From The Other Side

Alicia

Wednesday, 5:00

It's late fall at Burbank High in LA. I'm your typical girl, Mystery books, Navy blue and white clothes all the time, skirts and dresses, normal. My father is a cop, my mother is gone from cancer, and I'm an only child. Me and my mother were closer than ever. Happy family, until she was diagnosed when I was ten, everything changed. Almost as if the whole world went dark.

I walk the halls and see the usual. Popular girls prepping for picture day, the jocks trying to find out a way to show how hot or strong they are, geek girls studying for a test, hopeless romantics watching rom coms and etc. . . It wasn't until I passed by Simon Gray I knew Junior year of high school would be hard. Simon Gray is in a drug gang full of bad boy hotties every girl dreams of. I adjust my navy blue cardigan and the collar of my white Polo and straighten my dark blue skirt. My usual shoes being black flats

Simon gives me a grin as I pass by in the halls. THATS never happened before. It's different this year because I recently made a pact with a basic girl that's a copycat of mean girls or heathers. I also have been dating the second most popular guy in the school, Ryland King, the football kicker. Elaine, The Regina George of the school. Light blonde curls and mini skirts almost every day. Even if it's cold.

I go to my locker and Simon approaches me. "Yes, Simon?" I ask, shoving my coat into my body sized locker. "Here to call me an outsider like you?"

"No, actually, and—sorry about that, but since when did all this happen?" Simon asks, leaning the left side of his body to the locker beside mine.

"Since Ryland was a lifeguard and Elaine approached me to be friends?" I say, closing my locker and walking away, Simon walking with me.

"That's... Surprising." He says with a wry laugh.

"What, that I'm more popular than you are?" I say sarcastically.

"I'm not even popular. Girls just like the idea of dating a guy in a gang." He explains.

"A gang called The Vile Wolves? This is Burbank, not Hollywood. Hollywood is filled with trash and things, sure it's may look nice on the internet but it's hell in real life." I remind him. The bell suddenly rings. "I'll see you later, Simon." I walk into my History class.

. . .

I lie on my bed browsing the internet for clothes and stuff while Ryland is on his phone snap chatting and talking about football. "So the other team is pretty weak, and we have a strong chance at winning— Alicia, are you listening?" He says.

"Simon approached me today," I yawn and stretch. "That was pretty unusual." I mention.

"I mean, you're popular now. That's how high school works. All we need is each other to survive it." He turns his head to me slightly and smiles. I give him a chuckle. "Hey Alice!" Elaine barges in.

"Hey!" I greet.

"Hey Ryland. Cute shirt." She gives him a devious grin.

"Thanks?" He looks confused. "Anyway, sorry to be a buzzkill but I gotta head home now..." He says.

"Bye babe." I say.

Ryland

On my way home, walking, I see Simon. "Hey, stay away from my girlfriend. Ok?" I warn him.

"Ok, what are you going to do about it?" He says, taking a hand through his black hair. His looks make me jealous in a way. His icy blue eyes and freckles all girls go after...

"What are YOU gonna do about it? Bring your druggie gang?" I pause of a split second. "Stay away from my girlfriend or else I will kill you." I threaten, not actually meaning it. The killing part, I mean.

"What are you going to kill me with, a football?" He laughs. I scoff and walk away, minding my own business.