1 Chapter One- Daniela

Rhea slides the pin out of her hair, all the while leaning against the door.

"You think they locked us in?" She says, whispering, "I think they locked us in."

I shove my hands out of my pocket, the one Hana sew for me last Friday and poke her in the rib with a finger, before resting my hands over her shoulders.

"Why aren't you just opening the door?" I whisper, despite myself. "Stop making this more complicated than it already is."

"I can't," she shrugs off my hands, "That jerk is outside."

"Who?" I whisper, leaning over Rhea's shoulder to look through the key hole.

I blink, "I just see sneakers."

"With a snake on them?" Rhea asks.

I nod.

"That's it." She says, "It's Jace, that son of a shoe."

"How do you know his sneakers?" I look at her. "Could be someone else."

"You don't forget the things that hurt you Dani," She says with a dramatic sigh, "I was sent flying to the bleachers by that very snake. How could I forget?"

I nod, that makes sense. I still remember the tip of Mrs. Evans marker as she marked me zero on a project I had spent ages on. Although unlike Rhea, I hadn't had the time to get my revenge yet.

"Also," She adds, "They were the same shoes I poured the washing powder and glued the shoelaces of."

I ignore the grin she blasts me and reach out for the door knob. It was not unknown; Rhea with her purple dyed short straight hair and Black sweat shirts-or sometimes occasionally white-was pure evil. I was protected this way.

"Listen we'll deal with the consequences," I say looking her in the eye, "We'll march to the Principal's office for the third time in a week and resist suspension. But I cant miss Legal Studies."

When I had announced that afternoon, I was taking up legal studies, it was quite a sight to see.

My mom, as expected had been utterly and undeniably devastated. This was one more indicator, one more trait that showed her how deeply I resembled the man who hooked up with her that Monday night and then left her with a baby in her uterus and no money in her bank, only to become a hot shot lawyer years on.

"He called himself Edwards. Lawrence Edwards." She said it in a way that she didn't believe a name like that could be a lying, ruffian's. "How could someone's name be that?"

Honestly, I rather liked his name. It made me feel like a countess. Daniela Edwards. With gloves up to my elbow and high heels in which I strutted around tasting food with toothpicks; rejecting guys who came up to me asking for a 'dance.'

Anyways, I couldn't miss Legal Studies. Not only because I had Mrs. Evans and her cronies to deal with, but also because of something else. Or rather someone else.

"You and your girl problems," Rhea says rolling her eyes, before turning the knob. "Go ahead and leave your highness, wouldn't want to be the one to create tremors in your paradise."

I blush and I hope she doesn't notice the tip of my ears turning red. I had liked Mia for years before I realized what my feelings actually were. And now, I was in the same class as her; although I don't think she is interested in girls.

"Why you like that woman keeps me up at night sometimes," Rhea says, swinging the door open. "I mean it's so bizarre."

I chuckle and we march out, much to the awe of Jace.

"I knew it," He says nodding, "I knew the door couldn't be rattling on it's own."

"No shit, Sherlock." Rhea says, jamming her hands in her pockets, looking down on Jace as how she looks down on practically everyone. "Cant believe you were brave enough to come and investigate."

"Same," He nods, before narrowing his eyes, "What were you doing there by the way? Is that were you hide the exam papers?"

"Cant you just admit that she's smarter than you?" I say," Stop looking for some dirt on us. You're just a sore loser."

"No one said I lost." He says, indignantly, his cheeks flaming. "Just wait and watch Rhea."

"I would like to see you try," She says striding off, the middle finger of her right hand up in the air.

I push her hand down; laughing as I hear his gasp.

"You know he is probably going to be complaining about you right?"

"I don't care," She says, the grin stretching up to the corners of her hazel eyes. "I'll deal with it."

"I know you wont admit, but you're kinda dorky." I say smiling. "Fighting over a geometry paper?"

"What's wrong with being dorky?" She says, raising an eyebrow as we walk through the corridor. "I think it's cool."

...

Mrs. Evans ties her hair in a knot on the top of her head, before pushing her hands down the pockets of her cherry red coat.

"I swear she wears the tackiest clothes ever," Ailee whispers, fixing her glasses. "My eyes hurt just by looking at her."

"Honestly, despite my despise for this lady," I whisper back my eyes trailing as she shrugged off invisible hair off the shoulders of her coat before fixing her thick rimmed glasses, "She makes everything look good."

"I don't know about that," Ailee says, biting her pencil as I had seen her often do, "But yeah, she's beautiful. No doubt."

"Alright girls and boys, take out your books," Mrs. Evans drawls clapping her hands. "Let's see if how you've written your essays." She pulled off the cap of her marker and strutted forward.

Ailee shudders beside me, a strand of her curly hair escaping her braids, "Did you see her eyes glint? They really glinted just now."

I smile, "You're really scared of her, aren't you?"

"I'm more scared of her marker," She says, "My notebook is all red. It kinda sucks, you know. I've been failing all year."

I know what she's on about. Students who fail are on her radar always. It's as if she memorizes their names and their names are always on the tip of her tongue.

I look around me, the class is rarely taken due to Mrs. Evans' popularity and also cause a lot of those who take their class have to stay back for the second year as well. I almost had to stay back; fortunately I had enough merit points. Points I earned by staying back and dictating lectures. It's a pain in the bum, but it works.

"Okay, Jackson, your essay lacks a lot of pointers but it's okay." She says, scanning the blonde boy's sheet, "You can submit it."

Jackson sighs, visibly relieved and turns around to face his girlfriend after Mrs. Evans passes by.

"Geez, I cant believe I did it Mia." He says, the lines under his eyes dipping in. "Thought I would have to stay another year in this wretched place."

Mia laughs, her dark eyes shiny, as she leans on his shoulder. "I cant believe you're gonna graduate already, this year though."

I look away, jealousy stabbing at my chest. Mia and Jackson made the perfect couple, they were the stable one. Not among the ones that people looked at and said, "Wow", but the ones who you knew were going to grow up, get into college, get jobs and eventually get married. It always seemed so simple between them, as it was always meant to be. Mia's easy smiles, her poking fun at Jackson's huge forehead; his cheesy dialogues, obsession with classical romances.

I wish I were the sort of person who could accept and be happy that the person they liked was happy, even if it was with someone else. I really wish I was.