to keep my voice light and friendly, not at all how raw and numb I feel inside. "You think you can stand in front of me, with your discounted hoops, dollar store heels, blotchy make-up and dethrone me?"
"What?" she stutters, suddenly awkward and red faced. "I'm not wearing—"
"Kristine, sweetie." I make sure to put as much sugary sarcasm in that word. "I thought I taught you better that that. Own your ugly lies, love."
"Stop it! Didn't you hear what I just said," she rushes to say as the snickers in the cafeteria rise, people shaking their heads at her. "You're now an outcast in this school. Actually, in this town!"
"Sure, because what?" I take a step back, noticing Roxy and Char standing right inside, proud looks on their face as they watch the show. I don’t know how it happened, but I think they’re on my side. "Because you said so?"
"No, the Fitz brothers..."
I cut her off by walking toward her, a smile on my face.
"Come now, Kristine, create your own image,” I start. “I've always been better, and I will always be the one you envy the most. You wish you were me. And when that didn't work, you decided to play with these barbies thinking you can all gang up on me, hurling accusations at me that you have no clue about."
I point at the cheerleaders behind her, then look at them. “You fit right in with snakes.”
Laughter rings through the cafeteria as the cheerleaders gasp, looking affronted but they look away, unable to even stand up for themselves.
“Mia, so help me God…”
“No, sweetie, let me help you.” I step right into her personal space. "Do yourself a favor, sweetie. Get a life."
And with that, I spin on my heel just as the bell rings and make my way out. I’m done with school for the day.
“Okay, all you miserable little shits, back to your exhausting passionless lives!” Char shouts behind me. I can hear Roxy following me.
“Please don’t.” I shoot over my shoulder and she stops, then I push my way through the door and make my way to my car and I’m out. I don’t know if it’s instinct or maybe I’m just masochistic like that, but I end up back at my old house. There’s a sold sign at the front that makes my heart beat faster and I start sweating.
No, this can’t be happening. They can’t have sold this house that fast. I know it’s possible, this is Palos Verdes after all. Real estate is alike a gold mine here, everyone wants a piece but not my old home?
29
MIA
Parking the car in the driveway, I get out and run, literally run to the front door, not caring that I’m trespassing. Oh God, I’m losing everything right before my eyes and there’s no one fighting for me but me.
The front door is locked. I reach behind the old flowerpot Mom... I mean, Nancy, got when she went to Prague. The old key is there but when I slide it in, it doesn’t budge. The new owners must have changed the locks.
I look around, then round the house to the secret back entrance I used when I’d sneak out of the house in the middle of the night to party. My heart’s in my throat and I feel like I’m being stabbed in the back repeatedly by some unknown force. The old door is unlocked, as I always left it, so I sneak into the house.
It’s dead silent, like a morgue but for some reason, it feels different from the last time I was here. And that was the night Julian burnt…
No, I’m not thinking about that. So, I look around, trying to find a clue as to who the new owners might be, but there’s nothing. There are boxes lining the wall of the living room and in the kitchen. Just basic shit like cutlery and books, but no identity.
My home’s being taken and I’m on the verge of a breakdown. Everything’s being stripped away from me, but I run down to the ballet studio, praying that it’s not different.
Bursting into the room, I breathe a sigh of relief when everything is still the same. It looks completely untouched.
I spend the rest of the day there, until I’m so exhausted, with my heart still aching. When I walk back into the Fitz mansion, the lights are out and I’m thirsty and hungry. I haven’t eaten in so long, and I’m only now paying attention to