C2 Chapter 2

DOROTHY’S POV

"Don't, I am begging you," I sobbed out.

"Quiet yourself, you pathetic little worm," he roared directly into my face.

He clutched a handful of my hair, dragging me before flinging my body acRoger the room. I collided with a wall-mounted picture frame, shattering the glass as I hit the floor hard.

Splinters of glass surrounded me. My vision went gray, but I could hear his heavy footsteps approaching.

He began to drive kicks into my midsection. I felt a rib snap beneath the pressure. I curled into a ball, shielding my skull, silently praying for the brutality to cease.

"You are nothing but unlovable, you trash!" He coldly said. His words were slicing every piece of me.

I woke up, drench in cold sweat. Scanning the area, I realized I was safe in my bedroom. I checked my device; the screen read five-thirty in the morning.

The house was silent; everyone still sounded asleep. I slid out of the covers and crept into the en-suite washroom.

Turning the shower dial, I stripped off my pajamas. Yellow, purple, and blue bruises painted my stomach and back like a twisted map.

Malcolm, my former foster guardian, made a habit of striking me where the marks wouldn't be noticed. On rare occasions, he would slip and hit my face. I’d grown used to covering those marks with heavy concealers.

I stepped into the steaming water, scrubbing my skin with the soap. Mia had thoughtfully stocked the space with shampoo, conditioner, a fresh toothbrush, and toothpaste before I’d even arrived.

After cleansing myself, I washed my hair. Once dry, I finished my usual morning routine.

Moving to the wardrobe, I picked out a pair of jeans, a long violet shirt with a small whale stitched in my pocket, and my white canvas sneakers.

Finally, I did my hair into a neat French braid. Glancing at the phone, it was six-forty-nine.

I found that every textbook and schedule Mia got the previous dayis all inside my bag.

I suddenly remembered my daily pills. Padding back to the sink, I grabbed the medicine bottle off the marble counter. I popped a tablet into my mouth and gulped down some water.

Snatching up my bag and phone, I crept downstairs.

The boys sat around the breakfast table eating their meal, while Roger sipped his coffee. Lauranna the dog was curled up on the rug, fast asleep.

"Morning, Dorothy," Roger said warmly.

"Morning," I replied. I dropped my heavy bag onto the floor by the island.

The brothers gave a casual wave but kept eating. I walked to the cupboard, pulled out a glass, and filled it with chilled orange juice.

When I finished that, I took a banana for my breakfast, peeled it, and began to eat it.

"Duty calls, so I’ll catch you guys later," Roger announced, rising from his chair. He rinsed his cup and set it in the sink.

"Later, Dad," the boys echoed.

Roger grabbed his briefcase and strode out of the kitchen. I polished the banana while the boys finished their breakfast.

Oliver stood up and approached me. "I’m driving Lucas to middle school, but you can ride with Ralph. The twins usually come with me."

"Thanks. Is this okay with the school dress code? I asked, smoothing down my outfit.

I really didn't want to be dragged into the principal's office on my very first day.

"Yeah, it’s perfectly fine. The school is fine with anything we wear." He said.

"Oh god, I loathe Thursdays!" Hudson groaned.

"Why?" I asked. I generally dislike Mondays, but Thursdays mean the weekend is basically here.

"Coach forces us to practice until seven every Thursday because of the game on Friday," Ralph explained.

"I’m lucky that I have soccer in the spring. The weather is nice, not too hot or cold," Lucas said, dumping his bowl into the sink.

"Go grab your things, kiddo" Oliver said.

"I’m thirteen, almost fourteen. I’m a teenager now," Lucas whined.

"Still the youngest," Oliver teased.

"Whatever. Just wait until I get a girlfriend, then I’ll be a man."

"Will you two stop bickering and go get your things?" Mateo asked, exasperated.

Lucas rolled his eyes and stomped out of the kitchen. I grabbed my pack and waited for Ralph.

"Time to roll," Ralph said after five minutes.

We walked out to his car, and I’ll be honest, it was gorgeous. A black Mustang GT. Not a single scratch or imperfection on it.

"Is that a Mustang GT?" I asked.

"You know what this is?" He asked, clearly surprised.

"Duh, I read a ton of books about cars."

"Impressive. Yeah, this is GT."

"Amazing."

He unlocked the doors and slipped into the driver’s seat. I opened the passenger side and slid in. The seats were incredibly comfy.

I clicked my seatbelt in place, and he cranked the engine. We pulled out onto the road.

Here goes nothing.

When we pulled up to the main building, I gasped. The school was a massive structure with tall spires; it looked more like an elite academy.

Students were milling about chatting with their friends. Ralph parked in a spot and killed the engine.

"Just a heads-up, this school is crawling with rich, stuck-up girls. They aren’t all like that, but just watch your back," he warned.

I gave a small shrug. "Nothing I haven't seen before."

He stepped out, and I opened my door. I grabbed my gear and phone, then slammed the door shut. When I turned around, every eye in the parking lot was fixed on me.

Great.

I started toward the entrance, Ralph walking beside me.

I heard a storm of whispering breaking out around us.

"Who is that?"

"Is she his new girl?"

