Sweet Master E-Book

Liz Ald

• Herausgeber: WS
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Seitenzahl: 356

Beschreibung

It's the start of a new school year. You don't know anyone. And the first person you meet...could cost you your life.

Welcome to Springfield High. It's perfectly normal from the outside. But within its polished brick walls...is fear.

The students are afraid of one group of girls. They are beautiful and popular. All for the wrong reasons.

You should definitely stay away from them. I'm warning you. But you won't listen. 

You'll fall under the spell of one of their boyfriends. He's gorgeous. And seductive. He'll have his way with you. Maybe more than once. 

But you won't make it out alive. No one ever has. Someone else has been watching you. He'll lure you into the shadows. They call him the Master. 

Leseprobe

Sweet Master

Liz Ald

Published by Liz Ald, 2023.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

SWEET MASTER

First edition. April 1, 2023.

Copyright © 2023 Liz Ald.

ISBN: 979-8215551448

Written by Liz Ald.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Also by Liz Ald

Sweet Master

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Also By Liz Ald

Dedication

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 27

CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 29

CHAPTER 30

CHAPTER 31

CHAPTER 32

CHAPTER 33

CHAPTER 34

CHAPTER 35

CHAPTER 36

CHAPTER 37

CHAPTER 38

CHAPTER 39

CHAPTER 40

CHAPTER 41

CHAPTER 42

CHAPTER 43

CHAPTER 44

CHAPTER 45

CHAPTER 46

CHAPTER 47

CHAPTER 48

CHAPTER 49

CHAPTER 50

CHAPTER 51

CHAPTER 52

CHAPTER 53

CHAPTER 54

CHAPTER 55

CHAPTER 56

CHAPTER 57

CHAPTER 58

CHAPTER 59

CHAPTER 60

Further Reading: The Boy with the Beautiful Soul

 

To you. You're not afraid to be different.

Or, to be loved.

PROLOGUE

I'LL NEVER FORGET THE day I met the Bobbies. There was something different about that pretty, popular group of girls at school. But I wasn't sure what it was at the time.

Now I know. If I could go back, I would never have joined them. All the girls named Bobby. They were different all right. I just didn't know how different. Until it was too late.

I can still hear the victims' screams in my head. But I can't undo what's been done. Even more people will die tomorrow. And so will I.

CHAPTER 1

"BO, COME BACK!"

The voice of my little brother, Jake, echoed behind me. I sprinted faster towards the woods.

I ducked under low branches and hurtled myself through the thick underbrush. It felt good to run. It was the first time all day I'd had a chance to escape and explore the alien town of Springfield, Connecticut...my new home...my new nightmare.

I pushed farther into the woods. It was cooler in the shade. My white tank top was drenched with sweat.

The wind picked up and ruffled my hair against my face. I breathed in the smell of pine and damp dirt. I missed Florida and the beach. It wasn't the same here.

A twig snapped to my right.

I clamped a hand over my mouth to stifle a scream. It was only a brown rabbit. It stared fixedly at me. Its nose twitched in irritated surprise.

I let out my breath. The rabbit continued to watch me, as if in a challenge.

Annoyed, I stomped my foot on the ground. The rabbit scampered in a crazy zig-zag back into the underbrush.

That brought a rare smile to my face. But my smile slowly faded back to the neutral, stony expression I often wore. I wanted to go home. Back to my real home in Florida. I missed my friends. I missed my faded, brown two-story house surrounded by palm trees.

I whistled loudly. The sound echoed off the trunks of the trees around me. Strange, I thought. It was too quiet. I couldn't hear a single bird chirping. I strained to listen for the rabbit. By now, he'd probably dug himself well into the ground.

The silence became overwhelming. I turned to head back the way I'd come. And that's when I heard it. A soft thumping sound.

I listened intently, trying to locate the source. The sound was coming from the right, near three tall trees that appeared to grow too closely together.

I tip-toed nearer to the sound. The thumping noise was much louder now. Itching with curiosity, I knelt down and peered through a low shrub towards the group of trees – and froze.

A teenage girl hung by her neck from a tree. Her dead eyes bulged out of her purple face. Her mouth gaped open in a vacant grin. She seemed amused by my horror.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Her body swayed in dead weight against the tree. Her long, dark hair fluttered limply in the wind, making her look like a grotesque rag doll, swinging by the neck.

Just like the rabbit, I found myself staring, unable to move. I could never unsee her body swinging lifelessly from the tree.

