Chapter 1: A Youngblood Morning

The birds are chirping, the cool crisp air blows in, the smell of pumpkin fills my room, and I wake up feeling the happiest I have been in a long time. Little did I know, my life was about to take a twist you only see in tv shows and books. I lived a pretty average life if I’m honest and nothing very exciting ever happened. As I roll out of bed and start doing hair and makeup, I hear my parents whispering in the next room, which I normally can never hear.

“Do you think she has any idea yet, Lily? Her birthday is tomorrow! We should all have an idea by now.” Father said.

“John, if I knew then I’d tell you. I am as tense, if not more so, than you are.”

What could they be whispering about? Why is my mother tense? And why are they whispering so loudly? We don’t have very thin walls and they’re typically really quiet, especially around my birthday. I ignore the thoughts and I zone out to my music to get ready for the day since I have school in an hour. Then I run down stairs to yell bye to my parents before I hop on my scooter and race to the school. I get to school 15 minutes early so I decide to go to the coffee shop for a drink which I haven’t done in a while but I’m sure they remember my usual drink, an iced dirty vanilla pumpkin chai. Our school coffee shop has amazing fall/halloween themed drinks year round because Salem Valley is a halloween crazed town. I mean, our school mascot is Jake Skellington for pete’s sake!

As I wait in line I hear someone talking about me but I can’t figure out where it’s coming from, all I hear is the voices.

“Who does she seriously think she is?”

“What’s with the orange and black hair?”

“She’s taking the halloween thing a little too far.”

“I can’t believe she wore that to school today. She looks so poor.”

“Sammy? Sam? Samantha!” my best friend shouts to snap me back into reality.

“Oh, hey Jill. Sorry about that, I spaced out. Can I get a-”

“Dirty iced vanilla and pumpkin chair for Samantha! Add extra whip for her birthday! I never forgot your drink haha.”

“Jill, you didn’t have to do that. Although it’s very appreciated.”

“No problem,” Jill says as she passes me my drink. “Just promise me you’ll try to socialize today.”

“Uh, can’t hear you! Sorry! Bye, love you!” I shout and run away.

I make sure I am the first to my class so I can sit in the very far back corner closest to the exit door and I get out all my books and notepads so I can settle in. It’s very comforting to hide out back here and get my work done because I can go at my own pace, which is part of why I’m a 4.0 student. Just as I start feeling happy and comfortable, I see my lifelong bully/ex friend walk in.

“Oh Ms. Willow Trevil!” the teacher squeals. “How lovely it is to see you my dear.”

“Why thank you Mrs. Moons. It is lovely to see you too! How are you?” Willow says in her operatic voice.

Everyone is always enchanted when they see Willow and I never understood why. Though that’s kind of a lie because there was a time where all I wanted was to look like her. Willow is the girl who has dark chocolate chip brown eyes that twinkle, pale skin that’s as soft as a feather, her voice sounds like a high pitched opera singer but in the most beautiful way, and her hair was a dark blood red that was never out of place and everyone wanted. Willow Trevil was the girl every guy wanted to be with and every girl wanted to be, except for me. Willow and I have a really weird relationship if I’m being honest. I, as a Youngblood, have always been really kind, quiet, relaxed, and more lowkey at life. The Trevil’s on the other hand are a family of gorgeous super models who are all Harvard alumni, were all very popular in high school, they do anything and everything they can without doing the actual work, and they are the richest family in our town. Everyone wanted to be a Trevil, but what about the Youngbloods? We’re smart, attractive, really good at halloween, and have been to many great schools, but does anyone care? No, they do not because we’re just Youngbloods. According to the town, something happened years and years ago and now our family is cursed to be some of the worst people in existence but obviously that’s just a story. Town rumors are always the strangest but “rumors are just rumors” as Mother says.

“Have you seen Samantha lately? It’s honestly just so sad, trying to look like me. Honestly, I pity her.” Willow yelled pretty loudly.

“Jesus fucking christ Willow will you just shut up for once? If you’re gonna talk about me then at least be nice enough to whisper. Oh wait, you could never be nice because you’re just a shitty person. And by the way, you reek of perfume so maybe tone it down tomorrow.” I yell at her.

I freeze and she stares at me. I have no idea why I just said that out loud, I was only thinking about it. I slowly sit down as she glares at me and I put my earbuds in so I can calm down to my music. Willow marches up to me, pulls my earbuds out and drags me outside the classroom.

“Look Samantha, I don't know what the hell that was but nobody heard me say shit about you. I was literally whispering to the girl next to me. And btdubs I haven’t worn perfume since yesterday morning. How the hell did you smell it when no one else can?”

“Oh don’t even mess with me Willow. I am not in the mood today.”

I walk back into the classroom and I can feel her staring at me.

“Something is going on.” I think to myself.

“How the hell did I know all that?”