"Look I am truly grateful because of the way you helped me out back there.."
"You should be grateful to me, yes.''
" But it's better for you to keep your distance from me if you don't like.... getting soaked in rain and mud.''
The class had just ended and Ms. Hails had left giving Sam and Hailey the 'eye', the one that says - you better explain this shit to me now!
"I like rain," Hailey said and stood up, "Ms. Hails is probably waiting for us, let's go."
Hailey was fast. She was walking but there was something about her long strides that Sam had to run to keep up with her. But even as she was leaving the class she couldn't help but wonder if Annabeth had been staring at the pair of them, Sam and her new friend. So she couldn't help but look back.
Annabeth REALLY was looking at the them. But she didn't look angry or hostile. She didn't even look interested in them. Her face was calm and unreadable. Sam ducked her head and just followed Hailey. What a fucking psychopath!
"Do you happen to know which class the Audrey girl goes to?''
"Huh?'' Sam couldn't make much sense of what Hailey was saying, her brain kept flashing her pictures of Annabeth's face, unreadable and calm, like the sky before a storm.
Hailey stopped walking, "Beatrice Audrey, you know sister of that star actress from that Netflix Series everyone is crazy about?'' She raised an eyebrow, "Where do you live? Under the rocks?''
Somehow it made Sam mad. "Ofcourse I know her, she enrolled here in the freshman year. My cousin probably has the same classes as she does!''
"Let's go see your cousin."
Hailey grabbed Sam by her arm and started pulling her, " I wanna meet a celebrity kid."
"Didn't Ms. Hails wanted us in the teachers' room?'' Sam tried to resist her.
"We can say I caught fever and you took me home!'' Hailey said, " I don't feel like going to Ms. Hailey anymore."
Sam knew if she followed Hailey now, not only would she recieve an earful from Ms. Hails later but they would definately miss the next class. But then again, she had never been really one of those 'academically serious' students. And the last few months had just drained her so much she had started to want to escape her sour reality in any way possible.
And Hailey felt as refreshing as an exit door.
It was not until they were standing before school's 'Track and field Club' Sam remembered she hadn't really been close with her cousin, Vivek, which could give her the privilege of forcing him to introduce her to the celebrity kid.
"Your Cousin in an athlete?'' Hailey asked. "You have NO idea," Sam said, all grim.
Sam's cousin, Vivek, was probably the most famous kids in Beckham Highschool. Even people like Annabeth Cruz or Beatrice Audrey would have a hard time topping over his popularity. This was because he was known as the 'Saviour of Sports Club'. In his freshman year, Vivek had already helped the Taekwondo club win it's first Cup in an inter-school competition. When the badminton club had been having a hard time in trying to recruit members and had been on the verge of shutting down, Vivek had joined the club and increased it's popularity. Baseball, basketball, soccer- every sports club of Beckham was ever grateful to him, to the point they had made him Vice- President of Students' Council despite the fact he didn't have a brain gifted enough to actually impress the teachers in his studies. Now Vivek was helping the school's Track team in winning a State-level marathon.
In the small town of Beckham, among the kids of this highschool, Sam's cousin was sort of a celebrity himself.
A guy, tall with broad shoulders, walked up to them. He was sweating so bad it looked like he had been standing under shower for last few minutes. Sam tried not to gag.
"Can I help you guys?" He asked. "Vivek, is he here?'' Sam asked.
The guy rolled his eyes, ''He doesn't have time for fangirls. If you ladies keep disturbing his practice hours no way he can-''
"I'm not his fangirl," Sam snapped, "I'm his cousin!''
"Yea, sure sure, you people keep coming up with better and better excuses to see him.''
"Godddd, have anyone ever told you, you are annoying?'' Hailey sighed. Sam's jaw dropped. The guy narrowed his eyes, "Excuse me?!'' "Go and tell our guy that his cousin is here to see him, shooh!'' Hailey was checking her nails. The guy looked at Sam, no he GLARED at her... What did he expect Sam to do?! To scold Hailey?
"I'm not her mother," Sam explained, "But I would feel extremely thankful if you still decide to be the bigger person and call Vivek for me."
"The bigger person," The guy said, "I will be the bigger person."
As he left Sam asked Hailey, "Are you always this salty?'' which Hailey never answered.