Somehow, I forced myself to run. Branches pulled at my hair and tugged against my clothes as I hurtled myself through the woods. But I didn't feel a thing. Tears streamed down my cheeks. I swallowed the bile that churned in my stomach.

"MOM! DAD!" I screamed myself hoarse by the time I reached the backyard of our new house.

My parents and brother came running out the back door to meet me. My father reached me first, letting me collapse wearily into his arms.

"Bo, what is it! What's wrong?" My father's normally commanding voice was strained with worry.

My mother pulled leaves with a trembling hand from my hair. Her face was so pale, her blush made her look clownish.

"There's...a dead girl—" I choked, sobbing.

Jake’s jaw appeared to drop to his knees.

My father tightened his hold on my shoulders. "What?" he asked, confused.

I took a step backwards, out of his grasp. "I'm not making it up. I SWEAR!" I started to sob again and tugged his hand. "I found a girl's body in the woods. Hurry, I'll show you!"

I retraced my steps through the woods. I hadn't gone far. "There -– over there!" I pointed my hand towards the group of three trees.

"Bo, what are you talking about?" My mother stepped up beside me, trying to catch her breath from the run.

I stared in disbelief. The girl was gone.

CHAPTER 2

MY FAMILY DIDN'T BELIEVE me about seeing the body. And why would they? I had no proof. I kept wondering if I'd somehow gone the wrong way in the woods. But I was sure I'd found the same three trees where I'd seen the girl.

Still, I was frustrated my parents didn't even bother to call the police. In fact, they had convinced themselves that I'd made up the whole thing.

"You're just mad about moving here," my mother scolded, unpacking silverware from a box on the kitchen floor.

My father agreed with her, humming as he hung up paintings in the dining room. He glanced over at my sullen face. "It's your imagination, Bo. You're letting it run away with you. It's all in your head."

I knew what I saw. There had been a body in the woods. But I also knew it was pointless to argue. My parents were doctors. There was no way to change their minds without proof, and I was the only witness.

My brother was skeptical, but still seemed interested in my story. "So she had long, dark hair and a purple face. Sounds pretty cool if you ask me!"

Jake loves scary movies, so it was no surprise that he wanted to know all the grisly details I could remember. I don't know how he does it. Blood and guts freak me out. I can barely handle going to the doctor's office for shots.

I needed to be alone, and wandered up to my new room at the top of the stairs. I gazed dismally around at my unfamiliar surroundings.

The room wasn't large, but it had a great view of the front yard. I even had my own bathroom and private balcony. But I couldn't stop thinking about the dead girl.

I sighed as I started to unpack all of my boxes, willing the monotony of the task to push the gruesome memory of the girl's grinning face from my mind.

After unpacking a few boxes, I decided to take a break, and pulled open the large French doors leading out to the balcony.

A cool, fresh breeze blew into the room. I took a deep breath, savoring this small moment of happiness. As much as I wanted to hate this house, I actually liked my new room more than my old one. I had never had a private balcony, and I no longer had to share a bathroom with Jake.

My thoughts shifted to the first day of school tomorrow. I was going to be a sophomore in high school. I hoped I would like the other kids. My two best friends from Florida, Carol and Anne, had promised to write me. We thought it would be fun to be pen pals instead of always calling each other. I wondered if they would believe I saw a body in the woods.

I hurried over to my small desk and pulled open the drawer. It was empty. Annoyed, I rifled through my boxes until I found a pen and stationery. The pages were decorated with white, blue, and yellow beach images. I sighed and sat down at my desk, determined to tell my friends the whole story. I wrote to Carol first.

Hi Carol,

Today was our first day at the new house. You're never going to believe what I saw! Don't tell me I'm crazy after you read this, because I'm not. There are woods around our house and I went exploring. I wish I hadn't gone. What I found was so gross. I saw a girl in the woods. She was dead! DEAD! I think she'd committed suicide or something.

I dropped my pen and scowled. My parents didn't believe me. And now that I'd moved, I didn't really want my two best friends to think I was nuts, too. Besides, why worry them when I didn't even have proof. Maybe I did just imagine seeing that girl. I mean, if she had been dead, she would still be there, hanging from that tree. I knew I hadn't gone the wrong way. It was definitely the right place. Maybe I was seeing things?

I crumpled up the letter and threw it on the floor. I took out a clean sheet and started over, deciding I wouldn't mention the dead girl.

