Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

MARGO

Earlier that morning

I jump onto Annie's bed and pull off her covers. "It's the first day of school!"

Annie winces, trying to steal the covers back. "No," she groans.

I don't budge, and when Annie lets go, I push the comforter off the bed. In reply, Annie shoves her head underneath her pillow.

"This is the first day of senior year," I say, rushing to our closet. I want to wear something that'll stand out, and I spot my orange overalls in the back. I have overalls in just about every color, but the orange ones are one of my favorites. They remind me of fall, and considering how it's September first, I think it's safe to say summer is over, even if the weather hasn't caught on yet.

Annie stands, half asleep, and pulls a dark blue shirt out of the dresser in the corner of our room. She pulls it over her head and stuffs her legs into a pair of jeans before picking up her comforter off the ground. Then she curls up again on her bed. "Wake me up in ten."

"Not so fast," I say, grabbing a light blue shirt off the closet rack. I toss it onto the bed and it morphs over Annie. "You should wear this instead. It makes your glasses pop."

"Maybe I don't want my glasses to pop," she says through the comforter.

I like Annie's glasses. I think they're cute and she should wear them with confidence.

"If you don't walk out in that shirt, I will disown you," I say, walking to the door.

"You can't disown me. We shared a womb."

I laugh and head to the bathroom to finish getting ready. I brush my short hair and put on my makeup. After brushing my teeth, I choose my earrings. I never leave the house without a pair. Today, I pick tangerines to match my overalls.

Downstairs Mama is setting out breakfast. She has an apron tied tightly around her waist as she sets down a plate with scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon.

There are only three places set. "Where's Papa?"

"He had to go to work early," she says.

"Again?"

Mama kisses my head. "He'll be home for dinner. He promised."

I raise an eyebrow. "He promised?"

Mama smiles and looks up. "I may have told him I'd make steak."

Papa is always working. He's been working overtime ever since Mama stopped working three years ago when I got sick.

My freshman year of high school I was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, which prompted my mother to quit her job as a labor and delivery nurse and dote on me full time. I've been in remission for over a year now, but she refuses to go back to work. She prefers staying home and treating me like a porcelain doll. That also means Papa is responsible for paying all the bills. I miss having him around, but I understand the situation. He works hard for us, and I appreciate it even if I wished he'd spend more time with us.

"Where's your chauffeur?" Mama asks.

I sit down at the table. "Still in bed."

Mama takes off her apron and sets it on her chair. "You two are not going to be late for your first day of school," she says, marching out of the room.

I laugh, taking a bite of toast. Annie might not get out of bed when I tell her to, but she's no match for Mama. No matter how much she argues, Mama will win. She always does.

A few minutes later Annie walks in for breakfast wearing the light blue shirt I suggested. She sits down across from me and sighs.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

She leans on the table. "I'm not ready for another year of school."

"Three months off wasn't enough for you?"

"Nope."

Mama joins us, but instead of eating, she pours us juice. "Are you sure you two don't want cold lunch? I can whip something up quickly if you've changed your mind."

"That's okay," I say.

"I'm good," Annie says.

"I really don't mind," Mama says. "I don't want you to grow up thinking your mother didn't love you because she didn't make you lunch. "

"Trust me, that's not what we're thinking." I pat the table and smile. "Sit and eat."

Mama sits. "My friend's sister said her son ate a spoiled egg from school and ended up in the hospital. That could've been avoided if she made him lunch."

Annie pushes her glasses up to the bridge of her nose and cracks open a book, and I shovel a bite of eggs into my mouth.

"I also bought ham and turkey and three different kinds of cheese, just in case," Mama continues.

"Okay," I say, knowing if I don't agree, Mama will take it personally. "I'll take a cold lunch."

Mama's face lights up as she stands. "I'll be right back."

Once she leaves, Annie peers up from her book. "Really?"

I shrug. "It'll make her happy."

"You're encouraging her. Now she'll want to make you sandwiches for the rest of the year."

"At least there are three different kinds of cheese."

"Just don't come for my pizza at lunchtime," she says.

I chuckle. "Oh, come on. It's not like you're going to eat it. You have the appetite of a mouse. Speaking of which..." I lean over the table, take her toast, and lift it to Annie's mouth. "Say ah ."

Annie's brow furrows, and she glares. "I was going—"

I shove the toast into her mouth.

"You were saying?"

She takes a bite and sets the leftover toast back on the plate. "Margo, sometimes you're too pushy, and one day you're going to get yourself in trouble."

