** Warning - Mature content and violence. I do NOT put warnings before chapters. This book is 18+ **

I grew up in a small town in the Midwest which seemed to go unnoticed by the rest of the world. It made our little town a perfect place for those with money and power to take advantage of those without. The rich do as they please while forcing the poor to handle everything they don't want to.

My brother, Derek, and I are clearly on the shit side of the tracks. My mom had my brother when she was only fifteen and then me not even two years later. At first, my parents worked hard and got this cute cottage off the beaten path on a decent size lot in this shitty town.

Supposedly they had a love that was unbreakable, and my mom foolishly thought it would last forever.

My dad came from a decently wealthy family but gave it all up for the "trash" his parents called my mother. They probably could have made a good life together, if our father hadn't decided to take off one day. The weak little girl my mom was never got over the rejection, not even for her kids.

The only things I've learned from my parents is that love is blind, love is unforgiving, and love changes. Basically, love is not really love. At least not the love written in stories. No, love in real life, was just a more romantic way to say need, desire, lust, and at times obsession.

So here I am, less than a month from my 16th birthday and I can't help but feel satisfied that I have not repeated my parents' mistake. I know it's sad to have such low goals, but not getting pregnant before 16 is actually a big deal where I'm from, at least on this side of town.

I looked up from my phone and saw my two best guys approaching me.

"Who the fuc... what the fuck are you wearing?" Christian said through gritted teeth.

I couldn't help but give him a little smile with my puppy eyes. "What do you mean, Ace? Do I not look good or just not proper enough to be seen with Worthington's Elite?"

Ace was a nickname I used only when mocking my best friend. He has been both my brother's and mine best friend since I was six and they were eight.

One night we found each other at the local park. Whenever my mom would go on a binger or bring home a dickhead boyfriend Derek would sneak me out my window and take me to the swings. Christian's mom had just died, and he was trying to run away from his life. Which is why a little boy born to the wealthiest and most ruthless man in our town ever thought to cross in our part of town. After that night we never stopped hanging out.

"Don't test me, Alley! You know that is not what I meant. Seriously, you are barely wearing clothes, what the fuck is wrong with you? And you spent all Summer like this?" Before Christian could really start getting at me for wearing shorts that barely covered my ass matched perfectly with a purple tube top my brother draped his flannel shirt over me.

"Missed you Alley Cat," Derek gave me a kiss on my check before finishing "but Christian is right. You walk around dressed like that the town is going to think they can take advantage of you."

Christian gave me his devilish smile with a quick wink to say sorry for yelling at me. He might not be blood, but I felt he was as much my family as Derek. I smiled and rolled my eyes as he grabbed me by the waist and ushered me out of the airport.

"Let's head home first so you can unpack, then I need some food, I'm starving." Derek said, grabbing my bag to set on top of my suitcase. He just gave me a look and shook his head at my suitcases, that I had no intention of helping with. Wasn't that what big brothers were for?

Christian looked down to me and had to add one last jab "and to change into something that can actually be called clothes."

Growing up with 2 very overprotective guys mixed with being the town's trash it was natural I hid from the world as much as I could. I never wore a lot of makeup, always hid my face under my long blonde hair, and never showed any of my smooth porcelain skin. Now I know I have a cute and curvy body and I wasn't afraid to show it. Yes, my trip to Europe this Summer made me a bit conceited.

The guys taught me some self-defense moves and Derek even paid for me to take some classes, but I was 5'6 and barely over a hundred pounds. We never knew what creeps lurked around the corner or who my mom might bring home. My whole life I played it safe, but not anymore.

"You guys are fucking lucky I love you or else I would have to kick you each in the balls for acting like such a dad." I said leaving both guys with mouths agape. They knew I hated it when people told me what to do or how to act.

Once we got home, I changed four times before they finally approved of my outfit. No showing my shoulders, belly, tits, or ass were their terms. These new rules cut out a lot of my new clothes.

I know I should be annoyed with them, but when literally no one cares what you do your whole life having them acting like a lunatic father was oddly comforting.

We spent the rest of the day checking out our local hangout spots while I made them both envious of my summer trip. I could fluently speak both French and Italian, which is part of the reason I won the future of tomorrow competition. Winners got an all-expense paid trip to Europe and will be a shiny gold star on my college applications.

By the end of the night, I was exhausted. I felt like this Summer changed every part of me, but our stupid small town remained exactly the same. The rich girls gave me the same fake smiles around my brother and Christian while snickering the second they turned their backs. Derek and Christian each had some Barbie wanna be draped over them even though everyone knew they didn't date and fucked a new girl almost every weekend.

Side note: a bit hypocritical I couldn't even wear shorts and a tube top.

Mostly everyone was doing the exact same boring things, saying the same boring stuff, and looked the same boring way as the day school let out 2 months ago.

I let out a deep sigh as I collided on my bed forcing myself to get some rest. I had one day to get back in the rhythm of this shithole before school started. Another year of ridicule was about to begin, and I so desperately wanted to be back where I wasn't looked at as nothing.