Vivek showed up, looking equally sweaty and gross like the other guy. "You look awful," Sam's cousin mused, wiping his face with the jersey he wore, "Is this what's trending as the newest fashion look? Dirty clothes that makes you look like a beggar?''
"You shouldn't talk about how I look when you yourself look sticky and gross like a toad," Sam said, "Anyway, introduce me to Beatrice Audrey."
Vivek huffed.
"Ten bucks," Sam said and Vivek turned away.
"Twenty!"
He looked back slowly.
"I can't do over thirty, man," Sam said.
"You ignorant dumbass, our Coach is literally torturing me here eight hours each day. Do you think I've the luxury to go around introducing myself to celebrity kids?''
He was loud. People turned their heads with eyes filled with curiosity. As Sam hissed, "Lower your voice!'' she noticed a very familiar face among the curious audience.
It was that tall guy with black curls. Annabeth's boyfriend. Nick's lackey. He looked at Sam, a faint smile playing on his lips, he had a phone close to his ears. He was talking to someone.
And Sam could guess who he was talking to. She could guess what he was talking about.
Vivek looked back at the guy, "Why are you looking at Taylor as if you've seen a ghost?". Taylor.. so that was what his name was ...
Sam couldn't answer. All she could think about how Annabeth probably knew that Sam and Hailey weren't with Ms. Hails, they hadn't gone to the class either. And that she was free to taunt and torture them.
"Forget about Audrey. Give me your car keys," Sam hated herself for how Annabeth made her feel, "You can just jog back to home, right? It will be good for your practice."
"You can take my car keys," Vivek hasitated a bit, "I've heard funny rumours about Annabeth, Nick and Taylor. Are they actually true? I thought you and Annabeth were bestfriends."
"She's my bestfriend now," Sam pointed at Hailey with her thumb, who clearly looked disappointed. Probably because they wouldn't be able to meet Beatrice Audrey today.
Vivek searched Sam's eyes for something, "Dad's gonna kill me if something happens to you....''
"The keys Vivek, your KEYS! My bestfriend is sick, I'm taking her home!'' Sam urged, frustrated.
It was a bliss that Hailey kept her mouth shut and didn't say a word. The moment Sam got the car keys she started running again, this time she was the one pulling Hailey to follow her.
"So we aren't gonna see Beatrice Audrey?'' Hailey mused.
"We can do that tomorrow. Or the day after tomorrow. Or the day after after tomorrow.."
"If we keep pushing things to tomorrow, we'll never be able to do it," Hailey said, there was definately double meanings of what she had just said. It was definitely not just about seeing Beatrice Audrey. But Sam played ignorant. Because this time she wasn't just trying to save herself. She was also trying to save Hailey.
Sam didn't want Hailey's first day at Beckham to be a mess because of her. She didn't want Hailey to hate highschool life like she had hated it. She didn't want to lose the only friend she had made in a long time.
They were at the parking lot. It was mostly empty. Good. Good. Sam looked around. Annabeth Cruz was nowhere to be seen. For a single moment, she felt relief. Ofcourse, no way Annabeth Cruz could skip classes just to chase after Sam, no matter how much she hated her. That just didn't make sense, right?.... right?
But there she was. Sitting on the hood of Vivek's second hand Ford playing catch with Nick who sat on the road before the car. They were throwing back and forth a small pocket knife. The blondes were there as well, taking selfies, leaning over Vivek's car.
Sam hadn't realized she had frozen the second she had spotted Annabeth. "Move," Hailey ordered, slightly annoyed, "She's not gonna eat you."
"A-are you sure? Her teeth look sharp," Sam stuttered. Annabeth had noticed them as well. She hopped down from where she sat and walked to them waving her hand, "Good kids don't skip school!'' She sang.
Sam didn't know what came over her but she pulled Hailey behind her, "Annabeth, leave her be! You have beef with me, not her." But there was Nick. He pushed aside Sam, "Anne doesn't wanna talk with you, step aside you dumbfuck,'' Sam stumbled back.
This can't be happening.. Annabeth and Hailey stood face to face. "Hi! I'm Annabeth Cruz, I've heard you are the new Mayor's daughter," She grabbed Hailey's hand and shook it, "My mom is the President of Local Golf Club and Dad is the Chief of Beckham's Police Department. I have a hunch we'll be seeing eachother a lot."
