Chapter 1
“Claire Miller, age 14 and a freshman in high school. Expelled from 5 schools due to involvement with female students. Is that correct?” Mrs. Wallace looks up from the sheet and eyes me suspiciously.
“Yes, ma’am.” I try not to snicker.
“Are you aware that this is a Christian school?” She raises a brow.
“I am. I’d like to change my ways, and fulfill my duty to the lord.” I lie easily and she smiles in a calm way.
“Pleased to hear it. Now, any funny business and you’ll be out of here.”
“Of course.” I won’t be caught. “You have my word.”
“Great. Now, class starts in an hour, so I have another one of our girls outside to take you around the school.”
“Thanks.”
She stops me. “Welcome to St. Salazar Girls School. Oh and Claire?”
“Yes?”
“Please, don’t alter the uniform too much.”
I look down at my outfit and stifle a giggle. My skirt is slit and cut 3 inches shorter, my top tied and crosses are embroidered on the collar customary of the machine my mom bought me last christmas. My tie hangs low and loose, and black nail polish replaces the red they sent me. I also bought platform mary janes rather than regular flats. “Will do,” I give her a little salute and open the door.
Outside stands a girl, with brown hair down to her butt and gorgeous blue eyes. “Hey,” I say, smiling at her crookedly.
“Nice shoes,” She says, staring at my clothing, clearly not having seen a messed up uniform in the past.
“Thanks, hun.”
“Hun?” She looks confused.
“We call everyone hun or love where I’m from. Purely platonic.” I smile.
“Oh,” She says awkwardly. “’Cause I’m not…”
“Shit. Did she tell y’all that I am?”
She nods slowly. “Is it true?”
“Hell yeah.”
She giggles now. “Don’t say hell, she can hear us. I’m Lindsey Curry.”
“Claire Miller. Now, tell me, is everyone here a priss?”
“Yup, pretty much.” She pauses and we walk out to the hall. “Except Sarah Griffith. She’s kinda a legend. A scary legend, to most. I don’t mind her though.”
“Tell me about her.” I like legends, I kinda am one myself.
“Well, she’s the school dyke, or I guess she was. Now you’re here so we might get another. She has kissed almost every girl in school. Not me, of course.”
“Of course.” I stop walking. “Wait does everyone here know I’m gay?”
“Yup. You’re kinda a legend to Christian schools. Since you’ve been kicked from so many.” Called it. “Actually, Sarah’s kinda excited to meet you. When we found out you were coming here she was totally stoked.”
“Really?” Dang, already a fan club.
“Yup. As a matter of fact she’s in the theater, we’re supposed to go meet her.”
“Well let’s do that.”
We walk to the theater and make small talk about favorite foods and classes until Lindsey stops at a set of double doors.
She turns to me and hesitates. “Hey, we can’t be friends. I’ve got a good record here, okay?”
I laugh. “Damn, didn’t realize you were a two faced skank.”
Her jaw drops and I open the door to the large room. The theater was set almost like a church, a dark room with rows of chairs leading to the large stage and a girl sitting on the edge of it, staring at the ground with earbuds in.
I sit down next to her and pluck out an earbud, causing her to look up. “Whatcha listening to?” I pop it into my own ear and Joan Jett and The Blackhearts fill my brain.
She snatches it back. “No one likes when people do that.”
I shrug, “Well, I don’t give a damn about my bad reputation.”
Her face loosens up and she turns to Lindsey. “Is this her?”
Lindsey nods, low-key looking like she’s trying not to cry. That almost makes me feel bad. Almost.
Sarah smiles at me. “Claire Miller, expelled from 5 schools-”
“Bro, I know my history. Like 10 people have recited it today.” I say, annoyed.
“Fair enough. So, what brings you to St. Salazar?”
“I dunno, they accepted me. Probably because I’m so cute.”
Lindsey rolls her eyes and Sarah drops her headphones.
“We are gonna be good friends, Claire.”
I raise a brow. “Great ones.”
