Chapter 4

• Mom, dad?" Mila was shocked to see her parents in the kitchen when she got back from school.
• “Hi hunny, how was school today?" her mom asked.
• “It was fine, how come I didn't know you were coming home today?" she asked taking a can of soda from the fridge.
• “Oh, we were just coming for some documents and decided to wait for you to close from school before we left," he told.
• “Safe trip back." she walked towards the stairs.
• “Can we get a hug or a kiss from you at least?" her mom inquired.
• “No, all you care about is work this and work that, oh how about you adapt your work as your child then you can ask for hugs and kisses. No wonder Noel and Niel decided to be far away from you." she finished walking up the stairs.
• “Mila Louie Bennett, apologise to your mom right now or else---
• “Else what dad? I'd be grounded or my cars were taken away from me, oh wait you'd send me off to a military camp? If you guys knew you wouldn't have time for us then why have kids? Why? You know, never mind." she slammed the door
• “Hey, our flight is in an hour, we've gotta go." Mr Bennett squeezed his wife's shoulder.
• “Are they gone?" Mila asked as she heard footsteps in her room.
• “Yeah, they are," Naya answered as Mila burst into tears. She was tired of not being loved by her parents. She had never had that motherly love from her mom. It was always Naya and her brothers.
• Even when she was raped, they never bothered to know how she was. All that mattered was the rapist locked in jail far away from her and that was that.
• It was Naya, her brothers, Willow, Aaliyah, Jake and Khalil who were there for her.
• “It's gonna be okay Mila, they do love you. If they didn't you wouldn't be here." Naya consoled her.
• “Then why don't they show it, how come I never see it?" she sobbed.
• “People have a hard way of showing love to people they care for," she explained to her.
• Raine stopped with her hands on her waist. She had long curly hair cascading down her back. At 17, she was 5'5ft, an average height for a girl of her age. She was medium-sized and curvy. She glared at her boyfriend with her deep brown eyes burning holes into the back of his head.
• “Come on Raine, it would be fun." Natalie probed.
• “ No, I'm not doing it. I know I'm dating Austin but that doesn't mean I should hang out with you guys and do things I don't want to." she voiced out.
• “Don't be a spoilsport hun," Nina added.
• “No, tomorrow's my first day at Henry M. Gunn high and I don't want to come with a police car to school, I'll pass," she said walking back.
• “I hope you don't sit with us tomorrow, we move with lame, scared people." Hayes chipped in.
• “Thank goodness I won't, I would find my own crowd to hang out with. See you later babe," she said as she flagged down a cab.
• “What? She gives a good head and she's a good girl. I like that about her." Austin said as eight pairs of eyes stared at him.
• “Let's go, those buildings aren't going spray paint themselves," Mike added as they walked
• ***
• “Are you kidding me?" Willow asked her friend.
• “Nope, why didn't they stop after they had Noel and Niel, why add me?" she voiced out.
• “They had you for me if they don't care what I do, I mean we all do. It's their loss after all." Willow poked her cheeks.
• “Um, do you mind if I sit here?" Raine asked, looking lost and glaring at Austin.
• “No, not at all, you can sit with us," Khalil replied.
• “Thank you, I'm Raine by the way, the new girl." she put her tray on the table.
• “Nice to meet you, Raine, I'm Mila, she's Willow, he's Khalil and his boyfriend Jake." Mila introduced.
• “It's nice to meet you guys. It sucks being the new kid especially when your boyfriend deserted you because his friend's think you're a loser." she scoffed.
• “Who's he?" Willow asked.
• “Austin." she took a bite out of her burger.
• “No offence, but he's a jerk and you're cool," Khalil added.
• “None took, a jerk he is when he's with them." she smiled.
• “I like you." Jake, Khalil, Willow and Mila found themselves saying at the same time.
• “Jinx, you owe me a drink." they all said at the same time bursting into laughter drawing attention to them.
• “What's so funny, losers?" Hayes asked loud enough for everyone to hear.
• “Word of advice Miller, MIND. YOUR. FUCKING. BISWAX." Mila replied.
• "Oh, I'm scared Ms Fakey fake, or what?" he challenged, ready for another argument.
• “Or nothing, I don't argue with dumbasses like you, and Mike doesn't you dare open your trap or you won't like what would come out of my mouth," Mila warned as Mike shut his mouth and continued with his food.
• Hayes glared angrily at Mila. He was mad he couldn't do anything to her since she was a girl and also mad that she wasn't scared of him like most girls were.
• “That was epic," Raine added as the bell went off. Hayes stormed off from the cafeteria with his friends trying to catch up.
• “See the bitch trying to act all high and mighty," Trisha said.
• “Na uh bitch, today's not your day. Why don't you follow daddy bear and give him some sugar cause he deserves it." Raine found herself saying.
• Trisha opened and closed her mouth like a fish out of water, before storming out of the cafeteria.
• “Did we say we love you already?" Willow asked as they walked to their class.
• For the first time, Raine felt like she belonged somewhere. She felt like she was going to have good friends. Not those who wanted her for her money, but those who loved her for who she was.
• Raine found herself singing Faded by Alan Walker, as Mila, Willow, Khalil and Jake joined in
• I'm faded
• I'm faded
• So lost
• I'm faded..."
• “That was beautiful and soothing," Jake said as they entered the class five minutes before their teacher did.
• I finally feel like I belong somewhere. Raine thought to herself as the teacher entered the class to the groans of the students.