Sienna didn't hang out at the skatepark. She'd never even been there before, being aware it wasn't her scene or her territory. The freaks, geeks, skaters, and stoners owned this space, and even if she had any interest in skating, her kind wasn't welcome. Today, she arrived alone, searching for Damien. With her new look, she didn't stick out like a sore thumb. Nobody paid her any attention as she ambled about, trying to pick Damien from the crowd of Damien look-alikes. Eventually, she spotted him skating up the side of the half-pipe. After he spotted her, he kicked the board to his mate who took over without pause as Damien ran over to her."Come here," he said, leading her to the bench in the corner of the park. It sat beneath a tree—the leafy branches providing shade from the harsh glow of the sun. "Are you sure you want to know this?" he asked. "Because I feel like it's wrong of me to tell you. I'm honestly in two minds about this.""Please, Damien, I have a right to know," she p

"Please, Adrian," Scarlett cried for the millionth time as she followed Adrian about the kitchen. She held out her hands in rigid desperation, fingers curled up like talons as if trying to pull her desired response from his lips. She’d never felt this way about a male before. Yes, she had wanted Tom, but this was on a whole other level. It made her heart feel like there wasn’t enough room in her chest, and the thought of never seeing him again squeezed the air from her like a boa constrictor. She was desperate, but the more she cried and begged and grovelled, the less he seemed to care.“Oh, please, please, I beg you. I’m begging you to please just listen.”Again, he ignored her, barely glancing in her direction to deign her with a derisive scowl."Don't be like this," she pleaded. “I love him and you’re breaking my heart. Please understand. Please. Please. Please!”He turned his back to her, pulling open the cupboard to fetch the sugar and closing it with unnecessary force. Grains o

Sienna made her way home from Damien's house, still feeling high but at least able to walk in a straight trajectory. As she ambled down the tree-lined avenue, the row of red maples seemed to stretch on forever.She was still laughing at the episode of South Park Damien had played her—the one with the alternative kids. It was his favourite.'Damien is so much cooler than I ever realised,' Sienna thought. She pictured his face, his face, his outfit, and felt ashamed of her attraction to him.'I'm supposed to be devoted to Adrian,' she sighed, but when she pictured Adrian, it filled her with nothing but foreboding. She desperately wanted him to like her—to value her—but it didn't seem achievable.As she neared her house a text from Adrian appeared. Instead of skipping with its usual flutter, her heart darkened with dread."You don't have to go to him," she mumbled out loud, but it was a lie. She did have to go. After piling so much emotional investment into Adrian, she couldn't pull hers

Sienna felt a tingle of joy when she arrived at the party and Adrienne hugged her. Adrienne was the epitome of cool—badass and beautiful. She introduced a very subdued Scarlett and Adrian to her new friend, noticing how Adrian's eyes almost fell out of his head at the sight of her. She was probably his idea of the perfect woman.They followed the elegant goth girl into the kitchen where the drinks were laid out."I don't want to drink alcohol," Adrian said. "Make me tea."Without warning, Adrienne grabbed him by his arm, inspecting one before doing the same to the other."They don't seem broken to me," she declared. "Make your own tea.""I wasn't asking you," he said, curling up his lip. He looked positively outraged—as if he might rip out her throat with his bare hands."You weren't asking anyone," Adrienne shot back. She grabbed a couple of beers in one hand and Sienna in the other, leading her into the living room while loudly asking Damien to have a word with his 'dickhead mate.'

Sienna stared at the television, not seeing the image on the screen. She couldn't concentrate on anything for more than a second or two.It was her third day without food. After the party, Adrian had told her he wouldn't be seeing her ever again unless she did a hunger strike for a week. At the time it had seemed achievable, but now, only three days in, she was on the verge of breaking.After three days without sustenance her stomach was cramping, she felt tired, was getting a cold, and her attention span was so short it was practically non-existent, like Dory from Finding Nemo. She wasn't allowed to tell anyone either, so had to keep pretending she had an icky stomach every time somebody offered her food.Coffee was good though. She had discovered the joys of strong, milk free and sugarless coffee since this was all she was allowed besides water. Over the last few days, she had become obsessed with the stuff, drinking cup after cup for the electric zing of the caffeine buzz. It wore