https://youtu.be/mqWq_48LxWQ

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" I hate it when I lose stuff

At school, like my pencils

, papers, and life ambitions."

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Welcome to West Birch High where girls who were once angels become she-devils with sparkly cellphones and guy who were once somewhat tolerable become... well less tolerable.

This was the kind of school where wearing the wrong kinds of shoes could make you a social outcast for the rest of your life. The students here were the kind of people who ate gossip at all times of the day and dressed like they were a million bucks. So I guess you could understand why I only ever really stuck to hanging out with Harper and Dominic.

It was like the girl's who attended this school were all Victoria Secret models and the guys were Calvin Kline models or something... and by that, I don't mean it was like everyone would wear underwear to school or anything. I mean there was some girl's who's shirts were a little low and their short's were more like underwear...

Pretty much I wasn't exactly one to fit in with the people at this school. Not like Harper and Dominic for that matter, they had no problem with that. They fit in with everyone!

It was crazy, here I was going into my last year of high school and yet still feel like no one in this school really knew me. Sure we'd talked a few time but talking about thing's like " did you get forty-two for question six, or fifty-five?" Isn't exactly getting to know someone.

After some time I finally managed to stop crying after what felt like hours and Dominic and I started to make our way into the school.

As we swung the big front doors open I began to look around. The halls were crowded with people, it was chaotic. It was almost like the beginning scene that you'd find at the start of those high school drama movies. There was the typical annoying couple that was always making out on the left side of the hall next to Dominic, and about ten feet farther down, that catty group of popular girls who talked obnoxiously loud with their irritating high pitched voices.

Opposite to them was the group of douchebag jocks, who Dominic was friends with and played on the football team with him. Then the space between them was the small group of band geeks and those science tech kids from fourth period. They were the same kids who would write messages on pieces of paper and make them into paper airplanes, then threw them across the hall back and forth to one another.

Then as if on cue came the cheerleader captains from last year who practiced their arm routines down the halls.

Everyone in this hell whole had their own group and click. Dominic belonged to the football and popular group of snobs. Harper had her drama class friends and from what she said the other day she was soon going to be entering into the world of the plastic barbie doll cheerleaders... and that crazy girl fest. Then there was me... the girl who didn't fit into any of this.

We stood there amused as we observed all the commotion and activity happening among the different groups. That was till one of Dominic's friends came rushing over to talk to us... or rather him for that matter.

The boy came walking over towards us and I watched as every step he took was filled with such pride and arrogance as if he believed he owned the place. The boy had skin as pale as a porcelain doll and his eyes were this light murky blue shade. His light brown hair was cut short around the sides and jelled up in the front leaving it spiked upwards.

Seriously how much jell did this guy use? I pondered to myself as I compared him to that of a porcupine. It was definitely a close comparison.

He wore one of the schools light blue varsity football jackets and under it was a tightly fitted wight dress shirt with the first three top buttons undone. You could see his defined muscular torso through his shirt and although he wore a jacket it didn't prevent anyone from seeing how fit he was.

I glanced down to find his jeans were as new looking as the day they were bought. His black Italian leather shoes looked to be freshly polished and shined. It was obvious the boys choice in clothing was rather an expensive one, but then again this was Ethan Harris we were talking about here. The boy came from wealth and a rather ridiculous amount at that.

His dad was some kind of CEO for some giant corporation or something like that. I wasn't exactly a part of they're inner circle, so I didn't actually know much about him. All I knew was he was a rich prick who threw a lot of house parties and was one of Dominic's friends. However, that was pretty much public knowledge.

"Well well well. If it isn't Mr pretty boy, back from his little summer getaway I suppose?" He teased, leaning up against one of the lockers.

"Well hello to you too Ethan. Man, you haven't changed one bit!" Dominic exclaimed with a big grin.

" Well it was only summer break, yet I see you have. Been working out much?" He asked raising a brow and taking in Dominic's new look and appearance. However, it was obvious to everyone that he had done more than just working out. He completely changed his style. His hair was different, he wore nicer clothes, he even cared himself differently!

