My Friends and My Love Story

"You poisoned Reyna's mind!" I yelled.

"She was mine first my everything until you ruined it!"

Eric's smirk was like gasoline on fire.

"I didn't ruin anything," he spat. "You pushed her away."

I clenched my fists. "I love her."

"She hates you," he said coldly. "She's afraid of you."

"Shut up," I growled.

"She doesn't love you. She never did."

"Shut up!" I pointed the loaded gun at his chest.

"Tyler, no-"

BANG.

Everything went black.

***

REYNA

My alarm clock screamed into the silence, and I shot up, heart racing.

Another dream.

Another nightmare.

I dragged myself out of bed, heart still thudding. The cold floor reminded me I had no time for breakdowns. A shower. Vaseline. My worn Pizza Club shirt. Faded jeans. My sandals.

Lip gloss, facecap, purse.

I wasn't ready to return to school. Not after what happened last semester.

But school wasn't even the problem anymore, I looked at myself in the mirror as I sighed and went down stairs.

Mom was already serving breakfast at our small wooden table when I walked into the kitchen.

"Morning, Mom." I wrapped my arms around her from behind.

She smiled. "Morning, sweetie."

But that smile faded fast.

"Why are you in your work shirt? Don't you have school today?"

I froze. "I... just thought I'd help you today."

Her phone buzzed. She checked it then gasped.

"What's wrong?" I asked, though I already knew.

"It's from your principal. He said if I don't pay the remaining fees from last semester, you can't come back."

I blinked, slowly nodding. "Oh..."

Relief washed over me. Guilt followed right behind it.

"I'm so sorry, Reyna..."

"Hey! It's okay, Mom," I whispered, hugging her tight. "Maybe it's time for a new school anyway."

Mom left first, off to visit a friend before work. I locked the door, grabbed the company's old brown delivery bike, and started pedaling.

Hi. I'm Reyna Davis. Sixteen. Broke. Brilliant. Betrayed.

My dad disappeared the day I was born. I've never met a single relative. Just Mom and me.

And last semester? My first relationship, my first heartbreak. My ex and my best friend... together. They humiliated me in front of everyone. I still see the way they looked at me, like I was nothing.

I got on my bike going to the pizza hut, as i was riding i was so lost in thoughts then..

CRASH!

My body slammed to the pavement.

---

NATASHA

The sun filtered through satin curtains as I opened my eyes to a room dripping in pink and gold. I stretched like royalty in my massive bed, then headed straight to the jacuzzi.

Twenty minutes later, I stood before my vanity, brushing my hair, rubbing lotions and lining my lips with a fierce red.

Gucci shoes. Versace socks. Flawless uniform. Pink Chanel backpack. Confidence? Immaculate.

I was Natasha Benjamin. Sixteen. Rich. Beautiful. Cheer captain. And completely untouchable.