Hi Carol,

You and Anne have to come visit! I have a balcony now. Can you believe it? It's only worth sunbathing on during the summer though. Connecticut doesn't stay warm as long as Florida does. I'll probably never be as tan as I used to be. I don't know when I'll get to see you again. What if it's months – or even years?

I wiped a tear from my eye. This was hard. It was like saying goodbye to my friends all over again. I picked up my pen and continued to write.

You better ask Peter out, now that I'm away. You promised you'd be more daring, and more adventurous. Well, having a boyfriend will definitely be a new adventure. And you better write to me! You and Anne. I'll try and write now and when I can, but you know how terrible I am at remembering to write letters. Anyway, write soon! Love, Bo.

I quickly wrote a similar letter to Anne. Then I addressed and stamped both envelopes. As I sealed the letters, I wished I could slip inside the envelope, too, and mail myself back to Florida.

I searched for something to distract myself from feeling lonely. I rummaged in a nearby box and found my satin red bedding and fluffy pillows. My thoughts turned to boys, wondering who in this new town would be lucky enough to see these.

Why couldn't I just go get myself a boyfriend like all the other girls I knew? The only boyfriends I had were the ones I made up in my head. They always said the right things and held me when I was sad. I could really use a real one right now.

I shook my head to clear it. I knew I didn't have the guts to talk to guys. Especially good-looking ones. Those guys only dated the popular girls. Still, a girl could dream.

There had been a cute guy at my old school. He wasn't someone to cry over now that I'd moved. My dad said "Good-looking guys are a dime a dozen." I wondered about the guys I'd see at my new school, Springfield High. I hoped there was at least one cute guy. I also hoped I'd make a few new friends.

Sunlight streamed through the open balcony doors. It looked like a nice day for a jog, and I needed a distraction. I grabbed my sneakers and the letters to my friends and headed outside. I dropped the letters into the white, polished mailbox, and stretched my hands high above my head, breathing deeply.

For a brief second, I thought about returning to the woods. What if I had gotten the location wrong and the body was still there?

As much as I wanted to prove I was right, I was scared. Soon, I would discover what was really going on in this town. And once I did, it would change me.

CHAPTER 3

MY PARENTS FORCED ME to take the bus with Jake on Monday morning, the first day of school. Even though I'd just turned sixteen, I wasn't allowed to get a car. My parents were using my embarrassment at riding the bus as an incentive for me to get good grades.

When the bus finally rumbled into view, I was not happy to discover that I was the only teenager riding the bus with a bunch of little kids.

Conveniently, Jake and I got off at the same stop. Our new school had a combined elementary, middle, and high school on the same campus.

Jake was ecstatic. He immediately hurried off the bus towards the middle school with a chubby kid named Pete. Jake had only met Pete on the ride over.

Pete had invited my brother to sit next to him and they'd talked nonstop the entire way.

I had been forced to sit alone. I chose a seat in the back of the bus and wished I was invisible.

A few little kids turned around to stare at me, strangely. They probably wondered why a teenager had invaded their bus.

Through the dusty bus windows, I watched Jake zoom along the grass with his new friend.

I was more reluctant getting off the bus. The stop faced the high school, which put me in plain sight of all the kids who arrived in cars. As I stepped onto the concrete, I noticed the top button of my blouse had come undone. I attempted to refasten it, but the button was loose and the shirt fluttered open again. I re-buttoned it more forcefully. This time, it stayed closed.

I still had time before I needed to head to class. I fished in my pocket for a rubber band to tie up my hair. My usually straight blonde locks had become a frizzy mess in the heat. I fussed with my hair briefly, then threw it into a tight knot on top of my head. I sighed. A high bun was not the look I was going for on my first day.

I made my way to the front of the high school and sank down on a step.

Students clamored up the stairs around me towards the main entrance. I took in the last of my summer freedom.

A flag fluttered in the wind above me. The words Springfield High School were carved into the gray stone wall above the school's front doors.

I pictured my former friends driving their Volvo to school. My best friend, Carol, had driven me everywhere. I never imagined having to take the horrid bus again.

I watched more yellow buses drop off little kids at the corner of the parking lot. The kids scurried like a school of colorful fish towards their buildings. Most of the little kids were with familiar friends, but several were driven to school by their parents. Everyone was dressed neatly.

