fast."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to leave you in the dust, just starting to get a headache, " I say pinching the bridge of my nose while scrunching my face.

"You sure you're alright Falencia?" Nik asks as my entire world sways around me. I barely hear him ask.

"Yeah, just got a headache that's starting to amp up to a migraine, hopefully, Mr. Sullivan has some aspirin," I replied walking into the darkened room.

Mr. Sullivan is sitting at his desk in the corner of the room, his brown hair has been freshly cut into a buzz cut style, his 5'10' frame is hunched over his desk as he is reading something on his computer, he looks up as I approach his desk.

"Uh, Mr. Sullivan, do you possibly have any aspirin that you could give me? My head is pounding like a jackhammer." I ask.

He smiles and nods while opening a drawer in his desk and hands me two aspirin "Do you have anything to take it with?"

I nod "yeah, I have my water with me." I reply showing him my Supernatural decked-out water bottle taking the aspirin and walk towards the back of the class to my usual seat.

"Welcome to History all you young minds!" He starts the class, in the same manner, he starts all his other classes, "today, is going to be a bit different, instead of our usual discussion and homework we're going to celebrate someone today."

I could tell where this was heading and put my head on my table trying to shrink into a non-existent hole, as he told the class about my birthday and how we were going to have a pizza party and watch movies all period in celebration of me.

"Miss. Black," he says as my heart sinks into my stomach, I slowly raise my head in response

"Shit," I mumble to myself under my breath. "Yes Sir?" I ask.

"Happy birthday!" He says enthusiastically.

Everyone cheers and looks at me with a thumbs up, I can't help but groan and put my head back down on the table.

"Happy Birthday!" Addam says smiling as Mr. Sullivan and a few of the other students head to the front office to get the pizza.

"Do you think it's for all of us or just the ones he likes?" Nik asks me, making me look at him in confusion.

"Why wouldn't everyone be involved with this 'party' thing?" I ask

"I don't think Mr. Sullivan likes me too terribly much." He responds.

"Maybe if you actually paid attention in class instead of talking and goofing off, he wouldn't be so hard on you." I retorted.

"I pay attention!" Nik exclaims, feigning hurt. "Plus, I like copying your notes, they're easier to read and understand."

"Well, that makes a lot of sense," I reply as Mr. Sullivan and the students who went with him come back into the classroom with the pizza and sodas, I look up as the class erupts into cheers.

"Miss. Black?" Mr. Sullivan asks as he sets the pizzas down on a table at the head of the class.

I sigh "yes sir?" I ask.

"You get the first pick of pizza and soda, come on up." He says cheerfully.

Everyone smiles and wishes me a birthday as I head towards the front of the class to grab my food and drink. Once I get back to my seat, I cross my arms on the table and lay my head down on my arms grumbling to myself about how I wish people wouldn't know it's my birthday.

"Falence?" Nik says touching my shoulder gently "you, ok?"

I sigh and nod as I lift my head up. "I'm fine, just tired, didn't get a lot of sleep last night."

"Nightmares again?" He asks in a hushed tone.

I nod and lay my head back down as Mr. Sullivan sets up the projector. "We're going to enjoy a fun movie while eating our pizza and everything. The movie we are going to be enjoying is The Covenant."

I smile at the mention of one of my all-time favorite movies. As I start to eat my pizza my headache starts to subside, letting me know that I just needed to eat. When the bell rings signaling lunch, our class doesn't budge.

"We also have some cupcakes up here if you are wanting some." Mr. Sullivan says smiling as he hands me one.

"Thank you, but if I may, how did you find out that it was my birthday?" I ask, thinking he got it from my records.

"I was talking to Ms. Charpentier about doing a project in the library and when she found out that you're in my class, she told me." He replies.

I mentally roll my eyes as Thelma's name comes up, 'I should have known she was going to sell me out.' I think to myself with a chuckle.

"She wasn't supposed to tell anyone, was she?" he asks with a mischievous grin.

I sigh a little "No, not really." I reply smiling. "But it was bound to come up today, I'm sure it's in my records."

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was a secret." He says patting my back.

I smile at him again, noticing that I have a few girls glaring my way at the interaction with Mr. Sullivan. "It's not so much a secret as it is I just don't like the attention."

He nods in understanding "I can respect that; I hope I didn't cause too much trouble for you."

I shake my head chuckling "No, none, Ms. Charpentier and I are still good friends. I just wasn't expecting anyone to be throwing me a party." I say honestly.

As we are finishing with the movie and the party, I get a text from Thelma "Hey girl, I hope you don't mind me telling Mr. Sullivan that it's your birthday and the pizza party he threw for you! We will get together some time later and talk about the road trip."

I smile at her text "not at all, a little surprised, but not upset in the slightest." I reply.

The bell rings signaling the end of lunch as the movie is about to end, we all pack up and throw our trash away. I start heading to our next class as I am shoved hard into a row of lockers "Damn, wide load, I thought by now you'd know how to watch out." Anderson, my biggest bully, and nemesis says while laughing maniacally.

