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He walks away, motioning for Kellan and Gage to follow him. The girls go after them like overexcited Pomeranians - beauty queens beaming at their gladiators, fresh out of the arena, victorious in battle. The others are still laughing, trading murmurs and whispers about me. Some are brazen enough to point fingers in my direction.

  I can still smell the whisky from Rhett. It lingered on his lips and tongue, the same lips and tongue he used to tell me off. The same lips and tongue that had told me I was different from all the girls he’d ever met, just a month ago.

  My body is shaking, my limbs weak and gooey. But at least they’re gone. I’m left on my own in the parking lot, in front of the Range Rover, my stuff all over the ground. My tampons are glaring back at me. It’s not like I can hold it in… Why should I be ashamed? Why am I ashamed?

  One thing is clear, though. As they all go in, and the first bell rings, I realize the hard, unpalatable truth. People are incredibly different, depending on their habitat. I met a big, sweet Kellan. We made love. A tall and charming Rhett. We talked for hours on end. A comforting and funny Gage. We quit smoking together, and we kicked ass in the canoe races across the lake. These versions I’ve just met are not The Hotshots I know. No. They’re assholes. Heartless bastards who get off on bullying me in the parking lot, on my very first day at this piece of shit school.

  I should’ve listened to my instinct. I should’ve found the strength to walk away from them, not toward them. Only one question remains, now, and it’s not in my nature to leave it unanswered. What happened since summer camp? What made them turn against me like this?

  What the hell did I ever do to them?

  And how sweet will revenge taste?

  2

  Elly

  “Are you okay?”

  Someone asks the question, but I don’t register him straight away. I’m still standing in front of the Range Rover, staring down at my stuff, trying to figure out what possessed Rhett to behave this way. My mind simply can’t fathom what turned him into such a monster, what got Kellan and Gage on board, too.

  “Hey… Are you okay?” he asks again.

  It doesn’t make a lick of sense. I’d have hoped Kellan to have my back, at least, if Rhett has been harboring some kind of animosity toward me. But he barely even looked at me. And Gage… ugh, I’m stumped. I’m embarrassed. This is not how I wanted to start my senior year, especially since summer camp had felt so auspicious, by contrast.

  “Excuse me?”

  The guy just won’t quit! I finally find the strength to look up at him. He’s cute. Biracial, of African American descent, but with the greenest eyes I’ve ever seen. His short afro and long face make him look older than he really is—I’m guessing he’s a senior. He dresses well. Jeans and white shirt, expensive watch on his bony wrist.

  “Who are you?” I reply, my voice still trembling, but not enough for him to think I’m just some wimpy ass coward.

  “Kyle Perry,” he says. “You look like you could use some help.”

  To my left, people are still laughing and cracking jokes about me. Someone mentions the movie “Carrie.” I’d give anything to have her telekinetic abilities right about now, just so I can bring the whole building down on them. It’s a big place, too, with solid brick-colored masonry and French-style windows. It could do serious damage. Alas, I don’t have that option. I must contend with living through the humiliation.

  Rhett, Kellan, and Gage give me one last glance. They despise me. I don’t know why, but they despise me. The beauty queens and the tarts from earlier flank them, grinning at me as if I’ve provided them with pretty decent entertainment, considering it’s a Monday morning. They all go in, eventually. Classes are already starting, and I’m late.

  I look at Kyle. “Are you with student orientation or something?”

  “I can be, if you want me to,” he says, smiling. There’s something about him that warms me up on the inside. Like hot cocoa and marshmallows. His presence alone comforts me, and I am thankful for every minute he’s around.

  “I’m Eleanor Fox,” I reply, putting a hand out. “Elly. Call me Elly.”

  He shakes my hand firmly. “Nice to meet you, Elly. Sorry the circumstances couldn’t be better. So, you’re new here, huh?”

  “Yeah, moved to Trinity a couple of weeks ago. I’ll admit, I was blindsided by my mom’s decision,” I said. “Long story.”

  “What about the mob boys?” he asks, eyeing me intently.

