"This is ridiculous." My mom sighed as she cleaned my face with a washcloth. "I mean, what kind of school lets this happen?"

I squirmed as the cloth got too close to my eye, "Mom, I can do it myself." I whined.

"You've got nacho cheese in your hair, let me comb it out." She huffed and picked up a comb. I sighed and slumped back on the kitchen table chair as my mom wet the comb and began to brush the cheese out of my hair.

"I should talk to the principal. Surely she can't allow this." My dad argued.

"Principal Cunningham already hates me. She's not going to do anything about it." I explained with a frown. "Ouch!" I groaned as my mom pulled a knot out of my hair.

"Sorry." She cringed, "Your hair is just so thick."

"Well, that's wrong. She should care about all her students." My dad explained and wiped the back of his hand across his forehead. His dark brown skin was gleaming with sweat and his special garden gloves hung out of his jean pocket. I knew he had a big job to do today. The meeting he had weeks ago with a pair of wealthy clients went well and he has a huge scale gardening job to work on for the next month or so. He's even having to put a team together for extra help which he will be the leaders of too.

Let's just say the money he's earning from this one job would be enough for us to buy a new house. However, my parents never liked big houses. I knew they had enough money to upgrade this house anyways, but they always said something about a big house seeming so lonely and a waste. Especially if there was only three of us. Plus, my dad was a sucker of memories and still wanted the years of my heights pencilled in on the kitchen doorframe and tree in the garden with him and mom's names carved on, something they did when they first moved in all those years ago.

"Just leave it." I sighed. "I deserve I guess." I did.

"No, you don't." my mom said affirmatively. "David, get me a spray bottle." My dad nodded and handed it to her before she sprayed it on my hair.

"Mom, my hair's gonna go frizzy!" I complained.

"Oh, shut up. D'you want cheesy hair for the rest of your life?" I stayed quiet. "Exactly."

I huffed and rested my hands in my lap. "Maybe I should just quit school." I murmured under my breath, but my dad heard me.

"No." he shook his head firmly. "You've worked too hard to get where you are, sweetheart, you're not going to let that wash down the drain just because of a few stupid kids."

"A few kids? More like the whole school." I scoffed and felt a lump grow in my throat.

"Baby," my mom sighed. She placed down the comb and bent down so her chin rested on my shoulder, "Ignore those kids. In a few weeks, everything will disappear and be forgotten."

"Likely." I huffed and chocked on my words. "You should have seen everyone today, they all stared at me like I killed their grandma."

"Then pay no mind to them." My mom brushed it away.

I rolled my eyes, "Kind of hard when it's everywhere I turn."

"Isn't Rya in school?" my dad asked. I shook my head in response, unable to stop the frown deepening my expression. "That's weird. She's never missed a day. Maybe I should talk to her dad the next time I stop round."

"Don't." I shook my head. "She's probably still upset about Valedictorian and doesn't want to face humiliation in front of Christopher." And she probably still hates me.

"There." my mom put down the comb and went to the sink to wash her hands. "All gone."

I sighed thankfully and tied my hair up, frizzy pieces falling over my face. "Thanks." I smiled lightly and rubbed a hand over my eyes.

"You shouldn't care what others think, sweetheart." She went on to say. "In a month or so, you're all going to go separate ways and move on to bigger and better things." She had a point but that didn't deny the fact I still had a month or so of hell left. I could barely survive a day; how could I survive a month?

"I don't know what to do." I confessed, feeling tears block my vision. "I-I tried to be normal, to blend in, find friends, but everyone hates me so much all I did was humiliate myself."

I watched as my parents gave each other long looks, as if speaking through their silent 'parent code'. My dad finally nodded understandingly, "I'll order us in some takeout tonight." He kissed my mom and the forehead before walking over to me to do the same. When he was gone, my mom grabbed a kitchen chair and dragged it over to face me.

"Let me tell you a story." She sat down in front of me and sighed. I looked down at my hands and wiped away a tear that lonely fell down my cheek.

"When I was in my Freshman Year of college, I met this guy."

