A few months later, the final day of school was fast approaching for a purple haired teen, who spent what should be prep for senior year working on her artwork in the middle of class when her math teacher slammed his fist down on it.

"Amelia Lopez, tell me what about your drawings is more important than my teachings?"

He took it only for her, and the clear signs he was going to rip it in two were enough for her to snatch it back, but her answer lacked volume.

Mr. Adam Jenkins mockingly repeated her answer in front of her. "Speak up!"

"My mother's birthday and family anniversary," she yelled, frightening herself and the class as she dropped it. Another classmate picked it up for the others to see. There were two variations. The first had an able-bodied family of a young girl with a paintbrush, an older middle grader with spray cans hugging her with two loving parents. The one underneath told a much different story.

"Well if you actually put that effort into your studies, you wouldn't be in the lower half of the class, now would you," her Jenkins reprimanded.

"Only in your class," she squeaked out, earning laughter at his expense and embarrassment.

"I'll keep that in mind for your future teachers next year."

"Dick," another voice boomed. Amelia picked her head up at a voice shouldn't even tell.

Jenkins could. "What was that, Mr. Daniels?"

"Um, he said, which? Like which chapter should we review for prep before you went all attacky," said Gem Shaw, who gave a fist bump to the first guy. It was the first time she heard his voice the whole year.

The bell rang before Mr. Jenkins could reprimanded them, and Amelia recovered her artwork before hurrying out of there. As she opened up her locker, the one next to her slammed into the back of her head.

"Ouch!" She turned back to a raven haired woman in Sartorial clothes laughing with a stereotypical entourage of a right-hand ethnically ambiguous lady in a red dress, and a left hand woman who spent half of the time staring at hot guys.

"Maybe your spatial awareness isn't as good as your hairstyle. Anyway we were thinking of inviting you but~"

"I'll keep that in mind for next year," thinking of a topic to change the situation. "It's okay, I'm gonna be a camp counselor tomorrow so I'll be busy tonight. You've got plans for summer break?"

"Summer camp? Um, yawn~! Parties, visiting some of the best colleges and the frat boys, girl get a life!"

She lightly laughed to counter their laughing. "Got me some cash so I can?"

The leader, Priscilla Newton, laughed. "You're funny," patting her on the back before they left.

A gender swapped variant of the trio, with their own leader, Devin Archer, hurled fruit punch on her head.

"Completes the outfit, right?"

One of the bullies roared in her mouth, yelling, "go back to tumblr. Another yelled, "watch your step or you'll end up like your mom," and a third intentionally bumped into her.

When she turned around and yelled hey, another guy pushed her down and dropped some of her art supplies. "You're not gonna be the next Leonardo DeCaprio!"

After seeing bystanders crowd around them, recalling the last time she was in this situation, she picked up a spray can and blasted him in the face with it. He stumbled around in any attempt to see and fumbled on top of the other two. The sigh of relief as the laughter went to the others ended up with her trying to get out of there.

Devin grabbed her and pushed her into a nearby locker. "You think that was funny?"

She shied away assuming she was gonna get punched. When she opened it, the guy from earlier, Jack, pushed Devin away and into his terrible trio, while Gem directed the laughter back at them.

The leader wasn't pleased. "If it isn't the pedo and the transformer? You two wanna go."

"He's innocent," Gem claimed, defending his dark-skinned friend. "And don't be mad," the Asian boy playfully giggled. "I didn't want you when I was a girl, and I don't want you now."

Devin's crew retreated when everyone around made it clear how badly they needed their aloe vera for that burn.

Amelia stroked her hair. "Thanks, both of you."

"Yeah, sure." Gem poked him. "Anyway, Jack, don't you have something to say?"

Jack was about to say something. He was only two inches taller than her 5'6, but he acted much smaller before giving up.

"Seriously, just tell her! You're going with us on the counselor trip right?"

She nodded.

"We'll see you there."

She waved them goodbye, having more faith her first time out the city would work out. Plus, Jack had a cute face.

On her way out of the school, a police car opened up. Those who didn't know her grew concerned when she hopped in.

"So was the year good," her father, Carlos Lopez asked.

"I guess. Before I go tomorrow, can we stop by mom's place? There's something I want to show you all."

"I...I can't," prompting a tooth-suck.

"Again? Can't any other cop under you do it? It's her birthday!"

"I don't think she wants to see me again ."

"Then take me to her house. At least someone will be here for once," ready to shed tears.

"Sorry Amy. I really wanted to this year, but this is a big deal."

"Worth more than your family?"

"Beatrice."

She changed tunes. "She's alive?!"

"Faked her death. The FBI's looking for her and she's somewhere in the city now. I wanted to find her and bring her back by tonight....if only for a bit."

"Dad."

"I know I have a lot to make up for, but I want a day with us together."

She clenched her easel. "Just like we used too."

He dropped her off and headed up to her mother's apartment, wheeling up to her as her dad drove off.

"That man filled with machismo couldn't even show up," Delia Lopez said. "How are you my love?"

"School's rough, as usual. Can I sleep over? You'll have me at least. Plus you're closer to the school than I am."

"Sure." Her mother peered around. "What's that behind you?"

"I'm not done yet. I'll finish it tonight, but tomorrow, I want all of us to see it, if we're home."

"Sure sure."

That night, Amelia worked effortlessly to finish it. Her mom looked over her until the other woman was so tired the teen had to bring her to bed. Late in the night, Amelia resorted to using the mannequin head she'd use as a model for her wigs to finish off the heads of each of her family members, though she struggled with the last person. It's not like Beatrice would suddenly just come through the window.

A person came into the open window. Amelia immediately grabbed a knife, and the person instantly pinched her hand hard enough to switch owners, dropping a sphere shaped object out of their own bag. The two retrieved what they thought belonged to one another.

"Geez sis, don't drop a knife on someone like that, I could've killed you."

Amelia quietly tackled her chest and wrapped her arms around her.

"Yeah yeah, I missed you too," dropping the knife.

"Please tell me you're staying here. Even dad's looking for you."

"That's the problem, I don't need them after me."

"What did you do now?"

"Nothing bad."

Amelia turned the lights on to see her sister, Beatrice Lopez. While her tone of skin was lighter than her sister's deep tan, both shades of brown bodies had similar lack of fashion sense. She looked like she could afford the bare minimum, but her sister looked like she came out of an action-horror movie.

"So tell me."

"Okay, used some old FBI connections, found out they were keeping the crazy murder guy under wraps."

"Vergen Prowler, he's not a myth?"

She shook her hand. "Don't worry, I took him out for now. I'm meeting with someone who's gonna pay me big tomorrow. So if we're lucky, I might be around for a bit."

Amelia's eyes lowered. "I'm going away tomorrow. Counselor."

"Dammit. It's mom's birthday and anniversary, ain't it."

"Look, if you get back, could you show her this," flipping over her artwork.

"Whoa hermana, you improved. Wait, where am I?"

She sighed. "You're lucky you showed up," taking a selfie with her. I'll wake up early for your part."

"Alright, I'm out. Speed question."

"Go."

"School?"

"No bueno."

"Boyfriend? Girlfriend? Partner?"

"Nada. There's a cute guy working with me."

"Go for it hermana, adios."

She jumped out the window and onto the emergency exit.

Amelia was just relieved to have all her family show up as midnight ran.

What she didn't know is that she'd be fighting for her life in less than 24 hours.