I recalled the drive my family had made with the realtor to see our new house. Everything in the town looked perfect. Too perfect. It was like a cartoon world. All the houses we passed gleamed with fresh paint. Every lawn was emerald green. Young mothers dressed in white tennis skirts or yoga pants, pushed children around in trendy strollers.

I jolted back to reality as a group of baby-faced kids who looked like freshmen ambled by, talking and laughing.

One of the boys, a kid with shaggy, dark hair, whispered to his pals, "Don't look — it's the Bobbies." He gave an exaggerated shudder which caused the other kids around him to laugh nervously.

I lifted an eyebrow. Who were the Bobbies? Curious, I followed the boy's gaze. My eyes landed on three girls. They leaned against a silver car in the parking lot.

The group of freshmen continued up the steps past me, but each of them glanced briefly back at the three girls. For some reason, the kids looked frightened.

I pulled a loose strand of hair out of my face. Why would anyone be scared of a few high school girls? I turned my attention back to where the girls stood in the parking lot. From a distance, they looked innocent enough. I didn't think it was unusual for a group of girls to be gossiping before class.

One of the girls talked animatedly, waving her arms over her head. I was too far away to really see them or to hear anything the group said.

I nestled my back against the step. It wasn't the most comfortable position, but there didn't seem to be any other place to sit. And I wasn't ready to go inside. I wasn't looking forward to school.

I watched as teachers filed their way through the sea of kids towards the doors behind me. The teachers were obvious to spot. They were the only ones clad in unstylish, corporate outfits.

Around me, girls wore frilly blouses, skirts, and dresses. The boys wore button-down shirts with ties. The most casual sported polo shirts. Feeling self-conscious, I pinched the bun on the top of my head to make sure it was still fastened.

A car horn honked. A driver in a jet black Porsche waited impatiently for a bicyclist to pass.

My eyes darted back to the parking lot. The three girls continued to chat together. Even from afar, it was obvious all three were pretty. One had long blonde hair. The second girl, the one who was talking and waving her arms, looked like an Indian princess. She had wavy brown hair that was streaked with hints of blue highlights. The third girl faced away from me. Her hair was pulled into a long braid.

The girls began to walk towards the stairs, where I sat. Each wore high heels and carried an identical, expensive-looking black, leather purse. The girl with the braid wore V-shaped sunglasses. They all looked like models.

I frowned down at my sandals and oversized backpack. My casual Florida look was not fashionable here at all.

The bell rang loudly behind me. Ugh, time for class, I thought. And that meant obnoxious teachers and piles of homework.

I picked up my backpack and had just started to wiggle off the concrete step when I stopped abruptly. In the middle of the school yard was the best looking guy I had ever seen. He walked near two geeky boys who were tossing a football back and forth.

One of the geeky guys, a tall boy wearing a band hat, missed the return catch. As I watched, the football sailed straight past him towards the handsome guy's face. "Whoa — watch out!" the skinny kid cried.

The handsome guy caught the football easily in one hand. He grinned at the two boys and chucked the ball in an underarm pass back to the band geek. The ball hit the poor kid hard in the gut.

"Oomph!" The kid grabbed his stomach and tried to play it cool. "Th-thanks! You're the man!" he feebly choked out. It was obvious the kid was in pain.

I watched awestruck as the handsome guy made his way towards the three mysterious girls. He flung an arm around the shoulders of the girl with long blonde hair.

My heart sank. Well, there goes the most beautiful guy in the universe. I felt all the happiness drain down into the small space between my two big toes.

Still, I couldn't help but stare at him. He was tall and well proportioned. He had a kind smile, and his hair was thick and wavy, freshly tousled by the wind. Plus, he had huge shoulders. The guy definitely worked out.

Stop it, Bo! You're crushing on a guy who's taken by a girl who is way hotter than you. It's never going to happen. There it was again. That depressing voice in my head. Always talking.

I gave the voice an imaginary punch and went back to staring at the beautiful boy.

The majority of the guys I met in my tiny Florida town looked nothing like this Connecticut wonder. Guys I knew were slightly overweight, loud, ate a lot of garbage, and drank a lot of beer, even though they were underage. Unless you drove drunk or made too much noise, no one in my old town really cared what you did.

This guy was the complete opposite of the boys I had known. He was absolutely stunning. His shirt was pulled a bit tight around the waist and chest so you could see his muscles rippling every time he moved. And the colors! He wore pastel shorts with a white collared shirt.

It wasn't how guys dressed in my old town, but it worked for him.