"Dad?"

"No." she shook her head and laughed, "Not dad. Let's call him Bradley."

"Are you calling him Bradley or was his actual name Bradley?" I raised a brow.

"Fine, let's call him Michael." I raised another brow. "Fine, his actual name was Bradley." She huffed. I laughed and little as she went to continue. "We met at a party and as soon as I saw him, I fell instantly head over heels. He was your classic 'bad-boy', 'jock', super popular guy and in a band."

"A band?!" my eyes widened.

"Yep!" my mom laughed. "I lowkey dated a rockstar." She grinned and I laughed. "It seemed like he felt the same way about me too." She let out a deep breath. "Our relationship was fast. You know the one? Intense, passionate, exhilarating, and for a while he seemed like the perfect guy."

"Really?"

She nodded and chuckled, "Really. I couldn't find a single thing wrong with him."

"Then... what happened?" I cocked my head to the side curiously.

"Bradley had some... habits. Partying especially. His whole friend group were party animals – and I was one too – but a year went by, and college got busier, but Bradley never took college that seriously. None of his friends did, and, sure, I'm not one to talk about schoolwork dedication, but I still tried. But... you see, when you got away from all that partying and excitement, you realised the mess you made and the direction you were heading in. When I looked at Bradley from the outside, he seemed like every other guy who would tell you you're his world, keep surprising you with his exciting life, and then one day just get bored of you and throw you to the curb for another girl."

"So, then what?"

"So, then I talked to him about it, and he got... angry."

"Angry?" I questioned.

I witnessed slight fear behind her eyes as she nodded slowly and gulped, "Yes... I had never seen him like that before. It was like he went up on full defence mode and suddenly he was the victim. I decided to leave it and then a week later I found some other girl in his bed." My jaw dropped. "I know." She rolled her eyes. "In a way, I had it coming. However, when I got mad, he played the victim again."

"You broke up with him after that, right?" I begged she did.

"I did." She sighed thankfully. "And he begged for me back. Like all toxic people do. They break your heart, beg for you back, only for them to break your heart again. And I took Bradley back that night he begged. I was an idiot. He didn't mean what he said, he never tried to fix anything. That was where the difference lied. Remember when I told you mistakes are all about how you fix them?"

"Yeah."

"Well, Bradley didn't even try to fix them. He begged, I gave in, and as soon as, he fell right back into who he was."

"When did you break up with him for good?"

"He kissed another girl right in front of me and I blew up at him. Called him a toxic fuckface and left. He begged, I didn't cave, and then we were done."

I couldn't even believe what I was hearing. "And then what happened?"

She chuckled sadly and sighed, "You see, I was so infatuated in our relationship I lost everything I had on the outside to be with him. Friends especially. All my friends were his, and when the breakup happened and they saw how upset he was, how I 'left him', they all hated me. Everywhere I went they would give me stares, say nasty comments, try to knock me down, but d'you know what I did?"

I shook my head in response.

"I didn't care. I held my head up high and gave them no shits. I focused on myself, my studies, made myself a better person. Then, one day, I saw a notice on a poster board advertising for helpers for our local college festival. I needed some cash big time and signed up. D'you know who the leader of that festival was that year?" I stayed silent. "Your dad."

My eyes lit up in surprise.

She chuckled to herself, "The theme was wildlife and your dad and I went shopping to this garden centre. I tripped over a log and sprained my ankle and when waiting in the ER, we talked, and we found that we couldn't stop talking." Her eyes shone as she told the story. "The thing is, sweetheart, sometimes people can be mean – kids can be meaner, but that's only if you give them the time of day. And the minute you care less and work on yourself, is the minute you find the best things happen to you."

She was right. I did care too much. I gave people that target to pick on. I needed to work on myself, to help myself, to be the best person I could be.

"How are you so good at advice?" I couldn't help but question.

She chuckled and looked at me, "I watch a lot of therapist shows. Besides, when my family left the States, I decided that was my perfect time to rebel and when I got older, I promised myself to always teach my daughter the lessons I had learnt. But you can't tell grandma about any of this because then she'd come at me with an axe and use my severed head as a warning to children everywhere."

