by Mae Doyle
Before I can say anything she reaches out and pinches me, squeezing my arm hard enough to make me cry out. “Crap, what was that for?”
She laughs. “Holy shit. You look just like Tiffany. You know, I never would have believed it if I hadn’t seen you in person.”
I wait for her to say anything else, but she goes a little pale. Her dark eyes stand out from her light skin and she’s got on perfect eyeliner and eyeshadow that make her eyes pop. She’s easily one of the prettiest girls I’ve ever seen.
She’s popular, no doubt about it. No matter what the secretary may have thought, this is not the kind of girl who will want to be my friend. I can feel it already.
Even if we were on equal footing, which I’m sure that we’re not, Bethany and I are nothing like. First of all, she looks like she walked out of the pages of a magazine. I look like a drowned rat.
She oozes confidence. I just want to crawl under a table and disappear.
Also? She’s probably never had her fucking stepdad try to share her bed.
Nope, we’re nothing alike.
Better to go on the offensive.
“Yeah, so I’ve heard. What’s her story? She some famous alumnae or something?” I jut my thumb over my back at the painting. Schools are fucking weird with how they like to memorialize people. I hope she wasn’t a model student or I’m going to have some big shoes to fill.
I just want to blend in and disappear, and it’s hard to do that when you stand out because you look like a famous student.
“No, she’s dead.” She narrows her eyes at me and then glances back up at the painting. “You know, I need to get you to class, but my brother is going to shit his pants when he sees you. We’ll take the long way, c’mon.” She grabs my arm, her perfectly manicured nails digging into my skin.
“Hard pass.” I pull back, but she turns around, her nails digging harder into my skin.
“You don’t get a choice. Who do you think that you are, anyway?”
When I don’t answer she sighs, snapping her gum at me, and then turns back around.
As we walk down the hall, the sea of people parts in front of her. Guys are staring at her long legs as we pass and I see more than one person whispering behind their hand when they look at me.
To say that it’s uncomfortable is a bit of an understatement. I’d rather be anywhere but here, marched down the hall of this stupid school like some kind of prisoner.
It hardly gives me any time to look around, but when I do, I’m shocked. My old school was nothing like this. Not only are the walls free from graffiti, which is a definite step up anyway, but there are huge skylights above us in the hall letting in tons of natural light.
There’s also gorgeous murals on the wall that look like they were painted by professionals, not by stoned art students.
“I’m Bethany. What are you, like a freshman?” She cuts her eyes at me as she drags me down the hall.
“No, I’m a senior.” I’m struggling to keep up with her. My backpack hits my back with every step and I’m afraid I’m going to whack someone with my violin. Keeping it close to me is harder than I thought as she pulls me down the hall.
“Bullshit. You’re too small to be a senior. How old are you?” Bethany stops and turns to face me, yanking me around so that I’m in front of her.
Excuse me? “I just turned 18. And I know that I look young, but not that young, that’s…”
She doesn’t give me a chance to finish. “Whatever. Let me see your license.” When she releases my arm and holds out her hand, I take a step back.
“I don’t have to show you my license. What are you, a bouncer?” I ask her. Who the hell is this girl? And why does she think that she runs the damn school?
Holding up her hands, she backs away. “You’re right, Elle. You don’t have to do anything that you don’t want to here, and I’m certainly not going to make you do something that makes you feel uncomfortable.”
I think that I’ve won until I notice a teacher watching us. Bethany waves and the teacher grins and waves back before ducking into her classroom. Great. Looks like everyone at this school is on this girl’s payroll. Not only does she look like she’s the most popular girl in school, but it looks like the teachers think she walks on water.
As soon as she’s gone, Bethany leans in. “18, huh? We’ll see about that. Come on, you little liar.”
Stumbling down the hall after her, I try to remember the way back, but we make a series of turns before she stops again. “Stay here and don’t move.” She snaps her fingers at me. “I’m going to get Clay. He’s just going to die when he sees you.” Her face is joyful and my stomach sinks.
