I looked up at the beautifully crafted man in front of me. The darkness of his black tee shirt still couldn't hide the outline of his chiseled torso. Wow, what is his workout regime?

He casually stuck a hand in his dark grey joggers' pocket as he looked down at me with a, dare I say, unexpressional look.

Oh, let's see if I can change that.

"Hey! I remember you from yesterday," I said, giving him a charming smile.

This seemed to click in his head as his stoic look changed into a cocky smirk.

"Oh yeah, you're that spoiled girl who knocked my hot chocolate all over my shirt."

'Spoilt girl'? Okay, this guy's hot, but damn is he rude. He doesn't even know me! How can he call me that?!

"Well like I said before, some freak almost ran me down, so I stumbled back into you." I crossing my arms under my chest.

"Yeah, that's a real cute story, but you're still in my seat," he said boredly.

Okay, who does this handsome guy think he is to not fully acknowledge me? Does he really not know who I am?!

I let out a light chuckle. "Oh I'm sorry. I didn't see your name written on it."

He then took out the black sharpie that was attached to the rings of his notebook, held between his hand and thigh. He quickly wrote his name on the top part of the desk.

Ryan Lombardi

"Now it is," he said. Raising an eyebrow, he cocked his head slightly to his left, signaling for me to switch to the only empty seat available.

My mouth hung open, shocked at the attitude of this guy. Okay, Daisy Nickels is no longer interested!

I picked up my purse and notebook as I moved over a seat to the right. I glared over, only to get a smirk from him in response. Ugh! I rolled my eyes and looked to the front of the class as the teacher walked through the door.

"Good morning class," Mr. Peterson said as he began to write the daily agenda on the board.

I swiftly copied what was written before he turned back to face the class.

"It seems we have a new student." He took a look at a sheet of paper on his desk. "Daisy Nickels? How about you come up to the front of the class and introduce yourself, hm?"

I smirked before strutting my way up the aisle, like the superstar I am. Noticing the droolworthy looks from the guys along with the envious glares of the girls gave me an even greater confidence boost.

"Hi everyone, I'm Daisy Nickels, but I'm sure you all probably know that, seeing as I have 2 million followers on Instagram," I said with a cute smile. "What else? Oh! Shopping is my passion, I once convinced Hillary Duff not to buy a hideous, argyle turtleneck on Rodeo Drive. And I like to enjoy skinny, almond milk, vanilla lattes on cloudy days."

"..."

'Wow, these kids really are a bunch of dummies. Why is everyone just staring at me like that? Ugh, whatever, they're probably just jealous,' I thought to myself.

"Um? Thank you, Daisy, you may take your seat," the teacher said.

"Is this chick real right now?" I overheard a scruffy boy asker another as I passed by.

"Well of course I'm ALL REAL. I don't believe in plastic surgery," I said before flipping my hair in his direction.

I then heard that rude (but still kinda hot) Ryan guy scoff as I took my seat next to him.

"Have something to say?" I arched an eyebrow, challenging him.

He shook his head. "To you? Nothing at all."

Deciding it was best to ignore this delusional man, I paid attention to the lesson that was being taught. Man, Natalie was right. This class was not as easy as I thought. But I'm not going to give her the satisfaction of knowing that. Besides, I'm sure it will be nothing I can't handle...

Later, the bell rang, allowing everyone to hurriedly rushed out of the door. I furrowed my brows as I read the next class on my schedule. I had no idea where it was located. I looked over to my left to see Ryan gathering his things. Maybe I should ask him.

Swallowing my pride, I let out a short breath before speaking up. "Hey Ryan, since I'm new and all, could you tell me where my next cl-"

I stopped as he simply put in his airpods, got up and walked away from me, mid sentence.

...I am calm. I am perfectly CALM.

UGH! Yeah, Right! Who am I kidding? I'm FURIOUS! This guy is a major jerk!