"How tiresome," Hailey said but Sam felt strangely relieved. Atleast Hailey wasn't a nobody like her. Harming the Mayor's daughter should have some dire consequences, "I really don't like hanging out with losers," Hailey sighed.
Annabeth laughed. She snatched the pocket knife from Nick. She looked at Hailey, smiling, "It would be such a shame if there was a nasty scar on your face.''
And Sam knew Annabeth Cruz wasn't just bluffing. She really was a psychopath afterall.
Annabeth swung the knife. Sam barely managed to stand up and pull Hailey back, "Annabeth!" Sam cried, "This is too much!''
"Your Dad will have such a fun day at work arresting his own daughter!'' But Hailey was just giggling, like everything was a big joke to her.
"Go ahead. Report Me. Run back to your daddy!'' Annabeth shrugged.
Sam now knew the weight of the proverb, 'two lions in one cage.' Both of Hailey and Annabeth had influential parents, both of them were nutjobs. Both of them were too stubborn to back off. Therefore, this could lead only to a bloodbath.
Sam thrashed her backpack to Hailey along with her carkeys, "Hailey, can you put my bag in the trunk of the car?''
Hailey cocked her head in one side, "You can just throw it in the backseat."
"I need the backseat empty. I-I need to pick up some grocery there.."
"You're very bad at coming up with excuses," Hailey mused but she did as she was told. As she walked off to the back of the car Sam tried to hold her ground against the Cruze twins.
"Please don't bother her," As Sam begged Annabeth, she couldn't even properly look at her in the eyes, "I don't mind your stupid pranks and behaviours. You can carry on torturing me but leave her out of this."
"What are you doing?'' Annabeth asked, she sounded genuinely surprised. Probably because this was the first time in a very long time Sam had dared to utter anything before her. "I want to protect her," Sam hushed.
She could hear Hailey shouting, "Sam why is the trunk of the car unlocked? Did someone break it?''
"It's fine! The car's old maybe that's why it got broken somehow. I'm sure there was nothing in the trunk, just throw my backpack in there!"
"You want to protect her?!" Annabeth grabbed Sam's collar demanding attention, "That's so cute but all of this could be solved if she stops hanging out with a coward boring person like you!''
"I agree with the coward part!'' Hailey was suddenly howling with laughter, "But can't say she's boring! The things you keep in your car's trunk are quite eye catching!''
The first thing Sam thought Hailey had found were adult magazines or things like that. Vivek was a growing teenage boy, it wouldn't be a surprise to find odd things in his car. Embarassed she tore herself away from Annabeth and rushed to Hailey, "Just close the trunk for now."
But as she noticed the 'eye catching thing' in the car's trunk, her mind went blank. For a moment Sam actually WISHED it was something as harmless as adult magazines.
A girl, long curly hair, wearing a navy blue shirt, Jeans and boots were lying inside the trunk. She had crawled up into that small space with a coffee coloured blazer on top of her like some sort of substitute for a blanket.
"She's still breathing," Hailey whispered in Sam's ears and Sam jumped. Annabeth shouldn't see this. She had been tormenting Sam for no reason at all. What if she found something to justify her actions against Sam? Like Sam's cousin could very well be a kidnapper?
Dammit Vivek! Couldn't you drop some hint about how there was a passed out girl in your car's trunk?! Or did you want to frame the abduction on me??
Sam's teeth started chattering. Hailey slowly closed the trunk. She and Sam locked eyes. Act Natural. Act natural.
They walked back to the front of the car. But as Sam put her hand on the door of the car Annabeth grabbed her collar, "We weren't done talking."
"I see there's no other way," Hailey cracked her knuckles, "I'm gonna count to three, if you don't leave her by then, I am punching your pretty face!''
"You won't DARE-" Annabeth growled.
"One!''
"You think I'll just let it slide-" Annabeth started....
THWACK!
Annabeth fell, lips split, blood dripping from her nose. Hailey pushed Sam into the car, "Start the car start the car!'' She chanted.
Sam sat there on the driver's seat screaming at Hailey, "YOU SAID YOU WILL COUNT TO THREE!''
"I LIED TO CATCH HER OFF GUARD NOW DRIVE!''
With shaking hands Sam started the engine. But infront of the car stood Nicholas Cruz. His face was red with anger, he had a brick in his hand. Hailey moved from her seat.