  I glance back at the main entrance. “You mean Rhett and the others?” Kyle nods once. “Mob boys?”

  “It’s what we call them around here, anyway. Their parents try to give them these neat, suburban lives, but word is they’re not exactly the kind of people you wanna have a Sunday barbecue with,” Kyle explains.

  This is new information to me. Truth be told, the guys and I didn’t talk much about our families—not in a detailed, professional sense. We mostly complained about a hard-ass mom or a selfish dad… the usual. Maybe they didn’t tell me about their families because of this. Because they are, indeed, mob related. Perhaps they were ashamed? Is this why they treated me like crap just now? Was my presence here an unpleasant surprise?

  Even so, that wasn’t exactly a good, decent or humane reaction to have, especially given the time we spent together, and the particular ways in which we spent it.

  “You looked like you knew them,” Kyle adds, noticing my silence. He picks up my backpack and a couple of books, in an attempt to help me get my things together. My reactions are slow, but I manage to grab the books and shove them back inside the bag.

  “I take it you saw the whole thing?” I ask.

  He nods again. “They were absolute dicks,” he says. “So, you know them?”

  “We went to summer camp together,” I mutter. “But they weren’t like this, back then…”

  Kyle sighs and collects a few notebooks and pens off the ground, as well. I put the bag down and rake the tampons closer together with one hand. Kyle crouches, joining my operation of bringing everything inside the backpack. The zipper’s broken, but I can still carry stuff with it, at least until I get home.

  “I skipped this summer,” he says. “Even so, I’m surprised they were nice to you. It’s not in their nature…”

  I look at him. “Something tells me you know them better than I ever will. I mean, all I did was go up and say hi, and this is what I got in return.”

  “What can I say, Elly? I’m sorry you had to deal with them like this. To be honest, I’m also curious as to how the four of you got along in the first place, but I guess we can leave that story for another time, huh?”

  He smiles again, and the world feels a tad better. Maybe Trinity High won’t be hell on Earth. Maybe I’ll get through it, then scram to college and put all this behind me. Checking my phone, I realize I’m ten minutes late into my first class—though it doesn’t come as a surprise. I heard the bells.

  “Think you can help me find my class?” I ask him.

  “We’ll get you in the right place, I promise,” Kyle says.

  I pick my bag up, tampons falling to the bottom, my face still burning with shame. He nods at the main entrance, now free of curious eyes and snickering sneers. “Let’s go, Elly. It’ll get better, as long as you stay away from Rhett, Kellan, and Gage. They’re no good people, okay?”

  “I’m inclined to agree, but I still have a hard time believing it…”

  Following him inside, I give the Range Rover one last look. It seems heavy and tired, filled with secrets and anger, much like its owners. I’m missing something here, for sure. I just need to figure out what. Thing is, I’ve never been bullied before, and I sure as hell don’t intend to start being bullied now.

  If The Hotshots want to start a fight with me, then so be it. I’ll roll up my sleeves and go down swinging, if I have to. But I need to understand why. I deserve at least that much.

  “Whatever you think you know, forget about it,” Kyle says. “This is high school. A suburban ju
ngle. They’re predators, here. Top of the food chain. The girls are drawn to them like flies to honey. It’s an entire ecosystem, and you poked it, as the newcomer.”

  “If they’re the predators, what does that make you?” I ask him.

  The hallway is almost empty, save for a couple of junior lemmings still looking for their class. We walk past the noticeboards and the school posters and stop in front of the trophy case. It’s huge, loaded with various shiny prizes, medals and awards for sporting endeavors. Trinity High seems to be a generator of prolific baseball players and judo athletes. Some track and field celebs, too.

  I don’t even notice Kyle grinning proudly, because my eyes are stuck on a photo of him, next to a massive judo trophy right in front of me. Two brass figurines are busy tackling each other at the top. The base has an elegant plaque mounted on it, with Kyle’s name, the name of the regional judo championship, and the year.

  “Well, someone’s been busy last autumn,” I manage, genuinely impressed. The trophy isn’t the only one with Kyle’s name on it. He’s brought back some medals and certificates, too, including a couple from European competitions. Not that I’m an expert, but it doesn’t take one to figure out that Kyle is a very good judo fighter.

