I considered asking Drake to move me to another school, but I didn’t want to bite the hand that fed me. Drake was like Willy Wonka giving me a golden ticket to a better life. Graduating from Astor Prep would open the doors to every Ivy League college in the country. Not only would it look good on my application, but it would guarantee a better life.
So, I got out of the car, despite feeling out of place surrounded by so much wealth. The students spoke using big words that made them sound wise beyond their age. I was at the top of my class at my previous schools. At least in that regard, I would fit in here.
Tate would have hated it. Rough around the edges and more street smart than book smart, he would have stuck out like a sore thumb.
Thankfully, everyone had to wear uniforms, I headed inside the building that loomed over the property like an old castle. Most schools had the same brick façade and generic designelements. Not Astor Prep. It looked more like the estate of a mega-rich family, comprised several buildings.
Even with Drake’s considerable wealth on my side, I was still an outsider. The students turned their heads and stared as I walked down the hallway. In my mind, I was still poor white trash. A homeless girl who ate food out of trash cans.
Can they see it?
Can they hear my heart racing?
I swore everyone had read the lies on my face. Saw right through the carefully constructed veneer. A week ago, I was sleeping in an alley, and now I wore designer labels and had blowouts at fancy hair salons. I no longer had to worry about my next meal or the hunger pains that kept me up at night.
This was my fresh start.
Or so I thought.
A group of girls gathered beside several open lockers, glaring at me. They tipped up their noses. One narrowed her eyes, while the blonde girl applied gloss to her lips, staring at me in the mirror taped inside her locker door.
I forced a smile, even said hello.
A brunette girl stuck out her foot, but by the time I noticed, I was flying down the corridor and face-planting on the tiled floor. My shoulder and backpack broke my fall. But the worst part wasn’t the pain.
It was the laughter.
With my skirt shoved up my thighs, revealing my black lace panties, everyone stopped to point and laugh. Some boys whistled and cheered. A few even commented on my ass.
Fighting the tears burning my eyes, I pushed myself up from the floor, tugged down my skirt, and rushed past the group of students. Walking as fast as my feet would allow, I kept going until the crowd thinned out. Eventually, I found the girls’ bathroom and stepped inside before letting the first tear fall.
I rushed into a vacant stall, leaned against the wall, and cried until the first bell rang. And to my surprise, no one followed me. Those were the mean girls Carmella had warned me about. But I hadn’t expected to meet them so soon.
Only two minutes into the start of my first day here, and I was already the girl who fell on her face. The girl with the black lace panties.
My cell phone dinged with a new message.
Drake
How are you making out?
Olivia
Fine.
Drake
What’s wrong?
Olivia
Nothing.
A second later, my cell phone rang. I answered, but my voice sounded raw and like I had been crying.
“Liv, what happened?” Drake demanded.
“I…” My voice trembled as I choked on more tears. “I don’t fit in here, Drake. Those girls… They’re so horrible.”
