After the argument with Billy in front of the whole class during the first-period introduction, the blond guy had already achieved what he wanted: to attract the attention of everyone who moved and wore a skirt. And, of course, the boys who hadn't noticed me when I entered the school now did.

Because, as expected, rumors and gossip in a school spread faster than wildfire. And speaking of fireworks, what was being said about us was how explosive we were and the bad temper we had, something not too common in this town, apparently. So, with all this, during the following classes and lunch, all we saw were looks directed at us, whispers, sly smiles towards Billy, and whistles mixed with compliments directed at me.

The only one who didn't look at me, or rather, avoided looking at me repeatedly, was Steve. I couldn't blame him after how I had spoken to him, but I hate being treated like a damsel in distress—I've never been one and I'm not going to be now. Although I couldn't deny that I felt a bit odd for having treated him like that, he was the only guy in a long time who hadn't treated me like a piece of meat. I won't lie, I really like guys and getting intimate with them is too much fun and pleasure. But feeling like someone sees beyond my physical appearance every now and then also feels good, in fact, I think Steve was the first guy in my life who approached me with the intention of just being my friend. That's precisely why he had to stay away from me, otherwise, Billy would turn him into mincemeat.

I was somewhat tired from the trip, the move, and having to endure Billy's threatening looks, keeping an eye on whether any of my movements suggested I might get close to Steve again. It had been a pretty crappy first day, though I wasn't expecting anything different. Just before lunch, I went to my locker to drop off my books and grab an apple and a sandwich to eat.

"Hi, Maddie." A girl's soft voice caught my attention.

"Oh, hi Nancy." I closed my locker door and looked at her, noting that Steve was behind her, ignoring me.

"How's your first day going?" She asked kindly.

"Well..." I fell silent, and we both noticed a group of girls staring at me with a mix of envy and superiority.

"Don't pay them any attention. People love to make up rumors or gossip, especially if you're new." She tilted her head with a sympathetic smile. "They'll make up a thousand things, but it will all pass."

"Honestly, I don't care what they say about me. Besides, most of the rumors will probably be true." I shrugged. "They'll probably call me a bitch and arrogant, but I don't care, at least I enjoy life." I smiled.

"Oh... Oh..." Nancy tightened her grip on her books, clearly uncomfortable, and I saw Steve rolling his eyes over her shoulder.

"Anyway." I sighed and bit into the apple. "Did you need something?"

"Just wondering if, since you're not having lunch with your brother, you'd like to join us..." She whispered, and immediately Steve straightened up behind her, glaring at me with a furrowed brow.

"Oh, thanks. You're very kind, but I can't smoke inside the school." I pulled a cigarette from my jacket pocket. "I think I'll head outside. See you later, Wheeler." I clicked my tongue and waved to say goodbye.

"Oh, okay. See you later..." I heard her whisper as she turned around.

I left the happy couple behind, clearly, Steve didn't want me around him, and Nancy seemed too prim for my taste. It would definitely have been a tedious lunch. I headed outside the school in search of a bench where I could lie down, listen to my music, and soak up a bit of the weak sun. This sun was nothing compared to California's, but it was better than nothing.

I found a small bench right on the edge of the woods behind the outdoor basketball court. I finished my apple, put on my sunglasses, plugged in my walkman, and lit a cigarette. I think this was the best moment of the whole day—having no one to put up with. I might be a bit of a loner, but I really enjoyed being alone, especially considering that Billy was often like my shadow.

As I was finishing my cigarette, I noticed the sunlight fading slightly. I opened my eyes and lowered my sunglasses a bit to see if it was a cloud. I was mistaken, it was the three girls who had practically devoured Billy with their eyes when we arrived. Although all of them were looking at him, they were the most blatant.

"Hello?" I said, sitting up as they continued to stare at me without speaking. "Did you lose something? If you're looking for my idiot brother..." I took the last puff of my cigarette and stubbed it out on the bench. "I have no idea where he is. So, you'll have to look somewhere else if you want to keep ogling him." I smiled sarcastically.

"Maddie, right?" The brunette girl, with whom Billy had been exchanging looks all morning, finally spoke.

"Yes, and you are...?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Tina."

"Great, Tina." I stood up in front of her. "You've ruined my moment of peace, I hope you have a good excuse." I crossed my arms over my chest.

"It's true that you have a strange way of interacting with people." Whispered a redhead with curly hair.

"Weren't you the one who was all over Tommy?" I directed my gaze at her. "Carol, right? Good luck with that, I don't know how you can kiss him without gagging."

I chuckled softly and saw her clench her fists at her sides while the third girl, a brunette, tried to calm her down.

"Here, this is for you." She handed me a paper, an invitation to a Halloween party the next day.

"Great, a party." I couldn't help it, my eyes lit up. I never thought teenagers in this dreary town were capable of throwing parties.

"And another one for your brother." She said, giving me another paper.

"Half-brother." I corrected her again.

