There are only three people who ever meet me by my locker in the morning and that's Kelcy, Chris and- occasionally- Ashleigh but it's definitely not ever Courtney. That's why when she walks up behind me, I can't help but frown to myself before turning around with a confused smile.

"Hey Courtney." I greet and her lips stretch into a smile. Suddenly I'm reminded of what she did to me yesterday and I can't help but grit my teeth to keep from saying anything.

"Hi Soph. How are you?" She asks, watching me again as I exchange my books. I frown.

Why is she taking an interest today?

"I'm good and you?" I ask and she smiles.

"I'm actually really mad." She says and I tense up.

"Uh, why is that?" I ask, catching her drift. I'm about to grab another book when she slams my locker shut, just missing my fingers. I stare at her wide-eyed and shocked. She leans in close, her mouth twisted downwards into a scowl.

"I do what I have to do to protect those around me, Sophie, and I don't appreciate it when people like you interfere with that. Next time I tell you to leave someone alone, you do it." She hisses. I let out a breath of air.

"You lied Courtney. You've pushed me and Kelcy apart." I say and she shrugs.

"I knew the consequences of doing what I did."

"So you purposely threw me under the bus?" I ask incredulously.

She rolls her eyes. "It was either both Ashleigh and James or just you. I'd rather her be upset with one person than two." She counters and my mouth drops open.

"If someone deserves to take the blame, that's all there is to it. I didn't. Ashleigh and James did." I grit and Courtney smiles deviously.

"That's my decision to make." She leans back, straightening her skirt. "Next time, just do it right and we won't have to have this conversation," she warns me and I look at her blankly. She smiles falsely, checking the time on her fancy watch. "I'll see you around." She says before strutting away, leaving me with clenched fists.

Who does she think she is? My mother?

She doesn't have the right to decide who's guilty and who's innocent either. How could she say that to me? Say that she makes the decision? And how could she lie to Kelcy like that? Now Kelcy thinks I'm the bad guy meanwhile it's Ashleigh and James. Is this what friends do? Lie and betray one another?

If it is, I'd rather have no friends.

I sigh, opening my locker and finishing packing my books. After I'm done, I walk to Chemistry where I take a seat next to my partner- Kelcy. Great.

I smile at her but she just looks down at the very interesting wooden desk. I purse my lips and eye the experiment equipment on my desk before Mrs Collinson walks in. After she gets the class quiet, she rubs her hands together.

"Alright, all the equipment you'll need to conduct the following experiment is in front of you. Now although this is not new work, we need the revision so we'll be making electromagnets. Please work together. I'll be testing each and everyone of yours at the end so make sure you work together and do it properly. You can get started." She tells us and I slowly turn to Kelcy who is already starting. She makes sure to keep all the equipment on her side so that I can't reach it and when I try to take it, she moves in such a way that she's blocking me.

Come on. How immature can she be?

I sigh. "Kelcy, come on. This is group work." I mutter but she continues to ignore me. I feel frustration creep under my skin and I roll my eyes before standing up to reach for the iron filings however, since Kelcy makes a move to black me again, she knocks my hand which hits the bottle, sending iron filings everywhere.

"Shit." I mumble and Kelcy rolls her eyes.

"Thanks a lot." She mutters and I glare at her before raising my hand up in pure determination. Mrs Collinson raises an eyebrow at me.

"Could I please be assigned a new lab partner? One that preferably splits the work evenly since Kelcy doesn't want to." I say in frustration. My teacher sighs.

"Please be fair Kelcy or else I'll drop your grade." She warns and Kelcy grits her jaw but allows me to finally take part. The lesson goes by fairly well after that. We speak minimally to each other but get the work done nonetheless which was all I wanted. When the bell rings for English, I'm happy to rush out the class and put space between Kelcy and I.

****

I am surrounded by negative, false and manipulative people on a daily basis so finding someone who is genuinely kind and real is so rare to me. I realise that's why I've taken a liking to Kathy. She's exactly that: sweet, generous, kind... I wish I knew more people like her. I've found out she's only two years older than me and that we get on quite well.

"So, how long have you been working here for?" I ask curiously, leaning on her desk.

"Since I left school." She responds and my eyebrows rise in surprise.
"My parents have enough money to support me and I realised I really wanted to do this- volunteer work- so my parents agreed to support me for the next three years." She explains further, pushing her glasses further up her nose.

"That's amazing!" I gush honestly and she smiles shyly.

"Thank you. Most people think I'm mad for doing this," she mumbles and I shake my head with a frown.

"Well they're wrong. You're so courageous. I wish I could do what you've done."

She beams brightly at me, "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I want to go into philanthropy and I need credits to put behind my name."

"Oh wow! A philanthropist?" She repeats.

"Yeah." I nod.

"It's cool but why exactly do you want to do that?" She asks and I shrug.

"I want to help others you know? I just feel like this is meant for me. It makes me so happy when I know I've helped others and seeing those hurt little children smile gives me some faith in humanity," I smile to myself and she nods, raising her hand for a high five which I gladly return it.

