#Chapter Two
The moment she stepped into the school hallway, every student quietened down as they shot her wary side glances, while they hid behind their textbooks or palms to talk behind them. What they were talking about, Kitty did not have to guess. She walked to her locker, and saw Lizzy and Cole standing next to her at their own lockers.
"Hey, guys," she said to them. But they only turned away after sending her an apologetic look, disappearing down the corridor. "Lizzy! Cole!" Kitty called after them, but their pace hastened.
So much for friendship.
She opened her locker and exchanged some textbooks. As she was doing so, someone shoved a shoulder into her back, causing her to collide with her locker. She spun around and saw Becky, who was a popular kid at school because she had amassed a considerable following on Instagram. She was a beauty influencer and had many sponsored deals lining up for her, and she often boasted that she did not need to be in school, because she already had a well-paying job.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Becky purred. "I didn't see the pedophile's kid." Becky's minions laughed.
"Go away, Becky," Kitty said to her.
"Introduce me to your stepmom one day, I think we'll be such great friends," Becky mocked. "Since she's around my age."
Kitty groaned and slammed her locker shut. Becky was someone who could never shut up. She could write a ten-page long essay on absolutely anything, from the dull weather to the exciting cracks lining the cement.
She made her way to her next class, which was Chemistry with Mr. White and when she stepped into the room, she realised that she was alone with him. His eyes immediately widened at her appearance as he dabbed beads of perspiration that was forming on his balding head away.
She sat on the front row of the classroom, where it was nearest to him and stared at him curiously. Why was he acting so weirdly?
"Ki- Student, can't you find any other seat?"
"I want to sit here," she said to him.
He was looking at everywhere but directly at her. "Why are you here so early, student?"
"I was trying to escape from Becky. She was being mean."
Sweat stains pooled at his armpits, and with the colour that his shirt was, it was making her nauseous. "Don't tell me anything about your personal life, student. That's what we have student guidance counsellors for. Go to him instead."
"I wasn't really sharing about my personal life anyway," she said as she eyed him suspiciously. "You sound like you'd be interested."
He huffed loudly, and rather unnaturally too. "Hah! You're 17. I really don't care."
"Whatever," she said and popped earphones in, only removing them until the class was sufficiently full of students. The class went on without a hitch, and she was busy packing up until she discovered that she was alone, yet again, with the insufferable lecturer. She walked to the door and pushed it, desperate to get out from the stink that he was exuding.
But the door refused to budge.