After a moment, she pops back out of the classroom followed by the most gorgeous guy I’ve ever seen. He’s taller than me, which isn’t anything new, since most people are, but it’s not his height that has me speechless.
It’s him.
All of him.
He’s covered in muscle and I can see every fiber twisting under his clothes as he walks. The hair on the side of his head is shorter, and the top is longer, making me want to run my hand through it. Then his jaw…it’s perfectly cut and strong and leads up to the brightest blue eyes I have ever seen.
What the fuck. I didn’t think that guys like this actually existed. What’s the luck that the most gorgeous guy I’ve ever seen happens to go to my new school?
When I finally lock eyes with him, I smile. This is it. This is how I’m going to make a new name and have a new start. So much for blending in and just being part of the crowd. Now that I’ve seen this…this god, I don’t want to disappear. I want to be the center of his world. I didn’t have a boyfriend back home, but I want to be with him.
I don’t know anything about this guy, but he’s gorgeous and perfect. And since he’s Bethany’s brother, maybe he can get her to like me.
Even if she doesn’t like me, I’d settle for her not being such a bitch.
I expect him to at least smile, but he doesn’t.
“What is this shit?” He turns to Bethany and reaches out, grabbing her by the arm and squeezing so hard that she cries out. “Is this some sick fucking joke? Where did you find this bitch?” He gives her a little shake, still holding her arm tight.
This bitch? Is everyone here crazy? Raising my eyebrow at him, I lift my chin, trying to look brave, but inside I want to die. Of course, the sexiest guy I’ve ever seen hates me for some unknown reason.
“Let go of me, asshole!” Bethany kicks him in the shin and he drops her arm, letting her step back. She’s breathing hard and her cheeks are flushed, but she looks triumphant. “This is Elle. She’s new here.”
He looks back at me and sneers, his gorgeous features suddenly turning darker. “Elle? What the fuck kind of stupid name is that?”
He crosses his arms across his broad chest and stares at me. Bethany’s looking at me too, with a smirk on her face that I want to wipe off. What the hell is going on?
“It’s a family name,” I begin, but he stops me, holding his hands up in the air as he cuts me off.
“Woah. Nobody here gives a shit about your family name, Elle. Nobody here gives a shit about you, you got that? I don’t know where you came from, but I don’t want to see you. Ever.” He rakes his eyes over my body and I shiver. There’s nothing compassionate in his gaze.
You know what he looks like? A caged lion at the zoo. Sure, they’re strong and muscled, but they’re also wound tight and unable to relax. At some point, all caged animals go crazy and end up attacking everyone around them. I’m not sure that I want to be near him when that happens.
The guy looks like he hasn’t relaxed in a long damn time.
“Get her out of my face,” he growls at Bethany before he turns and stomps back into his classroom. I lean forward to watch him go, but Bethany reaches out and grabs my arm.
When I turn to her, she’s still grinning. “That went well! I think that you could be really good for Clay, don’t you think?” There’s
a glint in her eye that I didn’t notice before. I know that it’s cliché, but I swear my blood runs cold when she looks at me.
She doesn’t want to be my friend. She wants something from me, but I’m not sure yet what it is. Parading me around the halls? Showing me off to her brother? What is going on at this school?
“What the hell was that? Why does your brother hate me?” I feel my whole body start to flush as I think about the way he looked at me. Like he wanted to destroy me.
I hate that my body responds to the way he was looking at me, but I feel a flush course through me. There’s no reason for me to be attracted to some guy who looks like he wants to kill me, but I can’t help it.
Try telling my libido to chill out when I was just that close to him.
Bethany squeals. “Because you look just like his dead girlfriend! Just like her! I never would have believed it if I hadn’t seen it for myself!” She jumps up in the air, her short skirt high on her thighs. “Hoooly shit, he was pissed. Did you see it?”
That girl in the painting is dead?