I chuckle with her before calming down again. "So," I begin "are you and Lucy related? You look alike." I say and she smiles sheepishly.

"Yeah. Please don't mention it to anyone though." She asks.

"Why not?" I inquire with confusion.

"Because then people think I'm only here for that reason." She explains and I nod.

"I understand. My lips are sealed." I make the motion of locking my lips and she giggles. "How are you guys related?"

"She's my aunt." She explains and I nod.

"Oh, that makes sen-" I am cut off by a roaring engine before the door opens and the infamous Alex Rosewood walks in. He has his sleek and expensive looking phone pressed to his ear as he makes his presence known.

"Alright, see you tonight." He mumbles before ending the call. I assume that was a booty call reservation.

As he walks passed us to reach the hallway, he smiles at Kathy.

"Hey Kathy." He greets, ignoring me once again. I let out a sigh of frustration wondering how rude someone can actually be. He turns his back as he continues walking and Kathy shoots me a confused glance.

"Prick." I mutter under my breath.

Suddenly, Alex stops dead in his tracks before turning to face with a raised eyebrow. He walks back to us and my eyes widen.

"If you have something to say, say it to my face Princess." He quips and a smile worms it's way onto my face. I would be lying if I said Alex isn't intimidating because he is, but I've also been friends with Courtney for the last four years of my life and she's intimidating too. I don't know why he thinks I'll back down. I look at him directly in the chocolate swirls he calls his eyes and respond with: "Prick."
He stares back at me intensely and I hold my chin up higher. He narrows his eyes before a smirk makes itself present on his face. He nods... impressed? Before he turns around and walks away leaving me confused, annoyed and irritable. I wasn't expecting him to walk away but rather flip out and give me a piece of his mind like he usually did when people pissed him off. My face scrunches up in confusion and Kathy seems even more perplexed than me. I shrug before checking my watch and seeing I still have twenty minutes left before my shift starts due to me coming early.

My mind drifts to how Alex and I have been this past week. We just can't seem to get on and he continuously makes a point to annoy or piss me off. It's making me hate coming here and I can't afford to feel that way. I think I need to speak to him and ask if we can't just be civil. That would make things easier.

However, I can't guarantee he'll agree.

I continue talking to Kathy until my shift begins and I take over from Renaé. Alex doesn't spare me a glance, like usual, and I let the children play outside, watching them run around playing Touches with one another. One again, Sarah is late and I can't help but wonder how dedicated a worker she is. I sigh to myself, knowing I'll be okay.

My mind slowly drifts to the day's events and I find myself frowning. After Chemistry with Kelcy- which was horribly awkward- lunch was spent with everyone been oblivious to how mad Kelcy is at me. Courtney continued on like usual- like she didn't completely lie- and the others followed suite. James and Ashleigh were sitting next to each other, whispering and laughing adoringly.

It was horrible to watch knowing that they had been lying to Kelcy for such a long time. However, they didn't seem to notice or care.

I zone back in and notice how peacefully the children are playing, quietly slipping back inside. I gingerly walk to Alex but he doesn't notice me and so I continue standing awkwardly behind him.

"Alex?" I ask and he turns around expectantly. "Could you please watch the kids for me for a few minutes? I need the bathroom."

His lips quirk into a smile. "I'm busy."

I sigh tiredly, expecting that response but hoping for another. "Please. I need to pee and there's no one else to watch the kids while I'm gone."

"Not my problem Princess." He answers with a shrug and I groan.

"For goodness sake! Can you stop being a jerk and help me out for one second? I'm asking you to watch them for five- fricking- minutes! Not for you to die for me!" I snap, my hands flying in the air in frustration. He looks at me in amusement before he settles the bucket of paint and paintbrush down, dusting off his hands.

"Five minutes," he mutters as he heads outside. I roll my eyes before heading to the bathroom. How is it that talking to him for just a few minutes can tire me out like this? And why can't he just be sort of nice? Goodness, he's making this job so damn difficult for me. I look at myself in the mirror, holding onto the bathroom sink.

"You can do this." I mutter to myself before standing straight and heading back to the classroom where all the children have probably died thanks to the one and only Alex Rosewood. However, when I return, it's quite the opposite. Instead, Alex is tickling them in the garden, the little kids laughing out of enjoyment and squirming in his grip. A wide smile is on his face and I am taken aghast at how real it is. Who would have thought that  children would make the notorious bad boy genuinely happy? In this moment, as I lean against the wall with a small smile on my face from watching him, I forget who he's thought to be; a player and a Rebel. As if noticing my gaze he stands up, his smile sobering up. He dusts himself off and all the kids let out responses of protest, not wanting him to leave. He chuckles as he looks down at the kids.

"I have to go do work now guys but Sophie can play with you." He answers them and I frown at the gentle tone he uses. For once he's not saying my name with such distaste. Perhaps it's because he's talking to children. The kids smile brightly again and as Alex walks back inside, he looks down at me before continuing on. I shake my head to clear my thoughts before I look at the hopeful children.

"Who wants to play Hide-and-Seek?"

Can you believe that Kelcy is mad at Sophie? Damn, I feel for her.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to do the usual:

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