Their adoration.
He’s completely unaware that one of those girls is me.
That I watch him as he passes through the courtyard and reaches the concrete steps, like I used to watch him through my second-story bedroom window back when I lived at his stupid mansion. I watch him as he climbs those steps with purpose, getting up to the landing before he disappears through the big doors that mark the entrance of hell.
Otherwise known as St. Mary’s School for Troubled Teenagers.
And he’s definitely unaware of the fact I do all that, that I watch him and follow his every move, with the opposite of adoration.
I watch him with hatred.
And let me tell you that there are reasons for it.
Several reasons for the hatred that I feel.
That I’ve felt since I was fourteen, and now that I’m eighteen, that hatred has only grown.
Much like his masculine beauty.
“Hey.”
Startled, I look away from the door through which he disappeared only a few moments ago. And blink. When my vision clears, I notice that the ‘hey’ came from a girl with honey blonde hair and a kind face, who’s sitting at the concrete table, opposite to me.
“Uh, hey,” I say unsurely, shifting in my seat. “Sorry, I was… I didn’t see you there.”
She smiles, setting her bookbag on the table. “Oh, that’s okay.”
“We know you were preoccupied.”
This is said by a second girl who comes to sit beside the first one. She has the most beautiful copper-colored hair I’ve ever seen. Not to mention the freckles that are sprinkled like cinnamon over her pale skin, especially her nose and the apples of her cheeks. Which also makes me realize that I know her.
I know the first girl too, actually.
Now that my mind isn’t clouded by other things, I know they’re seniors like me.
Before I can say something though, the copper-haired girl goes, “Do you want some candy?”
I glance down to see that she’s offering me a short and twisty black string, flopping between her fingers. Looking back up, I ask, “What’s that?”
“Licorice,” she says. “Black licorice twist.”
I look at the bite-sized Twizzler again. “No, thanks.”
“You sure? Sugar is magical.” When I shake my head to confirm that I don’t want it, she pops it in her mouth and chews. “Wait, I also have gum.”
“What flavor?” I ask before I think better of it.
“Uh, let’s see.” She roots around in her bookbag which is also sitting at the table. “I have licorice, of course. Mint, strawberry. Watermelon. Oh, and cherry.”
“I’ll take cherry.”
What?
No.
I will absolutely not take cherry.
Why did I say that? I don’t even like cherry.
Well, I mean I’m supposed to not like cherry.
And the reason is because he likes it.
He.
The devil.
He’s quite the fan of cherry pies, actually, and when I lived at the mansion, Mo would make one for him almost every other day. And I’d pray that maybe this would be the pie that might kill him with sugar overload.
“Here you go.”
She offers me a strip wrapped in magenta that I want to refuse just on principle. But she’s taken the time to look for it so I can’t. Besides, why should I deprive myself of my favorite thing just because it’s his favorite too?
I take it from her and pop it in my mouth.
“Thanks,” I say, tasting sweet cherry on my tongue and loving it. “You’re, uh, Jupiter, right?”
She beams. “Yup. And that’s Echo.”
The first girl waves at me. “Hi.”
Right, Echo.
Of course I know these girls.
Because as I said, they are both seniors like me and so we’ve had a few classes together over the years; never had the opportunity to talk to them though.
Although I have been wanting to.
For the past few days at least.
Because from the looks of it, they’re in the same boat as me, aren’t they?
“Hey,” I say to Echo. “Nice to meet you. Both of you. Although, we have met before. I mean, we haven’t talked but I’m sure you know that we’ve been in some of the same classes over the years.”
“Yup. Chemistry, trigonometry, biology and english lit,” Echo replies, counting on her fingers.
“Oh, and physics,” Jupiter adds.
“Right. I usually don’t pay attention in classes, so.” I chuckle. “I mean, I’m here, right? Exhibit A.”
By here, I not only mean this hellhole of a school but also the fact I’m here over the summer. When we all know that regular school sessions are out, and everyone else is free and having fun on their summer vacation.
Not me though.
Not us.
“Well, we’re not good at paying attention either, so,” Echo says kindly.
“Yeah, we basically suck,” Jupiter goes. “I mean, I suck. Echo is better. But biology kinda bit her in the ass.”
Echo sighs. “That and math. I mean, how anyone expects us to ace the cardiovascular system while also learning about integration is beyond me.”
“Ugh, no. The worst is the law of thermodynamics. Like, what is that? Why do I care about the flow of energy? All I want to do is go outside in the sunshine, wear a bikini that makes my boobs look good and swim in my neighbor’s pool.”