"Whatever. Is he coming?" The brunette, named Sam, asked, her eyes wide, hoping for a positive answer.

"I hear he's become quite friendly with Tommy." I replied, glancing at Carol, who still looked annoyed. "And he's my damn shadow."

"Is that a yes?" Tina asked, her eyes reflecting excitement.

"Yeah, he doesn't miss one..." I responded, disinterested.

"And what kind of girls does he like?" Sam asked nervously.

"Seriously, you're asking me what kind of girls my brother likes?" I huffed, and the three girls nodded enthusiastically. "Girls who kiss his ass, I can tell you that's not his type." I raised an eyebrow, and fortunately, they caught the hint.

"You're a bitch, girl. You'll never get a boyfriend like that." Carol spat out.

"And who said I want a boyfriend, sweetie?" I said, moving closer to her to play with her hair. "I just enjoy myself. Maybe you should try it too." I winked at her.

"You're so weird." The three girls stepped back, somewhat overwhelmed.

"Exactly, so you can leave me alone with my stuff. Thanks." I waved them off, and they left.

I sat back down on the bench, resting my hands on the seat to support the weight of my body as the faint rays of sun returned to warm me. Poor girls, they had no idea what Billy was really like. There were probably bad boys here too, like Steve said, but I didn't think they'd come close to Billy. He always charmed girls very quickly, and once they were his, he'd discard them like broken rag dolls. They always wanted more from him, but he never gave it.

A few minutes later, I heard the bell ringing throughout the school, indicating that there were 10 minutes left before class started. There was only one hour of class left, and honestly, I was not looking forward to it. After all, what use would drawing be to me? I started to get up, and as soon as I opened my eyes, I saw Billy approaching me.

"What do you want now, Billy?" I huffed, expecting one of his stupid outbursts. "I'm completely alone. Sorry to disappoint you, but there's no guy here for you to fight with. You'll have to wait for another time." I said, trying to walk past him.

"I'm sure you're as unenthusiastic about the last class as I am." He said, grabbing my arm so I couldn't continue. "I've brought some beers. But you'll have to find your own cigarettes."

"For the one time you're inviting, I won't refuse." I laughed as I started walking towards the woods with him. It was rare for us to treat each other well, I wasn't going to pass it up. Besides, I really didn't want to go to the last class. "But wait, William." I stopped dead. "If Neil finds out we skipped, you know what will happen..."

"I heard who the teacher is. She looks like a desperate push-over. I'll know how to sweet-talk her so we won't get in trouble." He winked and resumed walking.

"Honestly, your ego knows no bounds, Hargrove." I complained, following his steps.

"Just like yours, redhead. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had to threaten that Harrington guy."

"Don't start, Billy. I thought you were coming in peace for once in your damn life." I grumbled.

"I'm not apologizing. You were warned." He added, sitting down on the ground once we were a bit deeper into the path. "And be grateful I didn't lay a hand on him." He held out a beer to me.

"You're a damn idiot. You know that whether you like it or not, I'm going to keep seeing guys, right?" I took the beer and sat down beside him.

"As long as you live with me and Neil, you know it's going to be complicated, freckles." He laughed before taking a swig of the drink.

"But not impossible. You know perfectly well that I'm far from being a virgin, no matter how much effort you put into stopping it." I winked and raised my beer. "Cheers."

I was stunned to see that my dear brother didn't respond, he just kept staring at me.

He stared too intently, in fact, so I let go of the beer and was about to ask him what the hell his problem was now, but I didn't have time. Before I could say anything, Billy grabbed my wrists and looked at them closely. He took one of the cold beer cans and placed it on one of my wrists, the one still red. I winced a bit, more from the cold than the pain.

"Now you're my knight in shining armor?" I said ironically while looking at him with an arched eyebrow.

"Shut up." he said tersely, but without looking at me.

He was just sitting there in front of me, making sure the cold of the beer can eased the redness on my wrist.

"Can you explain what this is about, William? It's because of you that my wrist is like this, in case you don't remember." I asked.

"I hate you, Madeleine." he said, raising his gaze to meet my eyes. I could feel his light blue eyes piercing right through me.

"Great, we all know that. Just like I hate you." I rolled my eyes, trying to pull my wrist away from his hand, but he wouldn't let go.

"Dammit, Billy, if you hate me so much, just leave my wrists alone. You've done what you wanted, you've hurt me for real, and that mark proves it. Let it be, I'm going to survive." I huffed.

"You know perfectly well that I've never gone this far, Maddie." he frowned. "I've never left a mark."

"No, of course not." I swallowed. It was clear he had a lot of strength and could have hurt me much more if he wanted to since the day we met. But he never had. Until today. "But sooner or later it was going to happen. Anyway, with Neil as an example, it was bound to happen. You already do it with guys."

"Look, make one thing clear. No matter how much I hate you, I've never wanted to cross that line." he said, turning the can on my wrist to find the cold side.

