He stares at her, unaffected by the blood loss. "Why do you do this to yourself? You know it doesn't do anything," he says to her directly. He squats down and lifts her to her feet, wiping away the blood with his hand. "You could be so much more, yet you keep telling yourself you can't or they won't let you. It isn't up to them how you are, It's up to you," he says as he wipes off the blood.

"I can't though...It's not possible! You'd understand if you were me for all my life!" She stomps on the ground "No one will understand me! Ever!" She runs to the woman's bathroom, and goes into a stall, locking it. Lilly sits on the toilet and cries.

He stands there, emotionless. Memories of being made fun of for being the youngest of the family were returning. He stood there, waiting for her to return. He listened to her crying, hoping in some way to be of help. He looks around at the hallway he stands in, now void of students as they are now in their classes. When will she understand... he thought in his head as he continued watching.

"..." She was silent. "N-No one understands me...and no one will!" She kicked the bottom of the toilet and leaves the restroom, coming back to her locker. She opens it and puts her head in. "Y-You don't understand me...No one understands me!" Lilly kicks the locker and abruptly screams in pain.

He stands and watches as the event unfolds. He watches the predicament escalate and waits for it to end. "Are you done with your tantrum yet...?" he asks, unamused.

"What tantrum..? This is my life..!" She sets her head on the cold, hard metal in her locker and lets out a long abrupt sigh.

@Flightless_Soul

Trying to hide her disappointment at failing on the assignment her dearest friend had entrusted her with, Amelia replied to her teacher, "No problem, Mr. Felton...even if it is not every day but a couple days a week that would more than wonderful. Please let me know if you find some room in your schedule."

She turned around and began walking towards her seat when she noticed the cowboy girl talking to Madison. From a few rows in front, she quietly observed the conversation between the two girls.

Once Amelia had left, Natalia was free to ask Mr. Felton the questions she had about the assignment. "Thank you, Mr. Felton", the petite blonde expressed as she returned to her seat.

"Stupid hillbilly", said Madison as Harley walked towards Natalia. Her eyes were like sharp daggers as she looked at the brown-haired girl's back. Her murderous stare was interrupted by the girl wearing her hair in two braids hanging to the sides of her head.

"I am sorry Madison", Amelia paused for a moment before continuing. A very sad and apologetic expression on her visage. "Mr. Felton said he is not going to be able to tutor us after class every day...but there is some good news...", Amelia paused again. Her tone was a tad cheerful. "He said he is going to try to find some time to help us after school even if it is not every day!".

What a BS day this was thought Madison to herself. First, that hillbilly had come to try to threaten her. And now Amelia had failed at her mission. She needed something to put her in a good mood and she needed it now!

"You are useless!", exclaimed Masidon as she furiously stormed out of the classroom. Amelia stood there frozen as her friend leave her behind. It was not too long before the green-eyed student ran out the door in tears.

Thankfully, the conversation between Madison and Amelia had occurred at the same time Natalia was talking to Mr. Felton, so the teacher had not noticed the drama between these two girls.

"Amigo?", said Natalia with a teasing smile on her face. "You mean amiga, right?", the blue-eyed girl kindly corrected to her friend. The Spanish blood running through Natalia's veins could not allow her to let Spanish be spoken incorrectly. "I don't know", said Natalia a bit worried. "I left my schedule inside my locker".

@Luna Amore

m.youtube.com/watch?v=3UWIN_MI7Bw

"Aww darn." Harley frowned letting her hand slip away from Natalia's shoulder. Then she smiled. "Well hey, maybe I can go get it for you, you know, if you're still busy talking to Mr. Felton here."

Felton smiled in reply standing up from his desk and gathering his things into his leather tote bag, "No, no, Miss Whitfield, I do believe me and Miss Saint Claire have already covered all we need to know about tomorrow's assignment, unless there was something you needed to ask, Harley."

"Me?" Said Harley.

She was quiet for a minute or so, contemplating her decision she would make then and there. What if she did tell Mr. Felton about that shameless whore trying to get with him? What if she told Natalia about all the mean looks the pink haired girl was giving her? Finally, she gave an answer.

"Well... I reckon I do, Mr. Felton. You see, I've been having trouble lately trying to find inspiration for my work. I want to do good in this class, and at the same time, I don't want my photos to come off as amateur, you know. I want to take pictures that'll just wow everyone! Like yours!"

