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The following day dragged slowly. By the end of school, I headed straight to my locker to grab my English textbooks ready for tonight.

I feel a little apprehensive knowing Reese will be in my home, the home I share with my mom and Nanny Grace. I've never invited any friends over before -- not even my new friend Sky.

I shut the maroon-coloured door of my locker, adjusting the bag straps on my shoulders when I bump into a girl accidentally.

My blue orbs meet her brown ones and I stutter. "I'm so s-sorry. I'm so clumsy, I didn't see you."

The girl studies me carefully, she has the most beautiful, glossy honey-blonde hair I've ever seen. She screams popularity and power in her clean, cut navy blue cheerleading outfit. Her perfect posture and tall figure made me feel small.

"You." her coal eyes grow colder, calculating. "I heard Reese Black is hanging out with you tonight."

I blink at her. The way she talks about me and Reese meeting up to study makes me think she has some sort of claim on him.

She must be an ex-girlfriend. Or the current one?

"Yeah, we have this essay to write." Another two girls step beside the tall blonde. They must be her little minions. I've watched enough teen movies to know the kind of girls who run this school and the power they have. I have no intention to cross any mean girls and make my high school experience a living hell.

"Well, if you know any better, you'll stay away from him. He's mine." she folds her arms across her chest and smirks wickedly at me.

Woah, I thought he was with the blonde with red highlights?

Sky did say the guy breaks hearts, maybe that's why this girl is so possessive?

Abort, Marnie.

I cringe. "Oh no, I'm not interested."

The blonde leans against her locker watching me closely. "Good, because he'd only want to fuck you and leave." my mouth falls open.

"W-why would he do that?"

I can see the fire burning in her eyes. "Because you're easy. Now get out of the way, I don't want to be seen talking with trash."

I frown. Seriously!? Is this girl for real?

I'm about to put this bitch in her place. How dare she-- "Excuse me?" suddenly, Sky appears out of nowhere and pulls me away. "There you are! I've been looking for you everywhere. Let's go." her voice is soft yet sharp.

I scowl as Sky drags me along the corridor. I'm furious. I'm so glad Sky took me away from the blonde bitch before I made any physical damage to the girl's perfectly applied face.

"Sky, why the hell is everyone so..." I can't even finish my sentence because I'm so angry with everyone at this damn school.

"Come on, let's grab an ice cream and a coffee, my treat."

Over the past few weeks, Sky and I have become great friends. She's had my back and risks her reputation by hanging around the school's outcast. She never looked at me any differently since the first day we met and she even acted oblivious to the painfully obvious stares from students.

This is the first time she's got involved with the hatred aimed at me. What did I do to deserve it? I have no clue.

Later, we sit in a nearby coffee shop and ice cream parlour. Sky tells me how amazing the salted caramel ice cream is and how I need to try it, so we both choose the famous salted caramel while she buys herself a black coffee and I get a latte.

"Are you okay?"

I stir the small plastic spoon around the glass cup. "I guess so." I bite my bottom lip, my head swirling with questions I'm dying to get answered. "Sky, why do they all hate me so much? What did I do?"

She drinks her coffee, thinking it over for a few seconds before she sets the glass cup down on the table. "You haven't done anything wrong."

"It doesn't make any sense? Ever since the first day, everyone's treated me like a piece of trash." my hands clench into tight fists, my knuckles turning stark white.

"I know." she sighs. "Listen, Marnie, I don't agree with everyone's behaviour but I know that ninety per cent of the students in that school are just... sheep. They all follow their leaders. The popular kids, the jocks, the cheerleaders -- they own the school. So when someone comes into their school, with money, fame and a pretty face, they like to tear them down."

I stare at her with a dumbfounded expression. I did not expect any of this.

"H-how do you know this?"

Sky sighs, crossing her arms on the wooden table in front of her. "About three months ago, we had a new student. He was in my maths class and he was quiet, timid but sweet. His name was Gavin and his mom and dad were the CEOs of a business worth a billion dollars. Gavin had a cold reception on his first day and he ignored it at first, and then one day I came to school to find a crowd around the back of the school's building near the football field. I walked around the group of students who had cameras angled at a tree. They were laughing at a boy in nothing but his underwear who was taped up to the tree trunk. They had tainted his reputation."

My heart twists painfully. I shake my head, my heart went out to Gavin. I didn't know the poor kid but he never deserved that cruelty.

Sky's warm eyes held pain. "Anyway, I stood there shocked, disgusted and confused about what was happening until a teacher came and sent us all away to help him. I thought the school would punish the kids who pranked Gavin. Nothing ever happened. Instead, Gavin pleaded with the school not to tell his parents and to my disbelief -- they agreed. They never got justice for Gavin and then two weeks later, I heard he switched schools."

All the missing pieces are slowly piecing together. Even though I still don't understand why people get a kick out of bullying people. This school enjoys humiliating rich kids to gain power.

Seriously, some people need to grow the fuck up.

"Marnie, I felt so bad not helping Gavin that day, and I guess... I don't want to make that mistake again. That first day we met, I knew people were going to plan something to break you down, like Gavin. So I befriended you. I took pity on you at first. Although now I've got to know the real Marnie. You're friendly, funny, kind and caring. You're an innocent person. You don't deserve any of this shit."

I smile but something in the back of my mind seems to be bothering me. "Thank you. Sky... why does everyone seem to think I have the hots for this Reese kid?"

She laughs at my frustration, grinning like the Cheshire cat. "That guy has broken so many girls' hearts and yet a lot of girls are completely obsessed with him. Don't worry about Ashley and her little followers, they should back off now."

I nod my head thoughtfully. At least now I understand everything a little more clearly. Yet I can't help but wonder what I should do. How can I stop people's constant abuse, cold glares and heated confrontations?

What if I have the same fate as Gavin?

No, I can't let that happen.

I have no idea what's around the corner for me, but I won't cower in a small corner and wait for them to attack. I was not born to live under a rock. I'm the daughter of two confident, talented superstars and how pathetic would I look if I show weakness?

No, that's not who I am. I'm Marnie Love. I am strong. I won't be subjected to this sort of behaviour.

Screw them.

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