CHAPTER ONE;
final goodbyes

          THE ANNUAL CAMPING TRIP couldn't have come faster in June Lee's opinion, in all honesty, she believed the whole senior year had flown by. One second she was striding into West Ham's high school, arm linked with her best friend — Edith Shields — ready to face their final year; and the next, prom and graduation were treading on the heels of her black leather boots.

Teenagers crowded on the freshly-cut grass outside the high school, checking suitcases as they either bickered or muttered goodbyes to their parents, slightly worried about the safety of their ageing children taking a trip with no adult figures. June considered them lucky, having parents focused on them instead of spending their time on work across the Globe, particularly all year round, leaving June to have Amber — their maid — to stay overnight or crashing with her boyfriend-that's-not-actually-her-boyfriend's family.

"Yes, Mom. I have everything." June complained over the phone to her mother, who seemed persistent that she'd forgotten something ( which wouldn't have been surprising ) because she 'couldn't be trusted alone'.

A heavy sigh could be overheard on the other line which must have been her mother due to the fact that 'Daddy's always in a meeting' but no other words were said. June impatiently tapped her foot as she waited for a reply, sending a quick glance and small smile at Shawn's ( the boyfriend but also not the boyfriend ) parents who kindly returned the gesture, as well as his younger sister, gave her an adorable wide, goofy grin whilst they all also waited for him too.

After a while, the lengthy silence began to feel extremely strange and June soon realised that after that sigh minutes ago, absolutely no sound could have been heard from the other line — not even a breath. "Mom?" She timidly whispered, no reply. "Are you there? Mom?" Still no answer. "Mom? Answer me, please!" Suddenly, the phone weirdly hung up.

June awkwardly stared at her top-of-the-line iPhone, expecting a text explaining that her mother also had an important meeting that she couldn't reschedule to say goodbye or 'have a nice time' even to her own daughter. With a small pout, June placed her phone back in her bag — assuming that her mother was probably too busy to even send a text — before turning back to the Rudman's plastering on her best fake smile.

"Erm, she hung up." She told with a sigh of defeat, "Probably has a business meeting or something important."

Mr and Mrs Rudman had been nothing but nice to her the day Shawn invited her over when they were nine, polite manners, heart-warming hugs — they practically treated her as their own. But there's something June always notices when they looked at her when the topic of her own parents are brought up. She can't specifically put her finger on it, whether it's how their bright brown eyes softened solemnly; or maybe it's the way they both rubbed their bottom lips in an attempt to find the right words of comfort but only end up sending her a placid smile. And it never feels sympathetic, more like actions filled with utter pity. June hated being pitied.

All of a sudden, June's vision goes completely blank and she almost toppled over at the impact. However, she's not surprised or frightened because she knew exactly who those soft, feminine hands covering her eyes and another pair affectionally holding her left shoulder belong to. "Guess who?"

"Dylan O'Brien and Zac Efron?"

"You wish." Edith remarked as she uncovered her eyes, revealing herself and Tabitha, both in fits of giggles with huge grins playing at their lips; their own happiness bringing up her own laughter. The three embraced each other into a warm, welcoming group hug before the others waved at Shawn's parents and Violet in acknowledgement, June assumed they'd said goodbye to their parents already.

June's dark eyes drifted over to the five yellow buses, herds of excited teenagers loading themselves onto them, ready for the ten-day camping trip. Maybe the three could have got onto their designated bus to save spaces next to each other; but there was a reason June Lee had waited here, the reason Mr and Mrs Rudman, as well as Violet, had waited too.

"Hey, Tabs. Do you know if Shawn is with Grizz?" The Asian girl queried to her friend.