I laughed and agreed. "Okay. Thanks, mom."

She smiled and brought me into a hug, when she pulled away, she then said, "The clients your dad just got are hosting a charity ball for the local hospital a few nights from now. They've invited us to come, I think you should go and have some fun for a little while."

"At a charity ball?"

"Hey!" she held her hands up in the air. "Your dad and I will be there, and we're cool! What d'you say?"

I thought about it for a while. It would be good to get out of the house and go somewhere with new people. Plus, I could hang out with my parents more. "Sure."

❦❤︎❦

The next day, I walked through those school doors and ignored everyone's stares. It hurt, I had to admit, people still whispered, but I didn't give them the time of day.

I walked straight to my locker, and then straight to class, getting there early so I could pick the seat I wanted and put my head down to work. I could somewhat understand how people became 'nerds' in school. When you had no friends or didn't care to have any friends, the whole entirety of school's focus for you was work. That was what you came to do. Work. And, damn, did I work. In History, I finished the worksheet before everyone else and got to read for the last twenty minutes of the class, and for Chemistry, I finished the experiment so quickly I got to go to lunch early.

Lunch was the hardest part however, but getting there early meant I could get my food and sit at a table before flocks of students came rushing in. In fact, I was so immersed in my book by the time they got there, I hadn't even noticed anyone.

However, there was one person still in my mind. Rya. She wasn't in school today either and the urge to text her grew. There had to be a good reason for this because two days off school in a row? That was unheard of for her.

I didn't bother to even look at Roman. I wanted to, god, I really wanted to, but I knew looking at him and where he was would only cause me so much more pain. I had to be strong. I had to keep my head down if I was going to survive this next month.

I spent the rest of my lunch in Mr Wright's classroom discussing the UNC Chapel Hill scholarship. I wanted to ensure my chance of getting it in case Nikki's wrath struck again and he suggested an interview.

"I thought college scouts had already conducted their interviews?" I asked. Roman didn't talk to me about his. I didn't ask because I didn't want to pry, but now I wanted to know more than ever.

"Yes, but I can request and see if they can provide some questions for you to answer. We'd have to do it here and film it so we can send it off but I'm sure it would help your chances."

"You really think so?" I asked, cocking my head to the side.

"Yes." He chuckled, "You should stop doubting yourself, Sienna. You're a very bright student and I'm sure it'll all be fine." He nodded with a kind, reassuring smile. I should stop doubting myself, but it was so hard to when I didn't have Roman or Rya by my side. I wanted to tell Roman about the interview, have him help me, maybe even ask me the questions himself. Everything was so much easier with him.

"Thanks." I smiled feeling my throat close up at the thought of him. "Let's do that then."

Mr Wright nodded and set up a date for it to take place before I thanked him again and left.

That was how school went for the next few days. In fact, I stopped caring completely. I'd even go to school in a pair of sweats and a regular, cute top, leaving my hair as it was naturally because school no longer became a competition. No longer was it this place to impress and uphold my reputation, and it felt somewhat freeing to not care.

I would watch Roman in the halls, girls constantly gawking over him, jocks pretending to be his best friend. The old him would have hated this. He would have walked right over there and slapped the shit out of himself for being so stupid. Yet, I knew the feeling of power, and for Roman who has felt so powerless in school his whole life, I could imagine how that power got addicting. However, like all addictions, you hit a low, and I had hit my low with popularity. Now that I didn't care, I felt myself rising up again. The new Sienna. The real Sienna.

When the night of the charity ball came, I spent hours in my room getting ready. I left my hair flowing down my back in its natural curls, put on some makeup, and then slipped on a black slip dress that feel a few inches above my ankles and sinched in slightly at my waist. Strapping on a pair of black heels to match, I grabbed my purse and made my way down the stairs.

My dad was waiting there in a classic, dark grey suit, and my mom in a plum-coloured sheath dress made from a velvet material, her hair lightly curled and her golden hoop earrings matching mine. They both looked amazing.

