ssoonasLilygotup,twoboyswalkeduptoher.
“Hi,I’nFletcher.We’ressmatesnow.JustletmeknowifyouneedanythingOurssmatesareallquiteniceandwillhelpyouout.”Ianextendedahand,abright<b>and</b>boyishsmileonhisface.
Lilylifedhergaze.Perhapsbecauseshehadjustwokenup, sheappearedunsmilingandquitescary.“Hi”
Hertonewaspolite,yetitsent chillsdowntheothers‘spines.
Ianwithdrewhishandssheepishlyandshedarakishsmile.“Areyougoingtogethunch?joinus?”
“Sure.”LilyarmedandstartedwalkingBelongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.
Atthebackofthessroom,theshort–hairedgirlfrombeforesawtanleavingwithLily.Sheturnedtothegirlwithlonghair.“Whydinleavewiththenewstudent?Doesn’thealwayshavelunchwithyou?
Theshort–hairedgirlwasAlexisArmstrong.Herfamilyranasmallbusinessandwassomewhatrich.
Thelong–hairedgirlwasHeatherMaynardfromLagersfield.TheMaynardfamilywasthethirdmostaffluentfamilyinLagersfield.However,theyweredifferentfromtheFletcherfamilyandtheMartinezfamily.
TheMaynardsstartedoutintheunderworld.Theywerewell–knownto botw–abidingfolksandcriminals.NoteventheFletchersandtheMartinezesdaredtocrossthem.HeatherwasEmberCreekHighSchool’sbullyAlexiswouldusuallyfollowheraround,actingallhighand mighty
“Lily’ssly.She’sjustapretty<b>face</b>,andfanisimmediatelytakenwith her.Heather,youcan’tlethergetawaywiththis.”Alexisappearedindignant.
HeatherncedatLily’sback,hercoldeyesglintedbriefly.Shewithdrewhergaze.“Let’sgo.”
“Heather…”
Alexishadmoretosay,butHeathershotheracoldlook<b>,</b><b>so</b>shestopped.
Lagersfieldwasacitywithbusytraffic.
EventhoughEmberCreekHighSchoolwaslocatedinthecitycentermutingbackandforthwould takeanhour.Itwas toorushed,especiallyforseniors.Thus,mostseniors
hadlunch inschool.
Lilyandhergroupwereslowertogetto<b>the</b>cafeteria.It waspackedwhentheyarrived.Themomenttheyentered,manyeyesturned<b>to</b>them.Discussionsimmediatelybegantobuzzthroughtheroom.“Damn,thatgirlissopretty.Whatgradeisshe<b>in</b>?Whyhaven’tseenherbefore?“Meneither.Shedoesn’tlooklikeastudentatourschool”
“Ian’swithher.Couldshebn’sgirlfriend?”
“Woah!Jan’sgirlfriend?ThenwhataboutHeather<b>?</b>Isn’tshegoingtoflipout?
ItwamonknowledgethatHeatherlikedtan.Allthegirlsatschovoidedspeakingwitnalone.Itwouldnotendwellforthemotherwise.
Heatherwasnotadelicateandsweetdaughterofanaffluentfamily.ShewasfromtheMaynardfamily.EveryonewasawarethattheMaynardsprimarilyengagedinillicitbusiness,NooneinLagersfielddaredtooffendtheMaynards
Theconversationswerequiteloudlycouldhearthemclearlywherevershewent.
Herbrowsknittedtogether.Shelookedratherannoyed.
ThiswaswhyshedidnotwanttogotoschoolPeoplewouldalwaysstareandtalkabouther.
theloweredhercap,andherdemeanorgrewevenmoreintimidating.EvenAnyabesideherwasinexplicablyaffectedbyhersuddencoldness.
“Youshouldgofindaspotandsitdown.I’llgogetyourfood,”AnyawhisperedtoLily.