Mr. Felton looked at the cowgirl, giving a warm chuckle, "And do you think I took those when I was your age? I'll admit, these days for me, it is hard to find inspiration. I mean, I'm still trying to settle things here, and I bet seeing how you're not just in a new school, but a new state altogether, it must be a challenge for you to have to adapt to a new way of life." He spoke as if from experience and as though, well in fact, he was talking to both of them.

"The point is, girls, don't stress yourselves when you can't find either the time or the place for inspiration to hit you. Let your creative imaginations flow freely. I'm sure in time you will discover that creative spark within you and let it flourish, but until then, don't let one solitary thing be the entire focus of your life. A wise man once said that life is what happens when you are busy making other plans."

He grinned then picked up his bag from the desk. "Now if you two will excuse me, I'm gonna head home real quick and check on my wife. Take care, and remember, even though you may be amateurs today, just keep at it, and eventually, you'll wow the world with your masterpieces. You both have a gift for capturing the true beauty of the world through the lens. Anywho, I'll see you both tomorrow."

"Bye Mr. Felton! Oh and thanks for the advice!" Harley hollered back. She was wearing that famous smile of hers it seemed, the one she always adorned when she was super excited. She turned to Natalia, practically bouncing on her heels, "Man, Mr. Felton is such a cool teacher!"

@Flightless_Soul

The blonde girl listened with great interest and attention to the conversation between Harley and Mr. Felton. "He is such a cool and wise man", thought Natalia to herself, happy and grateful to have such a great teacher.

"See you tomorrow, Mr. Felton", said the petite girl as her instructor walked out of the classroom. Upon hearing Natalia's thought about their teacher, the blue-eyed girl replied with excitement, "I was just thinking the same thing!" A sweet laugh emerged from her lips. " I guess great minds do think alike!"

Looking at the clock above the whiteboard, Natalia asked her friend, "Hey, Harley! Would you mind accompanying to my locker to check what my next class is?"

Outside of the classroom in the hall, Madison and her boyfriend were sharing a heated and passionate kissing session.



Jason was the captain of the basketball team and a heartthrob, which guaranteed his position as one of the most popular boys in the school.

@Luna Amore

"Heh! I reckon I could, amiga!" Harley replied with a teasing grin, wrapping her arm around Natalia's and following her out the door.



m.youtube.com/watch?v=df3WTnlMQXg

Meanwhile, a pissed off, redheaded punk looking girl skated...yes...skated down the hall on her skateboard, earbuds in her ears blasting loudly and a grungy white T-shirt under a leathet jacket that said in bold black, 'I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS' Her clothes smelled like alcohol and stale cigarettes and the look on her face said if you fucked with her, she would knock your teeth down your throat.

Helena Sheppard arrived late to school yet again thanks to another hangover, but last night's gig at the House of Pain was so badass, a hangover was worth it. She continued skating along, not caring one bit if she knocked anyone over, especially one cunt in particular, but she had to refrain from doing so.

Popping her board up into her hand, she scowled at the pink haired bitch, then laughed singing a well known taunt, "Maddy and Jasey sitting in a tree! F-u-c-k-i-n-g! Please, you two need to get a fucking room if you're gonna do that shit!"

@Flightless_Soul

A happy smile appeared on the petite girl's visage upon hearing her friend's reply.

As Natalia and her friend walked out the classroom, they met with a very steamy scene. Madison and Jason were passionately kissing. It was way more than the young couple's lips just touching one another, from the blond girl's point of view it seems as if their tongue were wrestling each other.

Stopping in her tracks, the blue-eyed girl observed the scene in front of her with eyes wide open.

"Ooooookay", said Natalia with a low voice, lowering her gaze as the skin around her cheeks' turned a bright red.

Although the blond-haired girl could be considered as what you would call a pretty girl, she had never had a boyfriend during her fifteen years of life. Of course, she had had crushes and friends that were boys but she had never had a boy that she could call her own.

