Page 8 of Girl Like Me

“I’m starting to see why I didn’t.” My ears start to ring, a high-pitched wail that wasn’t there a second ago. I feel myself drop to the floor and a flash hits me.

“Echo…what about him?”

“You’re fucking him, the worthless drug dealer who works for your uncle.”

“I’m not fucking anyone.”

“Don’t I know it, you crazy bitch.”

I get slapped across the face hard, everything from there plays out too fast to keep up.

“Are you okay?” I flinch when a hand touches mine, I open my eyes and see Chloe kneeling in front of me. Sebastian nowhere in sight.

“Sorry, I had a panic attack.” I look around seeing the other kids just walk by ignoring us.

“I can take you to the nurse.” I quickly shake my head no, the last thing I need is this moment of weakness getting back to my parents.

“Why would you want to help me if I was as nasty as you say I was?” This girl is way too nice for the mean kids that attend this academy. I don’t know how she can act this way towards me, especially after finding out what I did over a stupid ruined selfie.

“Your behaviour says a lot about who you are, not who I am. You also seem different now and I know how sucky panic attacks are.” She stands, extending her hand down to me. I grab it gingerly and she helps me to my feet.

“I do feel different since the accident. I honestly hate who I used to be, I was an asshole, and my friends don’t seem like friends at all. Clarissa seems okay but she also seems like trouble.”

We start walking together to nowhere in particular. “She is a lot of trouble, I don’t know her personally of course but I hear the rumours. Just be careful with your friends, no one here is as they seem, everything is about appearances.”

“What about you? You obviously come from money.”

“My mother married a rich guy so I’m here by default, everyone knows I was poor. They will put on a nice face if my stepfather is around but at school I’m a leper because I like to keep to myself. My step brother is pretty cool, sometimes.”

“Does he go here?” She blushes, a rosy tone taking over her pale cheeks. She must have a crush on him if that reaction is anything to go by.

“Yes, though he isn’t one for the social hierarchy. You and your friends leave him be, I think more from fear than anything else. Him and his friends I would say arebadboys.” She says, using air quotes, putting as much emphasis on the word bad as she can.

“Agh, the ones every girl thinks she can change.”

“Pretty much. I think you and Chev had a thing, he acts like he hates you, but I’d also seen the way you looked at him.”

“Seems like I’ve always liked the bad guys, some guy named Echo and now Chev.” Sebastian, though I don’t know if I ever really liked him.

“Echo is a guy that lives on the Eastside, Chev sometimes talks about him. I honestly think he is a drug dealer.”

“Damn,” I mutter. “I’m going for a home run on the shitty person award, a bitch and terrible taste in guys.”

“Chev isn’t bad.” She gets defensive, of course she does she has a crush on her step brother. “That’s him over there.” She points to a guy in uniform, but he screamsfuck with me I dare you. He pushes off the wall and stalks towards us.

“Hey lil sis.” I hear the sarcasm in his voice, he is baiting her, wanting any kind of attention he can get. He hasn’t even looked at me yet, all of his focus solely on her.

He wraps a finger around one of her curls, giving it a teasing tug. Maybe I just wanted him because he wanted her. Man, if that’s true, I really was a shitty person.

“I’m not your sister Chev.” She looks up at him, her big brown eyes full of hope. Oh, you poor girl he will eat you alive.

“Bristol, I would say it’s good to see you back but some of us were hoping that someone finally off’ed you.” His attention now turned to me, full of venom.

“I don’t blame you, I’m glad I don’t remember shit.”

“No memory, wait until Echo finds out. Are you gracing him with your presence on Saturday?”

“Maybe, you should come with me?” I look at Chloe with a raised brow.

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