The Genetic Code

Chapter 1

Part III

Juliette

Has school always been such a living hell?

I mean, don't get me wrong, this school has undoubtedly always been pretty awful to be in, but this state of unbearableness is of a whole new level. A Perfectly devised, embellished to Perfection, Perfect masterpiece of constructed terror.

I guess it has something to do with the fact that I've been selected as The Chosen One to be the target of the school's most prized, esteemed Perfect who has full immunity from any concept or form of disciplinary action by Grace of her Rosamund name (pun intended).

Oh my god... I think the last horror week of school has completely screwed up my brain. It's short-circuited. I'm starting to sound like Alex with his lame jokes that nobody wants to or cares enough to listen to, besides me.

Right, I almost forgot. No more talking about what's-his-name.

Anyway, even if it weren't for the fact that she could murder the President's daughter and get off with a slap on the wrist, there's still no way she would ever get in trouble for tormenting me, or even be found out at all... Because I would never tell anyone. This crowned bitch has her taloned fingers perched on a lever determining the fate of my father's job, threatening to push it if I speak up a single word.

Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to swallow the bile rising in my throat along with all the venomous comebacks I want to spit at her? It's only been a week and I already feel like I'm about to explode sarcastic snark all across the pristine white halls. I'm pretty sure I could write an award-winning novel with all these amazing comebacks I've precisely and impeccably drawn up in my head.

I wish I could talk to someone about it and let it all out, but currently, my whole friendship situation is still... pending. My old friends still don't talk to me, and the next people I would call friends would be Sterling, who I'm avoiding, or the 'sexy voice in the dark', also Sterling, who happens to be step-brother of my arch-nemesis and co-lever-holder of my father's job.

God, when did my life become so screwed up? Well, my life has always been a mess, but I'd honestly rather go back to the time when I thought my biggest, darkest secret was about to be exposed to the world. That was less painful than it is now.

I've been trying to stay away from anyone in that family as of late. If I'm anywhere near Kera's peripheral vortex of suffering I'll undoubtedly be sucked in, so I steer clear of her at all costs. As for the other one... I've been ignoring him when he waves at me along on the halls and pretend not to hear him when he calls 'ally'. During science class, when he tries to start a conversation with me I shut it down with a one-word reply, and I've rejected all his offers to eat lunch with me. He's even resorted to hiding my books and knocking my pens off the table 'by accident' to get my attention, but I still don't give it to him. I actually feel bad about my cold behavior towards him. Why, though? It's not like we're especially close or anything so there's no need to feel guilty... Right?

I'd decided to stop going to the cafeteria to avoid seeing the both of them when we're not under the watchful presence of teachers to keep our acts straight. I just buy a sandwich from the vending machine on the second floor and eat alone in class. Kinda pathetic, I know, it screams 'I'm a loser outcast hiding from my problems', but that's a pretty accurate assessment, so whatever, I concede. It's still better than what I imagine the situation would be if I went to the cafeteria — or God forbid, the Perfect cafe — for lunch.