I wouldn't have to be pushy if she would do things without being forced. "Was it good?"

"That's not the point."

I take a sip of my juice. "Well, was it? "

She hesitates before nodding and taking another bite.

"See. I knew it," I say.

Annie isn't the type of person to drive headfirst into anything. She needs to be pushed; otherwise, she'll never get anywhere. If she had it her way, she'd never go to school or hang out with friends. She'd probably starve because she'd get too invested in her reading and forget to eat. She needs to be pushed, she needs me.

After breakfast we head to the car. Even though we're the same age, I never learned to drive. Annie took classes last year, but I wasn't up to it yet. I always said I'd take them eventually, but it never happened. Instead, she chauffeurs me around, and I think I prefer it that way. I know if I were driving, she'd have her head in a book, reading. This way, she has to keep her eyes on the road, and I can talk to her about whatever I want. It's our time together. It's sacred.

"Are you excited for school?" I ask.

She raises an eyebrow. "Did you forget who you're talking to?"

"Come on, Annie. It's our senior year!" This is supposed to be the best year of high school. "This is your last chance to have fun before you're an adult."

"It's not that serious."

"It wouldn't kill you to try out for a sport or go to a party," I say.

She laughs. "Actually, I think that just might kill me."

I sigh. "Well, maybe you can join a book club."

"Maybe, but I have an interview after school today."

I sit up so fast my seatbelt jerks me back down. "You do? Since when?"

"It's for the cute little bookstore downtown. "

I don't understand how she can say this like it's not the most earth-shattering plot twist of her life.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

She tilts her head away to hide her shy smile. "Because I knew you'd freak out. I knew you'd make a big deal out of it."

Annie never leaves the house unless she has to, so I don't understand what possessed her to get a job. "Why all of a sudden?"

She gets quiet.

If she wasn't driving, I'd wrap my arms around her and shake the truth out of her, but unfortunately if I did that now, we'd crash. I settle for turning down the music. "Tell me."

"Broken Sage is coming to Spokane," she mumbles. "I want to go, but I know the tickets are going to be expensive."

My heart swells. Annie is doing something outside of her comfort zone, and I want to tell the whole world. I contain myself, though. Barely.

She peeks over at me. "Why do you look like you're about to cry?"

I pat her shoulder. "My Annie is growing up."

I ask her questions about the job for the rest of our drive. I even make her practice answering interview questions because I'm determined to help her get this job any way I can. By the time we get to school, I think she's about ready to eject me from the car.

As soon as we get out of the car, I loop my arm in hers and lead her—or drag her, if I'm being honest—into the building. The school is swarming with students. Most I recognize but there are a few I don't. I assume they're freshmen.

Cameryn comes running up to me, her dark curls bouncing in the air. "Margo, did you hear Tyler is looking for you? "

I shake my head. "Why?"

Her eyes widen, and she grabs my arm. "The watch was a dupe."

"That's not possible," I say. Tyler paid me right before the end of school last year to find a limited edition watch as a gift for his dad. I did my best to verify it was real, but I also don't know a lot about watches.

Annie crosses her arms and stares at me. "Still think doing business at school is a good idea?"

I'm good at fixing things, or at least I am usually . It's what I'm known for at school. It's my specialty. I've always had a knack for solving problems—figuring out what people need, finding the best sale on shoes in town, winning the games at the fair. If there's a problem to be solved, I'm the girl to call.

"I'll figure it out," I say.

"Can't you give him his money back?" Cameryn asks.

I cringe. "I don't have it anymore."

"You spent it already?"

Of course I spent it. It's been almost three months, and I thought he was happy with the watch.

"Margo Blakely!" Tyler yells from the other side of the hallway.

"I'll see you guys later!" I yell and take off running. I sprint past everyone filtering in through the main entrance and race outside. I don't really have a plan, I'm just running. I'll figure it out as I go. Hopefully, by the time he catches me, I'll have a better excuse.

Within seconds my legs ache, pain shoots up my side, and I know I'm not going to be able to keep up this pace.

Once outside, I turn the corner and spot a boy around my age. He's reading a book in the shadows. I've never seen him before, but he's tall and dressed in black. He wears a scowl like an accessory.

"Hide me!" I grab on to him and push him in front of me.

Tyler bolts through the doors. "Margo, where are you?"

I didn't realize a fake watch could make someone this angry, but his face is as red as a stoplight.

I cower behind the wall of a guy. "Don't let him see me."

Tyler runs straight for us. "You scammed me!"

