Damien was talking to a brunette girl. I turn to close the sliding glass door behind me. The girl turns her attention towards me and rolls her eyes. 'Rude.'

A soft whirring noise sounds behind me. I turn around to see Maddy and her redhead friend coming outside, "Oh Sammy," Maddy begins as the ginger closes the door behind her. "This is my bestie Sofia, Sofia this is my cousin Samantha,"

"Hi." I reply as Sofia stares blankly at me. She stares at me and I stare back, it lasts for about two and a half minutes before she finally opens her mouth. "Wait, so if you're from a farm town, do you, like... speak cow? Or is it more like pig talk?"

'Is she for real?' I force a smile and decide to humor her. "Oh, definitely pig talk. It's the official language of farm kids. Took me years to master the oink-to-English translation."

"Whoa, that's so cool! Like, can you say something in pig?" Sofia exclaims while she claps her hands together in a manner of excitement.

I open my mouth to say something as the brunette approaches us. She crosses her arms and smirks. "Oh my god, that's, like, so quirky. You must be super special if you can talk to pigs. How else do you communicate? With the chickens?"

My mouth closes almost instantly, between this girl's unwelcoming eyeroll and her condescending tone I didn't want anything to do with this human troll doll. "Kathleen, this my cousin Samantha, Samantha my good friend Kathleen." Maddy introduces us as the troll forces a smile.

"It's so nice to meet you," Kathleen forces a tight lip smile before she turns her attention to Maddy and stands between my cousin and I. 'Nice to meet me, huh? More like nice to see a new target for her little hive of drama,' my lips curling into a slight, sarcastic smile. 'Kath-snob thinks she's above everyone else.'

"Mind if I borrow Sam for a sec?" Damien asks as Kathleen looks as if he has just said the most offensive thing about her mother.

"I don't know what you want with the little miss animal whisperer babe," Kathleen begins as I puke a bit in my mouth, "Why don't you stay and hang out with us."

Damien lets out a forced chuckle and turns his attention to Maddy who nods. "I forgot I asked them to run to the store and get more ice." Maddy states.

"I can go with you, she should stay here and enjoy her party." Kathleen replies as she places a hand on his shoulder which he shrugs off.

"Sorry, my car only sits three."

"You're only two people."

"I forgot we're taking Havoc to the vet as well."

"We are?" I ask as he lightly nudges me. 'Let's see go with the cute boy and a scary dog or potentially fall in the pool because little Miss Perfect hates my guts.' "Oh! That's right we were. Isn't your car really dirty right now?"

"Oh shoot that's right I forgot to clean it," He frowns, shaking his head. "I guess you can come with me Kate."

Kathleen rolls her eyes, her annoyance by the turn of events. "I'm sure your car is totally filthy, Damien. Such a shame you can't take me instead, right? I mean, I'd love to help out with the ice, but I wouldn't want to get dirty just to make a quick trip." She glances down at her pristine white swimsuit, With a forced smile, she adds, "You two have fun with... whatever you're doing. Obviously dirt would be an improvement on Samantha's tacky attire."

I look up at Maddy who shifts uncomfortablely. "Actually it's mine." Maddy chimes in as Damien drags me away as he calls Havoc who trails behind us.

"Why would you let her borrow your stuff?" Kath-snob asks from behind us. "She doesn't belong here."

"Kate seems lovely." I began once we were inside as he snorts.

"Kathmeen is a class a pain in the..." Damien began as Havoc barked, "But her father is the mayor so everyone kissed her..." Havoc's bark cuts him off again.

I have a theory to test, "What the..." Havoc barks cutting me off, "is wrong with that stu..." He barks.

This dog didn't like swear words it seemed, not that I was going to swear, I never did swear unless you count crap, hell, damn, or my person favorite stupid pig face heifer. "No one knows what's wrong with her, but most people at school are scared to tell her how they really feel about her with her father having some rather powerful friends." He shrugs.

"Oh and you're not?" I ask, raising a brow.

"Of her? No. Her dad on the other hand? H... yes I am."

"Why did you say we're getting ice?"

"Because we are, only she doesn't have to know where from." He shrugs, "They keep ice in the garage, all we have to do is be M.I.A. for a bit and she'll think we went to the store. Unless you're comfortable getting in a car with a guy you just met and a dog you're scared of, we're not going anywhere." 'Okay, this guy was actually quite smart and just became a smidge cuter.'

"Thanks for the save." I begin, "What are you and Havoc going to do? Hide in the bathroom then magically appear with the store bought ice in a few hours?"

"More like in the game room, unless you need help unpacking or something?"

"There's a game room here?" I inquire, being here for a little over twenty-four hours means, exploration is something I didn't get a chance at.

****

Havoc follows me back outside. Dogs still aren't my favorite animal not by a long shot but the eight month old puppy wasn't half bad I suppose.

One look and I almost choke on my saliva. We weren't gone very long but the yard was now swarming with teenagers. Kathleen and Sofia sat on couple lounger chairs by the pool while Maddy was making out with some boy. I can only assume it was Teddy. "I'm going to put the ice in the cooler, why don't you try to make friends." Damien says as he walks away leaving me to fend off the wolves by myself.