Hearing a familiar voice, Jason opened her eyes as he continued shoving his tongue down his girlfriend's tongue. As soon as the brown-haired boy pulled out his tongue from the pink-haired girl's mouth, he looked at Helena and said in a friendly tongue, "Hey! Lena!" His expression denoted that this was definitely not the first time he saw the red-haired girl and him calling her Lena instead of Elena indicated that whatever relationship they shared came from long before high school. "How was last night's party?", he asked with sincere curiosity and interest.

Pulling down her short tank top and fixing it so it would stop showing was what meant to be seen for her boyfriend's eyes only, Madison cleaned a bit of extra saliva from her lower lip with her finger.

"Hey! Lena~". Her fake sweet voice could not hide the extremely dislike she felt from the skater girl. Putting her arms around the tall captain boy, she continued. "Excellent suggestion, dear Lena~ I will take Jasey away from your sigh so you don't have to worry about feeling even more jealous and lonely." An ungenuine good-girl smile appeared on the green-eyed girl's visage.

@Luna Amore

The cowgirl went nearly a hundred shades of red seeing what she saw in the hallway. Maybe it was just the fact she was raised in a strict, southern home that she had a little more courtesy as a young lady, or...maybe it was also the fact despite having quite a few friends back in Texas, she never really had that kind of a serious relationship. Nevertheless, she ducked her head behind her cowboy hat, muttering with a sour look to Nat, "Dad gum!
That girl ain't got no shame at all! If that was me suckin' face in public, my mama would tan my hide!"

She was thankful that skater chick however came along and broke it up. Things looked like they were about to get Rated M for Mature.

Helena held her skateboard under her arm, giving both Jason and Madison a dirty look. In particular, her famous "I'm gonna kick your ass" look was aimed right at Jason. She scoffed at Madison, "Whatever succubus. Just here to tell your boytoy he owes me the the tree fiddy for his happy pills, and if I don't get it by today, I'm breaking both his fucking kneecaps. We chill?" She waited with an expectant look.

Harley's brow furrowed watching the scene. This new girl, she sounded rough as a cob. "Damn, I wouldn't wanna mess with her, I reckon. Looks like she probably collects her victims' skulls in her bedroom."

@Flightless_Soul

Lifting up her gaze with her cheeks still of a bright red, Natalia looked at her friend and whispered, "Harley...let's try to go to my locker without being noticed..." The petite girl's locker was just down the long corridor.

Immediately recognizing Helena's gaze, one that the skater girl had given him plenty of times before, Jason walked towards Helena and placed his arm around her neck.

"Don't be so stingy Lena. Can you be a bit more generous with your dear friend?" He leaned closer and softly said something in the red-haired girl's ear. "Come on! For old time's sake. I mean...don't tell me you have already forgotten the times when you and I used to swim butt naked in my pool when we were kids..."

Seeing her boyfriend getting so close with the punk girl was beginning to put Madison in a foul mood again.

"First the cowboy girl and now the skater girl...what a BS day...a BS day filled with stupid girls...", thought the pink-haired girl to herself while rolling her eyes at the current situation.

She pulled her wallet from the back pocket of her tight blue jeans. The elegant leather folding case was packed with money. Dollars from different denominations were inside the small bag. The lowest one being twenty dollars and the largest one being hundred dollars.

Taking out a twenty dollar bill, Madison strolled in Helena's direction. She put on her sweet girl facade and handed the money to the red-haired girl.

"Here you go~ And keep the change~" Grabbing her boyfriend's arm with her other hand, she continued. "Now would you be so kind as to leave my boyfriend alone so we can go back to what we were doing?"

@Luna Amore

"Ditto." Harley couldn't agree any quicker. This situation was getting pretty weird to her, but it was something she kind of expected in a bigger school. Damn Harley. Talk about some high school drama straight outta some bad movie. Drug dealers, students tryin' to get with teachers... maybe I need to go back to my dorm and chill. This day is just gettin' crazier.

"You lead the way, girl. I'll keep an eye on them bad hombres." She spoke quiet as a mouse to her friend, eyeing the skater girl and the pink temptress nervously as she scooted away.

Helena looked like she was buying into Jason's sweet talking, but that devilish grin said otherwise. "Aww how sweet~." She scoffed shoving Jason's arm away. "Thanks for reminding me that Big Jason on Campus has got the smallest fucking package. Oh and you know me. Buisness before friends, Jase. Now ante up, bitch!" Her expression went cold.