  “Regarding your question, Elly… I’m one of the jocks,” he says, trying not to laugh. “Not a predator, per se, but I get around without much conflict.”

  I can’t help but chuckle. “I guess the mob boys don’t want to pick fights with you, huh?”

  “Kellan’s in my judo club. I kick his ass on a regular basis, but he’s knocked me down a couple of times, as well,” Kyle says. “You could say we’ve got this mutual respect thing going on…”

  Exhaling sharply, I peel my eyes off the trophy. “Don’t worry, then. I’m not interested in disturbing the local food chain. If you could just help me get what I need to navigate this wretched place on my own, that’ll be all, and you’ll never have to bother with me again.”

  Kyle looks downright offended. I’m almost worried he’ll hook an arm around my neck and tackle me on the cold, hard floor. “Who said you’re bothering me?”

  “I don’t know… I’m guessing.” My shrug isn’t too convincing, either.

  “Cut the crap, Elly. Trinity might not be the greatest school in the district, but it doesn’t mean I’m going to let anyone hurt you.”

  For a moment, I’m inclined to believe him. I’ve never needed someone else’s help in high school, and my senior year feels like a lousy time to start relying on Kyle, a complete but kind enough stranger. Then again, what other options do I have? If I get into trouble again, I need someone to get me out of it before I lose it and go all Xena Warrior Princess on their asses.

  A good college requires a good school record, and so far, I’ve managed to stay out of trouble. As much as Rhett, Kellan, and Gage’s behavior bothers me, I can’t let it get in the way of my future. If I’m smart and resilient enough, I might even nab a place at UC Berkeley.

  Taking a deep breath, I catch a whiff of Rhett’s cologne. It’s strong enough to still linger in the air. How long before I get him and the other two out of my head and out of my heart, so that not even a thread of musky fragrance will tamper with my senses again?

  My mind betrays me, wandering back to summer camp, desperately searching for something to help it make sense of what happened this morning. The first time I met them, everything was different. They weren’t my problem, dammit. They were my solution. My saviors. My soulmates, in more than one way…

  3

  Back in Summer Camp, Day 1

  Green Meadow Ranch on Lake Tahoe was advertised as one of the best summertime destinations for those aged between 13 and 18. I’m on the very edge of that spectrum, and I’m worried I’m going to be the only one. Last year was fun, since I had Brenda and the other girls with me. It’s not lame for juniors to go to summer camp. For seniors, however… well, here I am.

  I know why I’m here, though. My mom and dad sent me away for six weeks because they’ve got problems to sort out. Marriage problems. The kind that might end with one of them moving out. I hope they get their shit together and hold out for another year. At least until I get into college. Then they can split up—my dad can move into his assistant’s West Hollywood bungalow, and my mom can hook up with some yoga guy. I don’t really care. I just don’t want them to mess with my ecosystem.

  That’s my selfishness talking. At least I’m aware of it. I embrace it. Selfishness has served me well in the past, and it has stopped my heart from getting smashed, more than once. High school is a friggin’ jungle, and I am getting too old for this.

  Nevertheless, I do it. I get out of the backseat, my mom and dad already standing next to the car, with my suitcase on the ground, waiting for me to pick it up. They’re both smiling, but they look as though they were molded from hot plastic. They’re not being genuine, and it’s breaking my heart. I remember what they used to be like, when I was a kid. They couldn’t get enough of each other, often dropping me off at Grandma Kate’s place, just so they could go on a weekend getaway. Not that it bothered me—Grandma Kate always had pie and apple cider ready. And she didn’t need to see my ID.

  “Ready, sweetie?” my mom asks. It’s hard to resist an eyeroll, but I manage.

  “All set,” I say. “I’ll see you in… six weeks.”

  My throat closes up. I’m worried about them. I try not to be, playing my “selfish” card as much as I can, but I’m worried about them. They used to be so close, and now they barely look at each other. Dad messed up, more than once—cheating being his weapon of choice, but mom hasn’t been that easy to be with, either. It’s difficult for me to point out a culprit. I just know they have to find a way to make it work.

