The next morning, I hear a car horn outside my window and as always, Derek's Jeep sits on my driveway right on time. I apply a quick coat of clear lipgloss, pop my lips, and approve of my wardrobe choice for the day. I carefully run down the stairs and out the front door, trying my best not to trip in my tall wedge sandals. I pull at the bottom of my Free People skirt as I make my way down our long driveway to Derek's idling blue Jeep Commander.

"Good morning!" I beam as I yank the door open. My outfit is not the best to have on while hopping in a lifted Jeep, but I still try to gracefully climb inside while Derek's eyes remain on my face. He smiles at me and then reaches over to give me a small peck on the lips.

"Oh gross, your lips are sticky." He grimaces as he smacks his lips, trying to get off my residue.

"At least it's clear today and not hot pink," I shoot back with a flirty smile. He puts his hand on my exposed knee and leaves it there while we drive toward the school.

Derek Atwater is by far the best-looking guy at Highland Park High. He transferred to our high school at the end of our sophomore year and every girl was curious about the new golden hair, green-eyed hottie, including Harper and me. I almost died from excitement when I heard he moved in right down the street from my house. Harper, Lily, and I would casually wander down that way during the summer and it wasn't long before we were all hanging out.

One night while we were all at Lily's house, he pulled me aside and asked me out. This new coupling officially solidified our position as leaders in the social hierarchy. Unfortunately, Harper happened to walk in on our first kiss and her eyes immediately welled up with tears. Even now, our relationship is a sore spot for her and she still tries to flirt with him every opportunity she gets. I know if we were to break up, she'd pounce on his single status. She has no loyalty to me when it comes to cute boys.

His face already looks less boyish than when we first met but his green wide eyes and full lips remain the same. His pretty face comes with a brain I know will get him into any college he decides to go to. He's a trust fund baby and the trust comes with strings attached. He must graduate from a college of his parent's choosing and obtain a full-time job before his trust pays out. My parents adore him and his trust fund. My father has actually already offered him an internship at his company if he stays in Texas for college.

As we pull into the school parking lot, he grabs my hand and I run my eyes down his flattering new polo. I glance at his tight sleeves that pull against his toned arms and blush at his attractiveness. Girls are smart enough not to flirt with Derek, but even when I'm draped over his arm, they still manage to sneak peeks. We strut up to the large glass windows that create a long wall, extending the length to our school's main doorway.

Our cafeteria sits on the other side of the glass, so students are able to stare at everyone walking into the building while seated at the tables inside. It makes every morning feel like a red carpet entrance since most girls eye what other girls are wearing while they strut down the glass hallway.

At our school, labels are everything. We proudly call ourselves label whores. More than half of our student body is the offspring of deep-pocketed parents who got rich off oil generations ago. The other half is rodeo riders and wealthy ranchers with tight wrangler jeans and large gleaming belt buckles. Derek and his posse call the other half "dirts" and they call us "tories". The two masses do not get along. Our high school sits in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the states but we still find ways to make one rich group better than the other.

Our parking lot is full of Mercedes, BMWs, supped-up Jeeps, shimmery two-door Porsches, and Ford trucks. Girls wear head-to-toe designer ensembles and frost themselves with Tiffany and Chanel. The guys aren't as obnoxious with bright labels on their clothing but are always whipping Louis Vuitton wallets out and walking around in Gucci sneakers. Every morning we get up and dress to post our OOTDs.

Since we arrived at school so early this morning, my catwalk strut was hardly entertaining with no audience on the other side of the glass. I'll be studying until the bell rings, so I won't be able to watch this morning's show either- which Lily, Harper, and I usually do together.

When the three of us started at Highland Park three years ago, we were determined to fit into the popular crowd. We just had no idea that we would become the popular crowd. Our entire summer before freshman year was devoted to finding out what was in and doing everything in our power to make us the "it" girls of our freshman class. We strode into the first day of school high on confidence and dressed to impress. The seniors took notice, verified our status as the hottest freshmen and the rest was history. Over the first few months, we noticed girls painfully trying to fit into our click, but Harper, Lily, and I always stuck together, staying a tight-knit trio. No one has come between us. Harper also quickly puts any girl who tries to overthrow our status back into their rightful place in the hierarchy. To be honest, if Harper wasn't my best friend, I would be terrified of her. Harper is not a girl to taste her words before she spits them out and her verbal assaults have left a number of girls emotionally scarred.

