"CHAPTER 1

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1ST, 11:49 PM

Olivia lay in her bed, eyes staring blankly at the crumbling ceiling. Her sisters, who were usually awake at this time, snoozed contently beside her. Their black hair was slightly damp, and their ragged clothes were replaced with newly bought pajamas. Their father had spent weeks saving up for them; only them. Olivia wore a torn tank top with jeans she’d outgrown. The twins clung to her, shivering as the winter breeze rushed through the broken window. They had blankets; however, they were thin and light.

She rested her head back, mind troubled. Midterm exams start tomorrow. She wasn’t worried that she’d fail them, instead, about her placement. Last year she got 100th out of 300. Which, in theory, was average, but the chastisement of her father said otherwise. She was fortunate enough that her school’s enrollment process heavily relied on GPA, therefore accepting fewer students than others. If she was in a public school, she would’ve been around 10th. Sometimes, the thought of getting a higher rank doubted her decision to switch to a private school. However, Prevail Academy covered everything, from her tuition to transportation.

She was snapped out of her thoughts by movement beside her. She looked down, seeing her younger sister, Siena, stirring and mumbling beside her. Olivia carefully sat up, her eyebrows knitting together as she watched her struggle. She raised her hand and ran it through her hair.

Siena’s grimace was gone as the gesture soothed her. She sighed, falling back to sleep.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 2ND, 6:01 AM

“Olivia, wake up,” small hands tugged at her side, prodding her gently. Olivia groaned, heaving herself up. Alyssa, the more spontaneous of the twins, grinned. Siena was sitting nearby, reading a book she’d gotten from her school library. Despite being in the first grade, she was reading a book meant for fifth graders. A prodigy for her age.

“Dad said that, um, if you’re not up, you have to buy him cigarettes!” Alyssa giggled, skipping away to put on her shoes. Olivia’s eyes widened. Where was her father? He is usually the one to wake her. She got up, brushing off the lint balls that had gathered. She walked over to the bedside table, glancing at her dirty uniform. She cringed, noting the traces of ketchup on its sleeve. She would’ve washed it last night, but the washer had been broken for a few days now. For a moment, she wanted to wear one of the only outfits that fitted her, but that would’ve gotten her dress coded. Instead, with a heavy heart, she picked it up and sludged to the restroom.

Water trickled down from the forever-running faucet, the only noise in the dim light. The lamp had shattered, the glass surrounding its base. The toilet gurgled, its lid nowhere to be found. Olivia tried her best to maneuver around the glass but stepped on a piece. She winced, bending over as she tried to pick it from her foot. A metallic red dripped from the injury. She limped over to the sink, collecting some droplets in her palms. It dripped down from her hands and onto her foot. Although it throbbed, it was no longer bleeding.

Shortly after getting ready, she gazed at herself in the mirror. When she was younger, before her mother’s death, her complexion was fuller, her skin clear, and not an eye bag in sight. The white collared shirt that the school provided was covered in grime, and the skirt wasn’t much different. Her mismatched socks had holes in them, just like her shoes. People stared and called her names, but she never minded them.

Her father yelled for her in his usual booming voice from the living room. Olivia grabbed her backpack and scurried over. He was lying on the couch, an empty beer bottle in hand.

“What did I tell you about the kitchen, Liv- HIC!” his eyebrows furrowed, raising the beer bottle clumsily.

“Don’t you remember? Alyssa had gotten herself muddy so I had to clean her up. Also, my name is Olivia, Dad.” Her heartbeat picked up, noticing the changes in his expression.

He punched the wall behind him, screaming something incoherently. Alyssa and Siena peeked through the hallway, watching curiously.

“I call you what I want! Do you think you can raise those brats better than me? Huh? Why don’t you raise them yourself then? It’s all you’re good for, you stupid-” Olivia learned to block out his words. Focusing her eyes on the floor instead. Occasionally she would murmur an okay, but that’s only if her father left room for discussion.

After God knows how long, he finally stopped. He ended his rant by throwing the glass bottle towards the wall. It clattered amongst the others. It had become a daily routine for them.

That day, her father told her to walk to school. The cold gnawed at her skin, the tips of her fingers growing numb. Luckily, it wasn’t snowing. Just freezing to the point of frostbite.

After about fifteen minutes of treading through the chill, she finally arrived. The air whistled, trees swaying lightly. The large sign in the front was covered in debris, from fallen twigs to garbage. As if on cue, the bell rang. The sound echoed in all directions, causing some students to dash towards the entrance. Olivia, not wanting to mess up her attendance, followed closely after them.

She was hit with a wave of warmth, a needed break from the absence of sun. Inside, students frantically tried to open their lockers. Most of them had layers underneath their uniforms, however some, Olivia included, had none. She was thankful that her locker wasn’t far from her first period; Science. As quickly as she got over to it, she unlocked it. The lock collapsed in her hand. Grabbing her textbooks, she closed it and began rushing towards class.

The hallways were filled with students doing the same, some staying behind to chat with their friends. Olivia never understood why. You could always catch up during lunch or after school. But yet again, she didn’t have friends so perhaps not.

The door to her classroom was open, revealing rows of empty seats. The teacher was talking to a colleague. Olivia walked in, glancing at her seat. Or what would’ve been her seat.

In her place sat a blonde girl. Her wavy hair had streaks of red, complimenting her dashing green eyes. She wore the mandatory school uniform, however, it was tweaked to her personal likings. Gold earrings, necklaces, and rings were scattered among her appearance. She sat elegantly with her legs crossed. Her head was perched on her knuckles. Girls surrounded her, chattering eagerly.

Instantly, Olivia felt out of place.

Mustering up courage, she shuffled over.

“Hello,” she started, staring at her. The girl’s gaze whipped towards her, eyeing her up and down. Observing every imperfection and flaw. Olivia’s skin prickled with uneasiness. She nearly forgot what she came here to do, “You’re, uh, sitting in my seat.”

“And?” The response was quick, her speech unique. She could tell that she had an accent, although it was too soon to discover which one. Olivia’s face reddened in embarrassment as the girls nearby her snickered

"She looks so red!"
"Did you see her face?"

Olivia pressed her palms to her face, hoping it'll cool her down.

It didn't.

"Class starts in about a minute and-" she was cut off by the blonde-haired girl.

"Then, I'll sit here. Thanks for your concern." the girl rolled her eyes before talking with the others. Olivia stood there for a moment, flabbergasted. She was going to suggest that she’d grab a seat from the neighboring classroom. Surprisingly, she had to instead.