Yeah, Bethany, I saw it. I saw how the hottest guy in school already hates me because I look like his dead girlfriend. My stomach sinks as I think about what this means for the rest of the school year. There is no way that I’m going to be able to blend in now when the two of them hate me so badly. “Can you show me to class now?”
This is great. Just great. Not only do I have to look like someone who died, but apparently, it’s the girlfriend of this sexy god.
Ex-girlfriend?
Dead girlfriend? Whatever.
Bethany stops jumping and looks at me. Absentmindedly, she twirls a bit of hair around her finger while she thinks. “I can. But I have to show you to the squad first. Do you cheer? That would be perfect!”
The bell rings as she latches onto my arm again and starts to drag me down the hall. I protest, but she ignores me. “You’ll be late, but it doesn’t matter. Just tell them that I was showing you around the school and it’ll be fine!”
“No, but, my class,” I say, but her nails dig into my skin. She stamps her foot and looks at me, her eyes sharp and angry.
My heart pounds in my chest as I think about what it would be like to be late to class on my first day at a new school. I don’t like being the center of attention. I don’t like anyone knowing my name.
The plan is for me to blend in, make it through my senior year, and then disappear. I want to get as far away from my mom and Ted as possible. Mentally I add Bethany and Clay to the list of people I can’t wait to leave behind when I graduate.
“Who gives a shit about your class? You look just like her. Come on!”
Faces swirl by us as she drags me down the hall. Everyone who’s still in the hall is staring at me. Nobody looks particularly friendly. They all look interested. That I expected since I’m new.
But the way that Clay reacted when he saw me? I definitely didn’t expect that. I almost drop my violin in an effort to keep up with Bethany as she scurries along.
Clay
That was bullshit.
Even from Bethany, who’s a damn bitch sometimes, that was a little much.
It’s Monday, which is already the shittiest day of the week, and I’m supposed to deal with seeing someone who looks just like my fucking dead girlfriend before the first bell even rings? Fuck that.
And fuck her. Who the hell does she think she is coming to my school and looking like she doesn’t know the history of the place? There’s a damn painting of Tiffany in the front hallway, and having to walk by that every day when I’m the one who killed her is bad enough.
But now seeing someone who looks just like her walk around alive and happy? Bullshit.
Well, not quite exactly like her. Tiffany looked more confident and had a bit more meat on her bones. This new girl, Elle, looks like a budget version of her at best. She’s a rip-off copy, a shadow.
“Everything okay, Mr. Bryson?” My head snaps up as Mr. Tate, my English teacher calls on me. Twenty people turn around in their chairs to stare at me. Most of their eyes are wide with concern or adoration, but one person rolls his at me.
Teague. Asshole knows that he can get away with damn near anything he wants when it comes to me and I won’t ever give him shit.
I smirk at Teague before looking at Mr. Tate and answering him.
“Yessir, I’m just not feeling well. Big game this week, you know, and the coach has us all on new diets.” I lean back and stretch, showing off my physique. Yeah, I know that the girls in the class are looking. They can look all they want, but since Tiffany died I haven’t been with anyone.
Being the star quarterback in a small town affords you the benefit of the doubt, even when you don’t deserve it, and one benefit is that Mr. Tate believes me.
Hell, coach has all of the other assholes on my team on diets, but not me. He doesn’t have to worry about me getting any better. I’m at the top of my game, which is why I’m being scouted for colleges. Just gotta make it through the end of the football season and the spring semester and I’m golden.
Well, I was going to be golden, but now with that eerie bitch at my school, it’s going to be a little harder.
And Bethany looked so fucking happy to be parading her around the halls. She probably took her to show her off to all of her stupid little friends. Like they really give a shit. They have no idea what I lived through when Tiffany died.
Hell, I can’t close my eyes at night without seeing Tiffany’s face. She haunts me, as well she should, since I’m the reason that she’s dead. Now there’s a new girl who looks just like her?
It’s some weird karma bullshit.