I sadly scanned my droopy outfit. My huge skirt seemed to exaggerate my large, oversized feet. With a groan, I pulled myself off the step. As I bent to re-fasten my sandal, an appealing voice startled me.

"Hey, your blouse is open."

My hand immediately went to my chest and I felt my bra showing. I looked up in embarrassment and saw the handsome guy standing over me. My face flushed.

"It'll be our little secret," the handsome guy whispered with a wink. Then he was gone.

The rest of the morning was less eventful and full of confusion.

—Where do I register?

—Which classroom do I go to first?

—Where's the bathroom?

—Her name is what again?

—Don't go over there! Why? That's piss wall — the area where the boys piss outside.

For a chic town, the school was your typical slush pile of characters camouflaged in preppy ties and colorful skirts. As I walked down the crowded hallways, I caught snippets of gossip here and there. Most often, I kept hearing people talk about –

—Those Bobbies!

—Did you see what Ansel was wearing this morning? Her skirt was a mile high.

—Why do they always look so serious?

—Those girls scare me.

—That girl, BB. I heard she ate their friend, Boberetta's tongue. It's the reason Boberetta never talks anymore.

What strange things to say, I thought as I shoved by two freshman girls with pigtails. I decided it was probably better to ignore the chatter. Nothing exciting ever happened at school anyway. And I certainly didn't expect anything interesting to happen on my first day. But I couldn't have been more wrong.

CHAPTER 4

THAT AFTERNOON, I MET the Bobbies. We had gym together. The Bobbies weren't participating, of course. The group sat in the bleachers and scowled at the other girls who made a pathetic attempt at a game of indoor volleyball.

The gym teacher, a chubby woman with an army crew cut named Ms. Gaggenhorn, let me sit out since I had a doctor's note for Syncope.

It's a lie. It means I faint easily. I don't. I just hate gym. I'm sure it's illegal to forge my dad's signature on one of his prescription notes. But it was my first day of school. And I wanted to make a good impression.

I sat alone in the bleachers a few rows up from the Bobbies. Apparently the threesome did not like gym either.

The blonde and girl with blue highlights whispered quietly together. The third girl with the dark braid still wore her large sunglasses. She sat in eerie silence. From the gossip I'd heard, the girl in sunglasses never talked to anyone. Maybe she was the one whose tongue got eaten?

The three girls all looked alike. They shared the same high cheekbones, small noses, and wore matching red ribbons in their long silky hair. The group resonated sophistication and confidence.

But sitting this close to them, I became aware that there was something odd about them. What it was, I didn't know. But I was determined to find out. I had to admit though, they gave me the creeps. Weird, right?

Maybe the other students sensed it too? Maybe that's why everyone seemed afraid of these girls. It was slightly disturbing to watch the blonde girl glare in pure hatred at the volleyball players. I shivered despite how hot it was in the gym.

My mouth felt dry. I rummaged in my backpack for a stick of gum. I popped the gum into my mouth and focused back on the group.

Without warning, the Bobbies turned around to face me. I was so startled, I nearly swallowed my gum.

"It's Bo, right?" The one with long blonde hair raised an eyebrow at me. It didn't sound like a question. It sounded like a challenge.

I studied her face. It was the first time I'd actually seen her up close. She was beautiful. But her nose didn't fit her face. She probably had a nose job. Those were the only kinds of jobs girls around here seemed to have.

The Indian princess with blue highlights giggled uneasily beside the blonde one.

I had a sudden urge to spit my bubble gum into her dark, wavy hair. Whoa, what had gotten into me? I never got this angry this fast.

The silent girl stared at me through her shades. She made my skin crawl.

I shivered again and averted my gaze.

The blonde made an irritated noise in her throat. I'd forgotten she'd asked me a question. She rolled her eyes and looked at the silent girl with the braid. "This new girl doesn't talk either. Guess that makes two of you." She laughed at her own lame joke.

I felt myself scowl.

The blonde studied me, and gave me what was supposed to be an innocent smile.

I put a hand to my chest and willed my heart to return to normal. For some reason, I was in a raging, terrible mood.

"Hell-o?"

I blinked back into focus. I felt the rage inside me briefly subside.

The blonde was talking to me again. "It's Bo, right?" She pointed at the brunette with blue highlights. "This is Bobby Ansel."

The brunette smiled at me.

"Her full name is Bobby Bernadette Ansel, but we call her BB, for short."

The girl named BB laughed. "And you're Ansel Bobby," BB said to the blonde.