"Oh, great, now you're going to say you care about me?" I couldn't help but laugh a bit sarcastically.

"Don't get your hopes up, redhead. Not with you or any woman." he raised an eyebrow. "I still hate you, and I love torturing you and making your life miserable. It makes my life less miserable." he took a sip of his beer.

"I suspected as much." I narrowed my eyes. "Though I'm afraid you'll have to find someone else to torment." I leaned my face close to his, looking directly into his eyes. "In nine months, the school year will end, and I'll find a way to leave home as quickly as possible to get away from you."

"Not if I do it first, redhead." he released the can but not my wrist, pulling me towards him so that the tip of his nose touched mine.

"I want to get away from my father, but more than anything, I want to get away from you." he added in a hoarse, deep voice without breaking his gaze from mine.

"Liar..." I smiled slightly, enjoying myself. "A moment ago, you said I make your life less miserable." I moistened my lips. "You don't want to lose me at all, you can't live without me, William." I whispered against his lips.

"You're unbearable, Madeleine..." I could feel his warm breath, tinged with nicotine, brushing against my mouth. His breathing seemed somewhat irregular.

"And you, a nuisance, William..." My breath, clearly agitated, mingled with his as he shifted his gaze to my lips. An uncomfortable, heavy silence settled between us, only interrupted by the crunch of leaves and our ragged breaths.

"We finally found you." A girl's voice broke the moment, causing Billy to abruptly let go of me and step away. It was Tina.

"Weren't you supposed to be in class?" I replied with an arched eyebrow.

"Just like you. What were you doing, anyway?"Carol asked with a strange expression.

"Nothing you need to worry about." I answered curtly.

"Seriously, you have an invitation to a party and you didn't tell me?" Billy ignored the girls and turned back to me.

"You were going to find out sooner or later." I narrowed my eyes and stood up. "You have your fan club for that." I looked mockingly at the three girls. "Don't you understand the concept of desperation?" I laughed.

"Doesn't that tongue of yours poison you?" Sam muttered.

"Believe me, the least poisonous thing in my life is you." Billy chuckled as he stood up.

"Indeed, the most poisonous thing in my life is you." I smiled sarcastically. "I'm leaving." I turned to the three friends. "Enjoy yourselves, I'm looking forward to seeing you as broken dolls." I winked at them before walking back to the school.

"In half an hour, at my car, Mayfield." Billy shouted at my back. "And you'd better make sure your sister is there too."

"Yeah, idiot." I replied without looking at him, flipping him off.

I stepped away and headed to the parking lot to smoke a cigarette, which I hadn't been able to enjoy due to the situation with Billy. Just thinking about it made me feel a bit warm in the cheeks. I shook my head vigorously and lit the cigarette.

What the hell was that, Maddie?

I positioned myself in a wooded area between the high school and the college, waiting for Max to get out of class. After half an hour, I saw her coming out, followed closely by two boys: one short with curly hair and some missing teeth, and another taller and slender with dark skin. I couldn't help but laugh to myself; it didn't take much to see that they were trying to befriend her.

Max was quite different from me: more open and, despite her attitude, much friendlier, which helped her make friends easily. She hopped onto her skateboard and came quickly toward me, still under the watchful eye of those boys.

"Who the hell are those guys, Maxine?" Billy's voice came from behind me just as I was about to approach Max.

"Damn!" I jumped, placing a hand on my chest. "Where the hell did you come from, Billy?"

"Neither of you was in my car. You're late." He grunted, stepping forward to approach Max. "Answer me, who are they?"

"I have no idea." she replied firmly. At least she had some of my attitude, after all.

"Don't lie to me, Maxine."

"I'm not lying. I don't know who they are. Let's just go." She huffed, raising her hand to open the back door of the car, but Billy grabbed her before she could.

"I want you to stay away from them, clear?" He said, not letting go of her wrist and leaning down to her height. Max nodded, looking a bit scared, and glanced at me.

"Let her go!" I slapped Billy's hand to make him release Max's wrist. "I've told you many times, do whatever you want to me, but don't lay a finger on Max. Got it?" I stood in front of him, even though he was a head taller, not intimidated. "Don't touch my sister, William. If I find out you've laid a hand on her, believe me, I won't hesitate to fight you."

"Get in the car, both of you." he responded, his eyes blazing with anger.

"You're an idiot. I'd rather walk." I huffed, not realizing that Max had already gotten into the car.

"Get in the car now!" he yelled, opening the passenger door.

"I knew it was impossible for you to be nice even one fucking day." I muttered as I got into the car.

"Don't you dare say a word the entire fucking way, either of you." he snapped, slamming the door and starting the engine.

Max hugged her skateboard, looking at me with a bit of confusion, and I gave her a calm smile to reassure her that everything was okay, I would never let him hurt her. Billy focused on the road and sped home. I had planned to have fun at the party tomorrow, but now I was even more determined to enjoy it, just to piss him off and show him that he couldn't always get his way.