" Ah not so much, just a few days a week when I got tired of surfing," Dominic replied nonchalantly with a shrug.

"Taking after your brother I see. How is Reed? Still the big bad lady killer I presume?" He questioned with a bit of a laugh and this wicked smirk.

It wasn't hard to figure out Ethan was referring to Austin. After all, over the years Austin had developed a bit of a rep as being a bit of a smooth talk, not to mention sleazebag, player and complete and utter womanizer, with absolutely no redeeming qualities what so ever! So in other words... the girl's loved him and even some guy.

I mean Harper even had a thing for him! Which was funny because after Harper's experience with guys you'd think she'd stay far away from boy's like Austin, yet... here she was completely drooling over the guy.

"What you missing your role model already?" Dominic questioned and Ethan rolled his eyes.

"Hardly. He was no competition for me, however, for your sake, you must be relieved." He grinned.

"Ouch, is that so?" Dominic said with wide eyes and chuckled.

" I don't know, why don't we ask the little lady or Tom girl..?" He suggested with hesitation in his voice.

" I'm not a Tom girl!" I objected with annoyance as I huffed and crossed my arms over my chest as a little kid would before throwing a tantrum. I stood there glaring at Ethan.

"Fooled me."

"Why because I don't dress like your fan girls in they're short shorts and crop tops, well that is if you can even call them that!" I protested thinking about all the trashy outfits I'd seen last year, the summer one's obviously being the worst of the lot.

"Hey don't be insulting my little fangirls," Ethan responded as he raised his hands up in the air as a sign of defeat.

"Oh, I'm not I'm just insulting their taste in clothing." I smiled and he just shook his head.

"Well, Dominic didn't seem to mind it," Ethan said with this creepy grin well looking at Dominic. I watch as Dominic chuckles and try to cover it up by fake coughing.

Pigs!

"You're disgusting!" I cringed and rolled my eyes.

" And you still haven't changed," Ethan smirked and I looked at him, my face full of confusion.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I questioned but was so rudely interrupted like always.

" Ah what are you boy's talking about?" I heard a high pitched irritating voice say from behind me.

Great just my luck! I thought to myself before letting out a small sigh and turning around.

"Well hello, there lovely." Ethan smiled as he put his hand out and she placed hers on top before he knelt his head down to kiss her hand as they use to do in the olden days. Treating her like a princess and not like the evil demon she was.

Barf!

I watched as the curly brunette girl made her way over towards us as her black heels clanking down hard onto the marble floor with every step. She walked with almost the same amount of arrogance and hidden insecurities as Ethan did. Her outfit was no shocker to see, it was her typical blue, black, and white cheerleader uniform. The same uniform that she used to show that she was far more superior than everyone else. I still couldn't believe people were so dumb enough as to believe it.

She was nothing more than a girl with major daddy issues and a constant desire for attention. Resulting in her being one of those stuck up privileged popular girls.

Or a bully, if we're being blunt.

Her skin was tanned, hair freshly cut, and nails polished and shinned. As always the "she-devil " looked overly done up.

It was the first day of school, not a beauty pageant!

As she walked towards me her eyes never once met mine, almost like I was invisible to her.

She smiled directly at Ethan showing her glistening white teeth before detecting all her attention to Dominic.

" Wow, Reed you're back!" She said in shock as her eyes scanned him up and down. She wasn't even subtle about it. Then after she was done admiring the view I watched this creepy smile appear on her face and I couldn't help my eyes from rolling back in disgust.

" Hello Kylie and Yeah, got in yesterday," Dominic said politely. He was always so nice, I didn't get how he managed that.

Kylie Morgan... She was the school queen B, Literally! The girl was a complete and utter bitch! She was the head cheerleader and one of Dominic's ex's and thank god for that! I absolutely hated the time in which they use to date and I had to put up with that entitled little princess.

