It had been the first week into the new semester. I was now a senior. Thank God for that fact, because I couldn't wait to head off to college and leave behind me this pathetic excuse of a life.

As I made my way down the hallway throughout the crowds of loquacious and occupied teenagers just emerging from various classes my head tilted downwards, a method of shielding my face from them with my oversized hoodie. My heart began to pick up. They weren't suppose to be out yet were they? Did I spend longer than necessary in the bathroom?

According to the last bell of the day, school had been dismissed not even a minute ago and I was fully aware of what happened after school to me.

I went over to my locker, frantically shoving my textbooks inside. I walked away briskly from the loud commotion the children were making. I fixed one of my bag straps that fell off my shoulders and pulled my grey hood further over my head.

There's no way they'll get me today, I thought with sheer confidence before bursting through the front doors of the large building and headed straight for the my house that was in a fair distance.

I released a breath of relief thanking the big man upstairs for what I planned worked. I had asked the teacher to go to the the toilets five minutes before class had finished. There was no doubt in my mind she was going to turn me down like many occasionally did and I was right. I didn't bother heading back to class but instead prepared to go home but unfortunately I really had to go. If you know what I mean. So I ended up wasting my time peeing and that explained why I was behind on schedule.

It was a twenty minute walk home from school and vice versa. I was probably the only senior who didn't own a car or some means of independent transportation to carry them to school.

Though, I didn't really mind. I enjoyed walking home in the nice sunny weather with the cool breeze blowing across my face, whipping my hair back. It gave me me some type of therapeutic release.

I breathed in the salty air, courtesy of a nearby beach and I could feel myself relax.

These moments were rare for me. That was mainly why I enjoyed walking home - this was the only time where I could gain a little well deserved peace and had a break from my life for just a moment. A couple minutes. Twenty minutes.

I gazed down at my silver wristwatch and saw that I had been walking for ten minutes so far.

Leona, my step mother, thought it unnecessary for me to own a smartphone. She put forth that I had no friends or anyone to call me, so why should I get one? She was right...kind of.

I had no friends. I was just that quiet girl in the corner of the room, who slouched in her seat due to uncontrollable poor posture with her hoodie covering her face. As far as status went I wouldn't necessarily classify myself as a teacher's pet but it was something close to that. They favored me a lot. Sometimes I wondered if it was pity. Meh, I wouldn't be surprised if it. Intelligence was something that came naturally to me, so that could be a reason. Me holding a straight A profile and all.

Residing in the City of Angels famously known as Los Angeles, California my family consisted of my step mother, step brother and my two step sisters.

My step mother's name was Leona as I had mentioned earlier on. She was what one could simply describe as the scarily perfect reincarnation of Cruella De Vil. Only sad thing was, she didn't torment a bunch of dogs but me instead.

But what was the difference though? In her eyes I was surely no better than those 101 Dalmatians.

Her daughters, Sirina and Natasha, were teenagers like me and so was their brother Justin.

I had a brother, my blood brother who was Caleb. He didn't live in California anymore because he traveled abroad to attend The London University. Unfortunately, I didn't try to contact him when he first left like he had asked me to and when he took matters into his own hands and attempted to get to me it would only be for no more than five minutes with me coming up with some lame excuse to hang up. We weren't as close as we used to be before everything went wrong. Matter of fact, we weren't close at all.

My mind wandered back to when we were innocent kids, naive to all the pain the world had in store for us in the future. Lost in my thoughts, I failed to take notice of the familiar car that slowed down right beside me where I walked on the sidewalk. The car's door slamming broke my reverie. My breath got caught in my throat when I saw the wicked brown haired witch step out with her two jock minions behind her. If looks could kill I would have died on spot thanks to her intense eyes, the pressure of them feeling like the world was on my shoulders.

Neither of them had to utter a single word, I took off running.

"Catch her!" I heard her shout. The thudding of heavy footsteps behind me started. With my eyes as wide as saucers I ran with all of my might. Jocks or not I will not let them catch me.

Having knowledge that I was merely five minutes away from home, hope of making it filled me but it deflated at the realization that I was getting winded.

Just a bit further, I thought desperately as I finally spotted the grand blue and white house. Approximately thirty steps away from the front door I felt a huge thing tackle me, resulting in my head hitting the ground. Hard. My head bobbed and I groaned from the harsh impact.

