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“Mackenzie, that’s really not trying to fit in. Are you trying to get ostracized?”
I look down at myself and smooth out the tartan skirt. “You think so?”
“She looks hot,” Will remarks from the table, where he’s shoveling cereal into his mouth. His sisters both nod, but Jessica scowls.
“No, Martha is right, she looks like a tramp. She’ll fit right in with the losers and deadbeats.”
I didn’t hear her come in last night, which is concerning because I should have. I guess everything is catching up with me and my body needed the rest after the long day yesterday. I heard her get up this morning but pretended to stay asleep because I didn’t want a confrontation first thing this morning. She’s wearing a skirt and top too, very much like mine. In fact, the skirt is even shorter, but because it’s in pastel colors, I guess it’s more acceptable than what I’m wearing. Miller is sitting next to her, wearing all black much like I am, but he doesn’t get compared to a loser or a deadbeat.
“Oh well, I don’t need to be part of the popular group. I just want to get good grades and graduate. I’ll probably just stick to myself. I’m not really good with people anyway,” I tell her as I grab a mug and fill it with coffee before joining the others at the table.
“I think you look great,” Cassie whispers to me.
“That’s what I like to hear,” Martha says. “You’re going to work hard and stay out of drama, which seems like a great idea to me. Hurry up, you lot, you still have to walk down the drive, so you better get moving if you don’t want to be late. Cassie, can you show Mackenzie to the office? I’ve organized to have someone show Mackenzie around. Oh, and show her the supply cupboard so she can grab some things for school.” Martha grabs a mug, pours some coffee into it, and places it at the head of the table where James sat last night. I guess he doesn’t need to start as early as we do in the morning.
Everyone pushes away from the table and gets moving. I quickly drain my coffee and put my mug in the dishwasher as Cassie opens a cupboard near the back door. She pulls out a couple of notebooks and pens for me. I shove them into my backpack as everyone starts to leave out the back door with noisy goodbyes for Martha.
“Come on, we don’t want to miss the bus.” Cassie tugs me out the door, and we hurry to catch up to Sally and Stephanie. Ty and Will are in front, roughhousing as they walk down the drive, and just behind them are Miller and Jessica. Jessica has her arm tucked into the crook of his elbow, and their heads are close together. I hear Cassie snort next to me.
“Jessica has been trying so hard to get his attention, but he usually brushes it off. I wonder what made him accept it today.” I can see her look at me out of the corner of my eye, but I don’t engage.
“What happens if we miss the bus?” I ask her.
“You have to ask Martha to take you, and she doesn’t stop berating you the whole entire time. It’s not worth the hassle, trust me. Okay, so the quick rundown of who’s who in senior year. You heard Martha mention her niece Sophie yesterday. She’s the queen bee of the girls, and she’s a viper. I’m not actually sure how she even accepted Jessica into her fold. I think it was probably more about keeping your enemies, or the pretty girls, close so she could manipulate them. Avoid them if you just want to keep your head down. They are nothing but drama, and you’re going to send them into a frenzy. Lucy and Michelle round out their quad.”
The air is a little chilly this morning, so I pull my long sleeves down over my hands, and I’m thankful I wore the fishnets. Even though they don’t block a lot of the wind, I bet my legs are warmer than Jessica’s.
“As for the boys, Ryland Turner, who is Governor Turner’s son, has recently returned to town to go to school. Rumor has it he was kicked out of his exclusive boarding school, but he’s the most popular boy in the school at the moment, which pisses off Billy, the quarterback for the football team and the former most popular boy. In fact, all of the football guys lost their top spot because we also brought three other new guys to school, and they are all hot and mysterious, so instant popularity.” She waves a hand at Miller. “Perfect example. He’s a foster kid but he oozes sexy bad boy, so instant popularity. You know all the good girls are hoping he will corrupt them. Somehow, he fits in with Ryland’s group, which consists of two more boys who are new to the town as well.”
Hmm, it doesn’t seem like they are blending in all that well if they hang out together, and how the hell are they going to find out any information if people think they are just teenagers? Maybe we’re all potential targets though. I really need to talk to Team Bastards and grill them over their plan.
“Okay, so avoid Jessica’s and Miller’s groups if I want to be left alone?” I ask.
“Yeah, that’s about the gist of it, but I’m sure you’re going to cause waves anyway. You’re a threat to Sophie, and she’ll be in attack mode. I’m not so sure of Ryland and the boys. I haven’t seen them be nasty to anyone, even Billy who tries to start shit with them. They just pat him on the back and wish him luck with his game. It infuriates him because he desperately wants to start a fight.”
“How do you know all this?” I ask her, and she shrugs.
“I have the same lunch as them, and I’m a watcher. Societal interaction fascinates me,” Cassie says as we reach where everyone else has gathered, so I’m guessing it’s the bus stop. Cassie may very well be my ticket to finding out about the missing kids. She obviously sees more than others do.
Before I can ask any questions, a shiny red four-door Maserati pulls up and a back window lowers. Bishop sticks his head out. “Hey, Miller, you want a lift?” Bishop doesn’t even acknowledge me. I’m not sure if it’s because of our cover or because he doesn’t recognize me. Miller untangles himself from Jessica.
“Yeah, that would be great,” he says as he opens the back door and climbs in.
“Can I come too?” Jessica leans down, giving Bishop a clear view of her cleavage.
His lips turn up in a wolfish grin. “Yeah, sure, jump in.”
Jessica follows behind Miller and pulls the door closed. There’s someone sitting in the passenger seat, but from this angle, I can’t see who. I’m assuming it’s Lathan though. It doesn’t take them long to pull away, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake. We’re all waving it away as the bus lumbers to a stop.
* * *
The school bustles with activity when the bus pulls up and drops us off. I get a few side glances, but I’m mostly ignored, and I’m happy for that. Cassie leads me to the office and introduces me to the lady at the front desk.
“Mrs. Steed, this is Mackenzie. She’s new at our home. Mrs. Standish said she organized to have someone show her around.”
The gray-haired woman eyes me with sympathy. Sure, I could have covered the remaining discoloration on my face with makeup, but this is the exact reason why I didn’t. “Of course. Welcome, Mackenzie. Here’s your schedule, and your escort should be—” She breaks off as the door opens behind us. “Ah, here he is now.” Cassie and I turn around, and she gasps quietly next to me. “Ryland, this is Mackenzie. She has the same classes as you all day. Could you be her guide for the day? Mackenzie, this is Ryland Turner, Governor Turner’s son and one of our top students.”
The blond-haired hottie smiles at the lady behind me. “Of course, Mrs. Steed, I’d be happy to. Hey, Cassie, how are you?”