“Well, make sure that you pay attention today so that you don’t have to miss practice this afternoon. We wouldn’t want the town’s best quarterback sitting inside while everyone else is running drills after the pep rally, would we?” He smiles at me and then turns back to the board.
I flick him off behind his back and Teague chuckles.
“What’s wrong, Clay? You look like you saw a ghost.” He keeps his voice low so that Mr. Tate won’t hear him and leans back in his chair. I take a moment to look at my best friend. He was there the night that I killed Tiffany.
Hell, he’s part of the reason that she’s dead, but I won’t let him take on that guilt. It was my idea to go drag racing, not his. It’s not his fault that the road was wet and that I lost control. It’s not his fault that he and I walked away, and Tiffany didn’t.
What sucks is that we both walked away, but I see Tiffany at night. Every fucking time I close my eyes, I swear, I could reach out and touch her. She’s almost there, but she’s a fucking ghost, and when I open them, she’s gone.
What I wouldn’t give to pound my cock into her sweet little pussy one more time. It throbs in my pants as I think about her. Then a picture of Elle flashes into my head.
Fuck. That girl has got to go.
“Nothing, man, my little sister got to me.” I roll my eyes at him and try to look calm while inside I feel like I’m raging. “Have you seen those new cheerleading outfits? They’re fucking ridiculous.”
There’s nothing like seeing your little sister dressed like a whore each time we have practice or a game. She parades around the school like she owns it, but you’d think that what happened after Tiffany died would remind her not to look like such a slut.
It’s a good thing that she’s under my protection or I’m sure that someone would want to take advantage of her.
Again.
Teague makes a jerking off motion with his hand and winks at me before turning back around.
Glowering, I sink back down in my seat. How the fuck am I supposed to concentrate on anything when I’ve just got a glimpse of Tiffany’s doppelganger walking around?
It’s just not normal. If she thinks that she can just stroll in here and start going to Kennedy Academy without any problems, then she’s got another thing coming.
I remind myself every day of Tiffany’
s death. I don’t need some stupid bitch with a matching face doing it for me. Even though I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t like catching a glimpse of Tiffany when I looked at her, this shit simply won’t fly.
I’m the prince of this school. Hell, I’m the king of the whole fucking town, and this stupid girl shouldn’t be here. There are other schools for her to go to, and she’ll have to find another one.
This one’s mine.
***
“So, did you like your little surprise today?” Bethany struts up to me, snapping her gum. I give my sister a once-over and roll my eyes.
“Are you fucking kidding me? Who the hell is that bitch?” I asked around at lunch and everyone was as spooked as I am, but nobody else has as good a reason. Shit, I even had some people hinting that this was a great time for me to have a do-over. Assholes.
There’s no way that the new bitch could even come close to Tiffany. I don’t care if she sings like a fucking angel and saves puppies on the weekend, she can die for all I care.
Hell, I’d be happy to be the one putting her in the ground. If it meant that I wouldn’t have to see her again, I’d do it now. Today.
Bethany glances around her to see if anyone is listening in on our conversation. Luckily, most of my team is cooling down and my friends know better than to interrupt us. I’m pissed at her and I’ve made no sign of hiding it all day long.
Teague glances curiously at us, but looks away as soon as I catch his eye.
“Her name is Elle Suttles,” Bethany spits out, rubbing the toe of her shoe into the ground. “She’s a total goodie-two-shoes from what I can tell and had no idea that she was walking into a school where everyone was going to hate her. Well, not everyone. Some guys thought that she looked cute.”
I hate it when my baby sister smirks at me like this – like she owns me just because she has a little information that I don’t. She’s done it since she was little and I’ve always wanted to smack her, but I’ve always held back. Right now, though, I’m so pissed that I may just do it. She sees the dark look on my face and takes a step back.
“Who? Who the hell was looking at her?” As much as I hate to admit it, I don’t want anyone to want Elle. I don’t want her for myself, but I sure as shit don’t want to see Tiffany’s doppelganger walking around on the arm of some other guy. My hands clench into fists and I have to take deep breaths to calm down and release them.
