Nina,
you're so lovely.
Much love for the cover

There were only so many things worse than a head prefects meeting. The list was minimal from being told off by Ma to watching your crush make out with another guy.

Poppy, Jude, Scarlet and I sat at a table with the school's head management team. I didn't know what was more scattered, my thoughts or the papers on the desk. Our Principal cracked another dad joke that we all laughed awkwardly at. Even the deputy principal cast him a side glance.

"So, who wants to do what?"

Scarlet opened her mouth, but I jumped in before she could, "I'm happy to help Scarlet with the pride idea."

Scarlet glared at me, and I wondered how she was going to get out of this one. "Actually, I was hoping to get Jude's help on this one. Since he's so involved with the art anyway."

I narrowed my eyes at her. Yeah, okay, maybe I couldn't paint for shit. And maybe the Pride celebration required painting, but what-fucking-ever. I leaned back into my chair, begrudgingly impressed.

The principal glanced awkwardly between Scarlet and me.

"I don't mind doing that," Jude chimed in.

The deputy principal nodded. "Great. The deputies can work on the pride celebration, and we can get Levi and Poppy to create the PowerPoint for our history assembly."

I resisted the urge to groan. Working with Poppy was the most challenging thing I had done. Considering, getting Scarlet to tolerate me was a mission in progress for almost five years, that said something. On top of that, the history assembly was just an excuse to get old men to talk about how they founded the school.

I plastered a smile on my face. "Of course."

"That's us done, for today then."

We filed out of the room, backpacks hanging off our shoulders, and phones already out.

Malachi's name flashed on my phone, followed by capitalised words and an excessive amount of exclamation marks.

"Are you guys coming?" Jude asked, stopping in his walk to stare at us.

"How do you know where I'm going?" With narrowed eyes, I pondered what Malachi had gotten himself into now.

Jude sighed exasperatedly. "Because we're all going there. Now hurry up!"

Jude urged us to walk faster, throwing in a 'chop, chop' every couple of steps. Arriving at what everyone called 'the heart of the school', I dropped my backpack onto the grass and plopped down. The grass was prickly under the palm of my hands but I was glad to find the dampness of the morning dew to be gone.

Scarlet and Poppy joined me on the hill as Jude walked down to where Malachi sat on a chair.

A colourful sheet was wrapped around him, and Jude pulled a box out of his bag. He handed the box to Ruby, who held it out as if she were a bookshelf. I tried to suppress a smile as Jude pulled out everything he needed for a haircut.

He turned the wireless razor on, the buzzing heard all the way back to where we were sprawled.

"What the fuck is going on?" Scarlet asked, her eyes darting frantically.

"Malachi is going bald."

Poppy's head snapped to me. "Bitch, what?"

"Bitch, yes," Poppy's other half responded, sitting next to her. The two exchanged a quick peck before facing the front. Poppy's relationship with Kayla was the calmest thing about her. From her bubbly and preppy attitude to composed and level-headed, the minute Kayla turned up. It was an odd change to witness, and judging by the look on Scarlet's face, she hadn't missed it either.

Jude coughed loudly to get everyone's attention. Instantly phones were out, recording the debacle. Jude pressed the razor into Malachi's afro.

For the next half an hour, we watched Malachi's afro fall onto the ground until his bald head shined up at us.

"I really thought he would have a little left. I didn't realise it was completely bald," Scarlet remarked, entranced by my idiotic best friend.

I stared at her, amazed by the civility in our conversation. She was even sitting in the vicinity of Poppy Carter without smoke steaming out of her ears. I was tempted to check her temperature by pressing my hand against her forehead. My Ma always did that to check if I had a fever.

Before I could respond, the offensive remarks of boys in Isaiah's class floated to my ears.

"Nah, they're all pussies," one said with a chortle. "They're all probably fags."

I glared at their heads; my jaw clenched. My fingers itched to land me in trouble. Ma would rip into me, regardless of how homophobic or sexist these assholes were. Another part of me wanted to eloquently tell them how wrong they were to speak like that. But how could you reason with someone who didn't believe in basic human rights?

"What's your problem?" Scarlet asked, studying me curiously.

I debated asking why she was ogling at me in the first place. "They're dumbasses."

"Why?" she asked as if nudging me towards a correct answer.

"Isaiah's trying to figure shit out. This homophobic bullshit probably doesn't help." I glanced away from the boys. "Plus, it's so stupid. Let everyone be to live their own life."

"But throwing out the word 'pussy' in a derogatory context is okay?"

My gaze shifted to her in surprise. I expected to see a glare on her face like normal, but she looked almost amused.

With mirth, I answered, "He's not trying to figure out woman empowerment."

"Don't you have a younger sister?" she threw back, her head tilted in bemusement.

I laughed. "She's a brat, she's got it all figured out."

When Scarlet didn't respond, I added, "Before you get mad, that was a joke. They shouldn't have said that."

I turned to her. Scarlet looked surprised.

"What?"

"Nothing," she murmured hurriedly as if she had been caught doing something she shouldn't have been. "I have to go."

Taken aback, I asked, "Where?"

As she stood up, she cast me a haughty look. "To hang out with cooler people than you."

I rubbed my chest with my hand, feigning hurt. "Sticks and stones, Scarlet."

She snorted before walking towards Ji-hye.

"Levi, when's the next party?" Kayla asked, drawing my attention from Scarlet's retreating figure.

I stared at the couple, realising that I had almost forgotten their presence.

"When my mother has recovered from the last one," I answered with a smirk.

Things are about to get a little heavier, so make the most of these chapters.