Chapter 3

• My first day at college wasn’t totally bad, aside from the expected loneliness. I had missed a few classes already since it was the middle of school year, but I am intelligent, so I knew I could cover up with a few late night reading and maybe tutoring from other students, but first I needed to make friends.
• During the midday break, I walked into the cafeteria to get some food. I hadn’t eaten anything in the morning because Mom was impatient about driving me to school for my first day. I had not seen Adonis the whole day either; apparently he comes to school on his bike.
• The tray in my hands wobbled slightly as I scanned the sea of students, all of them already clumped into their perfectly formed friend groups, the perks of resuming school in the first semester.
• Sitting on my tray was Mac and cheese. A sad apple. A bottled water. Nothing thrilling, but my stomach didn’t care. I just wanted a quiet table to eat my meal while planning on the way forward. But the universe clearly had other plans for me.
• “Oh my god, are those Naruto socks?” a feminine voice asked, followed by an echo of laughter.
• I turned to the sound of the voice, there she was, sitting alone at a corner table: a petite girl with messy space buns, a hoodie three sizes too big, and thick black glasses slipping down her nose. The typical nerdy girl
• Oh the voice didn’t belong to her, it belonged to one of her bullies.
• The girl strutted past the nerd, hips swaying like she was walking a runway in that tight little crop top that probably counted as a napkin. She was tall, blonde and as much as I hate to admit, hot! Flanked by two other girls, all of them grinning like hyenas in heat.
• “Seriously, babe,” the blonde purred, “Hot Topic called. They want their entire clearance rack back.” She taunted.
• The crowd of students giggled, while the nerd lowered her face in embarrassment.
• “Oh my god, Jenna, stop,” one of the girls following her laughed, shoving her arm playfully. “You’re gonna make her cry.” She mocked.
• It was at that moment that I lost it. Taking a quick step towards them, my mouth moved before my brain had the chance to pull the emergency brake.
• “Wow. That’s funny. I didn’t realize 2010 called you to resurrect middle school bullying.” I fired at her.
• Everything went quiet and all eyes turned to me.
• Jenna’s head whipped toward me, her lips parting in disbelief. I slowly set my tray down at the nerdy girl’s table and sat beside her like I had been planning it all along.
• “I mean,” I went on, “are we seriously judging someone for socks when your entire personality is Starbucks and superiority?”
• The room was filled with gasps of disbelief. Many of the students stood up and gathered for a clearer view of the confrontation.
• Jenna blinked, the shock of my audacity written all over her face. “And… you are?”
• I smiled sweetly. “The girl who just ruined your audition for 'Regina George: The Remake.'”
• “Ooooh,” someone hissed from the back.
• “Burn!!” another girl screamed.
• I couldn’t help but gloat; the bullies had not expected my sharp wits.
• Jenna’s face twisted. She took a step forward, towering over the table. “Careful, new girl. You don’t know who you’re messing with.”
• I raised an eyebrow. “Who are you supposed to be? The Drag Queen?” I laughed.
• “Holy shit!” one of the guys in the crowd screamed.
• “No, she didn’t!” I heard another person utter.
• Jenna stared at me for a few seconds and then laughed evilly. “Sweetheart, you just earned yourself a lifetime of embarrassment; you better watch your back. Enjoy your table of misfits.” She spat.
• “Will do,” I muttered as she stalked off, the other two girls quickly running after her. I don’t know if they were silent or silenced, but I enjoyed scrubbing their egos.
• The crowd quickly dispersed along with them, everyone heading back to their table while whispering amongst themselves and pointing fingers towards me, but I didn’t care to look at them.
• I looked over at the girl sitting next to me. There was a look of disbelief on her face.
• “Oh my God, that was... insane,” she whispered. “But you probably shouldn’t have done that.”
• “Well, they deserved it,” I said, opening my bottle of water to take a drink. “Who are those girls anyway?”
• “They call themselves the Hive, the blonde one is a cheerleader and they kinda run the campus.”
• I scoffed. “Not anymore.”
• “Okay, I like your courage, but I just want you to know that I won’t be able to save you from them. I’m Tessa by the way,” she smiled.
• “Nice to meet you, Tessa,” I smiled. “Apparently, I’m the new girl with zero social survival instincts.”
• We both laughed.
• But just then the cafeteria was filled with sounds of murmurs. We both turned to see what the attention was all about, I was thinking my latest enemies had returned but no, it was just my stepbrother who had walked in.
• “It is Adonis Queen!” Tessa exclaimed immediately, pulling my shirt with wide eyes.
• “Oh my God, he is so hot,” one of the girls drooled.
• “I wish he was my boyfriend,” another girl oozed.
• Ughhhh! Someone tell me this isn’t happening!
• Adonis looked around the cafeteria like he was searching for something and the moment his eyes locked on me, he headed my way.
• My heart started racing. What did he want? And here I thought I could manage to stay away from him in school.
• “Oh my God, is he coming here?” Tessa asked, her face flushed red
• I huffed. “Definitely,” I muttered as he approached.
• “A little birdie told me you were picking fights now,” he said as soon as he got to my table, taking a seat and placing his foot on the table.
• “So you come to look out for me?” I asked sarcastically.
• “Oh not at all, I thought I would give you a heads up. Be careful who you pick a fight with. Everyone knows better than to mess with The Hive. One glare from their queen, and your social life is over.” He chuckled as he took a bite from my apple.
• I folded my arms and sat back in annoyance. “I get it, now can you please let me have my lunch in peace?”
• “Sure, rat girl.” He smirked at me. Then he took another bite of my apple and dropped it for me at the plate. “See you later, Princess.” he said, his deep voice dripping with mockery, and then he stood up and walked away.
• Once again all eyes just turned to me, whispers filling the room.
• “Wait a minute, what just happened? I didn’t imagine that, did I?” Tessa asked with shock etched on her face.
• Before I could answer, two other girls joined our table.
• “Hi, I am Evelyn, and this is my friend Michelle. You know Adonis?” She asked excitedly.
• Wow! How straightforward, they are not even hiding the fact that he was the only reason they were talking to me.
• I sighed before replying. “Yes, I am Gina Queen, Adonis is my stepbrother.”
• “Oh my God!” Evelyn muttered.
• “No Freaking way!” Michelle added.
• “Wow!” Tessa said in disbelief.
• And that is how I came to meet my first three friends in College, so overall, it wasn’t a bad first day.
• TBC!!