Ten

M:

It has been exactly two months and two days since the new student, Remington Alvarez, showed up. In that short window, she's managed to transition from 'weirdo' to 'hot weirdo.'

No matter where I go, her name seems to bounce from wall to wall. I'll admit, I disliked her the second I saw her.

She didn't actually do anything to me, but I have a sixth sense for people who are going to be a problem. I knew she'd have half the school's undivided attention within hours, and I was right—as always.

The moment she stood at the front of the class, I was floored by her height. I've never seen a girl tower over everyone like that.

I felt a flicker of intimidation, but I made sure it vanished as quickly as it appeared.

"Can you believe the nerve of that weirdo?" one of the cheerleaders muttered, her voice grating on my last nerve. I scrunched my nose but forced a plastic smile.

"I'll make her life at this school as insufferable as possible, trust me," I stated, my face remaining a blank mask, and they bought it instantly.

Fucking idiots.

The day dragged on. I couldn't catch a break from the constant chatter about the new girl.

I shared a few classes with her and noticed she always wore this awkward smile—like she was acutely aware of the unwanted spotlight she'd stepped into.

"Hey Marge, can I come over to study later?" Heather asked after our final period. She's the only person in this building I can tolerate besides the principal.

"Sure. I was contemplating ending it all, but your presence should distract me from the void for a while."

"Girl—what?" Heather blinked, her bubbly brain failing to process the sarcasm.

"I'm kidding." I wasn't, but she didn't need to know that.

"Oh, okay! Stay safe, see you later!" She gave me a quick peck on the cheek and skipped toward her car.

I watched her go, shaking my head at her relentless optimism before heading to my own car.

As I drove, the familiar dread began to settle in my gut. I hated this town, but I hated my life even more.

The large double gates of the estate opened, and I pulled in, handing my keys to Harold who didn't seem to look like he'd aged at all in more than a decade.

I walked through the threshold of the house—it certainly wasn't a home—and scanned the foyer with caution, hoping I wouldn't run into him.

"Welcome back."

The voice boomed from the top of the stairs. I cringed internally.

What was he doing here so early?

"Hello, Father," I forced out, my smile as stiff as a board.

"How was school today?" He descended the stairs with an irritating amount of practiced grace.

"It was fine. We had a new student," I replied, keeping my tone flat and disinterested.

"Oh, I heard. A Remington Alvarez, yes? I gathered she isn't...our kind. Very disappointing." He shook his head with a tut, a sneer of pure disgust twisting his features.

I hummed and tried to push past him, but he caught my arm. His grip tight.

"I never dismissed you. Did you speak to this girl?"

"I just told her to get off my table," I snapped. Get your filthy hands off me.

"Good. Keep your distance. Am I clear?" His eyes bored into mine with a silent threat.

"As clear as day. May I go to my room now?" I hope you choke in your sleep.

"Yes. Be down for dinner in two hours."

My room was the only sanctuary I had in this hell hole. I collapsed onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.

My asshat of a father had just ordered me to steer clear of Remington, which meant I was definitely going to do the opposite.

She was far too intriguing to ignore.

Dinner was as lifeless as ever. The only sound was the sharp scrape of silverware against china. The silence was suffocating, but I didn't dare speak.

If I heard that man's voice one more time, I was worried I'd actually lose it.

"Thank you for the meal," I murmured, standing up with my plate.

"Leave it. Martha will get it," he said without looking up.

"I'll wash it myself to save her the stress."

"I already pay her for that, Margaux. If she finds the work stressful, she can go hunting for another job." His tone was final. He always had to have the last word.

I let out a dejected sigh, left the plate, and retreated to the stairs.

A few weeks passed, and the atmosphere at school shifted from 'curious' to 'chaotic.'

"That's it for today, girls. Freshen up and go home," I announced after cheer practice, reaching for my water.

"Actually, I saw the basketball team practicing at the gym. Can we go watch?" Heather asked, and the rest of the squad murmured in agreement.

I rolled my eyes but followed after them. I wanted to see what the She-hulk was up to anyway.

After making my entrance, I did what I do best. “Y'all mind if we sit and watch?" I asked, blowing a bubble with my gum.

Kevin Levine, the captain, gave us a predatory smirk that made my skin crawl. I've always hated that guy.

My eyes drifted to the court, where Remington was being hauled up from the floor by Michael Reynolds.

The air in the gym got heavy fast. Kevin and Michael were suddenly chest-to-chest, screaming at each other.

"Why are you treating this thing like a person?" Kevin laughed, and even from the bleachers, the venom in his voice was sickening.

Michael shot back, defending her, and I found myself glaring at Remington. She just raised a brow at me, looking completely unbothered by the drama surrounding her.

