Sheltered

Chapter 2

Savanna lowers her head, brushing her long hair over her eyes, and makes her way to the back of the bus.

She hears a few taunting giggles, and the occasional "Nerd...". She rolls her eyes, ignoring the comments, stares and giggles.

Reaching the back seat, she looks up with a wide smile creeping into her face.
"Hey, nerd!" calls out a petite Hispanic girl with very short brown hair, peircing green eyes and a gray t-shirt- the exact same one that Savanna is wearing.
She also sports a thick, hot pink headband, tight denim shorts and white sneakers.

"Hey Steph!" Savanna exclaims as she embraces the girl in a tight hug.
They both take a seat with a smile and 'Steph' speaks again.
"I made you something." She announces with a slight Spanish accent.
She rummages through her hot pink backpack for a minute, then emerges holding two surprisingly elegant beaded bracelets.

"They're friendship bracelets!" She exclaims excitedly.
"I love them!" Savanna laughs. "It reminds me of when we were little."

Savanna smiles as Steph slips the bracelets on each girl's left wrist.

It felt like the shortest ten minutes of Savanna's life; talking, gossiping and giggling with her best friend, Stephanie Garcia.

When they finally step off the bus, chattering with each other happily, the wide grins are instantly wiped off their faces as they stop dead in their tracks.

They were face to face with the school's golden girl, Bridget Walker.

Her long, curly hair shines gold in the morning sun, her mysteriously pale blue eyes glaring at the two frightened-looking girls.

"Morning, prudes." She says oddly cheerfully, sending shivers of hatred down Savanna and Stephanie's spines.

She laughs her loud, gorgeous laugh, tilting her head back slightly and smiling as she does so.
Everyone would agree that she's a beautiful sight... until you met her viciously disrespectful attitude.

"What's with the staring, girls? Is it my good looks, or my good looks?"
She raises her brow as the girls remain silent.
"See you around." She chirps, pushing the two girls harshly by the shoulders before turning away with a flip of her hair.