They had dated for almost six months last year and broke up when she eventually traded him in for some college boy. However, from the looks of it, they were definitely not together anymore.

I seriously hope Dominic isn't going to be so stupid as to get back with this witch!

While, they dated she had made it her life mission to drive me completely crazy. She practically took it upon herself to embarrass and torment me the whole duration they were together! She made it impossible to hang out with Dominic alone, always finding some excuse to tag along.

"So what, no call?" She asked batting her freakishly long lashes at him.

"Call?" Dominic questioned and I looked at her confused.

"Yes call, you should have called! We could have thrown a welcome back dinner at the grill." She smiled flirtatiously as she fluffed her hair, one of her most common signature moves that she used when trying to charm a guy. However, when she did that I always imagined her to have Medusa's snake hair and that always had a way of making me grin.

" Yeah, you should have called." Ethan agreed totally oblivious to what Kylie was hinting at. She didn't exactly say "party".

Man, was he thick... What a moron!

"Um... sorry Kylie had a bit of jet lag so I slept most of yesterday." He smiled awkwardly and adjusted the backpack strap on his shoulder moving it father up.

" Awes you poor thing!" Kylie said as she walked over to him placing her hand on his forearm and looking at him with this way to overacted portrayal of concern.

"Umm..." Dominic stood there awkwardly and looked at me almost like he was begging for help.

"I'm sure he's fine Kylie," I say sternly to her before receive a nodding smile from a very appreciative Dominic.

" I'm sorry I can't help it, I still worry about him." She said all mushy, it was disgusting.

" No need really I'm fine!" Dominic said quite freaked out as he tried to reassure her. Obviously, I wasn't the only one who was getting creeped out by Kylie and her strange behavior.

"Yeah he's a big boy now, hey now maybe we'll have a fighting chance with you taking over for your brother," Ethan said all cheery.

Oh that's right, Austin was the team's star athlete and quarterback, I'd completely missed that. With him gone I bet the team was desperately looking for a fast replacement. Well, that was till they found Dominic.

" Oh my god you're kidding, you're the new quarterback!" Kylie said beaming in excitement.

" Yeah, he is! You should have seen him at practice he was a sight to behold. You really stepped up your game from last year." Ethan bragged all chipper and proud.

"Ah, it was nothing!" Dominic said trying to brush it off.

"You're too modest Reed I bet you were amazing," Kylie said winking at him. I watched as it made him turn a little red and shift uncontrollably.

"Speaking of amazing did you hear about the party happening at Prices tonight?" Ethan asked as he crossed his arms over his chest and smiled.

"Wait... Prices, I thought Cody was holding it?" Kylie questioned looking rather confused.

"Naw's turns out his parents aren't going to the cottage this week so the plans changed," Ethan said just shrugging and Kylie responded with a simple nod.

"Well it's not much of a difference I mean they're houses are about the same and as long as they have a hot tub we're good." She smiled as she clapped her hands together in front of her chest.

" What are you talking about you hate getting wet!" Dominic stated as he looked at her raising a brow.

Dominic was right, I remember her giving Ms. Ross a note last year from her doctor saying she had to be excused from swim classes because the chlorine in the pool causes her skin irritation. But it was the biggest lie ever! She was on the swim team back when we were in middle school.

I wonder how much she paid her doctor to get that letter?

"Only sometimes." She smiled and things got awkwardly silent for a little as the boys raised an eyebrow towards Kylie, questioning exactly what she'd meant by that.

However, unlike them, I wasn't looking for an answer to that.

"Well, what times the party?" Dominic finally said breaking the silence.

" We told everyone to aim for Eight-thirty," Ethan said as she pulled out his phone and started typing away probably something to do with the party.

"Sick so I'll see you at nine then," Dominic smirked and with that Ethan laughed as he looked up from his phone in his had with a smile.

"Ha, you know me so well." Ethan smiled and the two of them laughed.

"It's funny how you still follow that dumb saying," Dominic said shaking his head from side to side.