"I did not!"

Tyler reaches for me, but I block every one of his attempts to reach me. "The watch was a knockoff!"

"That's not my fault. I didn't know!"

"Just give me my money back!"

The guy in front me stiffens and tries to get away from me, but I hold him right where he is. "I don't have it."

Tyler shoves us off balance, and we both fall to the ground. The book the boy had been reading flies in the air, landing a few feet away. He scrambles to his knees and reaches for it, but Tyler kicks it.

The boy jumps up. "Hey!"

Tyler—who's known for not making the best decisions—smirks. "Got a problem?"

I don't know why he cares so much about this book, but it's like Tyler hit a sore spot.

The boy shoves him hard. "What did I do to you?"

Immediately, Tyler swings his fist into the boy's face, and the next thing I know, they're fighting on the ground.

I'm not going to lie, I didn't think my first day of school would start off in the principal's office. I sit in the middle of the two boys waiting for the principal to come back into the room. On one side, there's Tyler, who has a split lip and his head in his hands. The boy on my other side doesn't look much better, but he stares out the window like he doesn't care about how he might get suspended.

"You really screwed me over," Tyler mumbles. "First the watch and now this? If I get suspended, Coach won't let me play."

"Well, maybe you shouldn't be such a jerk," I say.

He glares at me. "Not helping."

I could agree to save up the money to repay him, or I could use this as an opportunity. "If I get you out of this, will you call us even?" I whisper.

"You're bluffing again," he says.

"No, I'm not."

"Prove it," he says.

I may not like him, but I like a challenge. "Okay. I will." Then I turn to the other boy. "Do you want out of this too?"

He ignores me. He doesn't even flinch.

I wave my hand in front of his face. "Hello. Let's make a deal, and I'll make sure you don't get suspended."

His eyes flicker to me for a split second. "I don't want your help."

I huff. Who does he think he is?

"It wouldn't cost you very much," I say. Maybe he's worried about money, but I'm very reasonable. I'll make trades.

He shakes his head at me, glaring. "Get a life."

I bite my cheek. I don't know who he is, but I already know that I don't like him. I cross my arms and lean back. "Well, somebody got up on the wrong side of the bed."

A few minutes go by and Principal Lopez walks in. She has her coffee in one hand and an armload of papers in the other. "School hasn't even started and I have someone in my office." She sits down in front of us at her desk and sighs. "Okay, who wants to go first?"

I clear my throat and pout my lips. "It's all my fault."

She raises an eyebrow and looks between the three of us before landing on me again. "Really?"

I nod. "They were fighting over me."

Tyler chokes.

I kick him. "It was a misunderstanding. They both want to take me to homecoming, and I told them I couldn't—"

Principal Lopez holds her hand up, palm facing out. "Margo, I don't have time for one of your stories right now."

I sit up, and my head starts to feel light. I need this to work. "You know what? You're right. Like you said, school hasn't even officially started. It's only seven forty-five. Wouldn't you rather let this go and pretend it didn't happen?"

"I'd love to, but you know I can't," she says.

"Tyler is really sorry. Aren't you, Tyler?" I ask, gesturing to him.

He nods.

"And it won't happen again, will it?"

He nods again.

"See?"

Principal Lopez takes a sip of her coffee. "I wish it were that simple."

The room is starting to spin, but I clutch the chair and focus. "You and I both know you have a hard time finding volunteers for monthly food drives. What if Tyler were to agree to volunteer at one of those?"

"I don't know. "

I lean forward. "Look at them. They're strong. They can lift boxes or something."

She takes another sip of her coffee. "It's too early for this, but you got me." She looks over at Tyler. "If you volunteer at the next three food drives, I'll let this go."

He smiles. "You got it."

Principal Lopez turns to the new kid. "Will you volunteer too?"

He scoffs. "I'd rather have detention for a week."

What's with his attitude? Did he wake up on the wrong side of the bed or was he born like this?

Principal Lopez forces a grin. "Well, fortunately for you, that can be arranged." She waves us off. "Now, head to your first period before I change my mind, and if this happens again, I'll be calling all of your parents."

"What about me?" I ask.

She sighs, locking eyes with me. "Just do me a favor and try not to cause too much trouble this year."

"I'll try," I say. My nose tickles like I'm about to sneeze and starts to run.

She frowns. "Margo, wait." She takes a tissue and hands it to me.

I take it and blow my nose, but I freeze when I bring it away from my face. There's blood left on the tissue.

The next thing I know, I'm being sent to the nurse's office.