The person who jumped on me was above me straddling me. They turned me around so I could face them. It was one of the jocks, Nick I think his name was. I stared at him with big eyes at what the stunt he had performed.

"Nice one bro!" The other jock commented in praise as he finally caught up to us.

I looked around in search of any of the neighbors or passerby.

"Get up you bitch!" Growling like the rabid beast he presented himself, the one straddling me pulled me up by the hair.

I screamed at the feeling of my scalp burning. Tears immediately started to gather at the corners of my eyes.

"What now?" The other one questioned.

"Francesca said she'll drive around in a bit so we just keep her quiet until then. The bitch needs to learn what happens when she tries to outsmart us." Woman abuser answered.

"I-i'm sorry okay? I wasn't try-" I stammered out eventually being cut off by his big hands cupping my mouth.

"Just shut up and come with us!"

I struggled as he grabbed me by the waist and looked at my front door pleadingly, praying for someone to open it and come out.

Amazingly, that did happen and I felt the guy's arms slacken around me as both of them look at the door in sheer panic, frozen on spot.

Any hope I had was washed away when I saw Natasha stride outside the door.

"Ricky, what are you doing with her?" She nearly screeched as she took us in. Her body language and tone displayed that Ricky was holding a dead rat instead of me.

I paled at how she addressed him. They knew each other.

I felt Ricky whom I thought name was Nick relax.

They're friends.

Crap. I had to do something quick.

"Just having a little fun," The unnamed one smirked.

Natasha hadn't taken her eyes off me since she exited the house. They were looking at me with nothing a weighty amount of disgust that made my eyes automatically shift down to the floor.

What do I do? Think Carrie. Think.

"How can you have any fun with her?" Natasha sneered. Her dislike, more like hatred, for me was evident in her voice and the way she sized me up.

It puzzled me that so many people could hate you and did so many bad things to you without actually knowing you. And worse, without having any kind of remorse in their soulless eyes.

Ricky's accomplice laughed and at the feeling of Ricky himself joining in my brain began to formulate a plan. His hold loosened a tad bit and I attempted to make a run for it. Key word : attempted.

"Where do you think your going you little piece of shit?" Ricky spat, reflexively gripping me back in front of him by my arm.

I yelled out in pain. Ouch. Oh, and about the insult, don't worry I've heard worse, that shouldn't even be considered one at that.

"Let me go!" I screamed at him.

Do they not have anything better to do on a Friday afternoon than to terrorize me?

"Getting a little guts now are you little you bitch?"

The undoubtedly rage compacted query came from none other than the guest of the hour. The one I oh so died to make an appearance and make my day 1000× better. I noticed besides that loathe she carried for me there was also something else deep within those empty eyes of hers. An emotion I couldn't quite decode.

Everyone's head whipped around swiftly to look at a very pissed off Francesca with her hands fisted by her side. I bet blood waa raising to the surface of her palm because of how sharp those nails of hers were. I'd know. Even with the frown lines present on her face at the moment you couldn't deny she was a beauty. With her long, silky, brunette hair and slim figure she was admirable, appearance wise that was. Truthfully, Natasha nor Sirina had nothing on her...and neither did I. Contrary to that her personality stunk worse than a skunk itself and was uglier than Jabba the Hutt.

"I-"

"Shut up!" She screeched as she came over with long strides and stood directly before my face. I cowered back due to the expression she was wearing.

"I have had it with your low life self for one day!" She exclaimed seemingly frustrated as she swung her right hand aiming for the side of my face.

My eyes instantly squeezed shut tightly, awaiting the painful impact but it never came.

I slowly opened my eyes to see Francesca's hand frozen in midair but her gaze towards the front door. I followed it and my eyes landed on Sirina. She stood there with her phone in hand, typing away. Looking up, she instantly became a statue. She was definitely not expecting to see this. She scanned the group and when her eyes finally stopped on Francesca and I's compromising position they widened. A couple seconds passed and I could see an inner battle taking place in those doe eyes of hers until she quickly broke the silence by shoving her phone in her handbag that hung loosely on her arm and speaking.

"Mom's waiting for you to prepare dinner Carrie." Her soft voice penetrated the thick silence amongst us.

Out of my peripheral, Francesca's hand dropped by her side and she let out an agitated growl.

I swiftly ripped my hands out of Ricky's hold who allowed me to without any protests. Shuffling past Sirina, I flashed her a grateful look hoping she caught sight of it and dashed inside the house.