Hell A Better Place…

June.

“JUNE MONTGOMERY! YOU BETTER HAUL YOUR ASS OUT OF BED BEFORE I MAKE JULIAN DO IT.”

That was my mother’s voice piercing through the house like a frickin’ banshee. Calling Julian to wake me up? Hell, he could not even touch me with a ten foot pole if he needed that to stay alive.

However, my mother did not give a rat ass what twin rivalry we had. She would make him do it.

With what little strength I had, I rolled out of bed like a drunk mole and trudged towards the bathroom. I couldn’t believe it was another Monday morning to deal with that asshole – Knox Ashford.

Five more days of school. Five more days of having to deal with him. Ever since he transferred to DoveTales High, he had never failed to be consistent in making my life a living nightmare.

I bet he could top the class if he spent that energy buried in his homework.

See, before that jerk, my mornings were blissful. I used to leap out of bed with so much life such that being late felt like an unpardonable crime against my honor.

But since his arrival, he made it a point of duty to ruin my mornings with childish pranks. If it wasn’t a sparkle bomb in my locker, it was gum on my seat or my gym clothes had been shrunken.

Even if I tried to avoid him, it was like he knew the exact second to flaunt whatever the hell he wanted just to make me miserable.

While combing my nest of a head and carefully concealing the bald spot caused by you-know-who, I forced myself to brace for the torture I was yet to receive.

By the time I made it downstairs, the kitchen smelled faintly of burnt toast and eggs. Mom was there juggling a frying pan and a cup of coffee. Her eyes narrowed as they settled on me.

“June! You are late again!”

I froze in the doorway, watching her drop a piece of toast onto the dining in frustration. I flinched.

“I–” before the words could even make their way out, she stopped me. She knew all my lame excuses by heart now.

“You can’t keep this up, June. Seriously! Over the last few months, you have been showing unusual changes and your grades have dropped. This–this lazy attitude of yours is totally unacceptable. Now your brother already drove to school without you. You’ll be taking the bus and that’s final.”

She turns away from me and murmurs something about being unwilling to keep up with me anymore.

“How could you let Julian leave without me?”

“When will you learn to stop being so selfish?”

I sighed, already exasperated. She would never understand. “You know I could have gone with him in the car.”

“All the more reasons why you need to wake up early! You can’t keep making excuses. These changes of yours are unacceptable and if you continue this way, you are going to regret it.”

“I don’t have changes and please, if it’s possible, I want my own car. I know we cannot afford it right now but can I work to save up for it?” I implored with desperation tugging tight.

“No, I won’t allow that. You have to focus on school, study hard and get into college. That is your priority, not some job.”

“But you let Julian get a car. You even let him work, so why can’t I have the same privileges?” I snap, heat rising in my chest.

“That is different. Julian is a boy who needs to start early and make his own way. He needs to learn to handle responsibility but you…you need to focus on your studies. Life for you is all about priorities and discipline…”

As she droned on and on, all I could think about was how much I hated my twin brother. Handle responsibility, my pretty bubble butt.

He was the older twin whose natural job was to support me always. Instead, he treated me like a leper at home. It was worse in school and it was all because of the stupid hockey team he was a part of. Also, guess who was the captain?

That’s right. That murderous little monster. Knox Evilford.

Siblings were supposed to have each other’s backs but with Julian, that was nearly impossible. Especially when I was being bullied by his stupid captain, he stood there like a faithful lapdog and watched.

Never once calling for help or lifting a finger.

I groaned inwardly, eager to put an end to my mother’s useless lecture. “Whatever you say, ma. Can you at least drop me off?” I tried, in hopes she’d be kind enough to.

Her derisive laugh cut me off. “Not a chance, young lady. Get out and wait for the bus. Chop-chop, get your lazy ass moving.”

With an angry huff, I grab my bag and stomp to the door.

Twins may share birthdays, but fairness? It was nothing but wistful thinking for someone like me.

*_*_*_*

Luckily for me, I reached school on time. Double my luck, the creepy bastard was nowhere to be seen, until I saw the crowd gathered near the entrance.

And there he was, Knox the shitty Ashford. The royal asshat of DoveTales High.

He was lounging on the hood of his red sports car, the school’s hockey jacket draped over his shoulders while his four minions gathered around him like zombies.

My stomach churned as I approached the entrance and I hoped to God they couldn’t see me. I kept my head low as I tried to shrink into myself or melt into the throng of students headed the same way as me.

Perhaps, if I tried not to–

“Hey, Montgomery! Catch!”

Before I could wrap my head around what was happening, a straight football slammed into my face. Pain exploded around my face and skull, and I stumbled backward.

My books spilled from my bag as I fell hard onto the concrete. I shot what I hoped was a menacing glare at Knox.

If only I could just wring his stupid neck until he turned blue in the face and passed out. His smirk was beyond infuriating. He knew what he was doing and he reveled in it.

“You okay?” someone next to him asked. He was barely holding back his snickers.

“I’m fine,” I snapped, scrambling to pick up my things. My hands were already vibrating with humiliation and barely contained rage.

Knox stepped closer to me and in the process, very deliberately kicked one of the books out of my reach.

“You know, you should really watch where you are going, June. can’t have you falling all over yourself every morning and flashing the whole school.”

Is he for real? I should watch where I’M going? That sounded like a load of crap but what about this dickhead wasn’t crappy? I was already minding my business before he decided to ruin my life again.

Despite my anger, I knew better than to say a word out loud. I learned hard the first time.

I clenched my jaw to bite down a retort. Scratch that. Make it plural.

Bully. Asshole. Useless fucking jerk.

Oh the words were on the very tip of my tongue, but I dared not. At least not in front of him yet.

He tossed the football back to his friend and leaned back against his car. I wanted to punch him six ways into next year–and my pathetic self for even choosing that moment to notice how infuriatingly perfect he looked.

Catching myself, I began to find a way to slip past without being noticed, praying something wouldn’t be a reason for him to humiliate me again.

“And Montgomery…”he called aloud again.

My stomach dropped in shock. Curse me for speaking too soon.

“Maybe tomorrow, I’ll aim for those big boobs of yours instead of your precious books. Would that be alright?”

As heat painted my cheeks crimson, I gritted my teeth in righteous rage, and right before I exploded in his face, reined myself in. Adjusting my glasses and glancing down at myself, I recalled what a dirty liar he was.

Well…even if he wasn’t, did he seriously intend to flatten them with a ball?

Just when I thought the worst was over, Caid, one of Knox’s lackeys, decided to take the humiliation a step further. It was like a ritual at this point. Knox did the opening glee and Caid sealed it perfectly.

Before I could scurry out of his path, Caid grabbed my wrist.

“Not so fast, nerd. Playtime isn’t over.”

And my brain already knew what he was after. My glasses. I just got these after the one they ruined last week. Heaven knew how tired I was of explaining to the optician how I keep walking into a wall.

“Caid please let me go…” I stuttered as a fresh wave of panic rose, but he refused to let up.

Playing deaf, he yanked my glasses off my face and slipped them onto his own, mocking me for all who cared to see.

His smirk deepened as he approached me. “You are so freaking nerdy. Maybe I should just keep these as souvenirs."

“No! Please, I can’t do without them.”

“Hey, Knox! Toss that ball over here. I think she is ready to play now.”

And I knew for a fact that someone was gonna get hurt. Me. Obviously.