Our red carpet entrance is over the minute we get inside the main doors as Derek asks, "Got your bio notebook? Let's go over our notes, get you ready for the test." He tugs me over to the nearest table and there are already three freshmen hunched over their books at the seating area. Derek walks over and stares until one of them looks over.

"Move dirts. Don't make me say it again," he snaps. The freshman looks to his annoyed friends before slowly gathering his things and they all trudge away from the table. It's not just the freshmen who have learned to cower at Derek Atwater's viscous words, but anyone that Derek deems a dirt.

"That was kind of unnecessary," I mutter as we settle in to study.

"They are freshmen. We are seniors. They need to learn their place in more ways than one," Derek jokes back and I roll my eyes. I pull my pink notebook from my bag and flip it to my bio notes, which are mostly doodles and my name written with Atwater attached.

We spend the next twenty minutes going over quiz material and when the warning bell rings, Derek closes his notes and swings his backpack over his shoulder.

"Come on, let's get this over with," he says as he extends his hand to me. I use it to pull me up and we make our way to the science hallway that sits to the right of the cafeteria. When we reach our classroom, I see Harper already in her seat and she frowns when she sees me attached to Derek. That's why she wasn't with us this morning. I wave while grinning at her and she watches as I drop into the seat beside her.

"Oh my god Ellie, you totally missed what Serena Hamilturd was wearing today. Straight up, art teacher, thrift shop frock. I'm telling you, she's a witch," she says dramatically and I refrain from rolling my eyes at her since they have already gotten a workout this morning from Derek and the freshmen. Derek quickly pulls his chair next to mine so it fills up our small black table. I like being in the middle of these two so I can hear both of the smartest students in the class. Derek doesn't say much due to all of his thoughts being consumed with the looming test, so Harper quickly fills me in on her long Snapchat back and forth she had last night with her latest crush, Nick Morrison.

Mrs. Hagar silences the classroom by passing out our test at eight o'clock on the dot and the sound of busy pencils quickly fills the room. I'm listening to Derek pick his multiple-choice answers and he's blazing through the test, confident in his choices about blood types, chromosomes, and genetics. Harper isn't so confident in her answers, so I remain focused on Derek's. We are more than halfway through when I start to hear whispers coming from somewhere else.

I hate this. I hate all of this. Stupid tests about things I don't need to know. Look at all these idiots I am surrounded with. Worried about a stupid grade that doesn't matter. I'm going to give them something worth worrying about.

I'm now alert and I pop my head up to scan the room. Everyone I see is hunched over their tests, furiously scribbling in their answers.

"Ms. Adler, eyes on your own paper," Mrs. Hagar states and my face floods crimson as I direct my eyes back to my paper. I hear Dereks, What is she doing now? I bend over my paper again and try and concentrate on the mysterious whispers. I hear letters and biology terms but nothing unusual. Who the hell was that?

The ringing bell signals the end of class and I realize I didn't answer the last five questions. I panic as I circle the multiple-choice letters quickly and hand my paper forward. When we all make it into the hall, Derek asks, "What were you doing that Mrs. Hagar called you out on?"

"I was just drawing a blank and zoned out. I guess she thought I was trying to look at other papers." That's the last of the subject when I see Harper waving to Lily who's approaching us from down the hall. Lily always walks with a skip in her step so her blonde ponytail swings from side to side. Her fitted pink peplum top brightens her soft face and her tight skinny jeans accentuate her curvy waist. Since I missed her this morning, I compliment her adorable outfit choice while she grabs Harper's arm to link her arm through. They are walking together when Lily asks, "Ready for gym?" I let out a loud dramatic moan.

"No. Aren't we running laps today?" I loathe running. I try and get out of it every time, but it rarely works. Derek stops and pulls me in for a hug before we part ways. I hear Lily think we're cute as we separate while Harper holds her gag reflex back. He bends down and swiftly kisses me on the forehead, "Have fun running, I'll see ya for lunch." I wave him off before linking my arm around Lily's and we all head to the locker room to change.