"You look beautiful, sweetheart." My dad complimented as I reached the last step. He held out his arm and I grabbed it. "My two beautiful girls." He mused and kissed my mom's cheek. "You ready?"

"Yeah." I let out a long breath. "Yeah."

The ball was held in a hotel. We already had prebooked rooms which my mom explained we got the key cards to at the end of the night to eliminate the risk of losing it. We placed our overnight bags in the guarded cloak room and made our way to the main hall were everyone else seemed to be going.

As soon as we walked through the open, archway, double doors, I felt my breath taken away as I looked at the size of the place. The floor was made of a golden wood material and the walls painted an off-white with large scale windows along the left side looking out into the gardens. A stage stood at the back with a band playing soft jazz music, and all around the room were tables of buffets, towers of champagne, and even a chocolate and cheese fountain with cocktail sausages, vegetables, cubes of smoked ham, and arrays of fruit circling around them.

I shifted my gaze up to the huge, crystal chandelier hanging, glinting every spec of light it came across onto the floor. My dad had said this family had money, but I didn't realise this much money. Holy shit.

I held my breath as we walked further in and spotted people in gorgeous attires all around us. Those must have been all their rich friends.

"Do they have ties? With the hospital?" I asked my dad.

"I think a sister works there." he muttered in reply. The jazz band started to up their beat and my mom grabbed my dad's hand.

"Ooo! I love this song! Come dance with me." She beamed. My dad chuckled and turned back to me.

"You okay?"

"Yeah." I nodded. "You guys have fun; I'll catch you in a bit." I waved them off and they wandered off to the dance floor.

My shoulders slumped as I sighed, and I found myself wandering over to one of the tables. Luckily, most of the seating was empty so I didn't struggle to find a seat or have to insert myself into a conversation. Instead, I sat down and scrolled through my phone.

The problem was, I had no one to talk to and soon I found myself pressing random buttons and flicking my home screen back and forth to distract myself and not look like a massive loser with no friends.

When my boredom broke free, I huffed and slumped back in my seat. My parents were busy chatting to a random couple, and I didn't want to be that awkward daughter and intervene, plus I wasn't that into talking to strangers tonight.

I pulled myself up from my seat and made my way over to the chocolate fountain. Piercing a strawberry with a stick, I mindlessly held it up to the flowing chocolate and felt the sauce splatter on my arm.

"Shit." I cursed under my breath and reached for a paper towel.

"Woah, you okay?" a voice chuckled behind me.

I abruptly turned around to meet a familiar face. "Oliver?" I asked in happy disbelief.

"In the flesh." He chuckled.

"Um... hey!"

"Hey!" he happily responded back. "You look like you're having trouble. Here." He grabbed the stick and carefully coated the strawberry in the perfect layer of chocolate as I cleaned up my arm. "Your food, madam." He jokingly presented it to me.

"Why thank you." I chuckled and took it from him, taking a bite, savouring the sweetness hitting my tongue. "Mmm, that's good."

He laughed and grabbed one for himself, coating his as he did with mine. "I didn't know one of your parents was a doctor." He commented.

"Oh no, the people that are hosting it are my dad's clients. He's a gardener." I quickly explained.

"Oh, cool." Oliver hummed.

"Is one of your parents...?"

"My mom." He responded. "She's a surgeon."

"Cool." I nodded and took another bite. "So did you move here for your mom then?"

He smiled, "Yeah. I mean, she's good at her job so I couldn't really argue."

I laughed lightly and finished the last of my strawberry. I wondered if Oliver knew everything that had happened. I mean, the whole thing was around school, but I remembered him telling me he didn't bother making too many friends since he was only going to be here for a few months. So, I had to bite the bullet.

"I take it you've heard. About the...."

"Video?" he raised an eyebrow. I felt the embarrassment and sadness creep into myself features before he said, "You know, I didn't pin nerds to be your type."

I laughed again, "I didn't either, but look where I am now." Heartbroken. I was