One more year... One more year and I would be free.

My high school career has been... Lackluster to say the least. I had one friend, and that's only because she's been my neighbor since I was six. Other than her, no one knew I even existed. They passed by me like a stream passes a rock. It's not even an obstacle. Just happens naturally.

It doesn't help that I'm closed off. Shy. Nervous. You name it, I got it. Both my parents died in a car accident when I was three. I moved in with my grandmother shortly after and kind of shut down. She did a good job of taking care of me, but her health has been in a serious decline since I was a child. She spends most of the year in the hospital, leaving me in this big, old house all alone.

And, the cherry on top, I'm a lesbian. Which isn't a problem for me... Except that I live in a small town in rural Kentucky and people talk. People stare. People judge. I decided it was best to just push those feelings down and wait it out until I made it to college. I mean, everyone experiments in college, right?

Anyway, my life basically sucks, so let's get this show on the road...

I pulled my grandmothers old Plymouth into the school parking lot, shutting it off.

Felicity and I stepped out, looking up at the school. By the way, Felicity is that friend I mentioned earlier.

"I can't believe this is our last first day of school." She said.

I closed the car door. "Maybe for you, I still have four to eight years left after this."

She turned to me, flashing me a smirk. "That's your own fault, Miss Smarty Pants."

She's referring to my grades. I'm the only student in our entire school to maintain a 4.0 GPA for three years in a row. I don't mean to brag, but I'm actually proud of that.

"Yeah, yeah, let's just get this over with." I replied, walking towards the main entrance.

After grabbing our class schedules, we parted ways, heading to our separate home rooms.

The only nice thing about being that rock in the stream is I could walk through a packed hallway without much trouble. All I had to do was walk in a straight line and let nature take its course.

Then, the sound of the fire alarm ripped through the air. The hallway erupted into cheers and screams, everyone making a break for the closest exit.

All except one girl.

A flash of blonde hair ran right into me, knocking both of us to the floor as the hallway emptied.

I looked up into her eyes. They were blue. A really beautiful blue at that. They looked familiar. Why did they-

"Holy shit..." I said.

The girl looked down at me, those blue eyes piercing right through me. The eyes of Kennedy St. James. The most popular girl in school. The five time beauty queen. The object of every teenage boys obsession. And she was laying right on top of little ol' me.

Until she stood, offering me a hand. "I'm sorry, I didn't even see you there."

I hesitantly took it, allowing her to help me up. "That's ok, no one usually does."

Now, I thought it was funny. But, the sad look she gave me tells me she pitied me. That's unfortunate.

"Right, we should get going-" She started, but the sounds of footsteps cut her short.

Those footsteps belonged to the principal himself if I remembered correctly.

"You two! Who pulled that fire alarm?!" He yelled.

"I'm not sure." Kennedy replied.

I looked from her to the empty hallway, then to the principal, giving him a shrug.

He shook his head. "I'll be seeing both of you for detention after school."

He marched right past us after that, most definitely searching out whoever actually pulled the alarm.

"This is just great." Kennedy said.

"Did you pull it?" I asked.

She spun on me. "Like I'd really tell the teachers pet."

Did you hear that? She knows who I am. Wow, Kennedy St. James knows who I am.

"Why are you smiling?" She asked.

I shook my head. "N-nothing. I'm, uh, just gonna go."

She let me walk past her, continuing my way to homeroom...

At lunch, I joined Felicity at an empty table in the back. Our table was always empty. Lucky us.

"So, I got detention." I started.

Felicity looked shocked. "How?"

"Kennedy St. James pulled the fire alarm and ran into me during her escape. The principal caught us." I replied.

She raised her hands. "Wait, why are you in trouble?"

I shrugged. "Proximity."

She let out a sigh. "Does that mean I have to walk home?"

"Unless you feel like waiting after school."

She chuckled. "Hard pass."

Just then, Kennedy herself approached our table, flanked by her pack of rabid dogs. To the left of her was Mercedes Perez, the meanest girl in the entire school. The guy with his arm wrapped around her was her boyfriend, Damon Ford. And, to the right, there was Sierra Dawson. The ditz of the group. Because every friend group has at least one.

"Which one of you rejects got us detention?" Mercedes asked.

Felicity looked from her to me.

I let out a sigh. "I guess that would be me."

"Thanks a lot, geek, I had plans after school." Sierra said.

"Sorry about that." I replied, turning back around in my seat.

Then, I felt a hand on my shoulder. "We're not done with you yet, geek." Mercedes said.

I felt a twinge of fear run through me. "Ok, uh, well, I don't really know what else to say... All I was doing was standing still."

Mercedes pulled me out of my seat, her face only inches from mine. "Bullshit, you ratted us out."

I quickly shook my head. "No I didn't..."

"She's lying! Kick her ass!" Damon yelled.

The lunchroom started crowding around us. They were like sharks smelling blood in the water. My blood.

Well, I guess there's a first time for everything... Even getting your ass kicked.

I closed my eyes as Mercedes pulled her arm back, readying to punch me square in the face.

But, it never came.

I opened one eye, seeing Kennedy holding Mercedes' arm. "She's telling the truth. She didn't do anything." Kennedy said.

Mercedes spun on her. "Since when do you care what happens to this geek?"

Kennedy looked to me, her jaw clenching. "I... I don't... But, we're already in enough trouble as it is."

Mercedes stared me down, releasing my collar. "Fine... Just watch yourself, loser."

Then, she spun on her heel, walking away.

Everyone followed her, except for Kennedy. She eyed me for a long second.

"Th-thanks..." I said.

She just shook her head, walking off as well...