"Does Laurel even know?"

"Damn, I’d hit that." I rolled my eyes at the last one.

"Just brush them off," Ralph whispered.

I nodded, and we walked inside. The lobby was grand. The ceiling was incredibly high, with a chandelier hanging in the center. A wide, dark wood staircase split in two directions.

"I thought this was a public school?" I asked Ralph.

"It is. Before that, it was a private academy. They switched it to a public school in the late 1900s," he explained.

A girl with long brown hair and brown eyes strode toward us. She was dressed in jeans, a striped shirt, and a denim jacket.

As she goes near, she gave Ralph a hug. He kissed her cheek and pulled her close.

"How was the trip?" Ralph asked her.

"Fantastic. My grandparents were so happy to see me," she said, then turned her focus to me. She had a distinct Australian accent.

"This is Dorothy. She’s our foster sister," he explained.

"Goodness, Are you Dorothy? I'm Laurel!" She excitedly introduced herself.

"I guess so. Nice to meet you," I said.

"When Ralph told me about you, I could barely wait for you to arrive. I’ve been in Australia visiting family for the past week," she said.

That cleared up the accent.

"There you are!" another voice piped up.

We turned to see two more girls. One had red hair and hazel eyes. The other had curly brown hair and dark eyes. They ran over to hug Laurel.

"We missed you!" The red hair girl said.

"Seriously, I have so much stories to tell." The brown haired girl said.

"I miss you too girls." Laurel chuckled.

"Who’s this?" The brown-haired girl asked, eyeing me.

"I’m Dorothy. I’m staying with the Cades," I introduced myself.

"No way! The boys told us all about you," the redhead said.

"I’m Elena," the curly-haired one added.

"And I’m Adrianna," the redhead told me.

"How do you know the boys?" I asked them.

"I’m Oliver’s girlfriend, and Elena is dating Hudson," Adrianna replied.

"Oh."

"Let me see your schedule," Laurel requested.

I noticed Ralph had already wandered off. I rummaged through my bag and handed her the paper.

Homeroom- 7:50-8:00

AP History- 8:00-9:00

AP Math-9:00-10:00

Study Hall- 10:00-11:00

Music- 11:00-12:00

Lunch-12:00-1:00

AP Language Arts-1:00-2:00

Chemistry-2:00-3:00

"I’ve got a study hall, lunch, chemistry, and history with you," Laurel said, showing the others.

"I only have music and lunch with you since I'm still a sophomore," Elena said.

"The whole school eats at once. It looks like a huge campus, but we only have two hundred kids total," Adrianna explained when she caught my confused look.

"Come on, let’s find your locker," Elena urged.

I trailed them down the hall until they stopped at a locker in the middle. They were long and painted black. I checked my combination, punched it in, and stowed the books I wouldn't need.

As I shut it, the girls beamed at me.

"Since we have ten minutes before the final bell, we’ll show you the ropes," Adrianna said.

"Thanks," I told them.

They walked me to every classroom and the cafeteria. As we headed back upstairs, the morning bell rang.

"Elena and I have to head downstairs, but Adrianna can walk you to the homeroom," Laurel said.

"Okay, catch you later," I said.

They took the stairs down while the hallways flooded with students coming up.

"My homeroom is right next to yours. I'll meet you here when the bell rings," Adrianna said, pointing out my class.

"Okay."

I stepped into the room and saw Felix and Ralph sitting in the back row. Ralph waved for me to take the seat next to him.

"Hey, Dorothy," Felix greeted me.

"Hi," I replied, sinking into the chair.

The male teacher stood up, waiting for the room to go quiet. His gray hair stood on end, and his dull blue eyes looked incredibly tired.

"Do whatever you like, just keep your whispering down," he muttered, then plopped back into his chair.

That's weird.

Back at my old school, our homeroom teacher made us do math problems or read in silence.

"Is he always this lazy?" I whispered to Felix and Ralph.

"Mr. Hermes is like this all day. He just had a kid a few months ago, and in fifteen seconds, he’ll be totally unconscious," Felix said, staring at his phone. I knew he was still talking to me, though.

"No way." I didn't believe for a second that this guy would be snoring in fifteen seconds flat. It just doesn't happen like that.

"Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four," he counted down. I kept my eyes locked on Mr. Hermes.

He was reading a newspaper, looking perfectly awake.

Maybe Felix was wrong...

"Three. Two. One," Felix finished.

The next thing I knew, Mr. Hermes was out like a light, head resting on his desk. He started snoring softly.

When I looked back at Felix, he had a smug smirk plastered on his face.

"Told you, "He whispered.

"Is this really how you spend every morning?" I asked him.

"Watching people, yep. It’s my special skill."

"That and sports," Ralph added.

"Laurel is really sweet," I told him.

"She's my angel, but she can turn into a devil sometimes," he said with a shudder.

I let out a soft laugh. You might be wondering why I’m talking to these guys like I’ve known them for years.

The truth is that I actually want friends. I’m not going to tear down all my walls, but I still want connections. Malcolm never lets me have a social life.

And he isn't here anymore.

You only get one life, and I’m determined to make the most of this one.