  Dad hugs me first, and I revel in his embrace. There’s always strength in it, even when I don’t realize I need some. Mom pulls me close and drops a kiss on my forehead. For a moment, I feel like a kid again. Only, I’m not. I haven’t been a kid for a long time. My body can attest to that. I’ve been ahead of the other girls since I turned fourteen.

  “Be good, okay? Don’t get in trouble,” mom says.

  I shoot her a grin. “Really? None at all? Not even a joint?”

  Dad groans. “Just don’t let us get any calls from the camp manager, okay?”

  He loves me. He just doesn’t know how to show it anymore. I find more meaning in his hugs than any words he could ever offer. Dad musters up a shaky smile. It’s obvious that he wants to leave as soon as he can. His ginger assistant must be waiting for him in West Hollywood. I’m willing to bet a hundred bucks my mom’s planning dinner, and he’s about to make up an excuse to go bang the PA.

  “I’ll keep it on the down low, I promise,” I say.

  “Elly. It’s your last summer camp. Make it last. Make it count,” mom replies sternly. “Also, no alcohol or drugs. We’ve been over this!”

  I offer a shrug. “Okay, mom. Sure.”

  “I mean it!”

  “Me too.”

  “Ugh, Elly…” She shakes her head and gets in the passenger seat. Dad goes around and settles behind the wheel. “Just be careful. You’re an adult, now!”

  As the car drives back down the forest road leading up to Green Meadow Ranch, I exhale sharply. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

  I watch them go for a while, until the SUV vanishes into the woods. There’s laughter and music somewhere behind me. The juniors are definitely here, from at least three local district high schools—mine included. This year, it’s just me out of the rat pack. Brenda’s doing a part-time internship at a fashion label. Shirley’s with her mom in the Hamptons. Chrissy is volunteering at a homeless shelter.

  Out of the four, I’m the one lacking direction, stuck here, at summer camp. This will go one of two ways—I go back home, and my parents are gnashing their teeth but still together, or… I go back home, and dad sits me down, with a stern look on his face, telling me he’ll be moving out soon.

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nbsp; Turning around, I take in the view. The ranch is superb, sprawling over square miles of thick pine woods while kissing Lake Tahoe, at the same time. The sky is a perfect blue, and the smell of burnt wood from last night’s campfire lingers in the air. The water laps gently at the shore, and I know there are boats to sail with, if I want.

  Birds sing in the trees, and it gives me a feeling that this might work out, after all, until a crippling panic attack takes over. Kids spill out of the ranch’s main cabin, joined by six attendants in their thirties and forties. I realize I don’t fit in anywhere. The kids are fourteen, fifteen tops, and they’re giggling and shrieking like banshees when one of the attendants tells them there’s going to be horse riding later.

  I’m the oldest among the camp participants, and too young to hang out with the attendants. An in-betweener, so to speak, and not the good kind. “Crap, six weeks of this, then,” I mutter to myself.

  It’s a beautiful place. I should find comfort in that. I’ve got a single-bed cabin, all to myself—my mom made sure of that. There’s horse riding. Boats. The woods all over. I can swim in the lake, if I want to. Screw their “No Swimming” signs, while I’m at it. I’ve got my phone, packed with music and streaming subscriptions. Speaking of which, I briefly check it. Four bars.

  “Yup, we’re good.”

  I’m looking at six of the most boring weeks of my life, and I regret not fighting harder against my parents’ decision to take me here. I should’ve taken up Chrissy’s offer to join her at the homeless soup kitchen. At least the people there would be more interesting. They’d have stories to tell. Wisdom to give. What the hell am I gonna get out of ninth grade Mandy?

  An engine roars behind me. I’m startled, and I quickly turn around. Headlights flash brightly, and I feel like a deer caught in the middle of the road. “Oh, shit!” I croak, as the metal monster comes at me, rumbling angrily. I shut my eyes, awaiting the deadly force of impact, but it never comes.