My hand slammed down onto the alarm that was currently buzzing next to my head. I rolled out of my bed lazily and threw on a t shirt and a pair of jeans before slipping my vans on my feet. I had nothing to look forward today, no new faces to see, and the same ex girlfriend to hang off of my shoulder all day. I walked to to bathroom and brushed my teeth before going back to my room and reaching over to the dresser where I had thrown my hat, which was no longer there.

“Vic!” I screamed while I stomped down the stairs to the kitchen. “Vic where the fuck is my hat!”

“Michael watch your language!” I heard my mom yell.

“Sorry mom. Victor!” I said when his small body came into my line of vision. He was sitting at the kitchen counter eating cereal.

“What do you want Mike?” Vic groaned.

“Stop taking my shit.” I grumbled and tore the hat off of his head.

“I thought it was mine.” He shrugged and put his empty bowl into the sink.

“Bullshit.” I said and reached for the box of cereal in the cabinet.

“Michael you’re gonna be late for school” My dad said walking into the kitchen.

“But I-“

“Go. You’re not going to graduate if you keep missing first period.” My mom said while she poured herself coffee.

“Whatever. Bye.” I said and grabbed my keys from the counter and walked out the front door.

I made my way over to my car but something caught my eye along the way. There were amber curls cascading from the tree in the front yard of the house next door, a house I had known to be vacant for the past few years. I walked over to the tree and looked up, seeing a small girl laying on the biggest branch with a cigarette dangling from her petit fingers.

“Smoking kills you know.” I smirked. Her body jumped up but she stabled herself and climbed down, getting an ash on her arm.

“Yeah, so does scaring the crap out of people and making them fall out of trees.” She responded quickly.

“Sorry, you looked kinda cute up there though.” I laughed and winked at her.

“Oh you’re creepy.” she smiled and her voice was dripping with venom.

“No, my name is Mike.” I said still smirking.

“Well I’m Victoria.” she said while she dusted herself off. I watched as she did so, noticing all her features. She had light brown eyes that kind of looked like a deep honey and light brown hair freckled with red highlights. Her short frame was covered in tattoos, the most noticeable one on her collar bones above her rather large chest. It said “Rise and Rise Again, Until Lambs Become Lions” in script across her pale skin. She was beautiful.

“Michael Christopher Fuentes you get in that car and go to school! You’re not being late today!” my moms voice ripped through my head. I could picture her standing in the doorway behind me with her hands on her hips.

“Okay mom I’m going! I was just saying hi to the new neighbor!”

“Oh! They moved in last night huh? Why don’t you offer to drive her to school! She’s awfully cute Michael!”

“Mom!” I groaned.

“Alright, Alright! I get it you wanna be alone! But go to school Michael or else!” She screamed disappearing into the house.

“Awww she’s cute” Her brown curls bounced as she giggled “But you’ve got to go to school mister!”

“Do you need a ride?” I pulled my beanie down onto my head more after feeling it slip up a bit.

“No thank you I’ve got my car” she pointed to the tiny Mazda in the driveway next to my own.

“You sure? parking is killer” I raised my eyebrows as I spoke.

“Yeah I’m fine really” She smiled and showed her teeth.

“What are you, a senior?” I questioned.

“Yessir”

“Good, we’re going to get lunch together today”

“Okay, see you at lunch Mike” I watched her hips sway ass she walked back to her car before I went to mine. “Mike?”

“Yeah?” I said and spun to face her again.

“How do I get to school?” She played with the keys in her hands and bit on her plump bottom lip nervously.

“Just drive with me you’ll be fine I won’t kill you” I laughed and nodded towards the car.

“Are you sure? you look pretty sketchy…”

“Oh shut up and come on we’re gonna be late!” I grabbed her wrist and pulled her lightly towards the car, earning a giggle from her.

Victoria sat in the passenger side and I shut the door for her. My legs sprinted to the other side of the car where I climbed in and started driving.

“Smoking kills Mike” She grinned and picked up a pack of cigarettes from the floor of the car.

“Oh hush” a smile spread across my face “you can smoke in here if you want, I mean, clearly “

“I’m okay” She gave a loud laugh. “What’s school like?”

“Uhm, I dunno really. School?” I didn’t know what to tell her, I’d gone to school here my entire life, leaving me with nothing to compare it to.

“Do you think people will like me? I mean I don’t exactly come off as friendly” she bit her lip again, making my mind race. The things I would do to her…

“Oh you’ll be fine! Just stick with me. And if you see a blonde girl staring at you like she wants to kill you, ignore it” I said while I parked in the senior lot. Oh yeah, scare her away. Great idea.

“What?!”

“Yeah my ex girlfriend. She’s crazy” I made circular motions next to my head. “Hey” I whispered and cupped her face between my palms. “You’ll be fine I promise. She’s all talk she wont touch you”

“No it’s not that. It’s just, you met me like an hour ago and you drove me to school. Don’t you think people are gonna find that weird?”

“Nope. I’ll just tell the you didn’t want to get lost on the way here and it’s all taken care of. Now wait in here I wanna open the door for you so I can show you off”

I watched Marilese’s head turn to my car after I got out. Her eyes could have burned holes into my head while I went to open the door for Victoria. She whispered something to her friend Chloey and smirked before walking over to where I stood with Victoria. This was not going to go over very well.

Notes

I love you all