06

« Yeah, Sky can be a bitch, » I acknowledged. « But she’s good. Deep down. »

« Deep, deep down. »

« Okay, come on. Remember when she toilet-papered Uncle Adam’s house because you told her what he said to you about your jeans at Thanksgiving ? »

« I’m not saying Skylar’s not a good friend, I’m just saying she’s terrifying. She’s actually my role model. »

« Speaking of role models . . . » I was remembering what Skylar had said about looking up to Monroe. « Do you know someone named Monroe Kingston ? »

Claudia shrugged. « No, never heard of them. »

I breathed a sigh of relief.

At least I wasn’t the only one.

ON THE WAY OUT, I grabbed a glass of cranberry juice.

« Really, monkey ? You’re not going to eat more for breakfast ? »

« Aaron’s waiting for me in the driveway, and besides, he probably already picked up a bagel or something. »

My mother bit her lip. « Look, I just don’t think it’s healthy for you to always be rushing out and― »

« I’ll see you later, okay ? »

Before either of my parents could say more, I darted out through the front door. Claudia took the school bus most days, but thanks to Aaron having a January birthday and his own car, he picked me up every morning.

Aaron was already pulled up in the front. I closed the front door behind me, but stopped in my tracks at the sight of that car.

« What, » I said, « the fuck ? »

It wasn’t the run-down Toyota he’d had last week―I was looking at a sleek, silvery Mercedes Benz with the windows rolled down.

« My dad bought it for me as an early birthday present, » Aaron said, grinning. « Get in ! »

I slid into the passenger seat and he pulled out of my driveway, handing me a paper bag with a fresh bagel inside.

« Blueberry ? » I asked.

« Always, » he said, winking.

The next stop was Cody’s house.

Cody came running from the front door, black hair disheveled, sapphire eyes bright. He was wearing a knitted sweater that looked surprisingly good on him. « Jesus fucking Christ, man. The hell is this ? A Ferrari ? »

« A Mercedes, » Aaron corrected. « Early birthday present. »

Cody whistled, smoothing his palm over the side door before slipping into the backseat. « Christ, » he repeated. « Your dad must be pretty damn proud. »

Next was Skylar.

Her pink and violet strands of hair were braided over her shoulders. She rushed out the front door of her yellow house, and through the window, I saw her mother waving goodbye. Skylar ignored it. « Hey, assholes, » she said, climbing into the back with Cody.

« I prefer to be addressed as handsome, » Cody interjected.

Skylar only laughed. It took less than five minutes to finally reach school, and Aaron pulled into the second last parking spot.

I didn’t know it then, but I would see Monroe Kingston three times that day.

And by the end of it, I would hate her.

The first time went like this :

As soon as Aaron parked the car, I slung my backpack over my shoulder and stepped out onto the weather-worn gravel. The lot was filled with wandering students, gathered in groups and pairs, waiting for the bell to ring. It was a white-hot blue morning. On the grass, I saw my bandmates sitting together and I was about to join them when―

The revving of an engine.

It was as loud as thunder.

My bones vibrated in anticipation. Hair swirled around my face, lifted by a stirring breeze. And from the road, a sleek black motorcycle gunned right into the school parking lot.

The rider was a thin, slender figure dressed in black. A helmet obscured her face, but I saw the cascade of ink-black hair rippling behind her.

There was one parking spot left.

But a girl in my math class―Sarah Andersen―was already backing up her Mazda, preparing to take it.

Everyone knew the cardinal rules of high school. If you don’t get a parking spot at the school, you have to park at the convenient store―which was two miles and a twenty-minute walk away.

« Is that Monroe ? » Cody asked with wonder.

« Damn straight she is, » Skylar said.

Something about that twisted my insides. Damn straight she is. What was wrong with me ?

And why the fuck did the word straight bother me so much ?

Sarah Andersen had noticed Monroe, but it was already too late. Monroe’s motorcycle roared into the parking spot.

I know I wasn’t the only one staring.

Especially not as Monroe took off her helmet, shaking her black hair free as if in slow motion, and killed the motorcycle’s engine.

I didn’t even pay attention to Sarah Andersen’s outrage. All I could see was the way those green eyes looked in morning sunlight, as piercing as a crystalline body of water, and her smile―so arrogant and so, so attractive.

Attractive ? Where the hell had that thought come from ?

Monroe stepped off her motorcycle, leaning it into a resting position, and all I could see were her long, long legs in those tight black jeans . . .

« Let’s get out of here, » I told my friends. « Before Sarah Andersen complains to the principal. »

« But―she’s so hot, » Skylar whined. « And that ass in those jeans . . . »

I was about to do something stupid―like agree―when Aaron said, « Talia’s right. Let’s go. »

Looping his arm through mine, Aaron grinned. I liked his smile. The All-American quality was enough to distract me, at least for now.

« Walk me to class ? » I asked.

« Is that even a question ? »

I LOST THE ABILITY to breathe twice every morning. Once, when the girls in the locker room got dressed into gym clothes, and again when the girls in the locker room changed out of gym clothes.

So I was still a little oxygen-deprived as the announcements began to play. The period had just started.

As a public school in Maine, the anthem would play every morning. We’d stand―and afterwards, there would be a short list of announcements for the day.

Todd Matthews was a short, skinny kid in our grade who had been kissing principal ass for three years. As a result, he’d gotten himself the job of reciting the daily events.