But you won't see a castle --- you cannot find your prince

~Paramore

"You have got to be kidding me." I groan to Esther, gently banging my forehead against the blue stall wall. 

As if I needed another source of stress in my life. 

"I mean, it's not like you have to worry about it too much." Esther says from the outside of the stall. 

I hurriedly pull off yesterdays clothes and pull on the black leggings that she brought me. They're slightly too big around the waist, and they are far too long for my legs, but I make it work. I finish up, pulling the grey and large sweatshirt over my head. 

"Esther, some girl just came up and threatened me. I'm pretty sure that calls for some concern." I say matter-of-factly, exiting the stall and moving over to one of the white cracking sinks, splashing water over my face. 

"It's not like her threat had any ground though, since you and Vincenzo basically hate each other."

"Yeah." I say dully, desperately wanting a change of subject. "How do I look?" I say, holding my arms out to my sides. 

Esther's brown contacts scan me up and down, and she covers her red lips with her hand, covering a giggle. 

"Like an inmate." 

"Perfect." I giggle, rolling my eyes. 

"We better meet up with Zeke and Troy, they'll start to think we died in here." She says, grabbing my arm and we walk together back to my locker. 

Zeke's eyes widen as he takes in the clothes, and Troy just bursts out into silent gawfawing. 

"You our new school mascot?" Troy jokes, wiping fake tears from his eyes. 

I slap him lightly on the arm, the sleeve of the sweatshirt flinging forward and far past my hand. 

"Come on, it's not that bad." Esther says, a laugh hidden behind her reassurance. 

"Hardy Har, laugh it up." I roll my eyes, and push Zeke slightly to the side so I can open my locker. 

"So, Katya, how's Vincenzo?" Zeke jokes, leaning against the locker next to mine and ducking his head down slightly. 

"I wouldn't know." I say, slightly too sharply. "My dad just made him drive me to school cause we're neighbors. Trust me, he was a bitch the whole ride here." The lie has grown smooth on my tongue, easy. 

"Ah, I see." Zeke responds, his voice relieved. I just smile at him, shoving my books into my backpack and slamming my locker door closed, leaning against the cold metal, lightly slamming my head back and groaning.

"Ugh, I got like no sleep last night." I rub a sweater covered fist against my eyes in annoyance, and Zeke just chuckles. He places a hand against the metal above my head and looks down at me from his tall height. 

"You look like hell." He says, one eyebrow quirking upwards. One of his dimples grows as he smiles down at me, and I hit his chest slightly. Hm, firm. 

"Gee, thanks, Captain Obvious." I snap, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. 

"Hey, it works for you. I dig it." 

"You dig it? What year is this, 1983?" I tease, winking at him. 

This kind of exchange is something that is foreign to me. I'm just getting used to having friends at school, let alone cute male friends who tease me but compliment me at the same time. 

"Slut." I hear a feminine voice snapping at me, and I crane my head to look around Zeke. Catherine is walking by, surrounded by girls wearing the same sort of black and seductive clothes. She gives me a glare, then a cocky grin, and disappears. 

"Damn, Katya. Here for three seconds and you already got the school bitch to hate you? You must have a talent." Troy whistles slowly and I scoff. 

"I don't know what her deal is." Says Esther. 

"Yeah, totally." I mumble, rubbing my eyes once again. 

The bell for first period begins to ring and Zeke grabs my hand, escorting my lazy ass to class. 

~

"Ms. Emerson?...Ms. Emerson... KATYA!" 

"wAH!" I snort slightly as I nearly fall out of my desk. The class around me chuckles and giggles as I look up to see Mr. Tyler's beet-red face glaring down at me. 

"Sorry." I mumble as I stifle a yawn. I can feel my cheeks getting red with embarrassment as Mr. Tyler stalks back to the front of the class. 

I look to my side to see Zeke silently dying with laughter. 

"Seriously?" I whisper-yell, kicking him in the shin gently. 

"Sorry." He says, but the smile on his face says anything but. 

"NO TALKING!" Mr. Tyler screams from the front of the class, and I turn away from Zeke, desperately forcing my eyes to stay open. 

After about twenty minutes, the bell rings, and I collect my bag and wait for Zeke to get up. 

"Why the hell didn't you wake me up?" I snap as we enter the loud and crowded hallway. 

"I couldn't, you looked so peaceful and adorable." 

I give him a non believing look. 

"Alright, I just wanted to see Mr. Tyler scream like that, it's like watching Ms. Piggy have a breakdown." 

I can't help but laugh at his joke but my smile fades as I look ahead of me. 

It's Luka, and he's smiling seductively at Catherine, who is trailing a red polished finger down his chest. 

A bubble of rage and envy grows in my stomach, and I honestly think I'm going to throw up. 

"Looks like they're back together, again." Zeke rolls his eyes and grabs my hand, breaking me from my staring. 

"Again?" I ask, dodging a binder that comes inches from my nose. 

"Yeah, they've been on-and-off since like 8th grade. They change their minds more than a light switch." 

"Oh." I mumble, my mind racing. 

Is he just messing with me? Maybe this is all just one big practice joke. 

"Earth to Katya." Zeke says, waving a hand in front of my face. 

"Sorry." 

"You seriously need some sleep. Maybe you should go to the nurse and ask to go home." 

"No." I say, a bit to hastily. "I'll just sleep during lunch or something." 

"Sounds like a plan." Zeke says with a smile, wrapping an arm around my shoulder as he leads me through the rest of that agonizingly slow day.