I sat in the cafeteria reading my book. I was by myself and thankful for a little silence. Across from me sat a table of popular girls. Sadie Hudson was at the head of the group. She towered over the other girls, and her light brown hair pulled into a tight ponytail.

She laughed loudly and cupped her hands to whisper into her friend’s ear while staring at me. I took my book and began to make my way to another table.

“What are you reading?” she asked, a twisted smile on her face.

“Nothing that would interest you.”

She snatched the book out of my hands.

“The Vampire Lestat?” Said Sadie.

“I bet she dreams of having a vampire lover. Don’t you, Val?” said another girl with dark hair.

Before I could say anything, she flipped through the pages and began reading the more lurid passages to the table. They were all cackling like mindless idiots.

I raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t even think you could read,” I said softly.

“I bet you she’s some kind of devil worshiper,” whispered the dark-haired girl.

The bell rang, I looked around the cafeteria for staff, there was no one there just a sea of students heading out, Sadie and the other girls glaring at me. I grabbed my backpack and made it toward the exit.

“We’re not done with you slut!” said Sadie.

“What up Dracula’s daughter?” said Sadie’s boyfriend, Robbie. He was on some sports team at school. I forgot which one.

"Nothing, I was just going to class before I was rudely interrupted by your idiot group.”

"Call me an idiot again. I’ll make sure you’ll regret it,” he said.

"You just threatened me with assault,” I said. “I’m going to report this.”

"My dad’s a cop. It’s not going to stick. I could make you disappear, and no one would question us,” said the young man by Sadie’s side.

I sprinted to my next class, looking behind me to see if they were following, thankfully they weren’t. I was slightly out of breath as I sat down at my usual desk and unpacked my bag. The whole class was staring at me as I pulled out my history book to study.

Mr. Russo padded up to me slowly.

"Um, Ms. Valerie, are you all right,” he said under his breath.

"I'm fine, just running a little late sir, it won’t happen again, I assure you.”

“Valerie, you’re crying, if you want to see the counselor-“

“No one listens to me, Sir. I need to focus on my GPA. It’s the only thing that will get me out of here.”

He sighed and lowered his eyes. “Ms. Valerie, I’m going to write you a note to go to the nurse’s office to clean up.”

I took the note and went to the nurse’s office. I cleaned up my face and drank some water. Wanda, the school nurse, was a kindly lady in a light pink sweater and salt and pepper hair.

"Are you sure you don’t want to see the principal or guidance counselor?”

"They’d just twist it around on me until I looked like the instigator, it’s not worth it,” I said.

"Sadie Hudson?”

"How did you know?”

" You wouldn’t be the first girl that ended up here because of her. She used to be such a nice girl, bright and cheerful, but lately, she’s been awful. Just because her boyfriend is the sheriff’s son doesn’t mean she can walk over everybody.”

“I’m getting my GED and attending a community college. I’m already taking advanced placement courses. There wouldn’t be much difference,” I said.

“Why don’t you take the rest of the day off? I’ll write you a hall pass. You have near-perfect attendance. I don’t think goin’ home early once will hurt your record.”

“Thank you.” I took the pass from her and headed out to my car since I was leaving early, the halls were blessedly empty.

Winding mountain roads and deep forest surrounded me as I drove home. The woods parted to the town of Junction. It was a tiny village with a few houses, a gas station, and a post office, at the end of the community, lay ruins of an old ironworks from the 1800s. A brick structure was twisting in decay at the foot of the mountain pass. There were rumors of a bad fire nearly a century ago that left the factory in ruin.

I drove down the long driveway to my family’s house. It was a decent-sized cabin with a wooded yard. I carefully opened the front door and slipped inside. My parents were at work, and my sister wouldn’t be home for the next few hours, so I had the house to myself.

Under my bed were books I hid from my parents. My family was staunch Baptist. I didn’t want to hear the arguments from them. I already had enough...