The only person still left in the room was Mr. Peterson, who was gathering his briefcase together. Guess I'll have to get the directions from him and his badly tailored suit.

----------
Finally, it was lunch time. Thank goodness. I am in desperate need of a well seasoned Wagyu steak and a caprese salad. But first, I need to hydrate this sexy, skinny body of mine.

As I made my way to the only vending machine in the cafeteria, I couldn't believe my eyes. There was NO Evian water! Not even Fiji! Just the off brand kinds and artificial apple juice. Yuck! Like I'm gonna put that junk in this hot body, get real.

Oh! I just remembered that I already put a small Evian bottle in my purse this morning. Yes! Good looking out, Daisy!

I then sauntered over to the lunch line. Ugh, finally it was my turn after a dreadfully long two-minute wait. "I would like a well-done wagyu steak. And I do mean WELL-DONE. If I wanted the meat not fully cooked then I would just bite the cow myself. Oh, and a small caprese salad on the side."

"We don't have that," the grotesque looking lunch lady said.

I rolled my eyes. "Well if you ran out of caprese salads then a ceasar salad would do."

"We don't have ANY of what you're asking for."

"Well damn! Do you at least have a sushi bar? What type of lunch room are you running here lady?!" I asked, completely irritated.

She then pointed to the menu plaque sitting on top of the silver counter.

"Today's menu is sloppy joe, fruit cup and broccoli sticks," I read aloud.

She then handed me a tray of said awful foods. "NEXT!" She yelled.

"Daisy over here!" I heard.

I shot the lunch lady a hard look before going over to the table that sat Natalie, Kaitlyn and Alex.

Sitting next to Kaitlyn, and across from Natalie and Alex, I let out a dramatic sigh.

"Oh my gosh sweetie, what's wrong?" Kaitlyn gasped.

"Oh no," I began. "I don't want to bore you all by discussing how horendisiously tragic my first day is going so far." I even lowered my eyes down for the dramatic effect.

"Ok. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Alex nodded.

"Ugh, fine Alex. I'll tell you just so you can stop begging me," I said as I folded my arms under my chest. Now was my moment to vent. "So did you guys know that there are no Evian or Fiji water machines?!"

"I know right, we totally should get those!" Kaitlyn agreed, although a bit too loudly for my liking.

"Oh, that's not even the half of it. There is NO sushi bar, NO Wagyu steaks or beef and to top it off, there aren't even any caprese salads!" I expressed, completely flabbergasted at how this "lunch room" operates.

Alex blinked a few times. "Um, did they have all of those things at your old school?"

"Duh, obviously," I rolled my eyes at his mundane question. "I thought that was expected at every school."

"Well we don't have any Wagyu steak, but we have mystery meat Tuesdays," Natalie said before taking a bite out of the.. what was it called? 'Sloppy hoe?' Hm? Doesn't sound like a very appropriate name to me.

I took a bite out of the bland broccoli when I noticed that arrogant, Ryan guy pass by my right. I narrowed a glare at the back of him as I remembered how he totally ignored me back in homeroom.

Natalie noticed my intense look and followed her eyes to where I was looking. "Why are you glaring at Ryan Lombardi?"

"Ryan?! Where? Where!?" Kaitlyn shot up, turning her head in every direction.

"Because he's a major jerk, that's why," I said rolling my eyes.

Kaitlyn then gasped in my ear.

"WILL YOU STOP DOING THAT!" I told her.

"Sorry!" She apologized. "It's just that Ryan Lombardi is the hottest guy at school. Every girl wants to date him, but he's like super picky and unapproachable."

"Psh, the guy acts like he owns the place or something," Alex said, rolling his eyes.

"That's because Ryan clearly thinks he's better than everyone else," I added in agreement.

"Seems you two have that in common," Natalie whispered under her breath.

"Care to repeat that, Natalie?" I asked as I shot her a menacing look.

"UH, nothing!" She said, a bit taken off guard.