"It's so weird," the blonde continued. "She's Bobby Ansel, and I'm Ansel Bobby. Our names are reversed."

"So weird," BB echoed. She smiled at me again.

"Over there," Ansel pointed to the silent girl. Her multicolored bracelets jangled when she moved her arms. "She's also a Bobby. Her real name's Boberetta Smith. But we hated that. She never talks. So we call her Mute."

Mute stuck up her chin and pretended to ignore us.

Ansel flipped her long hair behind her shoulder. She glanced at me for a reaction. I didn't give one. For some reason, I was still in an inexplicably bad mood. It was as if being around the Bobbies made me angry. Ansel didn't seem to notice. "So, is it just Bo, or is that a nickname?" she asked me. She chewed the red tip of her manicured fingernail.

I cleared my throat. "My name is Bobbsey...Rogers. But I go by Bo." I hoped they couldn't hear the slight shake in my voice. I clenched my hands into fists. Calm down, Bo, the voice in my head ordered. I took a deep breath to compose myself.

Ansel grinned and arched her back.

I saw she wore a long necklace tucked under her blouse.

"Anyway," Ansel said, "we call ourselves the Bobbies. It's just easier that way."

"Why the Bobbies?" I asked.

Ansel smiled. But it looked more like a sneer. "Because, silly, we all have the letters B-O-B in our names. So 'Bobby' sort of stuck." Ansel narrowed her eyes. "So, if your name is Bobbsey, that means you're already one of us."

My pulse quickened. I couldn't believe she was inviting me into her group! Without a second thought, I felt my head nod. "Okay, sure," I stammered.

Ansel clapped her hands, jangling her bracelets. "Done!"

Mute swiveled back around on the bench to stare at me through her sunglasses.

And just like that, we were friends. I went from being boring Bo Rogers to a Bobby. A chosen. And just like that, I found hell.

CHAPTER 5

"I NEED A SMOKE," BB said.

Ansel wrinkled her fake nose. "You're such a loser, BB."

BB looked hurt. She self-consciously pulled a cigarette from the purse on her lap. "I'll just be a second," she stammered. BB got up from the bench and made her way down to the gym floor.

Voices echoed loudly from the pathetic volleyball game. A short girl attempted to spike the ball over the net. But her jump was off. She slammed into the pole with a loud thud.

Ms. Gaggenhorn blew her whistle.

I watched BB quietly open a door in the back of the gym and slip outside.

"Fuck this sad show. I need air too." Ansel rose from her seat and whipped back her hair to me and Mute. "Coming?" she asked us. Ansel glided gracefully down to the gym floor and made her way towards the back door.

I rolled my eyes. Ansel really needed to lighten up! Then again, the volleyball catastrophe wasn't exactly entertaining. I got up and followed Mute across the gym.

We kept to the far wall, out of sight of the gym teacher. The echo of high-pitched voices and sneakers died with the slam of the gym door behind me.

I sucked in a mouthful of cool but stale air. We were in a trash alley. An empty basketball court stretched out in the distance.

BB lounged against a brick wall and took a drag on her cigarette.

Mute slumped onto the ground and began to squish ants with her fingers as they tried to crawl around her shoes.

Ansel and I walked over to a grassy patch and sat down in the sun.

"So how is it in Springfield?" I asked Ansel.

She pulled on sunglasses that were similar to Mute's and stared at nothing in particular. "Oh, you know. It's total shit."

I grimaced at the harsh response. Couldn't this girl even try to be pleasant?

I glanced at Mute. She watched an ant crawl up her leg. After a minute, she smashed it between her fingers.

"Springfield isn't so bad, Ansel," BB said, moving closer to us. She shielded her eyes from the sun's bright glare.

Ansel gave BB a strange smile. "How are your parents doing, Beebs? Everything cheery at home?"

BB stiffened and puffed deeply on her cigarette. "I don't want to talk about it," she said quietly.

Ansel turned to me. "Beebs here won't tell you, so I will. Her brother committed suicide a year ago. Ever since then her parents have been up her ass."

"ANSEL!" BB gasped in outrage.

But it was pointless to argue. Ansel was clearly going to say whatever she wanted.

"BB, admit it," Ansel said with her face towards the sun. "Your brother's death is the reason you started smoking and getting high." Ansel looked back at BB for a reaction. "By the way, who are you doing now, Beebs? I know you're getting fucked. You're far too...peppy."