Then Kevin took it too far. He started spewing that 'taint the world' garbage, jabbing his finger at her.

Heather frowned beside me. "What the fuck is wrong with Kevin?"

I saw the hurt flash in Remington's eyes before she locked it down behind a mask of stone. I had to respect the restraint.

Then, Michael threw the first punch. The court went silent for a heartbeat before exploding into a brawl.

Remington tried to intervene, but Carl and Cain—the two fashion rejects—blocked her path. I couldn't hear the specifics, but Cain had a disgusting smirk on his face.

Remington didn't even argue; she just put her fist through Carl's jaw, rendering him unconscious instantly.

I audibly gasped. The sheer power she possessed was...terrifyingly attractive.

Behind me, the girls were whispering about her arms and how aggressive they'd imagine her to be in bed.

My jaw clenched at their perverse thoughts. They were flat out objectifying the poor girl.

I watched as Remington hauled Kevin off Michael like he weighed nothing. She looked like she was teasing him, which only made Kevin go full rabid dog.

He lunged at her, swinging wildly until their Coach's voice boomed through the rafters, effectively ending the show.

I didn't stick around for the fallout. I turned on my heel, ignoring the girls' chatter as I headed for the locker room.

I needed to get the smell of that gym off me, but mostly, I needed to be alone before my face betrayed whatever it was I was feeling.

The locker room eventually became a chaotic mess of high-pitched squeals and giggles.

"I'm telling you, Remi looked so sexy in that jersey," one of the girls gushed while I yanked off my top. "I had to remind myself not to spread my legs and let her do whatever she wanted with me!"

I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt. "You call that sexy? She was a mess," I snapped, though my heart was still hammering a crazy rhythm.

"Oh, come on, Margaux," Lisa added from across the room. "You saw that punch. Imagine what she could do with all that strength, mmm." She bit her lip and it took everything in me to not puke my lunch.

I clenched my jaw, the bar of soap in my hand snapping in two. "Can we talk about something other than the new girl for five fucking minutes?"

The room went quiet, and I took that as my cue to disappear into the shower.

I stood under the ice-cold water, letting it shock my system, trying to wash away the image of Remington's fist connecting with Carl's jaw.

She was violent, unpredictable, and everything my father hated.

She was perfect.

Later, in the parking lot, I was just about to get into my car when the side doors of the school flew open.

Remington came out first, followed by a mountain of a man in a crisp suit and a few other parents. Kevin was right there too, and I could tell from the way he was leaning into her space that he was still spewing his usual garbage.

I couldn't hear the exact words over the distant sound of traffic, but I saw Remington's body go rigid.

She said something back to him, though the wind carried the actual words away.

Suddenly, Kevin's arm blurred. He punched her right in the face.

My breath hitched.

I actually stopped breathing for a second, expecting her to go down. She didn't. She didn't even flinch. She swung back with a ferocity that made my grip tighten on my car's door handle.

"Ms. Alvarez!"

The man in the suit shouted, his voice carrying across the lot as he lunged forward. He grabbed her bicep, yanking her back before she could land another hit.

Kevin stumbled back, clutching his jaw, looking genuinely shocked that she had actually drawn blood.

Then Michael Reynolds ran over, grabbing her other arm to help hold her down.

From where I stood, she looked like a trapped predator, snarling and straining against the two men holding her back.

Kevin was wiping his lip, his mouth moving fast as he noticeably spat more insults at her.

The man in the suit ignored the kids. He turned his attention to Kevin's father, Malcolm Levine, who was uselessy standing there with nothing but a sneer.

The man in the suit looked dangerous.

Even from fifty feet away, I could see the coldness in his stance. He said something to Malcolm, and for the first time in my life, I saw Kevin's father actually look nervous.

Malcolm shoved Kevin toward their SUV, and they sped off, the tires screeching like a wounded animal.

I watched as the tension slowly drained out of the group.

The man in the suit threw an arm over Remington's shoulders, guiding her toward a black Camaro.

They were talking, but their voices were low murmurs now. He gave her shoulder a firm squeeze and she muttered something back that made him shake his head.

She opened the driver's side door, but before she got in, she paused. She looked directly into her side-view mirror—right at me.

Our eyes locked for a second, but it felt like eternity. I didn't let my expression change. I kept the Ice mask perfectly in place, my face as cold as the wind blowing my hair every which way.

I got into my car without a second glance, slammed it into gear, and sped out of the lot.

My heart beat grew erratic.

I couldn't decide what was more irritating: the fact that she'd just stood up to the school's golden boy, or the way her messy curls looked against the rays of the setting sun.

I needed to stay away from her. But as I watched her disappear in my rearview mirror, I knew I couldn't.