"What saying?" I asked not quite getting what they were going on about.

"Ah, you see Ethan here believes in that ridiculous saying or theory that the 'cool' people as he says only arrive an hour after everyone else or a few minutes," Dominic said pointing at Ethan and then using air quotes.

" Well, that's lame," I stated only to get a scowling pair of eyes darted at me from Ethan.

"That's what I thought but he won't shake it." Dominic agreed with me and shrugs.

"Well, I've always shown up late so I guess it must be true," Kylie says all cheery.

"See Kylie gets it!"He smiled nodding towards her.

"Yes but that's also Kylie we are talking about here," Dominic replies raising his index finger up in the air for a single second before putting it back down.

"Good point," Ethan says and the three of us let out a bit of a laugh as Kylie scoffs.

"Hey what's that supposed to mean!" She says defensively and annoyed.

"It's nothing," Dominic says patting her on the forearm however she just crosses her arms over her chest and stands there expecting some kind of explication. However, we all know she's not going to get one.

"So what time should I pick you up at Bells?" Dominic said smiling at me and my eyes widened.

"Since when do you drive?" I questioned him with a curious smile.

"Dad taught me over the break and I took the test. So he's been lending me the car." He smiles and shrugs. "It's not as hard as you thought."

"Dude way to go, now I don't need to drive you around." Ethan chips in as he gives Dominic a pat on the back but Dominic pushes him away playfully.

"Oh shut up it wasn't like you did before anyhow." He says and Ethan nods.

"That's true, I mean why drive when Cody always offering?" A smirk comes to Ethan's face when he says that.

I'd always seen Cody driving Ethan around. It was like he was his personal valet.

"Where is Cody? He wasn't at practice this morning." Dominic asked.

"Yeah, he said something about needing to grab a few kegs for the party this morning. Said he'd be a little late this morning." Ethan said as she stared down at his phone screen in his hands.

"Ah... So Brooke, what time should I come to get you at?"

Did Dominic just ask me that again? I wondered as I stared at him.

"I..."

"You can't be serious? Brooklyn is going to a party, wow that's a first!" Kylie scoffed.

"Brooklyn Bells at a party well now that I'd love to see!" Ethan exclaimed looking me up and down with a smile. "However I didn't think it was your think little Brookie." He questioned making fun of me.

"It's not, in all the years we've thrown them you've never attended a single one," Kylie states as if they didn't already know that.

"Exactly so you should come, it might be fun!" Dominic said cheerfully and smiled at me.

" I don't know," I answered shyly and uncertain.

" But Dominic she's not exactly invited, I mean I'm not sure Cody was expecting her," Kylie says scrambling for lame excuses.

"It's the senior class kick-off party, Kylie. I'm pretty sure the whole grade will be there!" He said with a bit of sternness. "I'm sure she'll be ok."

" Well I can't wait to see this, it will definitely be a night to remember!" Ethan beamed and shot me a very wicked smirk. One that made me feel rather uncomfortable.

With them chatting away about the party and then getting into their summer break stories, I started to feel like I was third-wheeling them as I just awkwardly stood there.

" Hey, I'm going to go meet up with Harper she's probably looking for me," I said to Dominic and he nodded. I started to walk away before he called back to me.

" Save me a set at lunch?" He shouted down the hall. I smiled before nodding and he smiled then went back to chatting away.

It was strange how he got along with those two. Dominic was so kind and those two were something else entirely. I mean Ethan could pass for being human sometimes. However, Kylie was a soles leach!

I made my way down the busy halls passing by classmates I hadn't seen since last year. Lot of them looked the same apart from the obvious haircuts and tans. Some had grown taller or even dressed differently, but for the most part, most of them looked the same. It wasn't like how Dominic had changed, that was something else completely!

As I passed through the big blue duffle doors that connected me to the other long hallway that would eventually lead me to the gymnasium, I immediately heard a screeching noise come from down the hall.

.