"I think he's still pissed about me accidentally spilling his drink all over him at the café. Like, news flash dude, it's just a shirt. Go buy another one," I said annoyed.

Natalie then began to giggle upon remembering the incident. "Oh yeah, that was kinda funny!"

"No, Natalie. It was not," I told her.

She then steadily stopped laughing. "You know, I wouldn't think you'd be interested in someone like him anyway."

I rolled my eyes and folded my arms. "Oh please, I'm SO not interested, and I doubt I ever will be."

"I am," Kaitlyn said dreamily as she gazed over at Ryan from across the cafeteria.

A bit later, lunch then ended way too quickly for my liking and it was time to go back to the last two classes of the day.

•••••••

After school, Natalie and I went back home. The day was pretty chill, so after I showered, we had dinner, and then I got started on my homework.

My pink lamp illuminated the room as I was reviewing my notes in bed. I turned to my left as I heard then heard my phone ringing from the bedside table.

-INCOMING CALL FROM GWEN-

Oh shoot! I was supposed to call her yesterday, but with everything going on, I guess I forgot.

Taking a breath, I answered it.

"Hey Gwen," I smiled.

"Hey?!" She repeated me as if it was definitely not the greeting she wanted to hear. "You were supposed to call me back yesterday! What happened with you and Chad? And why weren't you at school today? Something MAJOR happened," she said dramatically.

"I know. I didn't call because I was, uh, busy."

She furrowed her brows. "Busy? Doing what?"

"Nunya."

She rolled her eyes. "Well why weren't you at school today? Oh, do you have cramps?"

"Nope. I, uh, I'm homeschooled now," I lied. "My parents really want me to buckle down for senior year. So, you know, no distractions. They even hired me this really great Swedish tutor."

Hopefully she buys all of this.

Psh, who am I kidding? Gwen is the epitome of a dumb brunette. Of course she will.

"Oh! Well that's cool I guess," she pondered.

"But what was the 'MAJOR' thing that happened?" I asked.

"Well," she started. "Lindsay was ALL OVER Chad today. She even kissed him on the cheek at lunch!"

You know, two days ago, I would be totally livid upon hearing this, but now that Chad and I are over, I honestly am not even that upset. Come to think of it, I don't think that I was ever truly in love with Chad. Was it really just the pressure of our friends and popularity status that kept us together?

"Oh but don't worry, as your bestie, I totally had your back. April and I went into the locker room when she was in gym class, and we cut out her shirt like they did in Mean Girls," she said happily.

I laughed, imagining the scenario of Lindsay having a total meltdown when she discovered her shirt.

"Thanks, but Chad and I broke up that night you told me he left Lindsay's."

"Oh my gosh, Daisy, I'm like so sorry. Do you want me to come over so we can have a Ben & Jerry, movie marathon night?" She asked softly.

"Uh, no that's okay Gwen. But thanks anyway."

"You sure? Or we could just prank call the both of them. I can change my voice and scare them into thinking we were hit men looking for them," she said hopefully.

Okay, I'm a little worried about her now...

"Ummmm, no, that won't be necessary. I'm just gonna turn in early tonight."

"Well okay, call me if you need anyone to talk to. Kisses," she said, lightly patting her fingers on her mouth twice.

"Kisses," I said before hanging up.

I slumped backwards onto the bed as I stared up at the white ceiling. These walls totally need to be painted by the way.

I'm laying here having all of my old friends and acquaintances think I still have this glamorous life, when in reality, it's been pulled right under me.

And Gwen, she was my closest friend. Could I really keep lying to her? Shouldn't I trust her?

..No, I don't think so. She's a part of our inner circle. Meaning, she's just as ostentatious as the rest.

But am I really willing to lead this double life, all for the sake of my status and reputation?

...Of course I am! I am Daisy freaking Nickels, and I have to live up to that status quo.

Oh, but I clearly had no idea what I was getting myself into...