BB took another drag on her cigarette. "I said I don't want to talk about it." BB sighed. "It's not like your home life is any better than mine, Ansel!"

If the words stung, Ansel didn't flinch.

"Does Mute ever talk?" I asked Ansel, trying to change the subject.

Ansel stretched luxuriously and put her hands behind her head. "She screams."

I wasn't sure how I felt about that, so I didn't press it.

Ansel laughed, sensing my uneasiness. "Mute lives near BB with an aunt and uncle. I never see them though. They have like five hundred kids. Think her parents got blown up or something. That's what I say because Mute won't ever tell us what really happened."

I looked over at Mute. Her quiet, sullen face was almost prettier than Ansel's. But it was hard to tell with her sunglasses on.

"So what's your story?" Ansel asked me without much interest.

I stretched out on the grass and let the sun warm my back. "My parents are doctors," I said simply.

Ansel laughed. "Bor-ing," she said.

I made a face. "They're not so bad," I said.

Ansel lifted her sunglasses to look at me, and then dropped them back down onto her fake nose. "Not so bad? They must not make any money if they can't buy you a fucking car. Please tell me we didn't see you get off the bus this morning."

I didn't answer.

Ansel rolled to her side like a model on the beach. "Shit's sake, Bo. If I were you, I'd kill them. Then take both their cars as payback."

I shuddered at the intensity of her words. "Ansel, that's a horrible thing to say," I said.

Ansel laughed and pulled her blouse up to expose her pink bra. "I'm so effing pale. Come on sun, burn the hell out of me!" she yelled.

BB giggled. It was clear she was used to Ansel's strange humor.

"What was your brother's name?" I asked BB.

Ansel groaned. "Christ, Bo, who gives a shit?" Ansel snapped.

BB looked hurt. She took a puff from her smoke. "His name was Theodore," she said. "Everyone called him Theo."

I shifted uncomfortably in the grass. "I'm sorry," I said.

BB waved a hand at me. "It's too late for sorry, Bo. That's all I've heard for a year now. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Well, sorry won't bring Theo back. Nothing will."

"Do you have any brothers, Bo?" Ansel asked.

I nodded slowly. "Yeah, I have one brother. Jake."

Ansel raised her sunglasses to look at me again. "Is he hot?" she asked. "We need to find Mute a fuck buddy. She could use some of BB's pep."

I made a face. "Jake's only eleven."

Ansel laughed and slapped the grass with her hand, sending her bracelets jangling. "Sounds hot," she said.

A volleyball suddenly slammed against the back door of the gym, breaking the silence. The door opened on impact.

Ms. Gaggenhorn bounded outside to retrieve the ball. When the gym teacher spotted us on the grass, her face turned bright red in anger. "You tryin' to get me fired? Get your white and brown asses back in here before I drag you in myself." The gym teacher pointed a manly thick finger at BB's cigarette. "And put that out. Ain't no way you can keep a face like that suckin' dirt."

To my surprise, Ansel jumped up from the ground and stepped in front of BB.

Mute lounged against the wall behind us. An amused, frightening grin spread across her face.

I quickly spoke up. "Sure, Ms. Gaggenhorn. We're coming right in —"

Ansel waved a hand at me. "Shut up, Bo," she snapped.

I closed my mouth.

"Ms. Gaggenhorn. Just so you know. Your class is a joke." Ansel's piercing eyes fixated on the manly face before her.

The gym teacher, a tall woman, raised herself to her full height. With a furious gasp, she slammed the door shut behind her and marched towards Ansel. "You spoiled snot. How dare you insult me! If I had my way I'd —"

Ansel grabbed Ms. Gaggenhorn's throat, and with a sickening twist, broke the large woman's neck.

CHAPTER 6

I STARED IN STUPEFIED horror.

The woman collapsed, lifeless, onto the pavement.

My vision blurred. I was going to faint.

"Man that felt good," Ansel said, stretching her arms. She pulled out a lip gloss and dabbled it across her mouth. Smacking her lips together, Ansel looked the picture of innocence with death sprawled at her feet.

Bile rose in my throat. I felt sick.

Voices echoed from the other side of the gym door. "Ms. Gaggenhorn? Ms. Gaggenhorn, are you still out there?" The gym class was about to come outside.

"Let's get out of here," Ansel said. There was no fear in her voice.

BB crushed the remains of her cigarette into the pavement and kicked it under a pile of trash.