In response, Tabitha nodded at June. "Yeah, he said goodbye to Mom and Dad at home and went out with the Shawn, Luke, Jason and Clark a while ago." She explained to both her and his parents, "He texted that he'd meet us before we got onto the buses because he knew Shawn still had to say his own fair-wells but I—"

"SHAWN!" A tiny cry from young Violet, who was already thundering across the grass, snapped everyone from Tabitha's explanation. All of them find it hard not to erupt into joyful smiles when they see the glimmer of enthusiasm in her eyes once she's with her older brother. June had always admired their relationship and how much love and protection Shawn had for his baby sister; June always wanted a sibling so didn't feel so lonely in her own house, but when it came to Violet Rudman, sometimes she felt like had one in a way.

"Hey, Munchkin." Shawn teased as she ran straight towards him. Next — before Violet could protest — he was scooping her up in his arms, twirling her around in circles as he imitated plane noises. Violet's screams of hysterical laughter overpowering him as she begged him to put her down when really, she didn't want it to stop. Then, he placed her onto his hip as if she was as light as a baby, greeting his mother with an apology as she kissed his cheek and his father with the 'bro handshake'.

After his hello-slash-goodbye to the most important people in his life, Shawn focused on the girl who could equally be up there too. Pressing a kiss to her temple, he wrapped an arm around June's shoulders and pulled her close, gently rubbing her arm. Despite the heaviness in her stomach, it fluttered at the feeling of her body pressed against his. She sunk into the warmth of his side, appreciative of the simple gesture. His touch made the air warmer somehow, her future within its town seeming a little less bleak.

Once the whole group were together, including Grizz who had followed behind Shawn and had his hands on his own twin sister's shoulders, Mrs Rudman insisted she took a photo of them on her polaroid camera. Cheesy smiles plastered across the five's ( six including eight-year-old Violet ) faces as she snapped the shot, handing over the emerging picture to June, "I'd give it to the others, but you're the only one I trust." The businesswoman joked lightly.

"Bye, Shawn. Bye, June. Bye, Grizz. Bye, Tabitha. Bye, Edith." Violet called out as they headed towards the yellow school buses, all waving over their shoulders back at her. Shawn's arm smoothly dropping down to June's waist, the physical contact never breaking as they stepped into the bus.

As they entered the bus, all of them scanned the interior of the large vehicle for seats. Luckily there was a column of three for all of them. Shawn and June sat behind Caleb — June's musical neighbour — and Cassandra — the senior year's bossy student body president. Edith lonely sat by herself, saving a spot if anyone she tolerated wanted it with the Visser twins sat in front of the football team situated at the back.

Finally, a low rumble of the engine set the class off in cheers and shouts of elation, teens leaning out of the windows as the waves back at the adults of West Ham.

Then the bus stopped.

Boos, moans and grunts of disappointment escaped the crowded bus as the door opened once more, revealing no other than the It Girl — Beatrix McCoy — strutting onto the bus and towards the extra space like she did every day down the halls of high school.

"Good morning, Beatrix." Beatrix stopped abruptly at the mocking, sarcastic tone of such a familiar voice that taunted her in her dreams, her eyes drifted to no other than Harry Bingham with a daring smirk ghosting his lips. "Fashionably late as always."

"It was a 'good morning' until you opened your fucking mouth." She snapped back quickly before taking a seat next to Edith, crossing one leg over the other as she sat up straighter than necessary.

In the town of New Ham, everybody knew Beatrix McCoy. Whether you were rich and powerful like she or you were invisible throughout your time in the town — you knew who the girl with extravagant strawberry-blonde hair cascading down her back with perfect red lipstick was. And then, you either admired, feared or hated her; the Bingham boy fell into the latter category. After a summer fling where the pair had only been their most honest and truthful selves, the school facade had to be placed back on but when one of them took it a little too personally, a feud between the two most popular teenagers to live in West Ham began.

Feuds, friendships and more. . .this was going to be one heck of a week.

AUTHOR'S NOTE
first chapter in under a week?? consider me proud!
i hope you all enjoyed getting to see the relationships of the characters, june and shawn are the ultimate couple-to-be™️ && bea and harry are angst™️

psa: please help a girl out with ship names, ya girl's in need of them.

another psa: i made a pinterest board for all my oc's in 'greed' so if you want to know more about them my user is dearlykhaotic