She practically snatched the twenty out of Madison's hand as quick as she could, still giving both a contemptuous scowl. "Yeah, you're still three thirty short, ya know? I said three fifty, jackass, but I'll tell you what. Since you caught me at my good graces, I'll give you till after school today to get me the rest, but you better fucking have it."

And with that, she shoved the twenty in her pocket and hopped on her board skating away. All the while, she continued down the hall in thought.

Fucker better pay me... That's one more dollar I need...to get the fuck out of this city...

@Flightless_Soul

Natalia wanted to explain to Harley that "hombres" was used only when referring to men, but she thought that maybe this was not really the right time to play Spanish teacher with her friend.

"Ready, set, go!", she whispered to her friend and with that, she dashed down the hall towards her locker.

Once Harley had hopped on her skateboard, Jason looked back at Madison. His gaze was enough for Madison to realize what the brown-haired boy was thinking. With a mischevious smile on her face, she opened her wallet enough so that Jason could snatch away four one-hundred dollar bills.

Observing that Helena was not that far away yet, the tall boy quickly folded the money into an airplane. Being the awesome basketball player that he was, it was easy for him to send the money airplane with great precision so that it would land next to his childhood friend.



As the plane went flying in the air, Jason shouted, "Hey Lena! There is your money!" Grabbing his crotch, he continued. "Just tell me when and I will show how big my "package" had gotten since our swimming days..."

Proudly showing her large and voluptous breasts, Madison uttered softly to her boyfriend, "Too bad her breasts stayed the same size as in your swimming days". Looking back at the pink-haired girl, both teenagers shared a loud and devilish laugh.

Jason put her arms around the green-eyed girl's low rear area and lifted her up. In response, Madison wrapped her arms and legs around the tall boy.



"You are amazing Madison! " Jason paused for a brief moment and then said with sincerity in his gaze. "I really love you".

"I heart you too", replied the pink-haired girl. Leaning closer to his neck, she whispered into the boy's ear. "Let's go to the Void so I can show how much I heart you."

The Void was an empty and forgotten classroom that Madison and Jason had found and that they regularly used for their "extracurricular" activities.

"You just read my mind", expressed Jason with a naughty expression on his face.

@Luna Amore

Helena wasn't much for religion. She would tell you that, but at this moment she was thinking that if there was an almighty sentient being high in the clouds, she would pray for them to strike those two with a searing bolt of lightning and melt the flesh off their bones, especially that big titted, fake ass whore Madison.

Grabbing the money off the floor, she crumpled it up in her fist, extending her middle finger high and proud for those fuckers to see before she skated off. Fuck Jason! She thought. He ain't the first fucking person to abandon me in this goddamn city! The sooner I get out of this fucking place, the better!

She felt sick seeing those two going at it again, like acid was leaking out of her stomach...and slowly dissolving her. She skated away quicker, but a small tear fell from her cheek. She needed to go home and medicate.

Meanwhile, Harley scurried behind her camera buddy. Once they got to Natalia's locker, she leaned against the wall letting out a sigh of relief, "Phew! Well this sure has been somethin', I'll tell ya. That girl Maddy sure likes stirrin up the hornet's nest. Gonna get her ass kicked one day, and probably by that skater girl." She paused for a moment to catch her breath. "I gotta say, Nat, I ain't likin' her one bit." And for good reason.

@Flightless_Soul

As Jason and Madison headed towards the Void, Amelia stepped out of the girls' restroom. She was not crying anymore, but the bags under her eyes showed that she had cried her heart out while hiding in the bathroom.

Seeing her dear friend in a good mood, brought a happy smile to her face. "Thank God Mady is in a better mood..."

As much as she cared for the pink-haired girl and as much as she tried to understand her friend's rebellious behavior, the timid girl could not understand why Madison wanted to jeopardize her relationship with Jason by trying to hook up with the teachers. Jason made Mady happy so why did Madison need another man or men in her life?

"I guess they are heading to the void..." Knowing that them going to the void meant that they would skip the rest of the day, Amelia prepared herself to attend all the classes for that day alone. With a look of nostalgia and a bit of jealousy on her visage, the girl wearing glasses walked slowly towards her locker.