Ansel grabbed my arm and pulled me quickly around the corner. She pushed me through another door that led into the school's kitchen. Luckily, none of the lunch staff were in the back room.

The smell of fried food hit me full force. I leaned over a trash bin near a cutting block and puked my blueberry bagel breakfast guts out.

"Are you mad, Bobby Bo? Are you afraid?" Ansel grinned at me near the cutting board in the kitchen.

My face was a mask of fear and revulsion. I steadied myself against the trash can. It smelled horrendous. Especially now that I'd added to its wretched contents.

"Don't be such a pussy, Bobby Bo. We need to thicken your skin. And I know just the thing." Ansel held a hand out to Mute. "Gimme some fun," she ordered.

Obediently, Mute reached across the cutting board and picked up a long, sharp knife.

I gasped and hugged the bin to my quivering body.

BB perched on a counter top to my left. She crossed her legs and bounced a heeled shoe impatiently.

Ansel took the knife from Mute.

I gave out a stifled sob when I saw the sharp blade.

"Cut the crap, Bobby Bo. It's time to grow up." Ansel's eyes widened in anticipation.

My hands clenched into fists. "Kill me! Just kill me too, you FREAK!" I screamed.

The Bobbies watched me in silence. They were toying with me.

"Just kill me! Have your FUN!" I cried. I squeezed the trash can to steady my shaking legs.

"Shut up," Ansel spat. Her hateful blue eyes burned like fire into mine. "Here," Ansel said quietly. "It's your turn now, Bo." She grabbed my limp arm and forced the handle of the knife into my hand.

I gripped it weakly and held the blade protectively in front of me.

Mute adjusted her dark sunglasses and watched from behind Ansel.

BB fidgeted a hand on her knee.

"Come on, do it. Cut me! Make it deep!" Ansel spat, mocking me. A wicked grin spread across her face. "Cowards go nowhere, you shithead," Ansel taunted. "If you wanna be something in life, you gotta kill for it." Ansel shoved the trash can away from me and pressed herself tightly against my chest.

I stared in terror at the hellish monster before me.

Ansel grabbed my wrist and lifted the knife to her throat. "Come on, Bobby Bo. Cut me. Do it."

Tears streamed down my face. I was scared out of my mind.

Ansel squeezed my fingers tighter around the blade. My hand began to ache in pain.

"Stop it, Ansel. Stop it," I whimpered.

Her psychotic mouth widened, exposing two rows of shiny white teeth. A predator's smile.

I could barely breathe.

Ansel tightened her grip more firmly around my hand. The pain in my fingers became excruciating. "Kill me, Bo! Do it. DO IT!"

Before I could stop her, Ansel plunged the knife in my hand into her throat. Blood burst from her neck as the sharp blade sliced her open from ear to ear.

CHAPTER 7

I SCREAMED IN HORROR and dropped the knife.

Ansel's blood poured in a red tide down her front. Her eyes closed and she fell backwards onto the cutting board. There was a loud crack as her head hit the side of the counter top. She crumpled to the ground and lay still.

I gaped in shock. Ansel's blood was everywhere – on the ground, on the table, and all over me. I pulled the trash can towards me to use as a protective barrier. And then I barfed up whatever was still left in my stomach.

What was going on? My mind whirred in a mix of terror and confusion. I should go to the police. I needed to find the principal. I HAD to get out of there.

I took deep breaths as I tried to control my beating heart. The gym teacher was dead and Ansel had just slit her throat.

I looked at BB and Mute. To my surprise, BB was painting one of her fingernails. Mute was unraveling her braid. Both girls appeared disinterested, as if Ansel's blood-covered body was not lying on the ground a few feet in front of them.

My legs felt shaky as I forced myself to stand. I grabbed a dish towel off the counter and rushed over to Ansel. I knelt beside her, pressing the towel firmly against her neck to stop the bleeding.

"Hold on, Ansel," I whimpered. "BB, Mute, go get help!" I screamed.

But the girls just sat there, completely ignoring me.

Stunned, I turned back to Ansel. She looked so peaceful. How could her friends not help her?

Suddenly, Ansel opened her eyes.

I jerked backwards in surprise, dropping the towel. My legs collided with the trash can.

Ansel arched her back and began to writhe. Her body pulsated up and down like a worm. She sighed and breathed in euphoric release. "Oh my god, it feels so good," she moaned. As she gyrated on the floor, her hands caressed her body, squeezing her chest and thighs in pleasure.