As Sam sat there, frozen with horror, watching Nicholas Cruz attempting to climb on the hood of the car with a brick in his hand, Hailey squeezed into the driver's seat, "What are you doing?'' Sam asked, "He's blocking the exit and we can't really back the car..."
Hailey almost climbed onto her lap. Sam awkwadly laid back watching Hailey shifting the gear from neural to first.
"Who said anything about backing?'' Hailey asked and pressed on the steering wheel. The horns blew loudly making Nick jump back a few feet. The blondes shrieked in union. And Hailey stepped on the pedal. The car started rushing towards Nick at full speed.
Sam squeezed her eyes shut.
"TAKE THE WHEEL I CAN'T DRIVE LIKE THIS!'' Hailey barked orders. But Sam opened her eyes slowly, one after another. Her heartbeat felt defeaningly loud, drowning all the screams and shrieks. She peered at the rearview mirror and noticed the Cruz twins- Annabeth with a bloody nose and Nick quivering with rage, but standing tall, looking very.... 'alive'.
"Thank God you haven't murdered Nicholas Cruz!'' Sam sighed, finally taking over the wheels.
"What a shame,'' Hailey went back to her seat grumbling, "He jumped out of the way at the last minute."
It wasn't funny at all. There was a senseless girl in the trunk of the car owned by Sam's cousin. And they had almost hit Nicholas Cruz, the son of Beckham's Police Chief with the same car. And Sam's new friend had smacked Annabeth Cruz so hard her nose was bleeding. None of these things were funny.
But Sam was laughing. She hadn't laughed like this in a long time. She hadn't laughed like this since she and Annabeth had fallen out. Something had lifted off her chest. Things that she had taken so seriously for past few months, Hailey seemed to get rid of them easily. Everything that had happened in school today didn't make much sense. But it was sort of refreshing and nice.
After they had covered a good distance, Sam decided to stop the car. Neither she nor Hailey said a word. They quietly got off the car. The place where they had stopped was on the Highway with woods stretching on both sides. Sam always knew her cousin wasn't normal. Vivek talks even when his mouth is full with foods. And he sings so bad in the shower. His favourite words were Protein and 'Red Bull'. But he was still too bland to be a Ted Bundy. No way he could commit kidnapping and murder with his muscle brain.
Sam threw open the trunk and the two of them huddled close. "You said she was breathing right?'' Sam asked Hailey and poked the passed out girl.
"Ugh, you are ruining my beauty sleep," The girl suddenly said, eyes still closed.
"WHAT THE FFF-" Stalin clutched her chest, she had jumped back a feet, "I thought, I thought...." her heart was beating so fast she lost her ability to speak for few seconds.
The girl sat up looking mildly annoyed. There were dust and dark stains on her expensive looking blazer. Probably because she was lying in Vivek's car's trunk which was not exactly the cleanest place to sleep.
"How did you get in here?'' Sam inquired the bizzare girl. "I broke the lock," said the girl and fished out a bundle of money from her blazer. She slowly slapped Sam's face with the money, "Just let me hide here for a while and I'll reward you sweetly. The paparazzi and the kids at school keep following me around," She pushed the bundle of notes in Sam's hand, "I know I'm famous and all but it's just getting too exhausting."
"Is this some sort of scam?'' Sam looked at the fat bundle of notes, "Are they even real?''
"Just send me your account details if you want more," The girl flipped her hair. She seemed so unbothered with the fact that she had just handed over a huge amount of money to Sam which could possibly take care of the entire educational expense of Sam's student life.
"Is this some kind of prank?'' Sam looked around, "Some tiktok video?'' Unfortunately she couldn't find any hidden camera.
"When are you going to ask questions that actually matter?'' The girl said. "What questions?'' Sam asked.
"Questions like who am I?'' The girl raised an eyebrow.
"Everyone knows who you are," Hailey said and Sam looked at her, dumbfounded. Hailey glanced at Sam and shook her head, "Oh riiighht you live under rocks! Sorry, I forgot that."
"Who IS she!'' Sam demanded.
"Beatrice! THE Beatrice Audrey! Sister of Agnes Audrey, one of the most famous actresses in America's entertainment industry, second daughter of renowned producer Agatha Audrey!'' Hailey snapped, "And she was hiding in the trunk of your cousin's car!''
" Hello I am Beatrice Audrey" The girl gave them a quick smile, ,"You can call me Bee."