Eden High: Series 1 (Eden High 1-6)

I hadn’t shared my personal hell with my parents because I didn’t want to make waves, but if this kept up I was going to have to do something.

“Look at her; are those clothes from the thrift shop? They’re like last year’s cast offs or something. I think that use to be my shirt.” Mandy Taylor jeered at me as her friends joined in the laughter.

I tried once again to get through the circle but they closed in on me. Liz Summers, who seemed to be the ringleader today, stepped forward and I felt today was the day that things would escalate; there was such venom in her face, but why?

What had I ever done to her? She was one of the most popular girls in school, a member of the cheerleading squad, and she dated the hottest guy in school; well to me anyway, though most people thought Jace was number one.

The thought of Shane Dumas made me blush even now. He was my guilty little secret, the one thing that made coming here a pleasure, even though he didn’t know that I existed.

I had almost had a heart attack when I was chosen to tutor him. And even though he’d had to cancel our first session, not even that could dampen my spirits.

But Liz had no reason for her animosity towards me, she had it all, she’s blonde and blue eyed with a body that the guys were always drooling over.

She had the best clothes, the flashiest car, everything a young high school girl could ever want, but somehow she was not happy, and I was beginning to think more and more that her anger had something to do with me.

But wrack my brain as I might, I could never figure it out. We didn’t move in the same circles, never had.

There has never been any falling out between us, just one day out of the blue she’d gone postal and had decided from that day to this that she was going to make it her life’s mission to torment me.

“Hey what’re you guys doing?”

I knew that voice, it gave me goose bumps and sent a tingling down my spine.

Oh please no, the last thing I needed was for him to see my humiliation or worse yet, to join in.

“Nothing honey, we were just having a little conversation.”

She was all smiles and loveliness, nothing like the tyrant that had just been taunting me.

I used the opportunity to slip away without a word, just glad that things hadn’t gone any farther.

I couldn’t help one last look back though. Why is it that the heart falls for the wrong person?

I knew there was no way Shane would ever have any kind of feelings for me, why would he? He was dating one of the prettiest girls in school, and he too was from a well to do family.

They moved in the same circles, had the same friends. I was never going to be in their league. Not for the first time I bemoaned my mousy dishwater blonde hair and pale green eyes.

My five foot three frame wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t anything spectacular either.

When I look at him I can find nothing appealing in myself, I always come up short.

He’s tall dark and handsome, he has a beauty that I’ve seen only on a movie screen, but no screen character has ever made my heart beat out of time, made my palms sweat and my body feel weak.

In that one quick glance I took it all in, before turning away again.

“You should tell your dad Tam, this is getting out of hand. What if Shane hadn’t come along? She was going to hit you I know it, and then I would’ve had to kick her skinny ass no matter what you say.”

I was in a bad place, at sixteen it wasn’t cool to run home to mom and dad and tattle.

But there were so many stories in the news these days about kids killing themselves because of bullying.

Or worst yet, kids killing other kids in the most horrific ways. I didn’t want to end up a statistic I just wanted to be left alone.

“If it happens again I will I promise.”

I headed for my car, the little Prius that I was so fond of. My parents had got it for me for my sixteenth birthday.

It was perfect for the person I am. No flash, no big wow to show off for my friends, but I love it. Plus it was what my folks could afford.

I was lucky to be even going to school here, but because dad was part of the faculty, this was one of the perks. Maybe that’s the problem; I wasn’t one of them.

Driving through the streets of our quaint little town, I took in the serenity around me.

Most people can’t wait to get away from this place to head for the bright lights of Hollywood not too far away.

But I can’t imagine living anywhere else. I love the simplicity, compared to the surrounding areas where most of my peers lived.

There’s one stoplight in town, one general store, a police station and a gas station in this part of town. That’s about all the town has to offer to most.

For me, I see the green of the trees, the dense forest that surrounds us, the closeness of the community, softball and football and all the little things that spell home for me.

I never want to leave. Well maybe for college, but then I’m coming right back here to spend the rest of my days.

I dropped Belle off at home and headed for my own house where my stay at home mom would be waiting.

My dad will be home in another couple hours, he always stays back at the school a little longer, and then we’ll sit around the dinner table and have dinner.

My parents will flirt and tease each other, and as old as I am, it still makes my heart feel so light to watch them like that with each other. It makes me feel safe somehow.