While still trying to catch her breath, Natalia looked at Harley and said, "Well...she was kissing her boyfriend very passionately...and...the hall is not the right place to kiss a boy in such a way..." Just the memory of that steamy scene was enough to make the blond-haired girl's cheeks turn red. She had never had a boyfriend so for a brief moment, Natalia wondered how it would feel to kiss a boy like that.

Shaking her head in an attempt to remove that embarrassing thought from her head, the blue-eyed girl placed herself in front of her locker. She opened the small compartment and put her camera back inside of it.

Being the positive and kind girl that she was, the petite girl looked for something good about her classmate. "But...her friend asked Mr. Felton if he could tutor them after class...she seemed really worried about them doing well in Mr. Felton's class...so maybe Madison is not that bad...and she is a nice student that cares about her studies...perhaps?"

She took a piece of paper in her hands, it was her schedule. Turning around to face her friend, Natalia said to Harley while looking at her timetable, "I have Chemistry next."

@Luna Amore

It was at this moment Harley was doing all she could to choke back a gut laugh towards Natalia's words. Madison? Nice?! The cowgirl would believe that when pigs flew. If only Natalia knew that girl was just using Mr. Felton's tutoring as a ploy to try and get in his pants. She leaned against the locker with both arms crossed, answering back slightly sarcastic, "Oh I bet she does, especially with a handsome teacher like Mr. Felton, but..." She sighed, a short yawn segwaying into a stretch. "Maybe I'm being too judgmental here. I just don't like how she's gotta flaunt what she's got like she's some high filutin' movie star or somethin'! I don't like it when people think they're better than me!"

And perhaps it was a tinge of jealousy, but Harley, she wouldn't stand for any girl willing to ruin a man's life just to sleep with him.

"Really? Me too!" At least knowing she would be in another class with Nat made her grin. She was about to follow Natalia until her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and checked the contact. It was....her mom?

"Aww man!" Gruffly she sighed. She loved her family more than anything, but damn did they have to be so overprotective? "I gotta take this one, Nat. You go on ahead." She said to Nat with an apologetic smile then answered her phone. "Hey ma!"

"Hi sweetie!" Her mom's voice practically rang over the speaker. "Just callin' to check up on you and see how you're doing! I can't believe my daughter's attending a prestigious New York school! We're so proud of you, Harley!"

"Aww gee! Thanks mama!" Harley giggled, her cheeks turning a bit red. "Just wish you and daddy didn't have to spend so much to get me up here."

"Well darlin'!" Her mother laughed. "How else were you gonna learn to be a photographer? Now don't you worry! Daddy and I will be just fine.
He's been working with Mr. Tanner over in Midland, climbing oil rigs till we get another herd of cattle to sell. He should be back home next week. We got plenty of money, sweetheart. Don't you worry."

"I know mama, but..." Harley paused with a sigh. Her smile began to fade. "I'm not much worried about that, as I am about....about Jack."



"Harley..." Her mother's voice went soft. "I've been meaning to tell you about him. The doctors said he might not wake up at all. He's still showing brain activity, but he's...still not there, Harley."

Harley could feel the tears welling in her eyes. She wiped them away on the sleeve of her flannel. "But....does that mean you're gonna..."

There was silence on the other end before her mother returned tearfully, "If we have to, sweetheart, but Jack...he was born to be a soldier. I know he'll pull through this, God willing, but I wish he never went over there to fight."

"Mama.... Jack just wanted to protect us. He knew what he was getting into when he joined up. I know he'll make it. He's got all of us. God knows he'll wake up one day."

"Well... I reckon you're right, sweet pea. I know this has been the hardest on you. You and Jack, you were like two little peas in a pod growing up. You were always his little buddy."

"I still am, right?" Harley smiled. "I gotta go now, mama. I love you! Oh and...y'all tell Jack I said hi."

"We will, honey. When your dad gets home from work next week, we're going back down to the V.A. hospital to see him. I'll tell him then. You best get to class now, darlin', and Harley, you have a wonderful day. Love you. Bye."

Her mother hung up. Harley still had tears in her eyes as she slipped her phone back in her pocket and carried on, trying her best to put on a smile for her friend.