After I put on my big girl panties I slowly approach a group of girls to try and introduce myself. "Hello." I began as the shortest one stares.

"Hi?" The girl with blue eyes replies, looking her uninterest evident. "I'm sorry but do I know you?"

A girl with dark brown hair that almost appeared black approaches, I note the green highlight as she flashes a smile when our eyes meet. "Do you want to sit with my brother and I?" She asks, gesturing behind her to a boy that was sitting by a heater fiddling with a guitar." I slowly nod and follow her, "Do mind them, some reason girls out here aren't open to making new friends unfortunately."

"And you are?" I ask.

"Nope not entirely, but I do however hate seeing people sitting by themselves. Unless that's something they prefer of course." She states, "I'm Taylor by the way. Let me guess you're Samantha, correct?"

"Is it obvious that I don't belong here?." I ask as we approach the boy who was nearly her carbon copy, the boy had a sharper jawline and didn't seem to be wearing any eyeliner.

"Kinda, I mean I've been going to school with these weirdos my whole life and The Divines don't invite just anybody to their place." She shrugs, pulling up a chair and gesturing to me to sit down.

"I'm sorry who are The Divines?"

She nudges her brother and begins talking with her hands, that's when I notice it. At first I thought he was wearing earbuds and listening to music but it was actually a hearing aid. He sets the guitar aside and begins to sign back. "Sorry Seb here is hearing impaired," she says as I nod.

"No need to apologize." I give him a kind smile as he nods. "My father was partially deaf, he ruptured his eardrum while working." I began, "he refused to learn to sign but I know the alphabet and how to spell my name." I slow down and try to annunciate.

"Should we give her a deaf name?" Taylor asks as she signs. "Her name is S.A.M.A" she begins as she spells out my name.

"Actually you guys can call me Sam if you want."

Someone clears their throat behind me, as I turn in my chair. It was just Sofia. "Hi, I'm sorry but it seems the band Mads booked can't make it, can you guys play?"

Taylor takes one look at Seb who shakes his head and turns his attention back to his guitar, "Sorry but Twin Collapse doesn't do unpaid gigs, beside we left our set list back at our crackhouse."

Sofia frowns, "What if we can find a list of songs and pay you?"

"There's not enough money in the world for me to do a favor for a Divine." Taylor shoos the ginger hair girl away before she signs something that makes Seb chuckle.

"Twin Collapse? Divines?" I ask as Sofia walks away.

"Seb and I are in a band Twin Collapse is just the temporary name until we can figure out something better. As far as the Divines go, school runs on a social hierarchy. Of course there's the cliques everyone knows, the jocks, outcasts, yada yada but there's two other cliques at Sterling Heights the Divines consist of the most popular girls in school; Kathleen Harrington, Sofia Laurent, and of course the newest addition, your cousin. Of course there are their little cronies but those three have all the power at school." She sighs.

"What do you know about Maddy's friend Damien?" I ask as I bite the inside of my cheek.

"Oh Damien? He's one of the sweetest guys ever, after my dear Sebastian of course." She replies, "Although I wouldn't get too close to him. Kathleen has the biggest thing for him. He's probably the only reason she lets Maddy hang out with them, Damien is like the king of the Sovereigns."

"I'm sorry Sovereigns?"

"They're like the Divines but only way cooler. They're the guys the Divines claimed as there's."

"Claim? It's not like they're property."

"Try telling that to the Divines."

"So you said they don't invite just anybody, so no offense but why are you guys here?"

"None taken, our stepmom is in your aunt's yoga class, even though my friendship with Maddy turned sour, those ladies are convinced we can patch things up."

"I don't see how you guys were ever friends, she was rather rude yesterday and seems to think giving me a cookie from her secret stash and letting me borrow a swimsuit means we're friends."

"Maybe you should be her friend. I mean you live with the girl. I don't think you want the animosity twenty-four seven."

"Hey Taylor, we need one more for our game of chicken fights." A boy in the pool calls out.

"Welp, I'll see you beautiful people later." Taylor says with a kind smile as she gets up from her seat next to Seb.

"So your sister seems nice." I slowly begin as he nods. Maybe Taylor was right, with grandpapa not being so kind and aunt Dorothee was a bit too touchy feely for my liking I did need someone. Damien wasn't always going to be there to stick up for me.

I turn my attention to Maddy who was sitting by herself. She flashes a somewhat sincere smile which I return. Scanning the area I notice Damien in the pool playing with the others. Sofia seems to have found a radio and was dancing by herself and Queen Bee was flirting with a random guy. "Seb, do you like anyone here?" I ask turning my attention back to him noticing he was staring, he quickly looks away as his face turns bright red. "Sorry I shouldn't have asked, I'm going to get juice. Do you want something?"

AN: Sorry that this chapter kinda sucks, I;m suffering from writers block rn so updates are on a pause right now.