I growl low in my throat "Seriously Anderson?! You're more than half my size. If anyone has a 'wide load' it's you." I reply venomously.

"Oh, now that you have a couple of boyfriends, you think it's ok to come back at me with your witty retorts?" He asks as Addam, and Nik helps me pick up my books.

"I have never had a boyfriend nor am I wanting one, Anderson. I have been standing up to you for years on my own, why would I start having others fight my battles now?" I reply

He glares at me not saying another word and heads into our AP Calculus class. As I pass him to head towards my seat, he sticks his foot out and trips me, as I start to fall, a pair of strong arms keep me from falling flat on my face, I hear Anderson and some of his friends start to snicker. I turn around and come face to face with Addam, "Thank you for helping me." I turn back to Anderson, take a deep breath, and center myself. "Good to know that you're not just bullying me to bully me, you're also doing it to look good in front of your minions."

He just stares up at me with hateful eyes. "I am just showing you where your place is, bitch." He replies.

"The only bitch I see in this classroom is you. Maybe you should grow the fuck up instead of acting like a fucking toddler who hasn't gotten his way." I reply.

He stands up and tries to intimidate me "You really got a mouth on you, don't you?"

I square my shoulders as I step away from Addam "I got more than a mouth you stupid son of a bitch, I'm fairly certain I've got bigger balls than you will ever have."

His friends sit there and watch our banter with wide eyes, not really knowing what to say or do as the teacher comes in.

"Miss Black, Mr. Tyler, is there a problem here?" Mrs. Morgan asks as she walks into the classroom and sees us squaring up against one another.

"No ma'am," Anderson says as he sits back down, and I walk towards my usual seat at the back.

"Not at all." I retort as I reach my seat.

The class is uneventful as I try to calm myself down, my vision starts to go black as I start to envision Anderson walking around like a two-year-old throwing a tantrum. The next thing I know, someone is shaking me lightly and my surroundings start to come back to me slowly. The voices around me are thick as if coming through bulletproof glass.

"Falencia?" I hear Mrs. Morgan's voice come through a little clearer, I feel her warm minty breath on my face, and the smell of calming lavender swirls around me helping me to calm down further. As I come back everyone is staring at me, some with confusion others with concern. I look at Mrs. Morgan in bewilderment as she says my name in a questioning tone.

"Are you alright?" Addam asks as I stare at Mrs. Morgan.

"What happened?" I ask shakily.

"You went rigid and started to shake a little bit, you seemed like you were in a trance of some sort," Addam replies, as Anderson gets up out of his seat and starts to throw a temper tantrum. The entire class erupts into chaotic laughter as Anderson continues his two-year-old-like behavior, his eyes are the only sign that there is something wrong with him, everyone thinks that he is just clowning around trying to take the attention from me so that he has the sole attention of everyone.

"Mr. Tyler, if you cannot refrain from making light of a serious situation, you will be asked to excuse yourself and go to the principal's office." Mrs. Morgan tells him in a matter-of-fact tone.

Anderson tries to stop his tantrum and looks at Mrs. Morgan horrified "I-I wa-wasn't trying to be funny M-Mrs. Morgan, I honestly don't know why I started doing th-that." He stutters, all the while trying to stop his toddler-like wailing.

"Mr. Tyler, please just go to the principal's office, I don't have the energy to deal with your antics today," she says pointing a finger towards the door. "Miss. Black, I think you should go to the nurse and see if she can figure out what happened."

I shake my head clear of everything that happened to me "I'm fine, Mrs. Morgan. I promise." I say hoping she'll change her mind about the nurse.

She smiles and nods "as long as you're ok." She replies as she walks back up to the front of the class "Today we're going to be continuing our work from yesterday, so go ahead and pull out your homework and work silently amongst yourselves."

As we are heading towards our lockers since this was the last class of the day, Nik, Addam, and I are all laughing and enjoying each other's company, someone grabs my arm hard.

"Think that was funny do you?" Anderson says with a sneer.

"Actually, Yes I do. But then again you don't know what we're laughing about so maybe instead of assuming shit and thinking that everything revolves around your dumbass, maybe learn to realize that you're not the center of the fucking universe." I retort with a glare, ripping my arm out of his grip.

As Anderson lunges at me, I am taken by complete surprise as I am pulled out of his line of attack.

"You attack her, you have to go through me first," Nik says menacingly, as he crouches in a fighting stance, keeping me protected behind him.

Anderson laughs "Yeah, and you think you scare me, Cryb?"

Addam steps around us "No, but I'm betting he's better in a fight than you are, not to mention, I'm fairly sure that I could take you if I absolutely had to, so the way I see it, either you can walk away now and leave her alone or we can take this out to the parking lot and hand you your ass."

"You just wait, you stupid bitch, your little lapdogs won't always be around to protect you, they'll leave you alone at some point," Anderson says with a distasteful scowl.

I smirk "Again, I don't need them to fight my battles Anderson, the sentiment still stands, if you want to take this out to the parking lot, let's go. I can take you down a couple of pegs, I don't care what you think, never have, never will."