---

After today, Helena was ready to torch this place and everyone in it to the fucking ground. She was ready to douse the halls in gasoline and light 'em up, then sit outside the school, smoking a joint and watching the flames devour everything, like the emperor playing his fiddle while Rome burned.

She was done with school for the day, and was ready to go home and blaze it, just to forget about everything, about Jason, his bitch ass girlfriend, her dad and his new bitch ass girlfriend.....and...about her mom.

Skating along, she stopped at her locker to grab her stash she kept hidden behind the horror movie poster in the back, tucked in a small hole she cut, but upon reaching into the tiny gap, her hand touched...not a plastic baggy full of weed, but a crumpled piece of paper.

"What the fuck?"

Helena grabbed it and uncrumpled it. With each letter of the note she read, her face grew red with anger.

Yo Hel,

Didn't have any hash, so I had to jack your stash. Hope you're cool with it, a'ight? Peace!
-Tony \m/ >3< \m/

Are you fucking cereal, brah?! Helena tore the note to shreds, letting out a guttural growl as she slammed her head against the locker. Fucking Tony! Dude didn't even leave me a spliff! Fucker! At least there's my stash at home, if step-bitch ain't confiscated it yet.

Beside her locker however, which now had a dent because of her raging headbutt...which gave her a raging headache. Helena noticed the pint sized nerdy looking chick. Amelia, she thinks her name was. The girl had obviously been bawling her eyes out, given the dark circles and her bloodshot eyes. Pretty eyes actually. It was none of the redhead's business, but now that she thought about it, she did see this girl always up Madison's ass.

Maybe she was another fuckbuddy that got burned by the succubus slut.

"Hey... you alright?" She didn't know why, but seeing the girl broken up like she was...it kinda tugged on the finite number of heartstrings Helena had left.

@Flightless_Soul

Natalia listened carefully to Harley's thoughts about Madison. Maybe the cowgirl was right about the pink-haired girl but life had taught the petite girl that when people craved attention it was a sign of a deeper emotional problem in their lives.

Smiling from cheek to cheek after confirming that her friend would share another class with her, the blond-haired girl was about to ask Harley for the camera she had lent her before going to photography class when she heard a buzzing sound. It was her camera buddy's phone.

The blue-eyed girl wondered about the identity of the person at the other end of the line and that the brown-haired girl needed to talk to so urgently.

As she observed Harley walking away from her locker, she noticed her hands were empty-handed. "Oh no! I forgot to ask for the camera" On the bright side, that gave Natalia a good reason to wait for her friend so they could go to the Chemistry Lab together.

As the petite girl waited for the cowgirl, she took a white coat out of her locker and put it on. After gently removing her hair from under the coat's collar, she placed her hand inside the small compartment once again and grabbed a small white hello-kitty handbag.



As she waited for Harley next to her locker, the petite girl worriedly observed sadness in her friend's eyes. "Are you okay, Harley?", the blue-eyed girl asked with genuine concern in her voice.

---

Amelia's thoughts were interrupted by a girl's voice. Lifting up her gaze from the floor, she timidly looked at the student in front of her. It was Helena. Madison had talked to Amelia about the girl. She had been very close friends with Jason during their childhood but during their last year of middle school, they had drifted apart.

"Yes. I am okay". A shy and grateful smile appeared on her visage. "Thank you for asking!"

She looked at the dent in the skater girl's locker and then to the redness on the student's forehead. "And you? Are you okay? I mean...that headbutt must have had hurt."

@Luna Amore

m.youtube.com/watch?v=BmsqrSQxmuM

"H-huh? Oh! Yeah, I'm alright!" Harley managed to let a small smile form across her lips, though her voice was still shaky. "That was my mama- eh I mean- my mom. She just...wanted to see how I was doin' and all." It was still evident though her mother had some bad news to share, but Harley tried her best to dismiss it. She wasn't going to let it ruin her first day here, worrying about Jack.

"Oh uh!" Harley just realized something. "I almost forgot! I need to give you back your camera!"

---

Helena sat down on her board, rubbing the spot on her forehead where she faceplanted into cold steel. Not one of her brightest moments. "Nah, I've had worse." She said with a glum look. "Just...pisses me off when people go through my shit without asking, especially my stash..." She looked over at the nerd. "You're...Amelia, right? I usually see you hanging out with Maddy. So are you two like...friends or something?"