Chapter 1
“Bitch, where’s my damn skirt?” I lifted an eyebrow at Cleo, my best friend who always stole my favorite clothes. So I was pointing fingers at her?
“Girl, it’s in the wash right now.” She said, not looking up from the TV.
“Why? I haven’t worn it in a week!” I flung my hands in the air and she sighed.
“Because I wore it last night. We’re roommates, we share shit. I’ll put it back in your closet once I fold the clothes.”
I slammed my bedroom door shut and looked through my closet. “No, no. No. Ew! Definitely not.” I looked at the puke green shirt and threw it in the throw bin. Donation week.
I lifted a black one-sleeved midriff and threw it on the bed. Black skinny jeans. I pulled a light pink hoodie off the hangers and flung it at the bed. Yep, my room was officially a mess.
I closed the closet French doors and assessed my outfit. “With those new snake heels, it’ll be fine.” I grabbed the heels, black heeled-boots with metal snake wrap-arounds, and pulled my outfit on, tying the hoodie around my waist and pulling the boots on.
For my makeup I made a snakeskin print for eyeshadow and some gloss. I had three rows of eyelashes, extremely rare, so I didn’t put fake eyelashes or mascara on.
“Paul’s here, Rave!” Cleo shouted and I grabbed my phone. It was all I would need.
I headed to the living room where Paul was standing with a smug-yet-bored look on his face. “Hey, Raven.” He tried to grab my hand but I leaned back and evaded it. I didn’t like physical contact.
“Hey. Oh, C, I might be out a little late. I got to catch up on groceries and buy Persephone some food.” Persephone, the beloved python I owned. I loved her to death, and she would be the only person, besides Cleo, I was protective of.
“Okay.”
“And make sure to feed her. Just one mouse, and she’s shedding this month.” I told her. Paul and I walked to his Lamborghini. God, he loved to flaunt his wealth一oops, I meant his fathers wealth.
He didn’t open my door for me, which I didn’t care. Although, he should have made an attempt to. He just walked to the driver side and revved the engine, as if I was attracted to that. So obnoxious, I thought.
“I have to stop by a friends place, then we can go down to Luigi’s.” Paul told me, and I rolled my eyes.
“Okay.” I replied, checking my phone and sending a message to Cleo.
Me: Ugh, so boring. And we haven’t even left! He said he has to stop by a friends, so I might be later than I thought.
Cleo: That sucks, just hope he isn’t as boring as he seems. And okay, I might be in bed. Ttyl!
The car pulled out of the driveway and I looked around. The grass in front of the apartment complex was green, mostly because I kept it like that, and there was broken gnomes and grass decorations on the sidewalk, teenagers thinking breaking shit was cool. All it did was make parents from the top floor worried their child was going to cut open their foot walking. I’ve tried to clean it up, but the old lady living next to Cleo and I loved having garden gnomes, so glass was strewn everywhere.
“Here we are,” Paul said, breaking my train of thought. I looked up and there was a old Victorian house, and music was blasting outside while people were dancing, making out, and getting flat-out drunk on the front lawn, porch, and, from what I could see, in the back yard.
“Oh.. cool,” I muttered, and pulled open the passenger door, pulling off my hoodie in the process. “Uhm, if it’s okay, can I just stay here?” I asked Paul.
“Yeah, whatever,” he was already walking toward the porch, nodding to some people and eyeing a group of girls in tank-tops and very short skirts. God, they just wanted to be eye candy.
I pulled my hoodie over my head and let the hood settle on top of my head. My phone pinged and I turned it on to see a message from a friend of mine.
Matthew: Hey, Rave. I see you~
Me: Where?
Matthew: By the Lambo. Got a date?
Me: Yeah, totally obnoxious one though. SOS.
Matthew: That bad?
Me: Yeah! He was like ‘Oh I have to stop somewhere, then we can go have our date.’ Please, save me.
Matthew: Got it. One sec.
I sighed and looked around. He was either inside, or hiding in a group. I finally spotted him, he was talking to a guy from the basketball team, and a smile instantly went to my face.
Matthew Renee Zander was one of the only people that I could tolerate. Even Cleo was less tolerable than him. Mostly because he knew me since we were in diapers, another story for another time, and we instantly clicked.
He looked up, and his eyes connected with mine. He was close enough I could faintly hear what he was saying, “Okay. I’ll be there. I have to go save my friend, but text me where the party will be at. I’ll bring the beer.” They high-fived and then he walked up to me. “Your night in shining armor is here,” He said, grinning that devilish grin.
“Well, thank you, Sir Matthew. Now get me out of here. He will definitely be pissed if he sees you talking to me.” I yanked on his forearm, and he followed after me.
“What happened? Broke a garden gnome and poured it on the sidewalk?” He sniggered, and I punched his arm.
“No, he totally ignored me and decided to delay our date, which means I’ll be out later because I was going to do a grocery run.” I groaned at the thought. If I was to stay up late, I’d rather it be on the couch. Eating popcorn. And watching Vampire Diaries or Stranger Things.
“So? Even if he didn’t ignore you, you would have ignored him. And plus, I can help you with the grocery run. C’mon,” He chuckled and I spotted his truck, a big as hell truck that had its tired lifted by its previous owner. Matthew never bothered lowering them.
He gripped my waist and hoisted me up into the passenger seat. I was too short, five foot nothing, to be precise, and I needed help up. He was never grabby, just helping me up then releasing me once he was sure I wasn’t going to fall out of the seat.
I smiled down at him, and he smiled back. “You’re smiles too contagious.” He informed me, and I laughed.
“Just get me to Walmart so I can buy useless shit that will empty my bank account,” I told him, and closed the door. My phone pinged, and I looked at it.
Paul: Where the hell are you?
Me: A friend was here, I’m by the pool.
Paul: Well, I’m ready to leave. Get back to the car so I can drop you ass off. Our dates over.
Me: Why?
Paul: You said you were staying by the car. If you left, it means you want the date to be over.
Me: OMG, you are so overreactive. So what I wanted to talk to a friend? God, here’s the truth: You’re an obnoxious douche, my best friend is here and said I could get a ride with him, I’m leaving right now, and don’t message me again!
Paul: You lying bitch! Get your ass back to this car.
Me: No. I’m going to the store, getting my groceries, and eating my night away with my best friend.
There was a second wait before he sent: Okay, bitch. Don't be surprised if people are laughing at you tomorrow.
I rolled my eyes and blocked his number. I didn't care if he embarrassed me. I was a loner at school, only Matthew and a few other people talked to me, and I liked solitude. I only needed Matthew as my friend, the rest were just luck.
"He's the bitch," Matthew said, and I looked up at him. He was smirking, probably happy I finally told someone off. I was a bit shy, and held no confidence.
"Yeah. To the store?"
"To the store." He said, turned the engine on, and sped off to Walmart, where we bought the needed groceries and a few unneeded groceries, and, true to my word, ate the night away, falling asleep around 4AM, curled up on the L couch in Matthews bedroom.
